CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Francis Homers Rocks to Victory

July 7, 2010 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - Nick Francis' third home run of the season led off the ninth inning and led the Blue Rocks (41-43, 9-5) to a 3-2 series-opening win over the Lynchburg Hillcats (34-49, 5-8) on Wednesday night. It was a picket fence late with single tallies in the seventh, eighth and ninth for the Blue Rocks, who improved to a league-best 17-10 in one-run affairs. Starter Bryan Paukovits allowed just one earned run over seven innings in his best outing as a Blue Rock. Right-hander Eric Basurto (2-0) tossed two scoreless innings to close it out and secure the win, the team's fifth in seven games.

Despite putting the leadoff man on base three times in the first four innings, the Blue Rocks could not get a run off starter Lance Janke until the seventh. Wil Myers began the inning with a hard single to left. Jamar Walton then grounded out to first baseman Neftali Soto, whose wild throw overshot second and gave Myers third. The error proved pivotal, as the infield came in and Rey Navarro drove in Myers with a sacrifice fly to left. An Adam Frost fly-out followed and the run went unearned.

Lynchburg responded in the bottom half of the inning. Carlos Mendez led off with a single to right. Two outs later, Kyle Day doubled Mendez in to tie the game. Jose Gualdron then appeared to pop out to end the inning, but Eric Hosmer dropped the ball on the first-base side of the batter's circle in fair territory for an error as Day scored from second for a 2-1 deficit.

Against reliever Sean Watson in the eighth, Adrian Ortiz led off with a single to right and promptly stole second for his team-leading 21st theft. Center fielder Jarrod Dyson doubled his teammate in with a ball over the head of left fielder Efrain Contreras to tie the game, but was caught stealing thereafter, 1-6-5.

Basurto struck out one in a perfect bottom of the eighth and Francis began the ninth with his shot to left-center, the outfielder's second homer of the road trip. Francis was the only man to reach base against prospect closer Donnie Joseph (0-2), a prospect who had not allowed a Carolina League home run.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, a no-doubles defense opened the right-side hole and Soto took advantage with a bouncing single. Pinch runner Shane Carlson advanced to second on a wild pitch, but catcher Kevin Coddington flied out to Dyson in shallow right-center field to end the game.

The three-game series continues on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Southpaw Buddy Baumann (2-1, 2.17) gets the start with right-hander Jairo Cuevas (2-3, 7.09) piggybacking thereafter. Lynchburg will counter with right-hander Curtis Partch (3-6, 4.63).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Before the game, right-hander Devon Lowery joined the team on a rehab assignment. A member of the last Blue Rocks team to make the Mills Cup Championship in 2004, Lowery became the 100th former Blue Rock to make the majors in 2008. He had been rehabbing at Rookie-Advanced Idaho Falls where he posted a save and a 1.50 ERA in three relief outings. He struck out 10 there against one walk over six innings. Lowery pitched in five big league games in 2008, but missed all of 2009 and the start of this season due to injuries and surgery.

Another roster move has the recently-crowned Carolina League Player of the Month for June, Jamie Romak, advancing to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Ironically enough, he received word of his promotion in Lynchburg, the site of his original jump to Double-A when he and the Hillcats were a part of the Pirates organization. He departs among the top 10 in the CL in batting average (.304), RBIs (48) and on-base percentage (.388).

The leadoff and nine-hole bats did their job. Top man Jarrod Dyson doubled in a run, walked and stole a bag. Adrian Ortiz led off an inning with a single, stole a base, scored a run and laid down his league-best 16th sacrifice.

The Blue Rocks have won three straight against the Hillcats and three of four at City Stadium. Wilmington owns an 8-4 record against its divisional rival.

The 'Cats have dropped six consecutive games overall in starting the second half a league-worst 5-8.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics



Carolina League Stories from July 7, 2010


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