CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Crew Splits Double Dip

Published on May 1, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Woodbridge, VA - The good, the bad, and the ugly. The Blue Rocks won game one of their Thursday doubleheader at Potomac, 4-1, snapping their losing streak at four. They lost the nightcap, 6-0, marking the team's second shutout defeat of 2009. And the backend loss meant a disappointing 2-5 showing on the team's seven-game road trip. The Blue Rocks limp home below .500 for only a second time this season at 10-11, and once again drop down to third place in the CL North, one game behind second-place Potomac. The Blue Rocks have lost three straight series.

David Lough's two-out, two-run double gave Wilmington a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game one. Starter Mario Santiago (1-2) took it from there, striking out the side 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the first frame. Potomac managed just an infield single in the second, but challenged in the third. Three straight one-out singles loaded the bases before Santiago struck out Danny Espinosa and breathed a sigh of relief when power-bat prospect Chris Marrero lined out to a sprinting Derrick Robinson in straightaway center field.

The Blue Crew added another pair of runs in the fourth. Paulo Orlando drove in a score with a double and Ryan Eigsti singled in another with two outs. Santiago still owned a 4-0 shutout advantage going into the seventh and final inning, but left after facing two batters. Jesus Valdez singled while Tim Pahuta worked a full-count walk to chase the right-hander. Brandon Sisk entered and walked the next two men with a wild pitch in between to plate a run and spoil the shutout. Sisk promptly retired the next three batters in order to record his third save.

Santiago gave up just one run and seven hits, all singles, over his six-plus innings of work. He walked one and struck out six. The Puerto Rico native retired the side in order three times and improved to 3-1 in five career starts against Potomac.

In the nightcap, the Blue Rocks never got a man beyond second base against Jeff Mandel (2-1), who required just 75 pitches to notch the seven-inning shutout. Southpaw starter Everett Teaford (2-1) allowed five of the game's six runs in just the first two innings. A Valdez two-run single highlighted the opening inning while Espinosa slammed a two-out, two-run homer to right in the second. Dan Nelson rounded out the scoring with a solo jack on a full-count pitch to kick off the fourth. Teaford allowed all six runs on eight hits in four innings.

Northern Virginia native, Jason Godin, hurled a pair of scoreless innings to close out the game. He allowed one hit, issued one walk and struck out one. Godin attended high school in Stafford, VA, only a 20-minute journey from Potomac's Pfitzner Stadium.

Wilmington returns home to start a seven-game homestand on Friday night. The Blue Rocks seek redemption against Winston-Salem after losing three of four meetings with the Dash down in North Carolina over the weekend. Opening Day starter Alex Caldera (0-1, 5.89) will oppose fellow right-hander Matt Long (0-2, 8.66). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. All fans in attendance will be treated to X-Men Night, including an appearance by everyone's favorite adamantium-clawed Canadian, Wolverine. Fireworks will follow the ballgame, sponsored by AAA Mid-Atlantic.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks previous shutout loss this season also came in a quick game. A rain-shortened contest called in the seventh saw Wilmington lose 1-0 at Kinston on April 14.

Wilmington won game one despite having three men picked off at first base. On the series, Potomac southpaw starters picked off five Blue Rocks. Right-hander Jeff Mandel nearly nipped a sixth in the Thursday nightcap, but Anthony Seratelli barely avoided a tag diving back in safely in the second inning.

Potomac's first-year manager, Trent Jewett, won his 1,000th career game as a minor league manager with the 6-0 shutout finale.

The Blue Rocks closed out the month of April with a 10-11 record, .271 team batting average and 4.58 team ERA. Starters own a woeful 6.12 combined ERA.

After the 2-5 road trip, the team has lost seven of its last nine games.

David Lough posted his team-leading eighth multi-hit game and fourth multi-RBI performance in the game one win. The outfielder went 2-for-3 with a two-run double.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 1, 2009


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