CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Crucial Wild Pitch Extends Game-Changing Inning

Published on May 27, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - A long night of missed opportunities and foul balls aplenty seesawed to the host Myrtle Beach Pelicans (28-19) late as the Wilmington Blue Rocks (28-18) dropped a 3-2 series opener on Friday night. The battle between the top two clubs in the Carolina League saw a wild pitch play a pivotal role in the outcome as the Pelicans' two-run eighth carried them to their league-best 16th home win.

Down a run in the eighth inning, 2-1, the Pelicans bookended doubles by Jared Bolden and Mike Olt around a groundout against Wilmington reliever Kevin Chapman (0-1). Olt's blow made for his second RBI of the night and a deadlock. But Chapman appeared to rebound. The former Florida Gator struck out Zach Zaneski and Mitch Hilligoss, both swinging.

However, the second whiff included a wild pitch that bounced past catcher Juan Graterol and through the expansive foul ground behind the plate, allowing Hilligoss to reach. Olt, who took third on the offering, then scored on an RBI single to right by Jared Prince for a 3-2 score that would go final.

Olt's two-out single in the first inning knocked in Bolden against starter Jake Odorizzi, who displayed some uncharacteristic command issues. Numerous deep counts included seven strikeouts and three walks over just 3.1 innings of work for the highly-touted prospect. Lefty Ryan Dennick kept the Blue Rocks very much in the game though. He allowed just one hit over 2.2 scoreless innings in bridging the way to the seventh.

During that time, the Blue Rocks gained ground on their Southern Division rivals. Rey Navarro's two-out liner over second sent Deivy Batista home from second base in the sixth inning to tie the game, 1-1. After former Rangers farmhand John Whittleman walked, started Wilfredo Boscan got the hook. Joseph Ortiz (3-1) entered and induced a fly-out to center from Steven Caseres to strand both runners.

Ortiz would allow only one baserunner over his 3.0 innings of work. But that baserunner was Tim Ferguson, who took advantage of the short porch in left with a wall-scraping homer, his fourth of the year, to give Wilmington a 2-1 lead in the seventh.

Ortiz set down seven straight men from that point forward before first-year manager Jason Wood made a move to his bullpen. After the southpaw Ortiz retired consecutive lefty hitters, Wood beckoned right-hander Ryan Kelly to face the right-handed stick of Yem Prades. Kelly, who lost his spot in the Pelicans' rotation to Boscan, coaxed a routine groundout to second from Prades to clinch his sixth save in as many tries.

The three-game set continues on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. The piggybacking duo of lefty Noel Arguelles (2-1, 2.31) and right-hander Michael Mariot (5-0, 1.29) toss for Wilmington against the league leader in ERA, right-hander Joe Wieland (4-3, 1.73). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. as studio host Adam Dobrowolski brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

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Carolina League Stories from May 27, 2011


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