CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks surge past Kinston

Published on May 12, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - Midway through the fifth frame on Tuesday night it seemed like more of the same for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Their offense looked listless with only one hit, and sloppy play had cost them a pair of unearned runs. But suddenly the bats came alive, and two big innings propelled Wilmington to a 6-3 win over the Kinston Indians, ending a slump that had saw the Rocks drop six of their previous seven games.

The offensive surge began in the home fifth when David Lough opened the frame with a hit to left. That was followed by a Paulo Orlando single to right and a Clint Robinson single, which scored Lough. But when Ryan Eigsti struck out looking and Jamar Walton grounded out to third, the Blue Crew's rally appeared through.

Center fielder Derrick Robinson came up with one of the most important hits of the young season though, as it scored a pair and tied the game. It also proved to Wilmington that its stretch of "Murphy's Law" was over. As for once, not everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

The Rocks followed the clutch hit with another rally in the home sixth. Mike Moustakas opened the frame with a smashed double down the right-field line. Two outs later Orlando's infield single, and the subsequent throwing error on the play by first baseman John Allman, scored Moustakas, giving Wilmington its first advantage of the night.

The Rocks continued to pour on the offense, as Clint Robinson slammed a ground-rule double to right-center field. That brought up Eigsti, who singled through the hole to left, scoring Robinson and Orlando, and put the Blue Crew in front by three runs.

From there the bullpen took over. Starter Mario Santiago pitched well, but was forced to throw a lot of pitches in his five frames of work. The right-hander allowed three runs (one earned) and seven hits before exiting the game.

But when reliever Brandon Sisk replaced him in the sixth, the Kinston offense was through. The powerful Wilmington southpaw did not allow a hit in two innings. Sisk (1-2) struck out one and was just a walk shy of perfection, in earning his first victory of the season.

Closer Aaron Hartsock replaced Sisk in the eighth and promptly mowed the K-Tribe down with a 1-2-3 frame. In the ninth, Adam Davis managed an infield single, but Hartsock struck out Lucas Montero to end the game and earn his sixth save.

Kinston starter Russell Young took the loss. The left-hander surrendered six runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings. Young (0-2) struck out five in his third start with Kinston, but was victimized by the two big-innings.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Five of Wilmington's six runs on Tuesday were scored with two outs.

The win ended the Blue Rocks' four-game losing streak at Frawley Stadium. Wilmington's last home win had come on Saturday, May 2 over the Winston-Salem Dash.

The Rocks have now won four-of-five this season against the Kinston Indians. The Blue Crew took three-out-of-four on the road from the K-Tribe in mid-April.

Catcher Ryan Eigsti threw out Kinston's two would-be base stealers on Tuesday. That upped his Carolina League-leading total to 18 men thrown out attempting to steal in 2009.

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Carolina League Stories from May 12, 2009


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