Romack, Keel homer as ’Cats climb above .500

By Andy Bitter

Published: July 2, 2008

It doesn’t bother Hillcats right fielder Jamie Romak that he tied Frederick’s Matt Wieters for the league’s home run lead a week after the Orioles’ catcher of the future earned a promotion to Double A.

Wieters had a month’s head start on him in the first place.

Romak went 2-for-4 and launched his 15th home run of the season in Lynchburg’s 10-4 romp against Salem at City Stadium on Wednesday.

Starter Brian Holliday won for the first time in two and a half months and the Hillcats (7-6) scored eight runs in the first four innings to win their third straight game.

It’s the first time since July 18 of last year that Lynchburg has climbed above .500.

“I think guys are realizing, yes, it’s a long season, but it also can sneak up on you and go pretty quickly,” Romak said. “You have to play this game with some urgency, especially this time of year with new guys coming and going. There’s that sense of, ‘Hey, if I’m not doing my job right, someone’s going to take it.’”

The Hillcats’ bus didn’t arrive in Lynchburg until 4 a.m. after Tuesday night’s game at Wilmington. They skipped batting practice as a result but didn’t show any lag once the game began, jumping out to a 7-0 lead against Salem starter Corey Bass (2-10), who became the league’s first 10-game loser.

A double-steal attempt in the first got the Hillcats on the board before Jared Keel’s 10th home run of the year, a two-run shot in the second, made it 3-0. The lead ballooned to seven after a four-run fourth that included a two-run double by Alex Presley and an RBI single by Chris Jones.

“We’ve got a consistent approach,” Lynchburg manager Jeff Branson said. “All the work we put in during the first half is now starting to show up.”

Salem (4-9) finally got to Lynchburg starter Brian Holliday (2-8) in the fourth, getting a leadoff homer from Mark Ori and scoring three runs to pull within 7-3.

But Holliday, who has a 14.44 ERA in the fourth inning this season, shook it off, pitching around a two-out double in the fifth before setting the Avalanche down in order in the sixth.

His final line — three runs on six hits — earned him his first win since April 19, a stretch of 13 starts.

“It’s been a long time,” he said. “It really does feel good, especially today, because I didn’t have much of my stuff working for me. I was kind of out of whack.”

Romak helped him out in the bottom of the fourth. After working a 3-1 count, the right-handed slugger reached low and outside to drive a fastball out to right off Salem reliever Chris Salamida, making it 8-3.

It was Romak’s second opposite field homer in as many days. Two nights ago, he hit one to the warning track in right.

“That’s my strength,” Romak said. “Balls out over the plate where I can get my arms extended. That’s what I’m looking for.”

Despite posting similar offensive numbers, the 22-year-old Romak has received far less fanfare than Wieters, the Orioles’ top prospect, who made the move to Double-A Bowie last week.

Wieters had 15 home runs, 40 RBIs and a 1.024 OPS in 69 games (229 at bats) prior to his promotion. Romak, who started the season late because of offseason elbow surgery, now has 15 home runs, 42 RBIs and a 1.007 OPS in 53 games (198 at bats).

Despite being on a tear — Romak is 22-for-60 (.367) with five home runs and 14 RBIs in his last 16 games — he isn’t worrying about when a call to Double A might come.

“Well, I wanted to make the all-star game. Obviously I didn’t,” Romak said. “I’d like to go to Double A. I’m not (there). I wanted to play for Canada in the Olympics. I didn’t get to do that.

“It’s been a tough year, but I’m trusting that I’m in the right place right now and I’m healthy. All I can do is try to help this team win and try to do well for myself too.”

NOTES: 3B Jim Negrych’s first-inning single extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest by a Hillcat this season. He was 2-for-4 with a double. … Tonight’s game will be simulcast on the Hillcats and Avalanche radio stations. Lynchburg’s flagship station (105.5 KD Country) and Salem’s (WFIR-AM 960) will carry the game, with the teams’ respective broadcasters — Scott Bacon and Alex Vispoli for the Hillcats and Jason Benetti and Joe Godett for the Avalanche — rotating through the booth.