Hillcats salvage a split of doubleheader with Frederick

Christmas in July night at City Stadium was suspended by rain on Thursday, moments after the Frederick Keys took a 2-1 lead in their Carolina League series opener against the Lynchburg Hillcats.

When the game resumed in the top of the fourth inning Friday as part of a twi-night doubleheader, it seemed more like the Fourth of July. After the first of two singings of the National Anthem, the Keys provided most of the offensive fireworks in a 10-6 triumph, their fifth in a row, sending the Hillcats to their fourth straight setback.

Lynchburg exacted revenge in the second game with a 3-1 victory that ended the Keys win streak and also put a halt to its four-game skid.

In the first game, Caleb Joseph and Tyler Henson smacked back-to-back doubles off Lynchburg reliever Paul Mildren to make it 4-1 in the fourth before Joseph and Wally Crancer hit two-out, two run home runs to left and right, respectively, in the fifth. Ryan Adams also delivered an RBI single up the middle in that five-run inning, driving in Henson, who had doubled, as Frederick (18-15 second half, 49-53 overall) opened a commanding 9-1 lead.

Lynchburg (11-22, 56-46) got three runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a bases-loaded single to right by Kris Watts. That hit cleared the bases when rightfielder Billy Rowell let the ball roll under his glove for the Keys’ third error of the game. Frederick had committed two miscues in the first inning Thursday when Jose De Los Santos walked, stole his 43rd base of the season and scored to give the Hillcats an early 1-0 lead.

Lynchburg threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, mounting a two-out, two-run rally sparked by a double by Jordy Mercer

(3-for-4, walk). He and Matt Hague scored on Jared Keel’s single to center before Erik Huber (3-for-3, two doubles) walked to load the bases for designated hitter Eric Fryer, who represented the tying run.

However, Fryer swung at a first pitch by Joe Esposito, grounding out to Adams at second base to end the game.

The Hillcats bounced back in the second game with a strong outing by starting pitcher Justin Wilson (six innings, three hits) and a three-run fifth to salvage a split.

“I tried to get ahead of guys and came back and threw strikes when I didn’t,” Wilson said. “I mixed all three of my pitches in, the fastball, changeup and curveball. Our offense came through at the plate and I couldn’t ask for better defense. We played error-free baseball.”

Huber, who went 6-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored in Sunday’s win at Frederick, continued his hot streak since joining the Hillcats two weeks ago. He batted 3-for-3 in the first game and 2-for-3 in the nightcap, leading off the fifth with a single and scoring along with Fryer on a bases-loaded single by De Los Santos.

“(Erik Huber’s) just come in and contributed,” Hillcats manager P.J. Forbes said. “We stuck him in the lineup and let him go and he’s outperformed our expectations.”

Cat tales

Josh Harrison, who the Hillcats picked up from Peoria (Ill.) in the deal that sent Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Kevin Hart, was added to Lynchburg’s roster between games and started the nightcap in left field. Harrison singled in his first at-bat, on a first pitch from Keys starter Sean Gleason, but was picked off by Gleason before he threw another pitch … Tonight is an official fireworks night at City Stadium following the third game of a four-game series.