CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Howell's Homer Powers Rocks To 3-2 Win

Published on July 4, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - Home away from home. That is what Historic Grainger Stadium has become to the Wilmington Blue Rocks (41-43, 6-8), who never trailed in a 3-2 win over the Kinston Indians on Thursday night. The Rocks have won seven of their last eight in Kinston, including the first two games on their current three-game set to guarantee a series victory. Kurt Mertins doubled, extending his hitting streak to a team season-best 12 games. Jeff Howell homered and doubled, Derrick Robinson stole his league-leading 39th base and the pitching pair of Matt Kniginyzky (4-7) and Tyler Chambliss excelled, with the All-Star closer picking up his second save in as many days.

Robinson proved pivotal in Wilmington grabbing an early 2-0 lead in the third inning. Howell doubled to right-center and two batters later, Robinson drove him in with a two-out double halfway up the right-field wall, several feet fair. Shortly thereafter, the speedster swiped third base and scored on an errant throw by Kinston catcher Alex Castillo.

Kniginyzky retired the first eight men he faced, but ran into trouble in the fourth. After starting the frame with a strikeout of Nick Weglarz, the Canadian walked back-to-back batters in Jared Goedert and Carlos Rivero. Niuman Romero singled in Goedert with a hit to right, but Wilmington's Joe Dickerson gunned Rivero down trying to go first to third. Current Carolina League Player of the Week, Jason Denham, tied the game with a single to left thereafter. Romero ran through a stop sign from his manager at third base but slid home safely when a two-hop throw by Jarrod Dyson skipped past Howell.

Howell gave the Blue Rocks the lead again in the very next inning with a first-pitch swinging solo homer to left, his fourth of the year and second against the K-Tribe. That allowed Kniginyzky to leave in line for the win after five innings of two-run, five-hit ball. He struck out five and walked two in picking up his second win in as many starts.

Three relievers combined to post four scoreless innings down the stretch and secure the victory. Russ Haltiwanger retired six in a row after walking the first batter he faced in the sixth. Hard-throwing lefty Ben Swaggerty faced the minimum in the eighth, striking out one and working around a single by inducing a groundball double play. Chambliss allowed a two-out single and nothing more in the ninth for his 12th save, striking out one.

The Blue Rocks and Indians conclude their three-game series Friday night at 7:00 p.m. All-Star southpaw Everett Teaford (4-1, 3.12) faces strikeout artist Hector Rondon (6-3, 3.31) as Wilmington attempts to notch its fourth sweep win of the season.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

With a 1-for-3 effort on the night, Kurt Mertins set a new season-high hitting streak for any Blue Rock at 12 games, surpassing his own 11-gamer from April 12-25. During his current string of success, the Yorba Linda, CA native has hit .404 (19-for-47). Mertins is now hitting .300 even on the season, his best clip since May 9.

Matt Kniginyzky's back-to-back wins are his first since winning four straight starts from May 13-30, 2006 while with the Low-A Burlington Bees.

In the ninth inning, Cody Strait was hit on his front shoulder with a 2-2 pitch from Vincent Pestano, but home plate umpire Will Little said Strait dipped into the pitch and called a ball. Strait walked one pitch later.

Four of Wilmington's seven hits in the game went for extra bases.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 4, 2008


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