Hillcat Happenings April 27-May 3: Mitch Longo streaks at the plate

Mitch Longo1

The Lynchburg Hillcats likely want to put the past week behind them as the team is in the middle of a six-game losing streak.

Lynchburg (12-14) has fallen into third place and trail Carolina League Northern Division leader Potomac by 3.5 games and Salem by 2.5 games.

Outfielders Conner Capel and Mitch Longo are leading the Hillcats offensively with Capel slashing .319/.387/.457 in 25 games and Longo now slashing .299/.354/.402 in 22 games.

Longo, a 14th-round selection in 2016 by the Cleveland Indians, has really stepped it up at the plate recently with a 16-game hitting streak and is batting .364 in his last 10 games. He’s 16-for-44 during that span and has increased his average from .234 on April 20 to his current .299 clip.

The Hillcats were swept at home by the Potomac Nationals in a three-game set and then traveled to Winston-Salem where they were again swept in a three-game series.

Justin Garza took the loss while pitching two innings of relief for Lynchburg during a 9-3 loss on April 27. He took over for starter Micah Miniard, who lasted just 4.1 innings and gave up three runs, six hits and five walks. Garza gave up four runs, four hits and two walks during his appearance.

Starter Jake Paulson (2-2, 4.71 ERA) pitched 4.2 innings in a 8-3 defeat on April 28. Paulson gave up seven runs and 10 hits along with three walks against the Nationals.

Luis Jimenez (0-3, 12.91 ERA) was the losing pitcher in an 8-4 loss on April 29. He pitched just 0.1 innings of relief and gave up four runs. Starter Sam Hentges pitched well in his 5.2 innings and gave up six hits and one run and struck out five during his appearance.

Zach Plesac (1-2, 5.81 ERA) got pounded on the mound during his 4.2 innings and gave up eight runs and 10 hits and a walk as he took the loss in a 9-0 shutout in May 1.

Starter Tanner Tully (1-2, 4.23 ERA) suffered the loss in a 9-2 loss on April 2. He managed to pitch 5.1 innings and gave up six runs and 10 hits while walking one and striking out five.

Garza (1-2, 2.16 ERA) again was the losing pitcher during a 5-3 defeat on April 3. He gave up four runs, six hits and two walks while striking out four during his five innings of work.

Weekly transactions: On May 3, RHP James Karinchak was assigned to Lynchburg Hillcats from Lake County Captains, 3B Gavin Collins was placed on the 7-day disabled list retroactive to May 1 and 2B Alexis Pantoja was assigned to Lynchburg Hillcats from the Akron RubberDucks. On April 27, RHP Henry Martinez was promoted to Akron from Lynchburg and Justin Garcia was promoted to Lynchburg from the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

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