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Blue Rocks Game Notes

June 8, 2012 - Carolina League (CarL) Wilmington Blue Rocks

OUCH: A couple of big innings for the Carolina Mudcats (28-31) on Thursday night prevented the Wilmington Blue Rocks from taking the four-game series as the Mudcats were 12-1 victors over the Rocks at Frawley Stadium.

LOOK KIDS - BIG BEN, PARLIAMENT: For the 23rd time this season, Jansen Visconti and Rich Gonzalez combined to umpire a game involving the Rocks. They have arbitrated 39% of Wilmington's games on the year.

INDIVISIBLE: The Rocks stand 2.5 games of first-place Lynchburg in the Northern Division now that the Hillcats have won back-to-back ballgames. However, Wilmington has no meetings with the Hillcats until the second half. In fact, Wilmington's final 11 games of the half will pit it against Southern Division squads. Entering today, the North has a composite record of 108-125 (.464) while the South stands at 125-108 (.536). Three of the four teams in the North have a losing record compared with winning marks for three of the four in the South.

THREE - THE MAGIC NUMBER: Wilmington has been held to three runs or less in 13 of its last 15 games and in 35 of its 59 on the year. Over the greater span, the team is 10-25 when held to three or less and 18-6 when plating four plus.

LOPSIDED LOSS: The 11-run defeat was the worst on the season for the Blue Rocks. They had lost by eight runs two previous times, the most recent coming against these same Mudcats back on May 29 in Zebulon, NC. The 12 runs allowed also marks a season-worst for the Blue Rocks. They had allowed 11 runs twice before, the most recent also coming in that game on May 29 against Carolina.

SAY HELLO, WAVE GOODBYE: Yordano Ventura made the shortest start of any 2012 Blue Rock on Thursday by only going 1.2 innings. It was his shortest start since July 14, 2010 when he only got two outs against the AZL Giants. It marks the team's shortest start since Noel Arguelles also lasted just 1.2 frames against Frederick on July 15, 2011.

HAMMER TIME: Blue Rocks alumnus Clint Robinson has been called up from Triple-A Omaha to the Kansas City Royals. When he makes his Major League debut, he will become the 118th former Blue Rock to play in the big leagues. Robinson played for the Blue Rocks in 2009. In 124 games, the "Alabama Hammer" hit .298 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs. He finished runner-up to Frederick's Robbie Widlansky for the CL batting crown. Widlansky reached Triple-A Norfolk last year, but is back at Double-A Bowie this season. In 2010, Robinson's former Wilmington teammate Eric Hosmer became the first Blue Rock to ever win the CL's batting title.

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: Luis Piterson was forced into action after first baseman Juan Graterol was hurt during at collision at the bag with Tony Wolters in the second inning. The Blue Rocks moved Brian Fletcher from left field to first base and needed Piterson to patrol left. He had never played the outfield before in 219 professional games. Graterol has since hit the DL (knee contusion) while Jake Kuebler has been activated off the disabled list.

FORE!: Last night Wilmington required the services of four pitchers in a single game for only the second time this season. The other occurrence came on Apr. 23 at Salem in a 7-2 win.

IMPROMPTU TWINBILL: Tonight, the Blue Rocks and Dash will play two games. The first is the resumption of a suspended affair from Apr. 22. Shockingly, all of the players from the start of the game are still on the active roster for each squad. Wilmington owns a 3-1 lead but Winston-Salem has the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the first. A seven-inning game will follow.

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Carolina League Stories from June 8, 2012


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