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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

A 5-3 Win Over Frederick Sends Squad to N.D.C.S.

September 5, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - While the flip-flopping format of home field in the Mills Cup Championship Series will not allow the Wilmington Blue Rocks to win the Carolina League title at home this season, the squad punched its playoff ticket with a 5-2 victory over the Frederick Keys at Frawley Stadium on Friday night. The Blue Crew (82-54, 44-23) secured the second-half Northern Division crown and with it, the franchise's 14th playoff spot over its 17-year modern-day history. Fittingly, the unit's second-half ace led it to the title triumph. Eduardo Paulino (10-6) allowed just two hits over seven innings in becoming the first Rock to win double-digit games this season.

A three-run fourth inning broke up a scoreless tie and gave the Blue Rocks a lead they would not surrender. The inning started with a typical element of most Wilmington games this season - hustle. Josh Johnson batted a ball to right and stretched a single into a double. It proved the first of four straight hits to begin the frame. Clint Robinson followed with an RBI double, took third on a Nick Van Stratten left-side single and Jamar Walton doubled home Robinson and sent Van Stratten to third. Chase Fontaine capped off the scoring with an RBI fielder's choice.

Paulino cruised, retiring the first 13 batters he faced in a span that included seven groundball outs and three strikeouts. The only two hits he allowed combined with a walk and a sacrifice fly to plate a pair of runs in the visiting fifth, slimming the team's lead to one. Back-to-back free passes started the sixth, but the rare 3-6 double play turned by Robinson and Anthony Seratelli quelled the rally and kept the Keys in check with just two runs.

The very next half inning, Walton and Fontaine each drove in a score as the duo connected on back-to-back two-out hits for the 5-2 margin that would go final.

Paulino departed after seven innings of work. He allowed two runs on two hits and three walks in tying for the most wins of any Kansas City minor leaguer. Zach Peterson allowed one hit and struck out one over two scoreless innings to close things out and earn his third save. He retired each of the final five men he faced.

Game two of the regular-season ending four-game series will be played at 6:05 p.m. on Saturday night. Danny Duffy (9-3, 3.13) gets the start for the Blue Rocks. Chosen by you the fans, it will be Star Wars Night at the park. You will not need mastery of The Force to get a Fans' Choice Bobblehead though. Just be among the first 1,000 fans through the gates to get your own bobblin' likeness of Blue Rocks assistant general manager Andrew Layman thanks to the U.S. Air Force. A post-game fireworks show will light up the Riverfront after the game courtesy of DSWA. Also, the final Blue Rocks Bailout Night features $5 tickets, $1 hot dogs, $0.50 scorecards, $2 select hats and a $100 cash giveaway to one lucky fan.

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Carolina League Stories from September 5, 2009


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