CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

Published on May 4, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


LAST TIME OUT: For the second straight day, the Wilmington Blue Rocks saw their offense stifled and suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Salem Red Sox (14-11) on Thursday night. The Rocks' league-leading 10th one-run game of the year was also their sixth such setback, ending the four-game series in a split.

MINIMUM WAGE: The Blue Rocks struggled to get guys aboard on Thursday. In every inning except the ninth, they sent four men or less to the dish. Salem pitching only had to face just five men over the minimum in the process. On Wednesday, they never got more than four men to the plate in any inning as Salem's staff faced three over the minimum.

CELLAR DWELLERS: The last two nights have spelled the Blue Rocks worst hit total in consecutive games this season. Eight total knocks, with just three on Thursday, sent them on their way to consecutive losses. The Wilmington team batting average plummeted even further as a result down to a league-worst .226 clip, eight points behind seventh-ranked Myrtle Beach. No CL squad has scored fewer runs than Wilmington in total (93) or by average (3.6/g). The team has been held to two runs or less 11 times in its 26 games and three runs or less 15 times.

SILVER LININGS: Even with his record standing at 1-3, right-hander Jason Adam rebounded well from his prior start against Winston-Salem, when he gave up six runs and a career-worst 10 hits. Adam allowed just two runs (one earned) over seven frames, lowering his ERA to 2.14, good for fifth in the Carolina League. After his sixth start at Low-A Kane County last year, the then-first-year-pro's ERA was 4.64.

TOUGH-LUCK LOSS: Granted the above, Adam is tied for second in the league with his three losses. He has suffered the setbacks despite allowing one earned run or less in five of his six starts. Adam did not reach his third loss of last season until June 19 when he took the defeat against the Clinton LumberKings. Much like last night, Adam only gave up one earned run in that nod.

BLACK & BLUE: Adam beaned a pair of batters in Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Sean Coyle to start the sixth inning when the game was 1-0 in favor of Salem. Bradley, Jr. came around to score a run, which turned out to be the game-deciding tally. It was only the second time in his career he had hit two batters in an outing. The first occassion occurred on June 30 of last year when he plunked two men in a start against the Beloit Snappers.

WHAT GOES DOWN...: Salem starter Ryan Pressly was very efficient against Wilmington on Thursday. He worked six innings of shutout ball, allowing just two hits and fanning seven. Last season, Pressly got touched up by the Blue Crew. In six starts against Wilmington, he logged a 0-5 record and 6.39 ERA, as opponents batted .299 against him. Against the rest of the CL, he started 21 ball games and went 6-6 with a 3.91 ERA, and a .236 batting average against him.

GETTING SERIESOUS: The Blue Rocks have won just two of their first eight series this year. That includes taking two of the first three at Winston-Salem last road trip, with the asterisk of a fourth contest currently suspended in the first inning with the Rocks leading, 3-1.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE: With three hits by their bats, the Rocks tied their season-low mark for knocks in a game...Their four hits allowed set a new season-best performance by their staff...Shortstop Alex McClure was demoted from the second position in the order to the eight-hole for the first time all season...He endured a similar drop from the two-hole on May 1 of last year, and saw his average increase dramatically...He was a .128 bat on May 2, but hit .222 after the demotion before a broken bone in his hand on a hit by pitch at Frederick cut his season short in late June.

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Carolina League Stories from May 4, 2012


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