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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

July 6, 2007 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-39, 8-7) Carolina League Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (30-38, 11-4) Carolina League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals

Game No. 84 -- Away Game No. 47 -- Coastal Field -- Friday, July 6, 2007 -- 7:05 p.m.

CLARK'S SUPERMAN EFFORT: Thursday night's rubber match between the Carolina League's division leaders on the second half went to the Wilmington Blue Rocks over their host Kinston Indians, 4-3. Cody Clark hit a clutch two-out, three-run homer in the fifth inning, giving Wilmington a one-run edge that would hold to the final out. Tyler Chambliss (2-0) saw his second start as a Blue Rock go much like his first, allowing three runs over five innings yet again for his second win. Patrick Green twirled his second straight four-inning save, stranding the game's tying run at third base in the ninth inning. The Blue Rocks improved to a CL-best 11-4 on the second half, and finished the year 6-4 at Grainger Stadium for their first winning season at Grainger since 2003.

END GAME: Jose Constanza doubled to left-center to start the ninth inning against Green and advanced to third shortly thereafter on a check-swing groundout to the pitcher by Jerad Head. With the game's tying run 90-feet away, Green struck out power-bat Stephen Head swinging with a high fastball, and got Wes Hodges to line out to right field to secure his third save in six tries.

WHERE'S THE PHONE BOOTH?: The Blue Rocks rallied down 3-1 in the fifth. The turnaround started with a two-out walk on a full-count pitch to Brian McFall. Miguel Vega followed with a first-pitch swinging single to left, setting the stage for Clark's heroics. The back-up backstop clobbered a 1-0 pitch over the left-center wall for his second home run of the season, as a long ball did in the league's most powerful lineup. The Blue Rocks entered the game with a leaguelow 33 home runs, while Kinston leads the circuit with nearly triple that total at 91.

KNOCKED OUT: Clark's blast chased starter Frank Herrmann (6-3) after 4.2 innings of work. Jim Deters came out of the bullpen for the K-Tribe and allowed just a two-out infield single in the sixth over his 4.1 shutout innings to keep the game close. Kinston had taken a brief 3-1 lead with three straight two-out RBI hits in the fourth off Chambliss. Wilmington earned the night's first score with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jeremy Jirschele in the third inning.

WINNING NOTES: Wilmington is now 6-10 against Kinston this season, with all six wins coming at Grainger Stadium, and four of the six decided by a single run. The Blue Rocks went 5-11 in one-run games on the season's first half, but have won four of their five one-run games in the second stanza.

ROAD SUCCESS: With a 6-4 record at Kinston this season, the Blue Rocks are the lone CL team with a winning ledger at Grainger Stadium. Only the Winston- Salem Warthogs at .500 even, 4-4, also claim a non-losing record at the home of the defending league champs.

SOUTHERN COMFORT: After posting a 16-29 (.356) record against Southern Division teams on the first half of the season, the Blue Rocks have gone 7-2 (.778) against their extra-divisional foes on the season's second stanza.

LET'S GET SERIES-OUS: John Mizerock's club is attempting to win three straight series for the first time since May 4-13, taking series against Potomac, Lynchburg and Salem in the process. The Blue Rocks swept Salem at Frawley in three games June 30-July 2 and just took two of three at Kinston July 3-5.

Tonight's Probables

WIL: RHP Blake Johnson (5-6, 4.02) vs. MB: RHP Dustin Evans (1-4, 4.67)

SERIES OPENER: The red-hot Blake Johnson gets the ball tonight. The Rocks are 3-0 over Johnson's last three starts, with the former Dodgers farmhand sporting a 2-0 record and 0.96 ERA in that span. Last time out, Johnson fired 7.2 shutout innings for a win versus Salem on Sunday. The No. 17 overall prospect in the Royals system according to Baseball America has struggled against the Pelicans, going 1-2 with a 7.90 ERA in three games and starts, allowing the Fightin' Feathers to hit .352.

Myrtle Beach counters with right-hander Dustin Evans. A secondround pick by the Braves in 2006, Evans split last season at rookielevel Danville (APP) and Low-A Rome (SAL). Evans combined to go 3-3 with a 2.63 ERA between the two levels. The former Georgia Southern Eagle held opposing batters to a .225 average and surrendered just one home run in 51.1 total innings. Tonight he pitches for the first time since a no-decision in a 10-inn. win versus Wilmington on May 27. Evans, who had lost four straight decisions going in to that start, was diagnosed with shoulder tendonitis.

Meet The Pelicans

FLYING LOW: After jumping out to a first-place start in the Southern Division this second half at 7-3, the Pelicans have stumbled to the tune of four losses over their last five games. Despite their recent shortcomings, the Fightin' Feathers still stand in second place, just one game back of the Kinston Indians.

WHO TO WATCH: First baseman Isaiah "Kala" Kaaihue is the younger brother of former Blue Rock, Kila Kaaihue. Kala leads the league with 19 home runs, and ranks fifth with 51 RBIs. He posted a red-hot month of June, winning Player of the Month honors. Outfielder Quentin Davis ranks second in the ciruit with 29 stolen bases this season, including five in six attempts against the Rocks.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Rocks lead the all-time series against the Pelicans 150-139 (.519) including a 63-83 (.432) record away from Frawley Stadium. Wilmington just nipped Myrtle Beach in last year's series, taking 11 of the 20 meetings but just four of the 10 at MB. The Pelicans have won seven of 10 against Wilmington in 2007. The Blue Rocks need a three-game sweep to assure a nonlosing ledger at Coastal Field this season.

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