CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Fall in Rubber Match

Published on May 27, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - After more than a week of clutch hitting, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (23-25) were due to have an off night. Such was the case on Sunday as the Blue Crew went just 2-for-18 (.111) with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 men during a 3-1 loss to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (24-23). The rubber match setback gave the weekend set to the Fightin' Feathers.

Wilmington's hard-throwing right-hander Yordano Ventura saw things speed up on him quickly in the third. Josh Richmond sparked the Pelicans' lone run-scoring inning with a bloop double to shallow left-center field. Odubel Herrera followed with an RBI single to right and took second on balk before Tomas Telis sacrificed him to third. After Jared Hoying drew a four-pitch walk, Brett Nicholas' first-pitch swing was a sac fly to left. Christian Villanueva put the cherry on top with a slow rolling single into center that allowed Nicholas to score from second for a 3-0 margin.

That would be the only damage on the night against Ventura (2-4) who allowed five hits and issued one walk over his five frames. The usually strikeout-heavy hurler whiffed just three.

Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach starter Wilmer Font walked six men over four frames, but allowed just one unearned run. That came in the fourth when Kevin David scored on Juan Graterol's single that combined with an errant throw by Edwin Garcia to give David the dish.

Reliever Randol Rojas (4-0) made things interesting when he allowed the first two batters to reach in a pair of his three innings. The Rocks' best chances came in the seventh. Alas, after successive hits by Whit Merrifield and Angel Franco began the frame, Villanueva's defense took over. On a grounder by Brian Fletcher the third baseman threw out Merrifield at the plate. He then dove to catch a screaming liner by Brett Eibner and hustled to collect a slow roller from Cheslor Cuthbert before an accurate mid-sprint throw ended the threat.

The tying run batted in the ninth against Randy Henry. Alas, after Merrifield's one-out single, Franco struck out and Fletcher flied to center as Henry secured his team-leading sixth save.

The Blue Rocks' seven-game road trip shifts to Zebulon, NC on Monday. A four-game series gets underway at 4 p.m. as Wilmington right-hander Leondy Perez (2-1, 3.71) faces fellow righty Michael Goodnight (1-4, 4.89). Broadcast coverage begins at 5:35 p.m. as studio host Rob Cunningham brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks scored just five runs over the three-game series. During that time, the team went just 3-for-28 (.107) with men in scoring position. The Blue Crew left a man in scoring position in every inning but one on Sunday.

Edwin Carl tossed a perfect eighth inning in his Advanced-A debut, striking out one.

Sam Runion hurled two scoreless innings of relief as well. He has only allowed one run in seven appearances and 11.2 innings on the road this season for a 0.77 ERA away from Frawley.

After consecutive days of struggles in the upper tier of the lineup, the Rocks' top three stickers combined to go 5-for-13 (.385) with two walks. The rest of the lineup went a collective 1-for-18 (.056).

The Blue Rocks fell to 1-4 in rubber matches with the loss.

Vance Wilson's club had been unbeaten in its prior four series, amassing three wins and one draw in that time.

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Carolina League Stories from May 27, 2012


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