CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Dash Erase Early Deficit to Beat Nats, 8-5

May 11, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WOODBRIDGE, VA (MAY 11, 2010) - Winston-Salem shrugged off a 3-0 first inning deficit to come back and beat the Potomac Nationals 8-5 on Tuesday night at Pfitzner Stadium. The Dash scored three in the second inning off major league rehabber Jason Marquis and plated five more runs later in the game to earn at least a split of the four-game series. Brandon Short and Luis Sierra led the offense, both with a 4 for 5 nights at the plate.

After Marquis worked around a leadoff single for a scoreless top half the first, the Nationals offense provided some early support against Dash starter Nate Jones. Derek Norris drove in his first run of the season with an RBI ground out to give Potomac a 1-0 lead. After Michael Burgess singled, Bill Rhinehart went first pitch hunting and blasted a two-run home run to center field to put the Nats up 3-0.

Even with major league pitcher Jason Marquis on the mound, the Dash offense, the best in professional baseball, still found a way to score runs. Marquis was on his first rehab assignment since being placed on the D.L. in April with "floating bodies" in his throwing elbow.

Ozzie Lewis led off the second inning with a double to the center field wall on the first pitch he saw. Lewis scored on Luis Sierra's RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1. Two batters later, Justin Greene drove in a run with a double, and then scored on Brandon Short's RBI single to tie the game at three.

Potomac re-claimed the lead in the third with Burgess' RBI double to right. The hit scored Steve Lombardozzi and gave the Nationals a 4-3 lead.

Again, the Dash tied the game in the fifth inning against new Potomac pitcher Brad Peacock. With Short at third and Gilmore at first with two outs, Peacock uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Short and evening the game at four.

Winston took its first lead in the sixth with another two-out rally. Short and Eduardo Escobar had back-to-back RBI singles with two down and the Dash went ahead 6-4.

Potomac got back one of those runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Winston-Salem scored twice more in the eighth and ninth on runs batted in from Escobar and Jordan Cheatham.

Kyle Bellamy pitched the ninth inning for his first save as a member of the Dash.

The win went to Dylan Axelrod (2-1), who threw three innings and allowed one unearned run on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Peacock took the loss, allowing five runs on 11 hits with seven strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

Marquis looked comfortable, as he went 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, a walk and three strikeouts. He located his fastball well in the first inning, but left several very hittable pitches up in the zone during his outing.

Short tallied at least four hits in a game for the second time in four nights. He went 5 for 6 on Saturday against Salem. On Tuesday, the reigning Carolina League Player of the Week went 4 for 5 with a stolen base, a run scored, and an RBI to raise his batting average to .393.

Sierra also went 4 for 5 with a double, a run and an RBI. It was his second four-hit game of the season.

Jon Gilmore kept his hitting streak alive with a single in the fifth inning. He went 1 for 5 and has hit in 11 straight games.

The Dash goes for the series victory on Wednesday night. LHP Charlie Leesman (4-1, 5.20) seeks what would be his league-leading fifth win of the season against RHP Robinson Fabian (1-0, 4.30). First pitch is scheduled for 7:03 p.m. Fans can tune into the live audio broadcast beginning at 6:45 on www.wsdash.com.

Fans may purchase tickets for every Dash game this season by calling the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visiting www.wsdash.com.

Check out the Winston-Salem Dash Statistics



Carolina League Stories from May 11, 2010


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