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Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Stifle Keys

June 21, 2007 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - Blake Johnson tossed six one-hit innings as the Wilmington Blue Rocks defeated the Frederick Keys, 7-1, on Thursday night at Frawley Stadium in the opening game of the Carolina League's second half.

The Wilmington right-hander won for the first time in five starts dating back to May 25, using 90 pitches to neutralize the first-half champions of the Northern Division. Johnson (4-6) and three relievers combined on Wilmington's first one-hitter since July 28, 2005.

Offensively, shortstop Chris McConnell busted out of a 1-for-10 slump with a homer, a triple and three RBIs and Brad McCann homered in his first Blue Rocks at-bat to power a 12-hit Wilmington attack.

Johnson retired the first nine batters in order and didn't allow a hit until Arturo Rivas' leadoff single in the fourth. The Louisiana native struck out three and walked three, including a pair of batters with one out in the sixth. But, Johnson got Zach Dillon to line out to shortstop and then retired Pete Maestrales on strikes to strand both runners and end the frame. Maestrales, a University of Delaware product, was subsequently tossed from the game by home plate umpire Gerard Ascani after arguing the call.

Rayner Oliveros pitched a one-two-three seventh, while David Humen and Patrick Green finished off the game. Humen allowed an unearned run without giving up a hit in the eighth and Green tossed a perfect ninth to put away the Keys.

With the Rocks leading 1-0 and one man aboard in the bottom of the second, McConnell blasted a Derek Rodriguez offering over the left field fence and into the Frederick bullpen. It was his first homer since joining the Rocks and just his second home run in 223 at-bats between Wilmington and Low-A Burlington.

McConnell was at it again in the fourth, shooting a one-out triple into the left-center field alley that chased Jeremy Jirschele home from first base. Marc Maddox followed with a single through the drawn-in infield to drive in McConnell and give the Blue Rocks a 5-0 bulge.

Wilmington added another two-spot in the sixth on three base hits, highlighted by Josh Johnson's two-out, two-run triple to right-center field off reliever Josh Potter, making it 7-0. During Wilver Perez's at-bat, Johnson was thrown out at home trying to score on a ball that squirted past catcher Zach Dillon. The backstop collected the ball and tossed it Potter, who was covering the dish and applied the tag.

Both runs in the sixth were charged to the starter, Hernandez (4-5), who allowed seven runs on eight hits with two walks in 5.2 innings. The Keys broke up the shutout in the top of the eighth without the benefit of a base hit. Paul Winterling led off the frame with a walk against Humen and scrambled to third on Miguel Vega's errant throw to second on Travis Brown's slow roller towards the right-side hole. Winterling scored on Rivas' groundout one batter later, cutting the Wilmington lead to 7-1.

The Blue Rocks capped their scoring with McCann's two-out opposite field solo blast in the bottom of the eighth. Pinch hitting for Jirschele, the right-handed first bagger lifted Josh Potter's 1-0 offering over the right field fence and gave the Rocks an 8-1 lead. It was McCann's first and only at-bat in his first game since being acquired via trade from the Florida Marlins organization the previous day.

Wilmington and Frederick play the middle game of their three-game series Friday night at 7:05 p.m., as the Blue Rocks send righty Dan Cortes (0-4, 3.86) against Keys southpaw Carlos Perez (5-5, 4.71).

GAME NOTES: The homers by Chris McConnell and Brad McCann marked the fourth time this season that the Blue Rocks as a team have posted a multi-homer effort. The last occurrence was fully fueled by right fielder Brian McFall, who went deep twice at Winston-Salem on June 8. Marc Maddox tied his season and career-high with a four-hit night against Frederick. The Mississippi native singled in four-straight at-bats between the second and eighth innings, breaking a 0-for-13 slide.

Playing in his first game with the Rocks since being received from Low-A Burlington on June 14, Jeremy Jirschele went 2-for-3 and scored two runs for the Blue Rocks. Jirschele is the son current Omaha Royals skipper Mike Jirschele, who also managed the Rocks to the 1994 Carolina League Mills Cup championship.

Both Wilmington position players who represented the Carolina League in Tuesday's All-Star game were absent from the Blue Rock lineup on Thursday. Marc Maddox started at the hot corner for usual third bagger and All-Star starter Mario Lisson, while Brett Bigler played center field for Jose Duarte, who made the squad as a reserve outfielder. Both players entered the game as defensive substitutions in the ninth inning.

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