CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Crew Blanks Dash In Rubber Match, 4-0

Published on June 15, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Winston-Salem, NC - Eduardo Paulino (3-3) allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings and the Blue Rocks (35-27) tallied all of the game's four scores in the eighth inning to dispatch the Dash of Winston-Salem, 4-0. Juan Abreu hurled a pair of scoreless and hitless innings to close it out as the Blue Crew notched its 10th win in 12 games and its eighth shutout win of the season. With a win in the rubber-match finale, the Blue Rocks lifted their record to a season-best eight games above .500 for a second time in 2009. The Rocks went a season-best 6-for-6 in stolen base tries in the win, including a 3-for-3 showing by league leader Derrick Robinson.

Paulino opposed just two over the minimum in his longest outing as a Blue Rock. Making his first start as a true solo starter, the former piggybacker allowed a one-out single to Brent Morel in the second, but Morel was caught stealing at third base to end the inning. He had stolen second earlier in the frame. A couple of harmless two-out hits accounted for the only other Dash baserunners against the 23-year-old, who notched his second straight win. Paulino has allowed just one run and six hits over 13.1 innings (0.68 ERA, .133 BAA) over his last two starts.

While Paulino dominated the Dash, the Blue Rocks made a number of mistakes on the bases to keep it scoreless. Johnnie Lowe definitely did his part, as the Winston-Salem starter scattered seven hits over seven scoreless innings. But the Blue Crew had a great chance to get a run in the first inning. Derrick Robinson walked to begin the game and quickly stole second. Johnny Giavotella followed with a grounder to a drawn-in Morel at third. Robinson hesitantly attempted to take third base, only to have his try thwarted on an alert tag from the third bagger who threw to first for a double play. The next batter, Mike Moustakas, singled to right. It was a blow that likely would have meant a run if the speedy Robinson was still at second.

In the fourth, Jeff Bianchi belted a one-out single and David Lough followed with a base hit to center. Center fielder Kent Gerst lazily charged the ball and Bianchi pounced on the opportunity, turning at second and reaching third ahead of a Gerst throw. Lough attempted similar exploits, darting for second on the throw to third. Again, Morel played the role of villain, firing to shortstop Greg Paiml for a tag on Lough. On the next pitch, Clint Robinson flied out to right on a ball that might have meant a run had it been men at the corners with one out.

After leaving a man at third in both the fifth and seventh, the Rocks cracked the scoreboard in the eighth. With Lowe out of the game, reliever Santo Luis (1-3) retired the first man he faced before five straight Blue Rocks reached and four scored. Derrick Robinson singled and stole second. Giavotella followed by rallying from down 0-2 in the count to work his team-leading 38th walk. Robinson stole third and Giavotella took second on a wild pitch, forcing the infield to come in. Moustakas then singled to right for his team-leading 38th RBI of the season and the game's first run.

Bianchi then bounced a ball to Paiml at short who fired home, but Giavotella slid in safely under a Logan Johnson tag attempt for an RBI fielder's choice. Lough came to the plate next and should have been out when he popped up a 2-1 pitch into foul ground. Morel got underneath the ball, calling off Johnson, but dropped the ball for an error. Lough made the most of the miscue, doubling in a score with a hit past the dive of Jimmy Gallagher at first.

A pitching change brought on Miguel Socolovich, but a catching blunder resulted in another score. With the infield in, Johnson suffered his second passed ball of the game on Socolovich's first pitch to Clint Robinson. It caromed off the converted catcher's glove and allowed Bianchi to score and Lough to take third. Robinson then hit a tapper back to the pitcher that resulted in a rundown of Lough between third and home. Lough was retired quickly and Robinson attempted to go to third only to be tagged out as well on a very unique fielder's choice double play that went 1-5-2-6-5-4.

Winston-Salem brought the tying run to the plate against Abreu in the bottom half of the eighth. Three straight two-out walks loaded the bases for Paiml, the Dash's team leader in RBIs. Abreu settled from his wild ways, firing a couple of fastball strikes to set up a brilliant off-speed pitch that froze Paiml for a called strike three. Abreu worked a 1-2-3 ninth thereafter.

The Blue Rocks begin their final road series of the first half on Monday night in Woodbridge, VA against the defending Carolina League champion Potomac Nationals. The Blue Crew looks to red-hot right-hander Mario Santiago (3-5, 4.02) in the opener of three. Over his last three starts, Santiago is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and three team victories. The P-Nats give the ball to All-Star righty Brad Meyers (3-2, 1.66). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. from Pfitzner Stadium.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks played error-free baseball for the 11th time in 12 games.

Winston-Salem posted an eight-run fourth inning that proved decisive in the Saturday night game, a 12-2 loss for the Blue Rocks. Wilmington logged a four-run eighth to account for all the run scoring in Sunday's evening tilt.

Among the six Blue Rocks' stolen bases on the game, catcher Ryan Eigsti logged his first stolen base of the season and second on his career. First baseman Clint Robinson swiped his second sack of the season and fourth lifetime.

David Lough was one of four Blue Rocks to collect two hits on the game, lifting his season-long contact clip to .330, good for second in the league. He now stands tied with Jeff Bianchi for the team lead with 19 multi-hit games.

The Blue Rocks have six shutout wins over their last nine games. Sunday's effort lowered the team's league-leading ERA to 3.53.

Derrick Robinson now leads the league and ranks third in all of minor league baseball with 35 stolen bases this season. He set the Blue Rocks single-season franchise record with 62 a season ago and has 98 on his career including one swipe over three games played late in the 2007 campaign. The Blue Rocks' 96 stolen bases as a squad have them fourth in all the minors as a team.

Losses by Kinston and Salem earlier in the day made it possible for Winston-Salem to clinch the first-half Southern Division title with a win. The Blue Rocks made sure they would not have to watch the Dash celebrate by taking the game.

Lynchburg won again, its fifth in a row overall and 15th win in 17 games against teams not named Blue Rocks. The first-place team in the Northern Division lowered its magic number to four. The Blue Rocks are the only team in the league to hand the 'Cats back-to-back losses since May 20-21 and only the second squad to do so since May 2-3.

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Carolina League Stories from June 15, 2009


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