Guardians Baseball Insider

May 31, 2017

14 appearances into his professional career, Shane Bieber found himself in High-A Lynchburg. Given how those first 14 went, it’s not a surprise. But he wasn’t particularly great for the Lynchburg HIllcats on this day. He allowed five runs (four earned) in 7.1 innings, walking two and striking out two.

The Hillcats offense that hasn’t produced any significant major leaguers at this point was able to back Bieber, however.

Connor Marabell doubled in a run in the first inning, but the Hillcats trailed the P-Nats 2-1 going into the seventh.

Daniel Salters (since retired) singled in a run, and Willi Castro (since traded) doubled in a run to put Lynchburg ahead, 3-2.

Potomac got a run back in the seventh and then Andrew Calica (also since retired) homered in the eighth to put Lynchburg back on top.

A single, double and an intentional walk ended Bieber’s day with one out in the seventh. An error and a hit by pitch with Kieran Lovegrove on the mound pushed across two runs for the Nationals, putting them back ahead, 5-4.

With two outs in the ninth, Sicnarf Loopstok walked to load the bases and Connor Marabell delivered a two out grand slam to go ahead 8-5.

Potomac pushed across two runs in the bottom of the ninth to threaten thanks to two more walks and another error, a sloppy day for the Hillcats, but a win thanks to Loopstok (also now released) working a two out walk and Marabell’s heroics.

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