CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Bats Stay Hot, Wilmington Earns Series Win

Published on May 12, 2013 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


FREDERICK, MD- Wilmington picked up right where it left off Saturday night, scoring the first five runs on Sunday, as the Blue Crew defeated Frederick 8-2 at Harry Grove Stadium. In the game, the Blue Rocks outhit the Keys 15-7, while six of the team's nine starters finished with multiple hits. The win gives the club its third series victory of the year. Kyle Smith (2-1) picked up his second win on the mound, allowing one run over six innings to move his club within two games of .500 (17-19).

Off an 18-run scoring bonanza the night before, the Blue Rocks jumped on Keys starter Zach Petersime (1-3) almost immediately. With one out in the first inning, the visitors loaded the bases following singles by Daniel Mateo and Jorge Bonifacio, coupled with a walk to Cheslor Cuthbert. Mateo then scored on a fielding error by Keys third baseman Nicky Delmonico to make it 1-0 Blue Rocks. Jack Lopez (double play) and Jared Schlehuber (single) also contributed to the scoring effort, as Wilmington sent eight men to bat in the frame.

Ahead 3-0, Mateo and Bonifacio would once again serve as table setters in the second. Both recorded two-out singles, while Cuthbert roped a double to right to bring both men home. The double was one of three on the day by Cuthbert, the most he has ever put up in a professional game. He also finished a hit shy of his season-high.

Frederick finally cracked the scoreboard in the fourth on a solo homer to centerfield by Delmonico. Although it would factor little into the final score, it ended a string of 23 consecutive runs scored by Wilmington against the Keys (dating back to the fourth inning of game two on Saturday night). Unfazed, Smith closed out his afternoon strong, retiring nine of the final 10 batters he faced. The homer would be the only run allowed by the Floridian, who exited after six innings and 89 pitches.

The Blue Rocks put on the finishing touches in the sixth. After a pair of singles by Schlehuber and Parker Morin, Justin Trapp tripled to make it 7-1 Blue Rocks. Trapp also added an RBI single in the eighth, to tie his season-high for runs driven in (three). On the mound, Kellen Moen and Scott Alexander collaborated on three innings of one-run baseball to hand the Blue Rocks their third straight victory.

Wilmington goes for the four-game sweep of Frederick on Monday night. Lefty Sam Selman (1-2, 5.61) takes the hill for the Blue Crew and will be opposed by Keys righty Zach Davies (2-2, 4.86). First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and can be heard on 89.7 WGLS-FM, or on Bluerocks.com. Wilmington returns to the Riverfront on May 17, when it begins a six-game homestand against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. For ticket information, call 302-888-BLUE or visit Bluerocks.com.

Pebbles of Knowledge:

Kyle Smith continued to dazzle on Sunday afternoon, posting his fourth straight quality start. Over six innings he allowed only one run, and became the first Blue Rocks starter to earn back-to-back wins in 2013. Over his last three starts, Smith has registered a 1.50 ERA, surrendering only three runs over his last 18 innings. He is currently fourth in the Carolina League in ERA (1.93), and is holding opposing hitters to a .209 batting average (fifth lowest in the CL).

Prior to a fourth inning home run by Keys third baseman Nicky Delmonico, Wilmington scored 23 consecutive runs off Frederick pitching. Dating back to game two of Saturday night's doubleheader, the Blue Crew also scored runs in six straight innings off of Keys pitching. The most profitable of those frames was Saturday night's seventh inning, where the team scored a season-high eight runs. Over that six-inning stretch, Jorge Bonifacio reached base seven straight times, which included a pair of singles to begin his game on Sunday.

Until Thursday, the Blue Rocks had not played back-to-back games without committing an error. Since that time, Wilmington has played five consecutive games without making a defensive miscue. If the team can play a clean defensive game on Monday, it would mark the first time all season that Wilmington has gone an entire series without making an error. As an added plus, the Blue Rocks no longer lead the league in errors made. That dubious distinction is shared by Frederick and Lynchburg, with both teams having made 52 defensive missteps.

Jared Schlehuber has started off his Advanced-A career with a bang. Since joining the Blue Rocks from Extended Spring Training, Schlehuber has recorded four hits in his first two games (4-10) to go along with five RBIs over that stretch. The native of Aurora, CO also posted five RBIs over a two-game period in 2012 (Sept. 4-5), while playing for Rookie-Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League. A power hitter at Oral Roberts University, Schlehuber led the Summitt League with 13 home runs and was named the conference player of the year, before signing with the Royals in 2012.

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Carolina League Stories from May 12, 2013


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