Noon Game - Dash Game Notes
April 27, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM DASH (8-10) vs. FREDERICK KEYS (7-10)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 12 noon | BB&T Ballpark | Winston-Salem, NC
Webcast available on www.wsdash.com 15 minutes before first pitch
Game No. 19 â Home Game No. 10 | 2011 Home Record 4-5 | 2011 Road Record 4-5
LHP Hector Santiago (0-1, 5.54) vs. RHP Ryan O'Shea (1-1, 2.30)
In the Key of "W": Last night the Dash picked up a much-needed and hard-earned 3-2 win over the Frederick Keys to tie the series at one game apiece heading into today's showdown at high noon. Frederick plated single runs in the first and third innings against Winston-Salem starter Andre Rienzo, who did a good job keeping his team in the game while the offense was still warming up. After managing just three hits over the first five innings against Nathan Moreau, the Dash finally broke through in the sixth. Winston knocked three straight hits to start the inning, with Jared Mitchell's two-run single leveling the contest. Later in the inning with runners at second and third, Jason Bour brought home the go-ahead run with an RBI groundout. The combination of Addison Reed and Taylor Thompson shut down the Keys offense the rest of the way, giving the Dash their second win in nine games.
A Return to Normalcy: Tuesday night's game followed the formula the Dash had used to win six of their first nine games of the season: steady pitching and just enough offense to win a close contest. Winston is certainly no stranger to tight games. Last night was the tenth one-run game the team has played in this season, the most of any CL team. Only one other team in minor league baseball has played more games decided by one run (the AA Mississippi Braves have played 11). Winston-Salem is 4-6 in such contests. At this rate, the Dash would play nearly 80 one-run games over the course of the season. Winston has played close games almost exclusively this season. Fifteen of its 18 games have been decided by three runs or fewer and the team has had a lead in 15 games this season.
Wag the Dog: Dash IF Daniel Wagner upped his hit streak to 12 games last night with his bunt single in the sixth inning that started Winston-Salem's three-run rally. Wagner is batting .271 (13 for 48) during this steak and has had a hit in all but one game this season. More often than not, it has only been one hit, as the Kannapolis native has managed two multi-hit games this season and one during this streak. His hit streak is the longest in the Carolina League this season.
Homecoming Kings: Dale Mollenhauer continued to produce at the plate in his return to Winston-Salem. He went 2 for 3 last night with a walk and a stolen base and has now reached base six times in nine plate appearances in the series. Mollenhauer and RHP Jake Rasner were both plucked from the White Sox by the Orioles in the minor league portion of the Rule V Draft this past offseason. Rasner pitched for Winston in parts of 2008, 2009, and 2010, going 10-16 in 72 games (39 starts) with a 4.28 ERA. Mollenhauer played in 161 for Winston-Salem in 2008 and 2009, hitting .260 with six home runs, 30 doubles, seven triples, 56 RBI, 89 runs, and 24 stolen bases. He spent all of last season with AA Birmingham and hit .262-1-27.
First thing's First: Winston's opponents haven't waited to begin building leads on this home stand. Frederick scored a run in the first inning last night to make it five straight ballgames that the Dash's opponent has scored to start the ballgame. Wilmington and Frederick have combined to score ten first-inning runs in the last five games. Prior to this stretch, Winston had allowed just two first-inning runs through the first 13 games.
Attention J-Mart Shoppers: Jose Martinez went 2 for 4 yesterday with a double and a run scored. Martinez's name is littered all over the Carolina League leaderboards. He is second in the CL in batting average (.397), first in hits (29), second in doubles (8), first in runs scored (19), tied for fourth in total bases (39), and second in most plate appearances per strikeout (11.57).
Gac in the Box: Ian Gac elevated himself into first place in home runs in the Carolina League with his ninth-inning blast that landed in the vicinity of Neptune on Sunday afternoon. Gac has hit a league-best seven home runs this season. Five of Gac's home runs this season have either tied the game or given Winston-Salem the lead. The Seattle-native is tied for second in the CL in RBI (18), third in slugging percentage (.672), tied for first in total bases (45), and tied for third in extra-base hits (10).
Yount Up: Austin Yount stayed hot Monday night by hitting a two-run home run for the second straight ballgame. His blast started the Dash rally that saw seven runs score to get Winston to within a run of the Keys. Winston-Salem's two biggest innings of the season have been started by a Yount home run. Yount hit a solo shot in the eighth inning on opening night to spark a four-run inning against the K-Tribe. Just two and a half weeks into the season, Yount has tied a career high with three home runs this season.
Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Ryan O'Shea (1-1, 2.30) makes his fourth start of the season and his first in 2011 against the Dash. Last year against Winston-Salem, he went 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA (25 K, 3 BB in 19 IP) in four starts. He has allowed no more than two runs in any start this season and has yielded just three extra-base hits. O'Shea is back in Frederick after spending all of 2010 with the Keys. Last year, he went 7-8 with a 3.84 ERA (7th in the CL) in 28 starts (T-1st). He was among the league leaders in walks (1st), innings pitched (140.2, 4th), and home runs allowed (17, T-2nd). The Orioles 27th round draft pick in 2008, O'Shea went 8-8 with a 3.60 ERA in 25 starts in 2009 in Delmarva, leading the Shorebirds in wins. He appeared in 16 games out of the bullpen for Aberdeen in 2008, going 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA and three saves. O'Shea is a native of Mandeville, Louisiana, a town of 12,000 on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Mandeville is the hometown of Lost actor Ian Somerhalder (Boone) and The Price is Right model Rachel Reynolds, who is married to former major league outfielder David Dellucci. O'Shea attended the University of New Orleans, where he was used most effectively as a reliever. He saved 13 games (15 chances) in his final season with the Privateers to tie the school's single-season record. O'Shea owns UNO's career saves record with 18 in his three-year career at the school. He played under former UNO and current Wake Forest head baseball coach Tom Walter in his time in the Crescent City. In 2008, O'Shea's Privateers won two of three games against Jared Mitchell's LSU squad. O'Shea earned the win against the Tigers on April 16, pitching the final 2.1 innings.
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