Hillcats score two in ninth, shut out host Indians

Lynchburg took advantage of a walk by Kinston relief pitcher Dallas Cawiezell, the second of two errors by the Indians and back-to-back singles by Jordy Mercer and Matt Hague to score the game’s only runs in the top of the ninth inning of a 2-0 victory, Monday night at Grainger Stadium.

Ramon Aguero (1-0) earned the win for the Hillcats after replacing Paul Mildren in the sixth. A total of four pitchers combined on the five-hit shutout with R.J. Rodriguez nailing down his Carolina League-leading 22nd save by retiring the Indians in order in the ninth.

Josh Harrison went 3-for-5 and delivered the only extra-base hit of the game, a leadoff double in the fourth. But after Kent Sakamoto (2-for-4) and Jared Keel walked to load the bases with two outs, Huber flew out to right to end that threat.

Kinston only had three players reach second base — one in the bottom of the fourth, when Ole Sheldon singled and advanced on a wild pitch by Owens with two outs; one in the sixth when Tim Fedroff singled and stole second with two outs; and one in the eighth when Lucas Montero was hit by a Aguero pitch and was moved into scoring position on a two-out single by Fedroff (3-for-4).