Pilots fall on road

The Peninsula Pilots’ two-game winning streak ended Saturday night with a 9-6 loss to the Holly Springs Salamanders before 1,284 fans in North Carolina. The hosts capitalized on 10 walks by Peninsula pitchers.

The Pilots scored in each of the first two innings to go ahead, but the Salamanders moved ahead to stay on Gavin Troutman’s two-run triple in the bottom of the second, eventually tagging Peninsula starter Harrison Coble with the loss. They padded the margin to 8-2 via a five-run third, with Pilots reliever Antonio Velasquez yielding four runs without getting an out. The five-run inning included three Holly Springs hits, including a two-run Jack Oberdorf home run, and two of the Pilots’ four errors.

Peninsula’s Ty Swaim was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Harrison Povey belted a home run and scored twice, and Elijah Dickerson hit two sacrifice flies.

Holly Springs starter Sam Peddicord pitched five innings for the victory. He and three relievers forced Peninsula to strand 12 runners.

In the ninth, Peninsula mounted a comeback by scoring twice, thanks to two walks, a single and a hit batsman. But after the Pilots loaded the bases, with the potential tying run at first, Nick McClanahan earned a save for the Salamanders (20-18) by forcing a pop-up to third, then throwing to first after fielding a grounder.

The Pilots (16-21 in the Coastal Plain League) next will play against the Tri-City Chili Peppers at War Memorial Stadium in Hampton at 7 tonight.

Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander, an Old Dominion product, won’t be active for Tuesday’s All-Star Game because of his weekend start. For the same reason, heither will the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole or Atlanta’s Max Fried.