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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Hosmer's Home Run Heroics Win It

September 11, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE- After enduring a 46-minute rain delay at the outset, dreary damp conditions all night, and 20 consecutive scoreless innings over two games, the Wilmington Blue Rocks offense ended the evening in style. Eric Hosmer blasted a two-run homer over the right-field fence to give the Rocks a 2-0 walk-off win over the Lynchburg Hillcats in 12 innings on Friday night at Frawley Stadium. The victory gave the Rocks a two-games to one lead in the best-of-five Carolina League Northern Division Championship Series.

Hosmer's heroics erased a whole lot of misery for Wilmington. The Rocks had stranded runners in scoring position in the first, second, and seventh innings. They failed to register a hit from one out in the third through the 11th frame.

But Clint Robinson ended that slump with his lead-off single in the 12th. That brought up Hosmer with a man at first and no outs. The first baseman said after the game his first thought was to look down at third-base coach and manager Brian Rupp to see if a sacrifice bunt was on.

Fortunately for the Rocks it was not, and Hosmer blasted the first pitch deep into the right-field sky for a game-winner.

Lynchburg wasted plenty of opportunities in its own right. The Hillcats had two golden chances to go ahead late in the game.

In the top of the ninth, Lynchburg's Matt Hague sliced a liner down the right-field line. Nick Van Stratten stalked it all the way to the chalk, and then laid out with a full-extension face-first dive. The ball landed just out of his reach, and caromed away from Van Stratten for a triple.

But closer Brandon Sisk was not to be denied. He immediately bounced back with two consecutive strikeouts and a liner to first to escape the jam unscathed, and preserve the scoreless tie.

Then in the top of the 12th, the Hillcats again seemed poised to take the lead. With two outs, Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on an errant pickoff throw by Barry Bowden. Jordy Mercer followed with a single up the middle. Center fielder Derrick Robinson charged in fielded the wet ball and unfurled a beautiful throw home that nipped Mercer at the plate by inches.

The Rocks will look to punch their ticket to the Mills Cup Championship Series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. Wilmington will send opening day starter Alex Caldera to the hill, while Lynchburg will counter with right-hander Nate Adcock.

For tickets call 302-888-BLUE (2583).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Brandon Sisk's scoreless three-inning outing was his longest of the season.

In his last start against the Lynchburg Hillcats, Michael Montgomery failed to strikeout a single batter. It was the only time he failed to record a punchout all season. On Friday night Montgomery fanned the side in the first on his way to a six-strikeout performance.

From the ninth inning on Wednesday through the 11th frame on Friday, the Wilmington Blue Rocks failed to score a run. Lynchburg meanwhile has gone 19 straight frames without a score.

Eric Hosmer had been just 1-for-12 in the series before his game-winning 12th inning home run.

Lynchburg's struggles with runners in scoring position continued on Friday. The Hillcats went just 2-for-13 with men on second or third. On the series, Lynchburg is now just 3-for-29 with runners in scoring position.

Friday's extra-innings pitcher's duel was far from unique. The Blue Crew and Potomac Nationals went scoreless for 14 innings in Game Two of the 2008 N.D.C.S. before the P-Nats handed the Rocks a 1-0 setback in 15 frames.

The Rocks have taken 17 of the 23 meetings on the year with the Hillcats. Eleven of the 23 games have been decided by one-run and five have gone to extra innings.

Wilmington has won won five games in walk-off fashion this year. Four of those victories came against the Hillcats, including three in extra-innings.

The victory was Wilmington's fourth walk-off postseason win in franchise history. The last such triumph came in the championship-clinching victory during Game Four of the 1998 finals vs. Winston-Salem.

In the South, another walk-off homer decided the series between the Salem Red Sox and the Winston-Salem Dash. The Red Sox grabbed a 6-4 win on Michael Jones' two-run dinger in the 10th. The victory completes Salem's three-game sweep of the Dash.

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Carolina League Stories from September 11, 2009


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