CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Another Lead Lost in Road Defeat

Published on August 7, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - With their playoff pulse barely registering, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (52-59, 16-26) lost a crucial rubber match to the Lynchburg Hillcats (47-66, 17-25) at City Stadium on Sunday evening, 6-1. The Blue Crew fell to 2-7 in rubber matches while going 2-4 on the road trip. The loss dropped Wilmington back into sole possession of last place in the Northern Division, 1.0 game back of the 'Cats and 7.0 games back of the wildcard frontrunner, Potomac.

For the fifth time on the six-game road trip, the Blue Rocks scored the game's first run. John Whittleman's two-out single on a full-count pitch sent Carlo Testa home for a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. No Blue Rock would cross the plate again.

Lynchburg starter Blaine Sims was lifted after a perfect second inning due to a sore pitching elbow. His successor, Andrew Russell, worked around a leadoff single in the third before wiggling out of a huge jam in the fourth. Singles by Tim Ferguson and Julio Rodriguez combined with Joey Lewis' walk to load the bases with one out. Alas, Deivy Batista struck out swinging and Gerard Hall flied out to deep right field to leave the bases loaded.

The next half-inning, Marcus Lemon's two-out single to left knocked in Joe Leonard for a tie game, 1-1. The 'Cats scratched out single scores in the sixth and seventh as well. Wilmington starter Tyler Sample (6-10) walked the first two batters of the sixth before getting the hook. Barrett Kleinknecht later drove in the first of those two, Joey Terdoslavich, with a single to left off Allen Caldwell for a 2-1 margin.

Leonard's two-out single up the middle hammered home Andrelton Simmons the next inning to make it 3-1 before Lynchburg hit for the team cycle in the eighth against Michael Mariot. Christian Bethancourt's first home run of the season started the frame. Keenan Wiley later singled and Todd Cunningham tripled him home before Simmons' double granted Cunningham the same courtesy.

South Jersey product Ryan Buchter hurled two scoreless innings for his team-leading 12th save. He struck out four, including three in the ninth. Wilmington showed some life that frame, ending a string of 12 straight Blue Rocks retired by putting consecutive men on base with two outs. Rodriguez singled and Lewis was hit by a pitch before Batista chased a high fastball to end it. Russell (2-1) tossed four scoreless innings to log the win.

The Blue Rocks return home for a reprise of their recent road trip. A seven-game homestand gets underway on Monday at 7:05 p.m. with Wilmington southpaw Justin Marks (6-8, 4.66) facing right-hander Jake Petricka (2-5, 4.63). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. as studio host Adam Dobrowolski brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Julio Rodriguez continues to show why the Royals acquired him in a trade from the Tigers. He went 2-for-4 in lifting his overall contact clip to .321 in 10 games as a Blue Rock. Four of his nine hits have gone for extra bases. The catcher blocked the plate quite well when Gerard Hall's throw from shortstop cut down Todd Cunningham at home plate in the seventh inning. He also threw out Marcus Lemon at second despite a good jump to end the fourth.

Lynchburg's southpaw starter Blaine Sims was reportedly lifted after two innings due to a sore left elbow.

All seven of the Blue Rocks' hits on the night were singles.

Wilmington fell to 2-7 in rubber matches, including two such losses on this road trip.

Opponents outscored the Blue Crew 32-9 in the squad's four losses on the six-game journey.

The Blue Rocks failed to win consecutive road games yet again. The team has not done so since back-to-back triumphs at Winston-Salem from June 10-11. Wilmington has not won a road series since beginning that same three-game set with those two wins.

Brian Rupp's squad fell to a league-worst 6-16 (.273) on the road this half. The team is just 24-36 away from the Riverfront on the year.

Wilmington finishes the 2011 season with a 4-6 record at City Stadium.

The team went 1-for-8 (.125) with runners in scoring position, with John Whittleman's RBI single the only hit. He leads the team with 57 RBIs.

Potomac won its series at Myrtle Beach with a 7-2 win on Sunday evening. Should the P-Nats keep winning at their current second-half percentage, the Blue Rocks would need to go 22-6 to pull even with their longtime nemesis. The teams have just three head-to-head games remaining.

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