Fourth of July may be over but the Wilmington Blue Rocks provided some late game fireworks in Thursday’s 7-6 comeback win against the Lynchburg Hillcats at Calvin Falwell field.

Rocks scored four runs in the ninth to complete the comeback win on Thursday.

There were three Rocks players in the lineup that stood out in Thursday’s win which were center fielder Blake Perkins, DH Vance Vizcaino and second baseman Gabriel Cancel.

Perkins had two runs, two hits, two RBIs and one walk in four at bats in the win.

Vizcaino had two runs, two hits, two RBIs and one walk in three at bats in the win.

Cancel had three hits, three RBIs and one strikeout in five at bats in the win.

Hillcats Strong Start

The Rocks could not get anything thing going in the first inning but Lynchburg did not have any problems in the first inning of starting something.

Hillcats put up three quick runs up in the first inning which was started by right fielder Trenton Brooks who tripled to center field to score shortstop Ernie Clement and DH Conner Capel.

Brooks triple quickly gave the Hillcats a two run lead which grew when third baseman Jorma Rodriguez doubled on a fly ball to left which scored Brooks.

Rodriguez’s double had the Hillcats up 3-0 in the early innings of Thursday’s game.

Then in the second inning, Rocks offense woke up with DH Vance Vizcaino hitting a line drive single which scored first baseman Travis Jones to decrease Hillcats lead to 3-1.

Rocks starting pitcher Daniel Tillo who had a rough inning in the first, regained his composure and pitched two scoreless innings.

Tillo’s scoreless inning streak ended in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Hillcats increased their lead to 4-1.

The lone run for the Hillcats came by catcher Logan Ice who hit a solo home run off of Tillo.

Don’t Count The Rocks Out Just Yet 

In the fifth inning, the Rocks scored two runs to decrease Hillcats lead to 4-3.

Center fielder Blake Perkins batted in one of the runs for the Rocks as he doubled to right field to score Vizcaino.

Wilmington’s second baseman Gabriel Cancel also batted a run for the Rocks as he hit a line drive single to score Perkins.

Rocks Tillo pitched a scoreless fifth inning which would be his last inning of the game where he went five innings, four hits, four runs, four earned runs, five walks, four strikeouts and one home run.

Josh Mitchell came in for relief of Tillo for the Rocks and in his first appearance in the game gave up a run in the sixth inning.

The run came from Hillcats Clement who singled to left field to score Ice which increased the team’s lead to 5-3.

Mitchell would pitch one more inning which was a scoreless one and would end with two innings pitched, two hits, one run, one earned run and one walk.

Julio Pinto would come in for Mitchell in the eighth and gave up a run which increased the Hillcats lead to 6-3.

Hillcats run came from Logan Ice who singled to center field to score first baseman Anthony Miller.

The eighth inning would be Pinto’s only inning which he had one inning pitched, four hits, one run, one earned run, one walk and earned his first win of the year.

 

Comeback Kids

The Blue Rocks were not throwing in the towel just yet and they were going to fight to win this game.

Rocks did just that as they scored four runs in the top of ninth to give them a 7-6 lead in the game.

The first run of the inning was batted in by  Vizcaino who singled to left field which scored shortstop Angelo Castellano.

The next run came from Perkins who tripled to right field to score Vizcaino.

Lastly, Cancel knocked in the last two runs with a double to right field which scored Perkins and right fielder Nick Heath.

In the bottom of the ninth with a one run lead, it was up to Rocks closer Tyler Zuber who did not disappoint which he pitched one inning, one strikeout and earned his first save of the year.

Zuber’s scoreless inning shut the door for the Rocks whose late inning offensive surge led the team to 7-6 comeback win against the Hillcats.

Rocks continue the series with Hillcats tomorrow at Calvin Falwell field with the first pitch at 6:30pm ET.