Blue Rocks Eliminated from Postseason

After a huge win on Thursday night to force a Game 3 in Lynchburg, Wilmington‘s offense was put back to sleep by Hillcats starter Aaron Northcraft (and their bullpen). The Blue Rocks lost to Lynchburg, 2-1 as the Hillcats moved on to the Carolina League Championship series to face the Winston-Salem Dash (who won 9-0 Friday night over Myrtle Beach).

The Blue Rocks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning on Geulin Beltre‘s solo homerun. That was the only run they would score. The Hillcats tied the game up in the bottom of the 4th inning on Andrelton Simmons‘ solo homerun (he went 1-for-4 while playing shortstop in his second game of rehabbing with the Hillcats).

The game would stay tied until the bottom of the 8th inning when Hillcats catcher Braeden Schlehuber took reliever Robinson Yambati‘s 3-2 pitch with one out over the wall in left field to give the Hillcats a 2-1 lead. Hillcats closer Juan Jamie took care of business in the top of the 9th inning with two strikeouts.

The Blue Rocks lost how they lost many games all season long: with great pitching and very little offense. Starter Leondy Perez allowed just the one run on four hits and a walk over 6.2 innings. He struck out four. The offense collected just five hits, while striking out nine times and hitting into two double plays.