The FredNats held off the Lynchburg Hillcats in a 6-5 win to push their record above .500 in the second half.
Angel Genao gave the Hillcats an early lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the first, but that edge did not last long.
Lynchburg walked three straight men in the top of the second, when Marcus Brown hammered a single back up the middle to plate both Roismar Quintana and Max Romero Jr.. Armando Cruz then got Gavin Dugas home with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. After a pitching change, Elijah Nunez singled to left, and Marcus Brown scored the fourth run of the frame for the Nats.
But in the bottom of the inning, Fredericksburg gave up a double and a pair of walks to load the bases. Angel Zarate worked a third walk to force in a run, pulling Lynchburg a run closer.
Jose Devers then made it a one run game in the bottom of the third, with his eighth home run of the year.
The fourth inning went by scoreless, before Lynhhcburg’s command issues continued in the top of the fifth. Gavin Dugas drew a bases-loaded walk, and later Marcus Brown was hit by a pitch to extend the lead to 6-3 Fredericksburg.
Pres Cavenaugh worked a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth for the Hillcats. A ground out pushed him up to second base, and he scored on a single from Angel Genao to make it 6-4. Genao swiped second bae, and CJ Kayfus singled as well to plate Genao.
Bubba Hall entered with a one run lead in the top of the seventh, and spun a pair of scoreless innings to bridge the gap to closer Marquis Grissom Jr. for the ninth. He struck out two of the four men he faced, to secure a 6-5 win. It was the eighth save for Grissom Jr., and Hall improved to 2-1. Abel Brito took the loss for Lynchburg. In game three, Austin Amaral battles Adam Tulloch.
