CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

Published on May 6, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


EVEN STEVEN: It was a team effort. Greg Billo pitched into the sixth inning for the first time. Brett Eibner slammed his team-leading fourth homer. Closer Nick Rogers continued his season-opening scoreless stretch en route to his third save. And Brian Fletcher tied his career-high with four hits as the Wilmington Blue Rocks banged out a season-best 13 knocks as a squad in an 8-3 defeat of the Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium on Saturday night.

MAC ATTACK: Alex McClure finished the night with two hits, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. His five-game hitting streak is the best active string of swinging success on the squad, lifting his average by 31 points (.167-.198).

EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES: Eight of the nine men in the Blue Rocks' lineup had a hit or an RBI. Half of those eight, Geulin Beltre, Eibner, Angel Franco and McClure, notched both. The lone exception, catcher Kenny Swab, did get on base with a walk.

FLETCH LIVES: Fletcher was a .152 hitter after he went 0-for-2 at Winston-Salem on April 19. In 14 games since then, he has notched nine multi-hit efforts, going 26-for-55 (.473) with six extra-base hits, eight RBIs and eight runs scored. That run has lifted his average by 175 points to .327.

PLEASE WON'T YOU BE, MY NEIGHBOR: Nick Rogers has not allowed a run in seven outings and 11 innings this season. He has struck out 12, walked just one and owns a .175 batting average against. His three saves lead the team.

SIMPSON SIR, SECTOR 7G: Three of Eibner's four homers have come over an eight-day span. He is on pace to swat 20 homers, which is a rarity for a Blue Rock. Only three men have ever done so in the Wilmington uniform: Hugh Walker (21, 1993); Larry Sutton (26, 1994); John Whittleman (21, 2011). The 2012 campaign is the 20th season for the modern-day Blue Crew.

THIS & THAT: The win snapped the Rocks' three-game losing streak and Potomac's three-game winning streak. It also deadlocked the three-game series, setting up a rubber match on Sunday for the series and second place in the Carolina League's Northern Division.

LET'S GET SERIESOUS: The Blue Crew searches for its third series victory of the year this afternoon. Wilmington has won just two of its first eight series, including the asterisk of taking two of three at Winston-Salem. A fourth and final game of that set is in suspended limbo with the Blue Rocks leading 3-1 in the first inning. It will be resumed when the teams next meet in Winston-Salem on June 8.

RUBBER OR GLUE?: The Blue Rocks are 0-2 in rubber matches this season.

WINTERS WONDERLAND: Potomac's Saturday starter, Kyle Winters, took the loss despite a career-best 10 strikeouts. He is the first individual to strike out double-digit Blue Rocks in a game since Miguel De Los Santos whiffed 11 for Myrtle Beach on Sept. 1, 2011.

CAT FIGHT: The man who surrendered Eibner's home run and all four scores in the ninth, Shane McCatty, is the son of the big Nats' pitching coach, Steve McCatty. His ERA ballooned to 12.71 after Saturday's efforts.

MR JONES & ME: Catcher Kenny Swab has been placed on the temporarily inactive list today by the Kansas City Royals. In a corresponding move, fellow catcher Travis Jones has been activated from the disabled list.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from May 6, 2012


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central