Blue Rocks' Advantageous Hitting Deciding Factor in 7-5 Win Over Renegades
Published on August 31, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release
The Wilmington Blue Rocks would waste no time jumping ahead. In the bottom of the first, after getting the first two batters on base, they would take a 2-0 lead due to a YoYo Morales liner to centerfield that bounced under the glove of Cole Gabrielson and trickled to the wall. Morales would score two batters later on a fielder's choice by Murphy Stehly which saw second basemen Jared Serna throw to home just a bit tardy. 3-0 Blue Rocks after one inning.
Wilmington starter Bryan Caceres battled through the first two innings without surrendering any runs but would get tagged for three in the top of the third.
An RBI single by Anthony Hall was followed by a two-run double by Hudson Valley first basemen T.J. Rumfield which would even the score at three. Thanks to a two-out diving stop and throw to first by shortstop Cortland Lawson, the Renegades would not take the lead.
It would be the Blue Rocks who would take the lead in the next half-inning. A single from Morales applied pressure to Hudson Valley starter Yorlin Calderon, as he would walk then hit the next two batters respectively, pushing the go-ahead run to third. Brandon Boissiere would take advantage of the free bases with a deep flyout to centerfield that plated Morales on the tag from third. 4-3 advantage Blue Rocks.
The Renegades remained resilient, plating the tying run in the top of the fourth on a liner into the gap in right-centerfield by Jared Wegner, scoring Gabrielson and knotting the game back up.
The Rocks would answer again in the bottom of the sixth following a Boissiere hit-by-pitch and double from Matt Suggs, setting two runners in scoring position with no outs. Jared McKenzie would line a screamer off the ankle of pitcher Joel Valdez, which would then ricochet to hit the umpire hovering near second base. Boissiere would score from third as McKenzie reached safely. The Rocks would add another thanks to a wild pitch from Valdez, and a broken bat infield single by Daylen Lile would end his night.
With runners on first and third with just one out, Luis Velaquez would come in relief for the Renegades. Andrew Pinckney would welcome him with an RBI groundout to third, making it a 7-4 Blue Rocks lead going to the seventh.
Orlando Ribalta would work in relief for two scoreless innings, with Todd Peterson responsible for on run in the ninth. Blue Rocks take game three of the series by a final score of 7-5.
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