CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Calder Controls 'Cats, Offense Bashes

Published on May 19, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - In his first start after being named the Carolina League's Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Alex Caldera (3-2) repeated the form with six-plus innings of splendid pitching. He allowed just one unearned run in an 8-2 throttling of the Lynchburg Hillcats (16-24) to break up a deadlock for third place in the Northern Division. The Blue Rocks (17-23) bombed a pair of homers and 13 hits against a premature bullpen to secure their second straight triumph.

Shortstop Rey Navarro's first error as a Blue Rock allowed Neftali Soto to reach at the start of the second inning. Former University of Delaware star Alex Buchholz sent Soto to third with a single down the right-field line and Kyle Day bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to score Soto for a short-lived 1-0 Wilmington deficit.

Caldera's counterpart, prospect Mark Serrano, was surprisingly yanked thereafter following two perfect innings. His relief, former independent baseball hurler Daryl Harang (0-1), would not prove nearly as potent. Patrick Norris' first home run as a Blue Rock and the second of his four-year career, a well-hit three-run shot to left, highlighted a four-run first frame for the southpaw.

Salvador Perez went opposite field to right and cleared both levels of signage for his third dinger of the season and a 5-1 Wilmington lead in the fourth. In the sixth, six of the first seven Blue Rocks batters reached base and three ultimately scored in chasing Harang from the game. Jamar Walton drove in a pair with his bouncing single to center and Fernando Garcia, who finished the night with three hits, hammered home a score with his single to right.

Caldera, meanwhile, kept the ‘Cats in check. He retired 10 straight from the close of the third through the sixth and had opposed just two over the minimum entering the seventh. Devin Mesoraco and Soto worked successive full counts and singles to end the right-hander's night at the start of the inning. After the second stroke, manager Brian Rupp, pitching coach Steve Luebber and athletic trainer Dave Iannicca all went out to the mound to check on Caldera. After a short deliberation, the already warm Starling De La Rosa entered from the bullpen and retired three batters in succession to strand his hand-me-down men.

Lynchburg scratched out a run on a Cody Puckett fielder's choice in the eighth, but not further damage would come on either side. Harold Mozingo hurled a scoreless ninth including strikeouts of Jose Gualdron and Byron Wiley to end the game.

Caldera allowed just one unearned run on four hits and no walks. He struck out three and earned his second straight win.

The series concludes on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Manauris Baez (1-2, 5.22) will oppose southpaw Matt Fairel (3-1, 3.61). A win would give the Blue Rocks the series and wrap up a winning road trip.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks have won five of their seven games against the Hillcats. They have a winning record against just one other team, a 4-3 mark against Kinston.

Patrick Norris hit just the second home run of his career and his first since August 31, 2008. That round-tripper was an inside-the-park job with Idaho Falls, making Wednesday's blow his first that has cleared an outfield fence in 283 professional games and 1,035 at-bats.

Salvador Perez has hit more home runs through 28 games played in 2010 (3), than he hit all of last season, and has equalized his total over his prior three years.

Eight different Blue Rocks crossed the plate on Wednesday night.

The early departure of Mark Serrano forced Lynchburg to use five total pitchers.

Fernando Garcia entered the night 1-for-19 (.053) against left-handed pitching before two of the switch hitter's three knocks came against southpaws.

Eric Hosmer enjoyed a 2-for-5 night at the plate with his team-leading 15th double and a run scored. He raised his batting average to .388 and eclipsed Winston-Salem's Brandon Short for the latest lead in a back-and-forth dance for top batting average in the CL.

Alex Caldera lowered his ERA to 2.89 with his efforts, good for sixth in the loop. He has not allowed an earned run in consecutive starts, a span of 13.2 innings. Opponents have hit just .188 (9-for-48) against the right-hander during those nods. He has failed to walk a single batter in back-to-back starts for the first time since his final two efforts of 2008. It marks the first time on his career he has done so while lasting at least six innings in each outing.

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Carolina League Stories from May 19, 2010


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