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Winston-Salem Dash

Dash's Thrilling Season Ends in Narrow Game 3 Loss

September 11, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (Sept. 11, 2015) - For a second straight night, Winston-Salem mustered a ninth-inning surge and pushed the tying run to third base, but Myrtle Beach eliminated the Dash with a 4-3 victory in the deciding Game 3 of the Southern Division Championship Series on Friday from TicketReturn.Com Field.

Even though Winston-Salem fell short of its first Mills Cup championship since 2003, the Dash still became the first Carolina League club to bounce back from a first half of 40 or more losses to win 40 or more games in the second half. The Dash's 45-23 showing after the All-Star break is the circuit's best second-half record since 1987 (Salem, 47-23).

Myrtle Beach enjoyed a 4-2 lead in the top of the ninth, and reliever David Garner began the inning by retiring Eddy Alvarez, his seventh straight out to begin his appearance. However, Jake Peter reached on an error by shortstop Gleyber Torres, and Trey Michalczewski followed with a ground-rule double.

Keon Barnum scored Peter and advanced Michalczewski with a groundout to short. Nick Basto, who struck out to end Thursday's game, bounced out to Torres, which ended the Dash's rally and season.

The Dash and Pelicans split their 26-game regular season series, and the two division rivals scored 10 runs apiece in the SDCS. Winston-Salem, who posted a league-best 17-3 record in one-run games during the second half, lost consecutive single-tally contests after claiming Wednesday's series opener by two. Thus, Myrtle Beach has advanced to play Wilmington in the Mills Cup Finals, which will begin Sunday in Delaware.

Like Wednesday and Thursday, the team that scored first went on to post a wire-to-wire victory. Myrtle Beach jumped ahead with three in the first on a bases-clearing double from Victor Caratini. From there, Dash starter Brandon Brennan (0-1) posted five straight hitless innings.

The Dash pulled within a run thanks to an Adam Engel two-run shot in the third, which proved to be the only blemish for Pelicans starter Jonathan Martinez (1-0). Martinez tossed six innings and surrendered five hits en route to the win.

The run of distinction came around in the seventh against Brennan. Chesny Young lashed an RBI single to right-center with two down, the final action for Brennan on the night. Southpaw Andre Wheeler escaped the seventh and posted a scoreless eighth before the Dash's near-comeback in the ninth.

Winston-Salem's 2016 schedule has been released, and it features 33 weekend games. The Dash's 2016 home slate begins Thursday, April 14, and the club will play 70 games at BB&T Ballpark. Ticket information will be available in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned to wsdash.com for more details.

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Carolina League Stories from September 11, 2015


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