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 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Frederick Offense Dominates Last Meeting between Clubs in Regular Season

July 18, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


WILMINGTON, DE - What turned into a long night on the Riverfront in Wilmington was even longer for the Blue Rocks who were routed by the Frederick Keys in the last meeting of 2015 between the two teams, 8-1. Luis Rico labored through 4.1 innings walking a season-high five and allowing five runs, all earned. Frederick's offense was paced by nine-hole hitter Jay Gonzalez who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk.

A long day for Rico started in the first inning when the lefty worked slowly to record three outs. Josh Hart led off the game with a bloop single over the head of Jack Lopez. He promptly stole second and moved over to third on a groundout. After a walk, Jeff Kemp helped give his team an early lead for the second night in a row as he singled into left to plate Hart. The Keys still had runners on the corners, but Rico got a groundball double play from Austin Wynns to avoid further damage. Frederick got to Rico again in the second when Adrian Marin tripled into the left-centerfield gap to start the frame and scored on a fly ball from Conor Bierfeldt. Dominique Taylor made the catch in foul territory and fired a pea to home plate, but catcher Luis Villegas missed the tag and Marin scored to make it 2-0 in the early going.

The Keys blew this game wide-open in the top of the fifth inning. A walk and a single to start the frame put men on the corners against Rico when Kemp extended the Frederick lead with a sacrifice fly. A Wynston Sawyer single ended Rico's day as he was replaced by Torey Deshazier, making his Advanced-A debut. It was an outing to forget for Deshazier, though, as he walked the first two men he faced including Bierfeldt with the bases loaded to bring in a run. Two singles and three RBIs later, the Frederick Keys held a commanding 7-1 lead.

Trailing 2-0, Wilmington found the scoreboard in the third inning against Frederick starter David Hess. Taylor started the frame by doubling to the right field wall. Carlos Garcia then used his speed to bunt his way on, moving Taylor to third. Lopez then copied his teammate by laying down a bunt of his own. Hess came off the mound and threw to first but the throw pulled his first baseman off the bag. Taylor scored and Garcia moved up to second, but that would be the only offense Wilmington would find in the game. Hess worked through five innings for his fifth win of the season.

Wilmington hits the road on Sunday to start up a three-game series with the Carolina Mudcats. The Rocks send Zach Lovvorn to the mound. Lovvorn is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two starts at Advanced-A this season. Carolina counters with Blair Walters who has been solid this season, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.58 ERA. First pitch from Zebulon, North Carolina is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Saturday evening marked the last time the Rocks and Keys will meet up in 2015 barring a playoff appearance for Frederick, and even though they lost Wilmington will probably be sad to see the Keys go. The Rocks finished up 2015 16-10 when facing the Key. This year, it has been Wilmington hitters who have feasted off of Keys pitching. As a team, the Rocks are batting .267 against Frederick while the offense is averaging close to four runs a game. Individual standouts include Jack Lopez (.309, three homers, 15 RBIs, eight walks), Logan Moon (.317, five doubles, nine RBIs), and Mauricio Ramos (.342, three homers, 13 RBIs, 10 walks). As was exhibited by Saturday's performance, Wilmington pitchers did not see the same kind of success against the Keys this season. Rocks' hurlers pitched to a 3.51 ERA while allowing more than a hit per inning (239 hits in 238.1 innings).

While Luis Rico's rough outing may have been highlighted by his lack of strikeouts, Rico was also having trouble finding the zone. His five walks on Saturday night were the most by any Blue Rock this season. Previously, the most walks in an individual performance for a Blue Rock was three, a total that occurred 12 times this season, last by Rico on July 12 at Lynchburg. The last time a Rock walked five batters or more was back on July 20, 2014 when Luis Santos walked six Hillcats. Their nine walks as a team was also a season-high, eclipsing their seven walks as a team against the Salem Red Sox on June 17. Wilmington's pitching staff has now walked 195 batters this season, while Rico is now up to 32 walks in 65.2 innings pitched.

Saturday saw drastically different Advanced-A debuts for two new Blue Rocks. On a positive note, reliever Evan Beal impressed in his first go on the Riverfront. Beal took over the in the seventh inning and worked two scoreless frames, striking out two in the process. Beal, who was a 21st round pick by the Royals out of the University of South Carolina in 2014, was one of the most impressive relievers in the South Atlantic League in 22 appearances for Low-A Lexington. He went 2-1 with an even 2.00 ERA while racking up five saves in five opportunities. On the other hand, Torey Deshazier had a night to forget in Wilmington. The non-drafted free agent walked the first two batters he faced in relief of Luis Rico. He ended up going 1.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and three walks. Deshazier was 3-4 with a 5.05 ERA while splitting time between the bullpen and starting rotation this season with the Legends.

Wilmington's offense may have been quiet on Saturday, but Dominique Taylor continues to heat it up at the plate. Taylor's double to leadoff the third inning was his tenth of the season. Taylor has four hits in his last four games, all of which have gone for doubles. Wilmington will certainly take the recent power-surge from Taylor who had a stretch from June 30 to July 11 where he did not collect a hit 16 at-bats. After slipping under the "Mendoza Line," he has his average back up to .203 after his last four contests. The outfielder now has 13 extra-base hits this season (including two triples and a homer), while his 13 walks have his on-base percentage at .264. Taylor was selected in the 15th round of the 2013 draft out of UC Irvine.

THEY SAID IT:

Manager Brian Buchanan

"(Luis Rico) was kind of just spraying the ball everywhere and didn't have his usual command of his pitches. He was struggling throughout those four innings and just wasn't his night."

"(Torey) Deshazier did ok (on Saturday,) he kind of sprayed (the pitches) around as well. (Even) Beal came in and had two good innings, they both have good arms but it is good to get them into the game and get some experience."

"It is nice to move on (in the schedule.) We played (Fredrick) every other series and they have a good ball club and we might see them in the playoffs."

"(All the roster moves) are not tough for me but are tough for all the guys that are coming up from Lexington. They were having good years in Lexington and that is what the minors are all about. The guys that are doing well get moved up and put into the lineup and develop them. We won the first half so it is good to get these guys in there and get them some experience and get them ready for the playoffs."

Reliever Evan Beal

"It was nice to get (into the game on Saturday) it was a losing effort but I am grateful to get my feet wet in my first time out there."

"We didn't have defined roles in Lexington but I feel like I was thrown out there in save opportunities at times. We didn't have a named closer but it was a lot of fun going out there and pitching the end of the game."

"It was pretty cool to go to college and then (get drafted again) by the same team. It shows me that they had interest in me before and that it didn't change the second time around. It was nice to deal with the same people throughout the process because I had a familiarity with the same people and it made for a smooth process the second time."

"I feel like rookie ball there is kind of an array of talent levels and age levels, there are high school guys and international guys so you just have to go in and play to your ability and not play down to anyone else's. Coming out of spring training this year I am grateful to make a full season club and have the success at low-A and have the opportunity to come up. It is nice to be here (in Wilmington.)"


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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.

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