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CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Career Night for Wilkins Nets Epic Dash Win

July 2, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The holiday weekend fireworks started early at BB&T Ballpark on Saturday night, as Andy Wilkins hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the tenth inning to send the Dash to a wild comeback 12-10 victory over the Salem Red Sox. The homer capped a career-high five-hit night for Wilkins, who finished the game with five runs batted in. Winston overcame two late-inning deficits to win the series opener.

The nearly four-hour contest was marked by rapid swings in momentum and by the end of the night, it looked nothing like the pitcher's duel that was expected between prospect right-handers Andre Rienzo and Anthony Ranaudo. Salem's righty was ragged, allowing four runs on nine hits over 4.2 innings. Rienzo lasted 5.1 innings and gave up two runs on seven hits and five walks. Neither pitcher factored into the decision.

The Dash (6-3, 38-41) scored twice in the first inning against Ranaudo on a Jose Martinez RBI hit and an Ian Gac double play. The Red Sox (3-7, 34-45) stormed right back in the second inning with two runs to tie the game before Winston-Salem went ahead 3-2 on Daniel Wagner's sacrifice fly.

Tyler Saladino hit a solo home run off Ranaudo to start the fifth inning to double the Dash's lead. The homer was Saladino's third in as many games and his tenth of the season. Bryce Brentz hit a solo shot of his own to start the sixth and return the Red Sox' deficit to one run.

Salem grabbed its first lead with a four-run seventh inning. Miles Head hit a two-run double off Brandon Kloess to push the Sox up one before Alex Valdez drove in two more with a single to center to make it 7-4. All the runs were unearned to Kloess because of a fielding error by Wilkins earlier in the frame.

Winston stemmed the Salem momentum in the bottom of the inning when Wilkins made up for his defensive miscue by stroking his fourth hit of the night, a double to right-center field that scored Jared Mitchell and Gac to cut the Red Sox lead to one run.

Both teams scored once in the eighth inning, Salem on a Jorge Padron RBI single and Winston-Salem on a Nick Ciolli solo home run. The Red Sox added another run in the top of the ninth to take a 9-7 lead.

The Dash started the rally with singles from Martinez and Gac that put both players in scoring position with no outs. After Wilkins struck out, the only time he was retired all night, Mike Blanke stroked a single to center off Will Latimer that brought home both runners and tied the game. Winston loaded the bases in the inning, but Michael Gleason struck out Saladino to force extras.

Salem got its sixth unearned run of the ballgame in the top of the tenth against Taylor Thompson. Kolbrin Vitek singled with one out and stole second base. The throw skipped into the outfield and an error was charged to Wagner as Vitek scampered to third base. He scored when Padron hit a sac fly to center field to make it 10-9 Red Sox.

With Gleason still pitching in the bottom of the inning, Jared Mitchell singled to center to start the frame. Martinez popped out on a bunt before Gac singled, moving Mitchell to third base. Wilkins then stepped in and smashed the first pitch he saw deep into the night for a three-run homer that ended the ballgame.

Wilkins finished the night 5 for 6 at the plate with three singles, a double, a home run, and five RBI. The five hits were a career-best and his five runs batted in tied for the most in the second-year pro's career.

Thompson (5-1) got the win with 1.1 innings of relief while Gleason (0-2) took the loss.

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