SAL Wilmington Blue Rocks

Blue Rocks Trifled by BlueClaws' Bats in Loss

Published on June 14, 2023 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


The Wilmington Blue Rocks (27-31) were defeated by the Jersey Shore BlueClaws (30-28) 16-5 on Wednesday, June 14 at Frawley Stadium. The loss marks the Rocks' seventh in their last nine games.

The BlueClaws got on the board early and never looked back. In the top of the first inning, Jersey Shore kicked off the scoring with a Rixon Wingrove solo home run. A Wilmington fielding mishap extended the inning, as a T.J. White fielding error at first base allowed Nick Ward to score. In the very next at-bat, Erick Brito poked a single up the middle to score Andrick Nava, which capped off a three-run first inning for Jersey Shore.

After the BlueClaws and Blue Rocks both put a run on the board in the third inning to make it a 4-1 game, Jersey Shore broke the game wide open in the top of the fifth. Wingrove got it started once again, roping an RBI double to score Gabriel Rincones Jr., and Nick Ward immediately followed suit with an RBI single to score Wingrove.

A few batters later, Brito was able to make more offensive contributions, hustling his way to an RBI triple to score Ward and Leandro Pineda. Wilfredo Flores put the cherry on top, singling to center to score Brito and extend the lead to 9-1.

The Rocks were able to make some noise in the bottom of the eighth, however. After recording just two hits through the first seven innings, Wilmington tallied three runs on four hits, highlighted by a Jacob Young single, Jared McKenzie sacrifice fly, and a Brady House RBI groundout. Overall, the Rocks cut their deficit to 10-4 heading into the top of the ninth.

Unfortunately for Wilmington, Jersey Shore's bats stayed hot in the ninth, tallying six runs in the inning. With the BlueClaws already scoring three runs in the top half of the inning, Wingrove stepped up to the plate and stayed hot, crushing a three-run homer to record his second long ball, fourth hit and sixth RBI of the night. This made it a 16-4 game, and T.J. White recorded an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth en route to a 16-5 final.

With the series now tied up at one game apiece, the Blue Rocks will look to go back in the driver's seat in game three on Thursday, June 15.

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South Atlantic League Stories from June 14, 2023


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