Mud sinks Hill in battle of 'Cats

Mudcats

Mud sinks Hill in battle of 'Cats

Aug 5, 2012

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Zebulon, N.C. — Jesus Aguilar’s only hit of the afternoon proved to be the most important as the Carolina Mudcats shocked the Lynchburg Hillcats 7-6 in front of 1,734 on Sunday afternoon at Five County Stadium.

Trailing 6-4 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Mudcats (22-21, 54-59) rallied for two runs to tie the score, and set up the thrilling finish. Tony Wolters laid down a bunt single to the left side of the mound to start the rally. After Bo Greenwell bunted over the potential winning run to second, Giovanny Urshela beat out a ground ball rolled to the right side. With runners at the corners, Aguilar sent the first pitch he saw into left field to plate the winning run.

Wolters had a career afternoon nearly overshadowed by Aguilar’s heroics. The 20-year-old infielder finished 3-for-5 and a triple shy of the cycle. He crushed a majestic blast over the right field wall in the fourth inning to score three runs in addition to scoring the game-winner.

The bullpens played a major factor in the day’s events. Grant Sides (2-0) was the third reliever used by Carolina, and pitched the final two innings. The right-hander allowed a run on two hits in the victory.

Ryan Weber (0-2) allowed the final three runs to Carolina as Lynchburg fell to 21-22 and 60-53 overall.

The game went back and forth all afternoon. The Hillcats stormed out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of second inning runs. The Mudcats scored four times in the fourth, capped by Wolters’ three-run jack, to go up two.

Lynchburg proceeded to score the next four runs, plating two in the fifth against reliever Rob Nixon, and adding a run in the seventh and eighth for a 6-4 lead.

The Carolina Mudcats take to the road for the next six games.