CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

David's Walkoff Homer Wins Series Opener

Published on May 18, 2012 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - The Wilmington Blue Rocks had struggled at home coming into Friday night, going 6-10 in their first batch of home games at Frawley Stadium. Those struggles all seemed to wash away after Kevin David's two-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (20-19) sent the Rocks (18-22) to their third win in a row by a mark of 6-5.

Down 5-1 at one point in the game, the Blue Rocks pulled off their biggest comeback of the season. Trailing 5-3 with one out in the ninth against closer Randy Henry, Geulin Beltre reached on an error by Brett Nicholas. Beltre's bat splintered to the left side of the infield and Nicholas muffed the slow, easy roller. Roman Hernandez popped out to second base, leaving the Rocks with just one out to work with. Juan Graterol poked a double to short left field after Teodoro Martinez and Jared Hoying misjudged the ball. It fell in front of them before it rolled by the two outfielders. It scored Beltre to make it 5-4 as Alex McClure went in to pinch run for Graterol. Henry threw a first pitch ball to David. Pelicans manager Jason Wood then took a stroll to the mound to chat with his pitcher. At the same time, Vance Wilson signaled to Brett Eibner to stand in the on-deck circle to prepare to hit for Luis Piterson in case they intentionally walked David. A pitch later, David turned on an inside fastball and cranked it over the left field wall, setting off a raucous crowd at Frawley Stadium as the Rocks won the game.

The Blue Rocks scored twice in the seventh to bring the game from 5-1 to 5-3. After Cheslor Cuthbert singled off reliever Kyle Devore to start the inning, Josh Richmond misplayed a ball out in right field off the bat of Brian Fletcher. Hernandez singled Cuthbert home with one out and then a batter later David shot a single through the infield to make the deficit a pair of runs.

The Pelicans found their stroke in the fourth inning against Wilmington starter Tyler Sample. Jared Hoying blasted a ball over the fence in right center field to start the inning and knotted the game up at 1-1. Sample proceeded to walk Christian Villanueva and then hung a ball to Brett Nicholas who smacked it for a double. With runners on second and third, Sample retired Vinny DiFazio and Odubel Herrera. Josh Richmond would get to him, however, as he smoked a low-liner over the short wall in left field for a three-run homer to make it 4-1 in favor of Myrtle Beach.

In the fifth inning, Sample gave up another run with two outs. Hoying slipped a double down the third base line and Villanueva floated a single to shallow center field to boost the lead to 5-1.

The Blue Rocks got the first lead of the game. In the third inning, Graterol and David singled to left field against Myrtle Beach starter Roman Mendez. After a sacrifice hit from Piterson, Whit Merrifield skied a ball to center field to bring home Graterol on a sacrifice fly to give Wilmington the early 1-0 lead.

Cole White (2-0) got the win in relief. He took over for Sample in the seventh and spun three shutout frames, yielding just three hits and chalking up four strikeouts.

Mendez got a tough no decision for Myrtle Beach. He tossed five innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and fanning four Rocks hitters.

After the wild win in the opener, the Blue Rocks hope to extend their winning streak to four games on Saturday night in the second contest of a three-game set with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at 6:05 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Jason Adam (1-5, 2.80) tangles with Pelicans righty Nick Tepesch (1-3, 4.86). Broadcast coverage begins at 5:35 p.m. as studio host Rob Cunningham 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 18, 2012


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