CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Crew Rides Longballs to Sweep

Published on May 18, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Salem, VA - The Wilmington Blue Rocks (22-16) had hit one home run over 16 games going into Wednesday afternoon's doubleheader with the Salem Red Sox (21-16). Whit Merrifield, Tim Ferguson and Rey Navarro then each went yard in one day as the Blue Rocks swept the twinbill, 7-1 and 5-1. Merrifield drove in four runs on three hits between the two games as the Blue Rocks guaranteed themselves the series victory and a winning road trip. Slumping Salem has lost six in a row and seven straight at home, the franchise's longest home skid since 2000.

The first four Wilmington batters reached and all four scored during a six-run sixth in the opener. The big inning broke up a 1-1 draw. Merrifield's two-run single combined with Ferguson's two-run homer to highlight the fireworks. All of the damage went on the line of reliever Jeremiah Bayer (2-1). Starter Elisaul Pimentel (3-1) got the win with six innings of one-run ball.

In game two, Merrifield's two-out, two-run homer to left, his first of the year, gave the Rocks an early lead in the second inning. Salem responded the next half-inning with the only run allowed by Tim Melville (4-4) over his five frames of work. Navarro's three-run dinger to right in the sixth rounded out the scoring as Kevin Chapman struck out three in two perfect innings of relief to conclude the sweep. Salem's starter, Drake Britton (1-4), allowed just two runs on one hit, but suffered the loss.

The series concludes on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The piggybacking pair of southpaw Justin Marks (1-2, 7.11) and right-hander Tyler Sample (1-3, 2.51) go for the Blue Rocks against righty Chris Balcom-Miller (3-0, 2.25). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 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:

The Blue Rocks outscored Salem 12-2 despite sending the minimum to the plate in eight of their 14 offensive innings.

Due to forecasted showers, more than an hour transpired between games as the teams tried to avoid playing in rain. They wound up playing nearly an hour in hard rains between the later stages of both games.

With his performance in game two, Kevin Chapman has notched 28 strikeouts in 16.1 innings for an average of 15.4 / 9 IP. The former Florida Gator owns a 7:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (28K:4BB).

Carlo Testa singled, walked and scored a run in a 1-for-2 showing in game two. Since shifting to the two-hole earlier this month, he has hit .324 (12-for-37) with six doubles, five RBIs and six runs scored.

The Blue Rocks made a number of nifty defensive plays on the day. A well-timed pitchout resulted in the nabbing of Peter Hissey on a stolen base attempt in the fourth inning by pitcher Tim Melville and catcher Juan Graterol.

Hissey reached when Melville thwarted his sac bunt attempt by swiftly fielding the ball and erasing the lead runner, former Blue Rock Mark Wagner, at second base.

Left fielder Adrian Ortiz, who co-led the Carolina League last season with 13 outfield assists, racked up another with an inning-ending gundown of Zach Gentile at home plate to conclude the fifth inning and maintain a one-run lead.

Tonight, former Blue Rock Danny Duffy (2009-10) will start for the Kansas City Royals against the Texas Rangers. When he does, he will become the 111th former Blue Rock to make the Major Leagues and the fifth this season. Duffy went 9-3 with a 2.94 ERA in 27 career Wilmington starts. He was named both a Carolina League All-Star and pitched in the prestigious Futures Game during his Riverfront tenure.

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Carolina League Stories from May 18, 2011


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