CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Ejections, Rally, Wild Pitches & Miscues Highlight Marathon Finale

Published on August 21, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Frederick, MD - Refuse to lose. That might as well be written on the jerseys of the Wilmington Blue Rocks (71-50, 33-19) who completed a four-game sweep of the Frederick Keys with a 6-5 win on Thursday night. The Blue Crew blew a 5-0 lead, but scored the game-winning run late without a base hit for the third time in the series. Two Keys got ejected for arguing with the umpiring crew in a game that took three hours and 15 minutes. Starter Danny Duffy looked great, striking out six over five hitless and scoreless innings, while closer Brandon Sisk worked a six-out save, his team-leading 16th overall and 13th over his last 13 tries. It marks the team's league-leading 50th save of the year, the most by any Blue Rocks team in a single season.

Tied 5-5 in the eighth, a lead-off walk led to Wilmington's game-winning rally against the newest Frederick Key, Brett Jacobson (0-1). Making his Orioles system debut after a trade from the Tigers, the ranked prospect walked Ryan Eigsti on four pitches. Matt Morizio dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Eigsti up, while Derrick Robinson's right-side groundout got him over to third. With Johnny Giavotella batting, a wild pitch got away from catcher Caleb Joseph as Eigsti scored standing for a 6-5 lead.

Sisk got some help from his defense when he began the bottom half of the eighth. Ryan Adams smoked a ball to the left side that shortstop Anthony Seratelli snagged on a perfectly-timed lunge to his right. After a strikeout of Matt Tucker, David Cash, who delivered a walk-off hit against Sisk earlier in the year, worked a full-count walk only to be picked off shortly thereafter.

Matt Angle began the ninth with a single and worked his way to third on the two successive outs that followed before Robbie Widlansky bounced out to second to end it.

Eigsti's two-out, two-run single in the second against starter Zach Britton put the Rocks on the board first. Giavotella doubled home a tally in the next inning and later scored on a wild pitch that same frame for a 4-0 advantage. In the fifth, Jamar Walton's RBI groundout made the advantage 5-0 but with some controversy.

With the bases loaded and one out, Widlansky fielded Walton's bouncing ball and hit the bag for an out. The first baseman threw home late as Giavotella crossed standing. After a long pause, home-plate umpire Andy Dudones called Giavotella out. The Keys left the field as Wilmington manager Brian Rupp raced to the plate to argue. Dudones did not realize a force was made at first and assumed there was a force at the plate. Upon conferring with his base partner, Matt Benham, the umpires overturned the out call at the plate for a 5-0 game.

That was just one of many highlight moments on a busy night for the other boys in blue. Frederick shortstop Pedro Florimon, Jr. got a quick heave-ho when he tomahawk chopped the plate with his bat after taking a called third strike to end the third. Tyler Henson joined him in the clubhouse when he vehemently argued with Benham after getting called out on a bang-bang play at first base to begin the home fifth.

Florimon, Jr.'s replacement in the lineup and at shortstop, Bobby Stevens, broke up a no-no bid in the sixth with a one-out single off reliever Zach Peterson. The Keys put two runs on the board that inning and three more in the sixth, chasing Peterson in the process. Peterson departed with two runs in, two men on and one out in the seventh as this year's fifth-round draft choice for the Royals, Louis Coleman, entered.

His opposition was right-handed bat Brandon Waring, the league leader in RBIs. Coleman had not allowed a hit to any Carolina League righty. As a pro, righties were just 1-for-26 (.038) against the former LSU ace. That was until Waring lined a single to left for his 84th RBI and a tie game. Coleman (2-0) would later walk the bases loaded, but left the sacks full after Billy Rowell bounced out to second on a first-pitch swing.

The Blue Rocks return home for a three-game series and homestand against the red-hot Kinston Indians. The set kicks off at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night with lefty Michael Montgomery (2-0, 2.63) tossing for Wilmington against reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, Paolo Espino (5-6, 2.70). Espino is the first cousin of former Blue Rocks corner infielder Damaso Espino (2004).

Friday will feature a Jed Lowrie Bobblehead giveaway to the first 1,000 fans through the gates courtesy of The News Journal. Also, everyone's favorite traveling act, The Amazing Christopher and his dancing puppets will make an encore appearance. On College Alumni Night, all fans are encouraged to wear their school colors to the game. Mom and dad should take advantage of the Family Friday package that includes four reserved tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for just $40. It will be a Happy Hour Friday as well starting at 5:30 p.m. with a performance by Tony Mowen.

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Carolina League Stories from August 21, 2009


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