A change of pace did the trick for the Lynchburg Hillcats, who tallied a season-high 14 hits in Wednesday’s early game to beat the Frederick Keys, 4-3, and avoid the sweep.
Soon after Wednesday morning’s first pitch, Lynchburg got on the board first for the first time this series. A day after it took 25 outs to record a hit — their only hit of the game Tuesday — the Hillcats had four hits by the second inning, turning three of them into two runs in the second.
A leadoff single by Trenton Brooks, followed by Anthony Miller’s single and a two-strike single from Erlin Cerda loaded the bases for the ’Cats, and Ofelkay Peralta issued back-to-back four-pitch walks to send two runners home for the Hillcats (15-17).
Peralta’s outing only deteriorated from there. He gave up back-to-back hits to start the third inning — both of which later resulted in two more runs for the Hillcats — and couldn’t record an out before he was pulled.
Li-Jen Chu hit his seventh double of the year to lead off the frame, and Brooks followed with an RBI single. Miller’s single two batters later scored Brooks.
Peralta (1-3) took the loss after giving up six hits. He and Lucas Humpal, who went 4 1/3 innings in relief, combined to give up 12 of Lynchburg’s 14 hits.
The Hillcats were led by Brooks, who went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Luke Wakamatsu, who also was 3 for 4 with an RBI.
While the early offense was a welcome change for Lynchburg, it didn’t score again after the third, stranding seven through the rest of the game. The ’Cats left 12 total men on base.
Down 4-1 after the third, Frederick (14-19) mounted a comeback in the fourth.
Wilson Garcia’s double put him in scoring position, and two wild pitches from Hillcats starter Micah Miniard in sent him home. Chris Clare added an RBI double to cap the Keys’ scoring.
In his four-inning outing, Miniard allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out one. He also threw four total wild pitches, three of which came in the fourth.
After struggling in recent days, the ’Cats bullpen put together a strong performance Wednesday to preserve the lead and give Lynchburg the win.
Kieran Lovegrove (3-0) got the win after scattering two hits and striking out five in three innings of relief. Anderson Polanco and James Karinchak, who got his first save, combined for one hit, two walks and a strikeout over the final two innings.