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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Game Notes

August 24, 2012 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


FALL FROM GRACE: The Wilmington Blue Rocks went to Harry Grove Stadium on Monday with a 2.5-game lead and a chance to all but clinch a second-half playoff berth. Alas, the Frederick Keys (57-72, 30-29) did most of the winning, as the defending champs took four on the five-game set including a decisive Thursday finale, 6-5. Including the finish of a suspended game, the Rocks have lost five of their last six.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: With the loss, the Blue Rocks saw their two-week stranglehold of first place come to a close. Wilmington now trails Frederick by a half-game with no regular-season meetings remaining between the clubs. Wilmington, Frederick and Potomac are all within 3.0 games of each other for the division's second-half playoff spot. The four-time Carolina League champion Blue Rocks are attempting to make their first playoff appearance since pacing the loop with 84 wins in 2009.

NORTH WIND: Wilmington concludes its regular season with six of 10 versus its Northern brothers. They are 31-23 (.574) in intradivisional competition.

LOOKING AHEAD: If the Rocks stay on pace with their current winning percentage, they would win 64 games. That would be the lowest single-season total since the 2005 Blue Rocks endured the worst season in franchise history (60-80).

YA CAN'T WIN ROCK(S): With the Rocks' 71st downfall of the year, they are guaranteed a third straight losing season.

SWING & A MISS: Brett Eibner's strikeout rate is on a historic pace. His 158 whiffs rank second on the franchise's single-season record list. Last night, he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts to pass Gary Coffee (157, 1997). Eibner now trails only Donnie Ross (159, 2001). Eibner leads the CL and is tied for the sixth-most whiffs in the minors. He is in an 0-for-21 drought with 10 strikeouts as his average has slipped to .193. That is his worst contact clip since he entered July 4 with the same number. He owns the third-worst average in full-season MiLB.

UNEXPECTED: Last night, the Blue Rocks lost for just the second time all season when leading after eight innings. They had been successful 98% of the time at 44-1 before Thursday's ninth-inning meltdown.

HOMEBOYS: Yesterday, the Lynchburg Hillcats formally informed the Carolina League office that they have elected to host Game 2 and an if-necessary Game 3 in the Northern Division Championship Series. Their foe would host Game 1 unless the Hillcats outright win the second half. In that case, the 'Cats would host each game in the N.D.C.S.

WHAT GOES AROUND: The first meeting of the season between the Blue Rocks and Keys saw Frederick blow a multi-run lead in the ninth thanks in part to a pair of errors in a walk-off loss on April 13. The Keys flipped the script in the teams' final meeting by scoring multiple runs in the ninth thanks in part to a pair of errors for a walk-off win. The teams went 10-10 against each other on the year, including 5-5 marks in each ballpark.

BROTHER BLUE HEN: Mike Flacco, brother of former University of Delaware star and current Baltimore Raves quarterback Joe Flacco, entered the series hitting .135 (5-for-37) against the Blue Rocks. He then went 6-for-19 (.316) with three doubles and two RBIs including the table-setting base hit to open Frederick's ninth-inning rally last night.

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