CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks snap losing skid

Published on June 27, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - With a season-worst five-game losing streak weighing heavy on their shoulders, the Wilmington Blue Rocks exploded for a huge first inning and breezed past the Salem Avalanche, 8-3, at Frawley Stadium on Friday night. The Rocks sent 12 men to the plate and scored six runs in the opening frame, knocking Salem's Corey Bass from the game before he recorded a single out. Wilmington won for the first time since June 18 and evened their three-game set with the Avs at one apiece.

After Mark Ori gave the Avs a 1-0 lead with an RBI double off Mario Santiago in the top of the first, the Blue Rocks' first eight men reached base in the bottom half en route to the second-most explosive inning of the season. A leadoff single by Derrick Robinson and back-to-back walks by Chris McConnell and Joe Dickerson set the stage for the Wilmington salvo. Jeff Bianchi, Kurt Mertins and Josh Johnson strung together consecutive RBI singles and Matt Morizio drew a bases-loaded walk to build a 4-1 Blue Rocks lead.

Salem manager Jim Pankovits yanked Bass (2-9) following the Morizio walk and suplanted him with Joel Santo, but the results didn't improve. Anthony Seratelli nearly cleared the bases in the next at-bat, but settled for a two-run double when Morizio got hung up and eventually tagged out between third and home.

The Rocks worked five free passes in the opening frame alone, en route to compiling a season-high 11 for the game. Robinson, the leading base stealer in the Carolina League, drew two of the walks and also swiped four bags, including three in the first inning to put his season total at 36. The four thefts tied a Wilmington single-game franchise high, which was met on three prior occasions. The most recent Rock to hit the mark was current Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who turned the trick against Salem on July 4, 2006. Coincidentally, Friday night was Jacoby Ellsbury bobblehead night at the ballpark, as the first 1,000 fans received a collectable likeness of the Oregon State product.

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Carolina League Stories from June 27, 2008


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