Benches Clear as Dash Sweep Hillcats
Published on July 5, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
LYNCHBURG, VA (JULY 5, 2010) - Calamity ruled the night as a bench-clearing incident led to five ejections in the Dash's 5-3 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats on Monday at City Stadium. Winston-Salem swept the Hillcats for the third time this season and improved to 9-0 against Lynchburg in 2010.
Winston (8-4, 51-31) went ahead 2-0 in the second inning when Drew Garcia singled with the bases loaded. Ozzie Lewis and Logan Johnson scored as the Dash struck first for the first time in the series.
The Dash got to Hillcats starter James Avery (4-3) again in the sixth inning when Seth Loman and Lewis led off with doubles. Later in the inning, Johnson was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Kyle Shelton grounded a ball to the left side that Shane Carlson booted into left field. Two unearned runs scored and Winston went ahead 4-0.
While the Dash was taking advantage of scoring opportunities, Lynchburg (5-7, 34-48) was squandering them. The Hillcats were held scoreless in bases-loaded situations in both the second and third innings and left ten men on base in the first five innings. Charlie Leesman danced in and out of trouble but did not give up a run during his outing.
Chris Sale made his second professional appearance in the sixth inning. He went 1-2-3 through the Hillcats, retiring Jordan Wideman on a tricky grounder to third, getting Kevyn Feiner to fly out to right, and strucking out Cody Puckett. The strikeout was the first in Sale's professional career.
The game turned ugly in the top of the seventh inning. After the Dash put men on the corners with one out, Nick Christiani hit Seth Loman in the leg to load the bases. Christiani then fed three straight pitches near the shins of Lewis, who took exception and started barking at both catcher Jordan Wideman and Hillcats manager Pat Kelly.
After Joe McEwing calmed Lewis, Christiani immediately drilled Lewis in the back. Lewis started walking toward the mound, screaming at Christiani. At this point, both benches cleared and players were shoving one another in the middle of the infield. The umpires separated both clubs, but a few fans started throwing tennis balls and beer at the Winston-Salem players. That incited the Dash's emotions further, as several players were restrained from entering the stands. At least one fan was ejected for throwing objects onto the field.
When the dust settled, the umpires ejected Kelly and Christiani on the Lynchburg side. Loman, Lewis, and Eduardo Escobar were ejected for Winston-Salem. The Dash was playing with only 11 position players, so Winston had to use a pitcher in its DH spot.
Leroy Hunt gave up a run in the seventh as the Hillcats got on the board. Hunt hit in Lewis' place in the lineup in the bottom of the eighth inning for his first career at bat. He grounded out to the catcher on the first pitch he saw.
Lynchburg finally took advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity in the ninth, getting an RBI single and an RBI walk against Santos Rodriguez to make it 5-3. With the tying run at second base, Charlis Burdie came in to face pinch-hitter Kyle Day. Burdie induced a groundout to shortstop to end the game and pick up his first save of the season.
Leesman (9-4) got the win with his five shutout innings. He tied Kinston's T.J. McFarland for the league lead in victories. Avery suffered the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings.
Winston-Salem has now won all nine games it has played against Lynchburg this season. The Dash won despite being out-hit for the second straight ballgame. The Hillcats had chances in all three games, stranded 36 men over the series.
After a scheduled day off on Tuesday, the Dash will return home to begin a six-game home stand on Wednesday with a series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. RHP Stephen Sauer (5-5, 4.95) takes to the mound for Winston against RHP J.J. Hoover (5-5, 4.15). First pitch at BB&T Ballpark is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the audio broadcast begins at 6:45 on www.wsdash.com.
Carolina League Stories from July 5, 2010
- Pelicans Still Can't Solve Sox - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Middlebrooks' Slam, 5 RBI Lead Sox to 10-6 Win - Salem RidgeYaks
- Benches Clear as Dash Sweep Hillcats - Winston-Salem Dash
- Rally Falls Short, Dash Sweep Cats - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Frederick Bats Come to Life in 11-3 Win - Frederick Keys
- Kinston Wins Series, But Falls in Finale 11-3 to Frederick - Kinston Indians
- Peacock Goes the Distance, Blanks Blue Crew - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Peacock Tosses Complete Game Shutout, P-Nats Win 5-0 - Potomac Nationals
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Hosmer's Homers Highlight Rout - Wilmington Blue Rocks
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