After managing just three runs in its previous 23 innings, Wilmington’s offense rallied for three times that in a 9-3 win over Lynchburg, Friday night at Frawley Stadium, where the Blue Rocks snapped a three-game losing streak.
The nine runs were the most scored by Wilmington in a win at home since beating the Hillcats 10-7 on June 23.
Whit Merrifield sparked a four-run first inning with a triple to left and scored on a double by Nick Van Stratten (3-for-4, 3 RBI) before Yem Prades capped it with a solo home run to left off Hillcats starter Matt Crim (1-7).
Crim allowed six runs (five earned) in only four innings pitched and is now 0-3 with a 10.13 ERA in five games pitched against the Blue Rocks this season.
After failing to score with the bases loaded and one out in the second, Wilmington added two unearned runs in the fourth when Lynchburg shortstop Andrelton Simmons misplayed a chopper by Van Stratten.
Meanwhile, Wilmington starter Tyler Sample (7-10) settled down after a rough first inning in which Joey Terdoslavich tripled to drive in Phil Gosselin. The right-hander kept the Hillcats off the board over the next four frames despite not recording a single strikeout in six innings of work, allowing just three runs, two earned.
Trailing 7-3, the Hillcats threatened to get back in the game, with runners at second and third and only one out in the sixth. But Sample got L.V. Ware to pop out to short before Marcus Lemon flew out to right.
Van Statten picked up his third RBI in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Carlo Testa, who had walked off reliever Robert Roth, before Jose Bonilla capped the scoring with a solo home run in the seventh.
Tonight at 6:05, Lynchburg left-hander Chris Masters (7-5, 3.35) takes the mound against Wilmington’s Justin Marks (7-8, 4.44).
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