CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Big Fourth Frame Carries Rocks to 6-2 Win

Published on August 3, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Winston-Salem, NC - One night after a four-run frame led Winston-Salem to a series-opening victory it was the Wilmington Blue Rocks (51-56, 15-23) plating four scores in the fourth for a lead that held up in a 6-2 defeat of the Dash (53-43, 21-16). The Blue Crew snapped a five-game road losing skid while Winston-Salem's seven-game winning streak came to an end. Wilmington's Whit Merrifield saw his hitting streak end at 14 games and Yem Prades' came to a close at nine.

Up 1-0, the Blue Rocks began their four-run fourth with a just-fair double inside of first by Nick Van Stratten. Two batters later, Ryan Stovall singled him home and became the first of five straight Blue Crewers to reach base against Jake Petricka (2-5). Two of the Dash's four errors on the night contributed to the inning, making a pair of the runs unearned. Petricka allowed five runs for the third time in seven starts with the Dash over his six innings.

Wilmington made one of its three miscues during a two-run fifth by the Dash. Jared Mitchell and Brady Shoemaker drove in the runs, but they would prove the only tallies on the night for the host Dash. Winston would struggle to a 1-for-15 (.067) showing with runners in scoring position while stranding 10 men on base, seven in scoring position.

Starter Justin Marks (6-8) got the hook when Mike Blanke reached on an error by Gerard Hall in the sixth. The recently acquired Kendal Volz entered for his Blue Rocks debut thereafter and induced an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play from Kyle Colligan to end the inning. Marks struck out seven over his 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks.

Volz gave up a first-pitch bunt single to Daniel Wagner the next inning, but retired the next three in a row to strand him on the bases. Allen Caldwell then tossed two scoreless and hitless innings to close out the victory, striking out two.

The three-game set concludes on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Tim Melville (8-6, 3.90) takes on southpaw Joe Serafin (3-8, 5.87). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:30 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:

Whit Merrifield went hitless for the first time since July 16 as his hitting streak stalled at 14 games. He hit .298 (17-for-57) during what was the Carolina League's longest active hit streak and the best by a Blue Rock since Jamie Romak assembled an 18-gamer from May 23-June 10, 2010.

Yem Prades reached on an error and scored a run during his 0-for-4 night as his hitting streak ended at nine games. He hit .488 (20-for-41) during the streak.

Tim Ferguson reached base three times. He singled in a run, doubled, walked and scored three times in finishing 2-for-3.

With a win in Thursday's rubber match, the Blue Crew would secure its first back-to-back series wins since it took sets in succession from Salem, Myrtle Beach and Frederick from May 16-25.

Three of Winston-Salem's four errors came when infielder's lifted their gloves too early on balls that rolled underneath of their reach and into the outfield grass. Twice that came at the expense of shortstop Tyler Saladino. Winston-Salem leads the league with 125 errors in 107 games.

Nick Van Stratten doubled twice, scored once and stole a bag in the win. He also reached twice on those infield errors.

On his birthday, Julio Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. In seven games since he joined the organization through trade from the Detroit Tigers, he has hit .292 (7-for-24) with four extra-base hits and six RBIs in seven games.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from August 3, 2011


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