Credit: Lee Luther Jr.
After a win to open the Mills Cup Series, Lynchburg split the next two games with Winston-Salem to move within one win of a Carolina League championship, which would be the Braves first Carolina League title since 2000 in Myrtle Beach.
On Sunday night, after Winston-Salem got an early run, Lynchburg put up a three-spot in the fourth with the help of an error and a Mycal Jones squeeze. The lead lasted until the sixth when Ryan Weber allowed his own three-run inning, capped by a Kevan Smith 2-run homer. A late Marcus Semien homer provided a much-needed insurance run. In the ninth, Andrelton Simmons hit one of his two doubles to drive home Dan Brewer, making it a 5-4 game. Nick Ahmed grounded out to end the threat and the game.
The two aces were set to match up last night, and the game did not disappoint. The only blemish came in the fifth inning, when Lynchburg was able to get a David Rohm double and Dan Brewer single to score the only run of the game off Erik Johnson. Gus Schlosser was tremendous again, going seven scoreless, walking one and striking out seven. Juan Jaime got a four-out save, his third save of the playoffs.
Aaron Northcraft, who had a good first outing, gets the nod tonight in the possible clincher. Scott Snodgress gets the call for the Dash. The lefty had an uninspiring first half with A-ball Kannapolis, but really turned it on after the promotion, striking out 27% of hitters and getting over 50% groundballs. Anyone who wants to listen to the game can stream it at lynchburg-hillcats.com.