Gac Powers Wild 11-6 Mugging of Kinston
July 19, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
KINSTON, NC (JULY 19, 2011) - Ian Gac swatted a pair of two run homers to lead the Dash to an 11-6 win over the Indians on Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium. Winston-Salem's offense woke up after remaining quiet for much of the current road trip to produce the second-most hits and runs in a game for the team this season.
The Dash (12-13, 44-51) jumped out to an early lead for the second straight night against the best pitching squad in the Carolina League. Winston scored twice in the second inning against Francisco Jimenez, who was making his first start of the season. Nick Ciolli snapped out of his 2 for 24 road trip slump with an RBI double and later scored on Juan Silverio's RBI single to make it 2-0.
Gac doubled the Dash's lead in the third inning with a two-out, two-run home run to left field. Winston upped its lead to 5-0 in the sixth inning when Daniel Wagner hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to bring home Ciolli.
The Indians (14-10, 52-41) rallied in the bottom of the sixth against Winston starter Matt Wickswat, who had breezed through the first five innings, allowing just one base hit. With a runner at third base and two outs, Anthony Gallas brought in Kinston's first run with an RBI double. Adam Abraham followed with a run-scoring double of his own before Abner Abreu smashed a two-run home run to cut Winston's lead to 5-4.
The Dash responded to Kinston's four-run frame with one of their own in the next half inning. Andy Wilkins doubled to start the inning before Gac went yard for his second two-run home run of the ballgame to make it 7-4 Winston. The homer was his second of the night, his third in the last two games, and his league-leading 26th of the season. Gac, who also leads the Carolina League in RBI with 72, has hit eight long balls against Kinston alone this season.
Later in the inning, Silverio brought home Ciolli with an RBI double and Wagner produced an RBI single to complete the four-run seventh.
Kinston scored twice in the bottom of the inning on an Argenis Martinez RBI double and a Tyler Holt sacrifice fly to narrow the home team's deficit to three. Between the sixth and seventh innings, the teams combined to score 11 runs after combining to score just four (all by Winston-Salem) in the first five innings.
After a scoreless eighth, which featured double plays that ended both half innings, knuckleballer Steve Wright allowed a pair of unearned runs against the Dash in the ninth. Silverio brought home Ciolli, who scored four times on the evening, on triple after the Winston right fielder reached on a fielding error by Martinez. Silverio scored on a suicide squeeze attempt by Wagner. The bunt went straight back to Wright, but his throw to first was dropped by first baseman Chase Burnette for another error to allow the run to score.
Leroy Hunt pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first save of the season, protecting the win for Wickswat (3-1). The left-hander won his third straight start after allowing four runs over six innings. Jimenez (3-2) took the loss after giving up four runs in four innings.
The win snapped the Dash's three-game losing streak and brought Winston-Salem to within 2.5 games of Kinston for first place and a second half playoff spot in the Southern Division.
Ciolli, Gac, Silverio, Wagner, and Wilkins were the offense stars for the Dash, combining to go 13 for 21 at the plate with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, 11 RBI, and ten runs scored.
Winston-Salem's 11-game road trip reaches its conclusion on Wednesday when the series wraps up with an 11 a.m. game. The contest will be the final game between the teams at Grainger Stadium, as Winston's longtime rival will move to Zebulon following this season and become the new Carolina Mudcats. RHP Cameron Bayne (8-4, 3.44) goes for the Dash against RHP Brett Brach (6-6, 2.83). The broadcast begins at 10:45 on www.wsdash.com .
The Dash return home from their longest road trip of the season on Friday night to start a seven-game home stand at BB&T Ballpark. Fans may purchase tickets for every game this season by calling the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or by visiting www.wsdash.com .
Carolina League Stories from July 19, 2011
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