CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

Published on August 22, 2007 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach Pelicans (30-39, 28-29) Carolina League Affiliate of the Atlanta Braves vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (30-38, 34-21) Carolina League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals

Game No. 124 -- Home Game No. 59 -- Frawley Stadium -- Wednesday, August 22, 2007 -- 7:05 p.m.

SEVEN-RUN SECOND SINKS ROCKS: Under slate gray skies at a chilly Frawley Stadium last night, the Wilmington Blue Rocks could not survive a hurricane-force second inning by Myrtle Beach, falling to the Pelicans, 10-8. All- Star Julio Pimentel was tagged for seven runs (three earned) on four hits in the second, while reliever Rayner Oliveros coughed up three runs in the sixth to break a 7-7 tie and send Myrtle Beach to its third straight victory. The loss for Wilmington snapped a four-game winning streak and, coupled with a Potomac victory, cut the Rocks' lead in the Carolina League's Northern Division standings to five games over the second-place Nationals on the second half.

OVERSHADOWED: The loss overshadowed impressive offensive showings by Miguel Vega and Brad McCann. Vega went 2-for-5 with a double and tied a personal season-high mark with four RBIs. McCann scolded a personal season-best four hits and delivered a pair of RBIs in a losing cause. But, not even a night that featured the aforementioned offensive heroics, plus a 3-for-5 night from Mario Lisson, could salvage less-than-stellar efforts from Pimentel and Oliveros.

OH JULIO!: Julio Pimentel entered the night with the second-lowest ERA in the league, but fell prey to a very game Pelicans lineup in the top of the second. With the Rocks ahead 2-0 thanks to Vega's two-run single in the first, Pimentel walked lead-off man Ivan Terrazas to start the second. Chase Fontaine followed a Jeff Stevens fly-out with a double to right to put runners at second and third. Larry Williams knotted the game in the next at-bat, shooting a single through the hole on the right side, chasing both runners home. Eleven Pelicans would come to the plate against the Dominican right-hander in the second before the damage was done, thanks in some part to Lisson's one-out throwing error. After the miscue, Jordan Schafer plated the go-ahead run with a double to right. Pimentel plunked Michael Fisher to load the bases and then walked Willie Cabrera to push home a fourth run. An RBI groundout by Quentin Davis and Terrazas' two-run single to left put the finishing touches on the gaudy inning, which tied for the most proficient frame allowed by the Rocks this season.

TYING IT UP: A three-spot in the third and two in the fourth pulled Wilmington back from a five-run hole and into a tie. Vega delivered his second two-run knock of the game, a one-out double to left off starter Deunte Heath, to cut the Pelicans' lead to 7-4. Kiel Thibault followed Vega's jolt with an RBI single to shave the deficit to two. In the fourth, consecutive RBI singles by McCann and Brian McFall off reliever Bryan Dumesnil evened the game at 7-7. Both runs were charged to Heath, who departed after walking back-to-back batters with one out.

...TO LET IT LOOSE: But, Rayner Oliveros (1-3) gave the Birds the advantage once again in the sixth. The Venezuelan right-hander set down the first two men in the frame, but surrendered four consecutive two-out hits for a 10-7 score.

MESS WITH THE BULL...: Wilmington had no further answers against a brilliant effort by the Pelicans bullpen. Dumesnil (1-1), Tyler Bullock, and Sung Ki Jung combined to hurl 5.2 scoreless frames of relief, with Jung logging the final four outs for his 22nd save in 24 tries. The Korean sidewinder has converted 15 straight save opportunities.

STREAKING: For the time being, Mario Lisson extended his Blue Rocks season-best hitting streak to 16 games with a 3-for-5 night. However, should Lisson fail to register a hit on Friday night in the completion of Sunday's suspended game versus Lynchburg, the All-Star third baseman's streak would end at 15. He was 0-for-1 with a double play in his lone at-bat in that contest.

NO BULLSEYE FOR THE DART: Jose Duarte went 0-for-5 with a walk, putting a halt to his hitting streak at 11 games. His previous season-high streak was 12 games, accomplished between May 28 and June 8.

Tonight's Probables

WIL: RHP Blake Johnson (7-6, 3.46) vs. MB: RHP Ryan Drese (0-0, 4.50)

BIG LEAGUE FEEL: For the first time since since a hip flexor injury knocked him out of action early at Myrtle Beach on July 6, right-hander Blake Johnson faces the Pelicans. That injury cost Johnson over three weeks on the disabled list. Over his last nine appearances (seven starts), the team is 9-0 and Johnson is 4-0 with an ERA of 1.08. The No. 17 overall prospect in the Royals organization according to Baseball America has gone 1-2 with a 7.27 ERA in four games and starts against the Pelicans.

Myrtle Beach throws the rehabbing Ryan Drese. In six major league seasons with Cleveland, Texas and Washington, Drese was 34-39 with a 5.31 ERA in 105 appearances (96 starts). He underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2006 to repair torn ligaments in his right elbow. His best year was 2004, when he went 14-10 with a 4.20 ERA in 33 starts with the Rangers. He spent each of the last two years pitching in the Rangers and Nationals organizations. Drese pitched in the Carolina League in 1999 & 2000 for the Kinston Indians. Atlanta signed the 31-year-old to a minor league deal on August 4. Tonight will be his fourth Pelicans start.

Meet The Pelicans

COMING IN COLD: The Pelicans entered the series with losses in nine of their last 12 games. The Fightin' Feathers stand in third place, 5.5 games back of the first-half champion Kinston Indians in the Southern Division's second-half title chase, but just 1.5 games behind second-place Salem for a wild card spot.

WHO TO WATCH: First baseman Kala Kaaihue was promoted to Double-A, along with his CL-best 22 home runs. Outfielders Quentin Davis and Roberto Alvarez rank among the league leaders in stolen bases (3rd, 34) and batting average (3rd, .292) resectively. Davis has stolen six bases in eight attempts against the Blue Rocks, while hitting .286 off Wilmington pitching and driving in 12 runs in 17 games. Alvarez has hit .360 against the Blue Crew with seven extra-base hits, six RBIs and 10 runs scored in 13 meetings with Wilmington.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Rocks lead the all-time series against the Pelicans 153-144 (.515) including an 88-60 (.595) record at Frawley Stadium. Wilmington just nipped Myrtle Beach in last year's series, taking 11 of the 20 meetings, including seven of the 10 at Frawley. The Pelicans have won 12 of 18 against Wilmington in 2007, including six of the eight on the Riverfront.

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Carolina League Stories from August 22, 2007


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