CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington Blue Rocks Game Notes

Published on April 29, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


SIX STRAIGHT: - In a game that looked strikingly familiar to Saturday's affair, the Wilmington Blue Rocks were no-hit until the sixth inning, and recorded only one run against Dash pitching, as Winston-Salem completed a three-game series sweep with a 4-1 win on Sunday at Frawley Stadium. Dash righty Chris Bassitt (3-0) mirrored his teammate Bryan Blough from the night before, tossing seven innings and allowing just two hits in the process. The first did not come until the sixth frame, when Chris Elder broke up the no-no with a single to right. The loss marks the first time Wilmington has been swept all season, while the team has now lost a season-worst six consecutive games. It is the longest losing streak for the Blue Crew since they dropped eight in a row from June 6-13 last season.

ENDING THE DROUGHT: Held without a run on Saturday night, the Blue Crew appeared in danger of being shutout for the second straight game. However Jack Lopez put that thought aside, recording his first dou- ble of 2013 off Dash reliever Cody Winiarski, scoring Justin Trapp from second. Besides breaking the shutout, the run ended Wilmington's largest scoring drought of the season at 19.2 innings without a run. Prior to Sunday, the Blue Crew had not pushed a run across since Friday night, when Cheslor Cuthbert collected an RBI double in the seventh inning.

NUMBERS MAY NEVER LIE BUT THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS PRETTY: The Blue Rocks rank at or near the bottom of the eight-team Carolina League in a long list of statistical categories. Wilmington has the fewest home runs (8) and runs (90), it has posted the lowest on-base percentage (.313), and has stranded the most runners on base (168). The Blue Crew also has the second-fewest extra-base hits (57) the second-lowest slugging percentage (.351) and has committed the second- most errors (36) and allowed the second-most unearned runs.

NO-NO BID: For the second straight day, and the third time this season, a visiting pitcher carried a no-hitter against the Blue Rocks into the sixth inning. Dash starter Chris Bassitt accomplished the feat on Sunday, before Chris Elder drove a single into right. Bryan Blough did the same on Saturday, not yielding a hit until the sixth when Justin Trapp opened the sixth with a base hit to center. The Blue Crew were also held hitless into the sixth by Frederick Keys starter Tim Berry during the home opener on April 12. Once again, Trapp played the role of spoiler with a sixth-inning single. SOUTHPAW STRUGGLES: Wilmington has faced a southpaw starter just three times all season. The Rocks are winless in those contests and have managed only a single earned run in 17.1 innings against Victor Payano (Myrtle Beach), Tim Berry (Frederick) and tonight's opposition, Henry Owens.

TOUGH START: Like Sam Selman on Saturday, Aaron Brooks struggled to get out of the first inning on Sunday. Needing 30 pitches to escape the frame, Brooks recorded 21 strikes, but went 11 pitches deep against the game's first hitter, Adam Heisler, who eventually singled. That long opening inning would come back to hurt Brooks later, as he would have to exit with two outs and the bases loaded (to go along with 93 pitches) in the fifth inning. On Saturday, Selman threw 29 pitches in the first inning, but struggled more with command. Only 12 of his first 29 pitches were in the strike zone.

PROSPECTING: After serving as the launching pad for a bevy of ranked prospects over the last several years, the Blue Rocks begin the 2013 season with another stable full of potential future stars. Six of the team's 13 pitchers on the roster rank among Baseball America's top 30 for the organiza- tion: RHP Kyle Zimmer (No. 1), LHP Sam Selman (No. 6), LHP John Lamb (No. 11), RHP Kyle Smith (No. 12), RHP Angel Baez (No. 18, but on the disabled list) and RHP Robinson Yambati (No. 28). On offense three more Blue Rocks are ranked in the Royals' top 30 prospects according to Baseball America: Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio (No. 4), and infielders Cheslor Cuthbert (No. 9) and Jack Lopez (No. 19).

Today's Probables

WIL: RHP Kyle Zimmer (0-1, 3.38) vs. W-S: LHP: Henry Owens (1-1, 1.71)

Kyle Zimmer is the jewel of the Kansas City farm system. The fifth overall selection in the 2012 Draft is the top-rated prospect in the Royals organization according to Baseball America. He also sports the best com- mand and best curveball among all Kansas City minor leaguers according to that same publication. Zimmer is an excellent athlete who excelled in basketball and water polo in high school. He was primarily a position- player in high school and during his freshman season at the University of San Francisco, but it did not take him long to pick up on the art of pitching. He has four pitches, including a four-seam fastball that is consistently clocked between 94-98 MPH as well as a deceptive over-the-top curve. He fanned 11 Red Sox in only 4.2 frames last week in Salem.

The Red Sox have received very good production from their 2011 draft class, and Henry Owens is one of the club's success stories. The 36th overall pick, Owens signed for $1.55 million, and it has not taken him long to have an impact. The No. 5 prospect in the Boston system according to Baseball America, Owens is currently in the Top 10 in the CL in ERA (2.40) and in the top five in opponents batting average (.164) and WHIP (0.93). So far, these early numbers are an extension of a fine 2012 cam- paign, where the lefty led all Sox minor leaguers with 12 wins and placed second with 130 strikeouts. He does most of his damage with the change- up, an offering that is rated the best in the Red Sox system. He also throws a fastball with decent life (88-94 mph), a slow curve (67-72 mph) and a slurve (78-81 mph), which can serve as a put-away pitch.

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