CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Caldera Corrals Keys

Published on May 24, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - For the fourth straight night the Wilmington Blue Rocks got a strong performance from their starting pitcher. Not coincidentally, the Blue Crew won for a fourth consecutive time, beating the first-place Frederick Keys on Monday night, 3-1. The four-game winning streak marks the longest of the season for Wilmington.

Starter Alex Caldera improved his own personal winning streak to three games in the process. The right-hander kept the Keys at bay for six-plus frames. After allowing an opening inning run, Caldera (4-2) retired 16 consecutive batters. He finished his evening with six strikeouts and only two walks.

Frederick got its lone tally thanks to a three-hit first inning. Xavier Avery started the contest with a single past short. He then circled around to score on Joe Mahoney's two-out grounder up the middle.

From there forward, the Frederick offense was stifled, as it advanced only two more men into scoring position the rest of the night.

Wilmington's offense was far from a behemoth off of Frederick starter Nate Nery. The Blue Rocks managed only a single hit in the game's first three frames. But a three-run rally popped up out of nowhere in the fourth, giving Wilmington the win.

Eric Hosmer got things started with a grounder up the middle that Keys shortstop Bobby Stevens kept in the infield, but could not get an out on. Jamie Romak wasted little time bringing him home as he lined an 0-1 Nery (3-4) pitch into the Frederick bullpen in left. Romak's fourth home run of the year gave the Rocks a 2-1 advantage.

Wilmington added an insurance tally later in the frame. Jamar Walton smashed a double that caromed off the bare hand of Mahoney at first and into right field. Walton was eventually plated on Salvador Perez's RBI single.

The Rocks bullpen preserved the lead. Harold Mozingo and Patrick Keating combined for three scoreless frames, allowing only two hits over that stretch. Keating picked up his fifth save with the effort.

Wilmington continues this three-game set with the Keys at Frawley Stadium on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Southpaw Ivor Hodgson (2-3, 6.75) takes the hill for the Blue Crew, while Frederick will counter with right-hander Oliver Drake (0-1, 5.84).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Jason Taylor made his return to the Wilmington lineup on Monday night. The third baseman had not played for the Rocks since sustaining a leg injury on April 27. He went 0-for-3 with a walk, and saw his seven-game hitting streak come to a close.

All four of Jamie Romak's home runs have come in his last 11 games. The powerful slugger did not leave the park once in his first 33 games of the year. His big blast was also only the second of the season by a Wilmington DH. Before he left the yard, Rocks designated hitters had only one homer in their first 150 at-bats.

Alex Caldera has been virtually untouchable over his last three starts. The right-hander has a scant ERA of 0.46 over that stretch. In 19.2 innings, Caldera has fanned 20 and walked only two.

Jamar Walton's fourth-inning double laced off the hand of Frederick first baseman Joe Mahoney. Mahoney had to leave the game one inning later.

The Blue Rocks allowed their opponent to score first for the fifth consecutive time on Monday. Frederick took a 1-0 first-inning lead, which also marked the second straight game Wilmington has surrendered a run in the opening frame.

After tossing three more scoreless frames on Monday, the Wilmington bullpen extended its scoreless streak to 15.1 innings. Over its last 21 frames, the relief corps has surrendered just one earned run.

With the victory, Wilmington pulled to within five games of the Carolina League North-leading Keys.

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Carolina League Stories from May 24, 2010


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