CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Frederick Wins CL North First-Half Crown With Rocks Loss

Published on June 12, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Winston-Salem, NC - The phrase of the night in Winston-Salem on Saturday was missed opportunity. The Wilmington Blue Rocks let scoring chance after scoring chance slip away against the Dash, and as a result, the Blue Crew allowed an opportunity to stay alive for at least another day in the CL North race evaporate as well. Wilmington dropped a 2-0 decision to the Dash, which allowed the Frederick Keys to clinch a postseason berth.

The Blue Rocks stranded 11 runners on base during Saturday's loss. Of those 11 men, six were left in scoring position. As a team, the Blue Crew went just 1-for-8 with runners on second and/or third base.

Even when Wilmington found a way to erase a 1-0 deficit in the top of the ninth inning, it was accompanied by a partly hollow feeling. Adam Frost opened the inning with a soft-roller up the third-base line that Jon Gilmore could not make a do-or-die play on. After Fernando Garcia sacrificed Frost into scoring position, the Rocks got a gift from the Dash. Patrick Norris' right-side grounder was booted by first baseman Seth Loman, which put runners at the corners with only one out. Adrian Ortiz followed with a perfectly placed safety-squeeze bunt up the first-base line. Not only did Frost score, but Ortiz was safe when no one covered first.

The Rocks had pulled even, and had men at first and second with only one away. But Nick Francis fanned and Eric Hosmer grounded out to end the inning.

Justin Greene made the Rocks pay for not getting more, when with one out in the bottom of the ninth, he sent Barry Bowden's (2-4) 2-2 pitch soaring into the right-field seats, giving Winston-Salem a walk-off win.

The inability to cash in when opportunity came knocking, started right from the very first half-frame for the Blue Crew. Wilmington loaded the bases with one out in the first. A walk, an infield single and a hit batsman gave the Rocks a golden scoring chance, but Salvador Perez bounced into an inning-ending double play.

The Rocks put two more runners on in the second, and again came up empty. Frost worked a free pass with one out and then stole second base. Garcia followed with an out to left, but Norris drew another walk to keep things going for Ortiz. The left fielder hit a soft roller to the right side that second baseman Drew Garcia chased down. Garcia's off-balance toss to first beat the speedy Ortiz by a step.

With two outs and nobody on in the third, the Blue Crew offense kicked up some dirt yet again. Jamie Romak walked and Perez powered a broken-bat bloop-single into left-center field. But Rey Navarro was robbed when Dash starting pitcher Nate Jones caught his rocketed comeback liner out of self defense from both knees to retire the side.

After a brief intermission, the trend continued in the sixth against reliever Tyson Corley. Wilmington got a one-out single from Navarro, who then went to second base on a wild pitch. But Frost popped out to first and Garcia grounded out in succession to strand another man in scoring position.

Meanwhile, the Winston-Salem offense gave its team a lead it would very nearly hold from wire-to-wire, courtesy of an opening-inning tally.

The Dash saw its first five batters of the game reach safely against Wilmington starter Tim Melville. Brandon Short opened the frame with a double off the top of the wall in left-center. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Loman roped a single through the right-side hole. Short scored easily on the play, and Eduardo Escobar beat the throw home. But Perez did a gorgeous job of blocking the plate with his left leg, and Escobar was called out. After another walk Melville escaped the rest of the inning unscathed, but with Wilmington's offense unable to generate runs, the damage had been done.

Melville did manage to scuffle his way through five solid frames. The right-hander walked three and surrendered six hits, but yielded just the lone tally. It was not enough though, as Wilmington dropped its second straight contest.

Wilmington will continue its eight-day seven-game road trip in Winston-Salem as it looks to salvage a series-split with the Dash on Sunday afternoon. Southpaw Chris Dwyer (3-3, 3.22) makes the start for the Rocks, while the Dash is slated to counter with fellow left-hander Charlie Leesman (7-2, 4.75). First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from June 12, 2010


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central