CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Lose Series Opener at Salem

Published on June 1, 2018 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Salem, VA - The Wilmington Blue Rocks (21-33) dropped the series opener to the Salem Red Sox (26-25) by the score of 4-2 Friday night at Haley Toyota Field.  The Blue Crew found themselves in another pitching duel as Wilmington starter Jace Vines found himself on the wrong side of another tough-luck loss and matched a season-high seven innings of work and was dealing before the eighth inning started to unravel on the sinker-baller. Vance Vizcaino led the offense with three hits, including his first-career Advanced-A home run in the setback.

The Rocks set the tone early in their first at-bats against Salem's starter Jake Thompson. Kort Peterson ripped a leadoff triple to start the game and scored on Gabriel Cancel's RBI sacrifice fly.  Unfortunately for the Blue Rocks, that would be all they would get against Thompson who followed with six scoreless innings. Salem answered in their first look at Vines when Brett Netzer reached on a one-out single before he scored on a two-out RBI base hit from C.J. Chatham to tie the game, 1-1.

Both Thompson and Vines exchanged scoreless frames for the next six innings before the Red Sox broke the stalemate with a three-run eighth inning. After a throwing error by Cancel allowed Trenton Kemp to reach second base to start the inning. He advanced on a wild pitch before Chris Madera singled him home. Santiago Espinal followed with an RBI double while Netzer plated Espinal on a single to make it a 4-1 deficit for the Blue Rocks.

Wilmington got a run back in the top of the ninth when Vizcaino launched a two-out solo home run, but that would be the closest the Blue Rocks would get.

Wilmington and Salem play the middle game of the three-game series on Saturday, June 2 at Haley Toyota Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. as the Blue Rocks send righty Ofreidy Gomez (2-3, 4.28 ERA) while the Red Sox will have fellow right-hander Bryan Mata (3-2, 3.52 ERA) to the mound. Fans can catch all the action with Matt Janus on the call on 89.7 WGLS-FM.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

After hitting .284 in the month of May with an on-base percentage of .429, Khalil Lee picked up a pair of doubles in the first game of the series.  The 19-year-old entered the game leading the league with 39 walks and second in on-base percentage (.422). Lee has picked up a hit in six of his last seven games and hitting .364 (8-for-22) during that span.

Outfielder Vance Vizcaino launched his first-career home run as a Blue Rock in the ninth inning in the loss. It was his first homer since April 20 when he was with Low-A Lexington.  He has put together four multi-hit games over his last five games including his first, three-hit game of the season with Wilmington Friday night.

With the loss, the Blue Rocks are now 0-7 at Haley Toyota Field this season.  The last time the Blue Rocks have won a game at Salem's home ballpark was back on August 27, 2017 when the Blue Crew edged out Salem 2-1. Wilmington is now 3-8 against their Northern Division foe on the season.

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Carolina League Stories from June 1, 2018


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