CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Crew Never Trail in a Crazy One

Published on July 9, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - A wild night saw multiple mistakes on the bases, seven infield hits and eight double plays as the Blue Rocks survived a rubber match with the Lynchburg Hillcats on Thursday night, 3-1. With the triumph, the Rocks (44-38, 6-7) ascended to within a game of sea level on the second half. Starter Mario Santiago (4-9) went five scoreless innings, but departed early after a comeback liner caught part of his pitching hand. Derrick Robinson drove in two of the runs and recorded the team's only extra-base hit with a triple. Chris Chavez logged a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Robinson set the table early by drawing a full-count walk to start the game. The speedster went to third on a hit-and-run single to right from Johnny Giavotella and Mike Moustakas' groundball double play plated the center fielder for a 1-0 lead. The Blue Rocks would hold an advantage the rest of the way.

Lynchburg starter Justin Wilson (3-6) walked Chase Fontaine to begin the fourth and hit Matt Morizio with the next pitch. A wild pitch moved the men up and Robinson got Fontaine home on a groundout to shortstop. The would be all for Wilson who allowed just two runs on three hits over five innings, but needed three double plays behind him to mute five walks.

Santiago, who snapped a four-start losing streak with his first win since June 8, faced just two over the minimum. With a man on and one out in the fifth, Santiago snared an Eddie Prasch comebacker ticketed for his face before doubling up Kris Watts at first base to end the inning. While crossing the grass back to the Blue Rocks first-base dugout, he blessed himself and shot a kiss to the heavens.

Alas, his first warm-up toss in the sixth missed the target entirely and hit the backstop. After a brief chat with manager Brian Rupp and athletic trainer Dave Iannicca, Santiago received a slap on the shoulder and a premature departure. Reliever Jason Godin entered and worked around a couple of infield hits with a round-the-horn double play.

Robinson tripled home Fontaine in the seventh for a 3-0 lead and Godin retired the Hillkitties 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the frame. Then came the eighth, as Godin saw Lynchburg load the bases with nobody out on a double, walk and liner to left. But the former Old Dominion Monarch only allowed a single score. Chase d'Arnaud hit a sac fly to Robinson in center, who made the smart throw to third to keep runners at first and second. Alex Presley then popped a ball to shallow left where Paulo Orlando made a brilliant sliding snare on one knee. With Jose De Los Santos only halfway back to first after the catch, Orlando fired the ball to first in hopes of doubling him up. The throw went wild, errantly working its way to foul ground as the runners advanced.

The miscue had the tying run in scoring position, until prospect Jordy Mercer grounded out to Moustakas at third base to end the inning. Chavez bookended a couple of groundball outs around a swinging strikeout in the ninth to bolt down the save.

The Blue Rocks' six-game road trip now shifts one hour west to Salem, VA. The three-game set with the Red Sox kicks off on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Eduardo Paulino (3-4, 4.76) will get the ball in game one against righty Kyle Weiland (3-6, 4.11).

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Carolina League Stories from July 9, 2009


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