Stephanie Klein-Davis | The Roanoke Times

Salem catcher Tim Federowicz is thrown a ball from the outfield in the third inning, but it's too late to prevent the Hillcats from scoring another run.

Chih-Hsien Chiang throws the ball from left field as the Lynchburg Hillcats score their third run in the third inning.

The Hillcats' Matt Hague slides safely into third base as Red Sox third baseman Jon Hee waits for the ball from the outfield during an early inning on Monday night in Lynchburg.

LYNCHBURG -- Baseball lore warns that the vengeance of the baseball gods can be harsh.

Eammon Portice can add his own chapter now.

Portice broke the golden rule of pitchers -- never walk the leadoff man -- and the Lynchburg Hillcats made him and his Salem teammates pay for it.

Portice gave up three runs and Salem's 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning and the Hillcats never relinquished momentum as they pounded out a 9-2 victory in the opening game of the Carolina League's Mills Cup Championship Series on Monday night at City Stadium.

The Hillcats, champions of the Northern Division, now need to win just two of four possible games to capture the Mills Cup. The series resumes today in Lynchburg at 6:05 p.m. It takes a day off Wednesday, then Game 3 is Thursday in Salem at 7:05 p.m.

If needed, Game 4 will be Friday at 6:05 p.m. and Game 5 will be Saturday at 6:05 p.m. at Salem Memorial Ballpark.

"There's no panic: it's not do or die," Salem manager Chad Epperson said of today's game. "We'll just come out and do some things better and see what happens."

The Red Sox won the Southern Division's wild-card playoff spot on the last day of the regular season at City Stadium on Sept. 7. Salem went 10-10 against the Hillcats in the regular season, taking three of the last four games on that closing weekend.

Chase d'Arnaud, who went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs for the Hillcats, including a two-run double in the third, said the two teams know each other well.

"We have a lot of info on each other from all the previous games," d'Arnaud said. Otherwise, though, he said the Hillcats weren't concerned about Salem's celebration last week.

"This is a new series, a new slate."

Lynchburg starter Justin Wilson gave up just two runs -- one earned -- in 5 ²₃ innings and his relief corps of Chris Cullen, Harrison Bishop and Ramon Aguero did not allow another score.

Matt Hague homered and had an RBI single and Jose De los Santos went 3-for-3 with a two-run triple and a stolen base for Lynchburg.

Jon Hee and Mike Jones each had two singles for Salem. Anthony Rizzo had a double.

Portice allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in six innings, all but two of those hits came in that pivotal third inning.

Portice walked Hague on five pitches to lead off the inning, then Alex Presley singled to left. Left fielder Chih-Hsien Chiang mishandled the ball, allowing Hague to get to third base and Presley to second. Portice then walked Del los Santos to load the bases for d'Arnaud.

D'Arnaud looped a double just inside the right-field line to bring Hague and Presley home to tie the score at 2. De los Santos stayed put when Josh Harrison grounded back to Portice but scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Jordy Mercer.

"I blew up," Portice said. "I just wasn't getting on top of [the ball] enough and I walked two guys. The baseball gods punished me with a squib down the line.

"I was kicking myself afterward."

Epperson said he was pleased that Portice did not lose his composure afterward and stayed on for three scoreless innings after the third. But the Hillcats had seized momentum along with the lead in the third, and they would not give it back.

The Red Sox got two runners aboard with just one out in the top of the sixth but couldn't score. Rizzo led off with a walk against Wilson. Brad Correll struck out, then Jones singled and Rizzo went to third base. Tim Federowicz hit a fly ball to shallow right and Epperson held Rizzo at third. After a pitching change, Chih-Hsien Chiang grounded out to end the inning.

Salem had a chance to tie in the top of the seventh when Zach Borowiak led off with a single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Dent. Borowiak was stranded there when Che-Hsuan Lin grounded out and Hee struck out.

The Hillcats pounded out two runs, including a solo homer by Hague, off Jason Rice in the seventh, and added four more runs off relievers Derrick Loop and Kyle Fernandes in the eighth.

"They had momentum and they kept it," Epperson said. "Every time it looked like it would try to swing our way they'd make a play, make a pitch, get a hit."

"This is going to be a hard-fought series," Portice said. "Trust me, tomorrow will be a different story."

Note

Catcher Danny Butler returned to Salem from short-season Lowell for the championship series. Butler played in two games, going 0-for-3, for the Red Sox during the last week of the regular season.

How the runs scored

Salem second: Jones reached on an error by Harrison. Federowicz grounded out, Jones to second. Chiang singled, Jones to third. Borowiak flied out, Jones scored. Red Sox 1, Hillcats 0.

Salem third: One out. Hee singled. Rizzo doubled, Hee to third. Correll grounded out, Hee scored. Red Sox 2, Hillcats 0.

Lynchburg third: Hague walked. Presley singled and went to second on an error by Chiang, Hague to third. De los Santos walked to load the bases. D'Arnaud doubled, Hague scored, Presley scored, de los Santos to third. Mercer flied out, de los Santos scored. Hillcats 3, Red Sox 2.

Lynchburg seventh: One out. Hague homered. Presley singled. Fernandes relieved Rice. De los Santos singled and was thrown out at second, Presley to third. D'Arnaud singled, Presley scored. Hillcats 5, Red Sox 2.

Lynchburg eighth: Mercer reached on a bunt single. Romak walked, Mercer to second. Watts reached on a fielder's choice bunt, Mercer to third, Romak out at second. Sanchez doubled, Mercer scored, Watts to third. Capellan relieved Loop. Hague singled, Watts scored, Sanchez to third. Presley popped out. De los Santos tripled, Sanchez scored, Hague scored. Hillcats 9, Red Sox 2.

SALEM LYNCHBURG

ab r h bi ab r h bi

Lin cf 3 0 0 0 d'Arnaud 2b 5 0 2 3

Mailman ph 1 0 0 0 Harrison 3b 4 0 0 0

Hee 3b 4 1 2 0 Mercer ss 3 1 1 1

Rizzo 1b 4 0 1 0 Romak rf 3 0 1 0

Correll rf 4 0 0 1 Watts dh 4 1 0 0

Jones dh 4 1 2 0 Sanchez c 4 1 1 1

Federowicz c 4 0 1 0 Hague 1b 3 3 2 2

Chiang lf 4 0 1 0 Presley lf 4 2 2 0

Borowiak 2b 3 0 1 1 De Los Santos cf 3 1 3 2

Dent ss 3 0 0 0

Totals 34 2 8 2 Totals 33 9 12 9

Salem 011 000 000 -- 2

Lynchburg 003 000 24x -- 9

E-- Chian (1), Harrison (1), D'Arnaud (3). DP--Lynchburg 1. LOB--Salem 10, Lynchburg 4. 2B--Rizzo (3), d'Arnaud (1), Sanchez (1). 3B--De Los Santos (1). HR--Hague (1). S--Dent. SF--Borowiak, Mercer. SB--d'Arnaud (2), De Los Santos (1).

IP H R ER BB SO

Salem

Portice L, 0-1 6 4 3 3 2 2

Rice 1-3 2 2 0 0 1

Fernandes 2-3 2 0 0 0 0

Loop 1-3 2 3 3 1 0

Capellan 2-3 2 1 1 0 0

Lynchburg

Wilson W, 1-1 5 2-3 5 2 1 2 3

Cullen 1-3 0 0 0 0 0

Bishop 1 1 0 0 0 1

Aguero S, 1 2 2 0 0 1 2

Umpires--Dudones, plate; Kline, 1b; Scheurwater, 2b; Ashcraft, 3b.

T--2:44.

A--612.