Big Sixth Inning Muscles Dash Past Nats
Published on July 1, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WOODBRIDGE, VA - The Dash scored five times in the sixth inning to build up a big lead and put away the Nationals 7-2 on Friday night at Pfitzner Stadium. Ian Gac and Andy Wilkins both had three-hit nights to support Joe Serafin, who pitched seven strong innings to earn his first win of the season.
Tyler Saladino got the Dash (5-3, 37-41) off to a good start with a leadoff homer in the first inning against Cameron Selik. The home run was Saladino's second in as many at bats going back to Thursday night's eighth-inning blast and it was his ninth of the season. It was also the second time in the last week that he started a game with a home run.
The game stayed 1-0 until the big sixth inning as Serafin breezed through P-Nats order and Selik successfully worked out of jams. Jose Martinez led off the sixth with a single and then scored on Gac's RBI double to the left field corner to make it a two-run Winston-Salem lead. Wilkins followed with a ten-pitch at bat that resulted in another RBI double. Losing that battle seemed to take the steam from Selik (2-6), as he then walked Mike Blanke on four pitches before leaving the game.
Marcos Frias entered for Potomac (4-5, 33-45) and surrendered a two-run triple to Nick Ciolli that made it 5-0. He scored the fifth and final run of the inning when Luis Sierra singled to center. In the frame, the first six batters reached base and five of them scored. Ten total hitters came to the plate during the inning for Winston-Salem.
Serafin (1-6) continued to vex the Nationals batters until the eighth inning, when the first three men reached base against the left-hander. The last of the three, Francisco Soriano, singled home Cutter Dysktra to get Potomac its first run. Leroy Hunt then relieved Serafin and allowed an inherited runner to score before finishing off the inning.
Wilkins blasted a long solo home run in the ninth inning to close the scoring and restore the Dash's lead to five runs. The homer was Wilkins' 13th of the season, moving him into sole possession of second place in home runs in the Carolina League, trailing only teammate Gac who has 19.
Serafin picked up the win, his first since September 2 of last season, ending a string of 15 consecutive starts without a victory. He gave up two runs on seven hits and one walk in seven-plus innings, striking out a season-high seven batters. Selik took the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits in five-plus frames.
Winston-Salem pounded 13 base hits and had four players collect multiple hits. Gac and Wilkins both went 3 for 5 while Martinez and Sierra each had two hits. The win helped the Dash avoid a sweep at the hands of the P-Nats, who had won the first two games of the series by a combined three runs.
The Dash return to BB&T Ballpark for a special Independence Day weekend filled with fireworks and fun on Saturday. Fireworks will follow each of the games on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with all games against the Salem Red Sox starting at 7 p.m. Heralded pitching prospects Andre Rienzo (2-3, 3.35) and Anthony Ranaudo (1-3, 3.86) start for the Dash and Red Sox, respectively. The play-by-play broadcast of the game starts at 6:45 at www.wsdash.com.
Fans may purchase tickets for every game this season by calling the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or by visiting www.wsdash.com.
Carolina League Stories from July 1, 2011
- P-Nats Drop Series Finale 7-2 to Dash - Potomac Nationals
- Salem Matches Season-High with 13 Runners Left On Base - Salem Red Sox
- Big Sixth Inning Muscles Dash Past Nats - Winston-Salem Dash
- Rocks Escape with Win to Avoid Sweep - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Keys Win Rubbermatch in Lynchburg - Frederick Keys
- Birds Squander Lead in Rubber Game - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Hillcats Lose Rubber Game to Keys - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Kinston Comes Back to Beat Myrtle Beach 5-3 - Kinston Indians
- Canada Day Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes - Winston-Salem Dash
- Pelicans Game Notes - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Dash to Celebrate Independence Day Weekend at BB&T Ballpark - Winston-Salem Dash
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- K-Tribe Home for the Holiday - Kinston Indians
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