CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

Published on May 30, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


LAST TIME OUT: The seesaw series between the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Carolina Mudcats tipped to the hosts on Tuesday night as the Mudcats rode a six-run sixth to an 11-3 defeat of the Blue Crew. The big inning ballooned what was a single score lead into Wilmington's most lopsided loss of the season. The contest halted the Mudcats' six-game losing streak while evening the season series between the squads at four apiece.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: If the Blue Rocks win even one of the series' remaining two games, they will clinch a winning month of May. While the franchise concluded last season with a winning September, that came over an abbreviated schedule of just four games (3-1). The last winning month that featured more than four games for the franchise was April 2011 when the team went 14-7.

INDIVISIBLE: The Blue Rocks stand 5.0 games back of first-place Lynchburg in the Northern Division. However, Wilmington has no meetings with the Hillcats until the second half. In fact, entering tonight 17 of Wilmington's 20 remaining games this half will pit it against Southern Division squads. Entering today, the North has a composite record of 90-103 (.466) while the South stands at 104-91 (.533). Three of the four teams in the North have a losing record compared with winning marks for three of the four in the South.

WHAT DA BILLIO: Before the game, the Carolina League office announced that Wilmington right-hander Greg Billo was named the league's Pitcher of the Week for May 21-27. On May 21 against the Potomac Nationals he tossed seven shutout innings and allowed just two hits and a walk to go along with five strikeouts en route to his fourth win. Billo is the second Rock this season to receive such honors. Catcher Kevin David was named the CL Player of the Week for May 14-20.

GOING TO EXTREMES: The Mudcats' six-run sixth marks the most runs allowed by Wilmington in any one inning this season. Their 11 runs scored in the game tie for the most allowed by the Blue Rocks this season. Winston-Salem matched that output on April 28 in an 11-5 defeat of the Blue Crew. The Rocks' only other eight-run loss this season came at the start of the road trip on Friday at Myrtle Beach, 10-2.

KNOCKED OFF THE HILL: The Blue Rocks have made a miscue in a season-high seven straight games. Juan Graterol (fielding) made the mistake on Tuesday. Before the game, official scorer John Hobgood announced he was changing a Giovanny Urshela third-inning single from Monday to a fielding error on Brian Fletcher. As a result of those errors, Wilmington is no longer the owner of the CL's top fielding percentage.

SLUMPING STICKERS: Brett Eibner went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He is 0-for-17 on the road trip and 4-for-36 (.111) over his last 11 games. Cheslor Cuthbert went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. He is 2-for-18 (.111) on the road trip.

MUDCAT MASH: Every member of the Mudcats' lineup reached base cleanly. The trio of Tony Wolters, Jesus Aguilar and Jeremie Tice all finished with multiple hits and RBIs. Aguilar fell a home run short of the cycle while Tice increased his league-leading RBI total to 43. No Blue Rock has more than 21.

HOW ODD: Carolina pitching was perfect in every odd inning on Tuesday including Shawn Armstrong in the ninth. The closer struck out two and now has 35 whiffs over 26 innings on the season.

SLIGHT DELAY: The game included a 27-minute rain delay during Whit Merrifield's at-bat leading off the fourth inning.

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Carolina League Stories from May 30, 2012


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