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 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Salem Sweeps Rocks with 3-2 Win

June 17, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Salem, VA - A critical fielding mistake by Wilmington right fielder Nick Francis led to the winning run scoring in the bottom of the eighth inning on Thursday night, as the Salem Red Sox beat the Blue Rocks, 3-2. With Mitch Dening on first base and one out in the eighth, Peter Hissey sent a sinking liner toward right-center field. Francis raced hard after the ball, but saw it bounce just in front of him. He then overran the ball, giving Hissey time to circle all the way around with the decisive run.

The game began as a pitcher's duel between Wilmington starter John Lamb and Salem hurler Brock Huntzinger. Lamb left after six innings, yielding only two runs on five hits. The left-hander fanned six and walked just one. Huntzinger's line was even better, as the right-hander yielded only a single tally in seven frames of work. Both hurlers took a no-decision however, thanks to a late Wilmington rally, and a shaky performance by the Salem bullpen.

The Red Sox scored the contest's first two runs. Salem took a 1-0 lead in the second inning thanks to one big hit, and then two Wilmington mistakes. Alex Hassan lined a double off the wall in left to open the frame. He then advanced to third on a wild pitch by Lamb. The lefty starter fanned Ryan Dent for the inning's first out, but then uncorked another wild pitch, which allowed Hassan to jog home.

Another lead-off double in the fifth set up Salem's second score. Tim Federowicz sent a fly ball off the left-field wall just out of the reach of a leaping Adrian Ortiz. He came to the plate one out later when Dent sent a grounder back through the box.

Wilmington put its comeback shoes on in the sixth. Adam Frost laced a Huntzinger pitch over the left-field fence to cut the Salem lead in half. It was the Rocks' third home run in their last two games.

The Blue Crew tied things up in the eighth against Red Sox reliever Kyle Fernandes. Salvador Perez got things started when his liner deflected off the tip of Dent's glove at shortstop and into left field. Rey Navarro followed with a seeing-eye single up the middle to put men at first and second with no outs. Frost followed with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt up the third-base line that moved Navarro and Perez into scoring position.

That brought Patrick Norris to the plate, and the center fielder came within inches of giving Wilmington its first lead of the night. His sharply hit grounder seemed destined for the left-side hole on contact, but Dent made a diving, back-handed stop to keep the ball in the infield. Norris beat Dent's throw to first with ease and Perez scored to tie the game. If Norris' grounder had reached left field however, two runs would have come across. That would prove huge, as Fernandes fanned Ortiz and Francis to retire the side.

As a result, Salem's score in the bottom of the eighth put the Sox ahead for good.

Wilmington reliever Harold Mozingo (1-1) took the loss, surrendering one unearned run in two innings pitched. Fernandes (3-1) got the win, as he also worked a scoreless ninth.

Wilmington opens its final series of the first half as it returns home on Friday night for an impromptu doubleheader with Winston-Salem. The Rocks and Dash will complete Sunday's suspended game, in which the Rocks hold a 6-0 lead through three innings. Chris Dwyer, who started the game on Sunday, will pick up right where he left off when the game resumes at 5:05 p.m. Tim Melville (3-3, 5.54) gets the start in the nightcap. He will oppose Winston-Salem right-hander Nate Jones (4-2, 4.46).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Salem Red Sox have owned the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2010. The Sox have taken nine of their 10 meetings with Wilmington so far this season, including nine in a row. Salem has averaged 7.1 tallies per game against the Blue Crew on the year.

Thursday's contest marked Wilmington's final road game of the season's first half. The Rocks posted a 13-22 mark away from Frawley Stadium on the half.

Shortstop Rey Navarro extended his hitting streak to nine games with his eighth-inning single. Navarro is batting .400 (14-for-35) during the streak.

Wilmington second baseman Adam Frost registered his first home run in a Blue Rocks uniform with his sixth-inning long ball. Frost had just one homer in 25 games to begin the season with the Burlington Bees (MWL).

Salvador Perez hit the ball hard in all three of his at bats on Thursday. The Carolina League All-Star, who entered the night in a 1-for-29 slump at the plate, was robbed in his first two plate appearances. Perez lined into a double play his first time up and smashed a grounder back to the mound that Brock Huntzinger somehow gloved in the fifth. Perez finally got a hit when his liner deflected off the top of shortstop Ryan Dent's glove and into shallow left field.

With the loss, Wilmington's record in one-run games fell to 13-9 on the season. The Rocks dropped three such contests during their eight-day road trip.


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