CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Crew Rallies Past Kinston, 5-4

Published on May 13, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - The Wilmington Blue Rocks (16-21) answered the call and then some, responding inning for inning on the scoreboard to defeat the Kinston Indians 5-4 at Grainger Stadium on Tuesday morning. In rallying from two different deficits, the Blue Crew snapped its losing streak at four games and evened its four-game set in Kinston at one apiece. The bullpen proved pivotal in securing the win, allowing just one base runner on a two-out single over 4.1 shutout innings. Wilmington improved to 6-7 in one-run games with the triumph.

Jeff Bianchi forged a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning with his first homer of the season, a solo pull shot to left, and Wilver Perez worked a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to give the Rocks the 5-4 edge that went final. Reliever Aaron Hartsock (2-2) dazzled, allowing just one two-out hit over 3.1 shutout innings for his second win, while Henry Barrera struck out the side 1-2-3 in the ninth for his first save.

Starter Mario Santiago struggled through the contest, falling behind hitters with regularity. His difficulties reached an apex in the second inning when two walks and a bloop single loaded the bases for Kinston catcher Alex Castillo. The backstop served a Santiago pitch over the head of right fielder Joe Dickerson, clearing the bases on a three-run triple for a 3-0 deficit.

But Santiago's offense would answer the very next inning with a three-spot of its own. Matt Morizio walked, Wilver Perez singled and Jarrod Dyson dropped a sacrifice bunt to third base against Kinston starter Steven Wright. However, third baseman Jared Goedert threw errantly to first base, allowing Dyson to reach and loading the bases for Derrick Robinson. While Robinson failed to notch a hit, his groundball to shortstop plated a run, and his speed down the line avoided a double play.

As a result, with men on the corners and just one out, Chris McConnell's foul fly to right field allowed Perez to tag and score on a sac fly for a 3-2 score. Dickerson worked a four-pitch walk and Miguel Vega followed with a splendidly executed hit-and-run RBI single to the left side of the infield. By putting the runners in motion, Goedert was forced to vacate his spot at third to cover the base. Things got interesting though when the bouncing ball headed right toward Robinson, forcing him to hurdle the ball, slip and fall at third base. In a demonstration of his athletic prowess, Robinson came to his feet and still scored despite the throw of outfielder Cirilo Cumberbatch from shallow left.

Santiago gave up two singles in the fifth inning, including a two-out run-scoring blow to Goedert for a 4-3 deficit. He departed with a pair of Indians on base before Hartsock entered and induced a force play at second off the bat of Carlos Rivero to end the inning.

The series continues on Wednesday night when the piggybacking spot in Wilmington's rotation getting its turn. Southpaw Everett Teaford (2-1, 2.38) will start, just one day before his 24th birthday. His usual piggybacking partner Greg Holland (2-2, 4.56) will work behind him. Kinston hurls the winless Hector Rondon (0-3, 4.78). First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. at Historic Grainger Stadium.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Henry Barrera drew a lot of crowd reaction with his bevy of heavy fastballs. The in-house radar gun topped out his heat at 96 mph. Over 16.1 innings pitched this season, Barrera boasts 25 strikeouts for an average of 13.8 K / 9.0 IP.

With two inherited runners left on in the game, Aaron Hartsock has left four of the five total men he has inherited this season on the bases. As a unit, the true Blue Rocks bullpen has stranded 34 of 38 (89%) inherited runners this season. Position player Wilver Perez allowed his only inherited man to score when pressed into emergency relief at Salem on April 9.

Coincidentally, Hartsock's other victory this season also came against Kinston. After starter Matt Kniginyzky was knocked out by forearm tightness spurred by a comeback liner on April 15, Hartsock wove together five masterful no-hit innings of shutout baseball in a 5-2 Blue Rocks win at Frawley Stadium.

Over his last five appearances, Hartsock has allowed just one run over nine innings pitched, striking out five, walking three and holding opponents to a .219 batting average.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 13, 2008


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