CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Keys Cement Series Win, Rocks' Division Lead Down To 1.0 Game

Published on May 7, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Frederick, MD - A familiar formula created an all-too-frequent result of late as the Wilmington Blue Rocks (16-12) fell from ahead in a 3-1 loss to the Frederick Keys (15-13) at Harry Grove Stadium on Saturday night. The Blue Crew has dropped five of six while the Keys have won five straight. As a result, first-place Wilmington only leads second-place Frederick by 1.0 game in the Carolina League's Northern Division.

The Rocks got on the board in the game's first frame. Whit Merrifield doubled to left-center and took third on Carlo Testa's bunt base hit. Rey Navarro followed with an RBI fielder's choice to second for a 1-0 Wilmington lead. The Rocks would not score again.

Their best other chance came in the top of the fourth. With two outs, Joey Lewis doubled to right-center. Birthday boy Deivy Batista, who turned 23 on Saturday, then singled to left. Granted the anemic nature of Wilmington's offense during its recent slide, manager Brian Rupp decided to put the pressure on left fielder Steve Bumbry by waving Lewis home. Bumbry's throw beat him by over 10 feet and catcher Brian Ward not only withstood a collision, but knocked Lewis to the dirt while applying the tag to end the inning.

Wilmington starter Tim Melville (2-4) logged a quality start. He faced no serious threats until the fifth. With one out, Jacob Julius worked a one-out full-count walk, stole second and took third on a single to left by Ward. After Michael Rooney struck out, Ward broke for second and Melville missed way inside on Bumbry. In fact, the ball missed the glove of catcher Jose Bonilla and sailed to the backstop for a wild pitch. That allowed Julius to score and tie the game, 1-1.

Frederick snapped the tie in the sixth. L.J. Hoes collected a one-out single to left-center against Melville and Delaware native Tyler Townsend followed with an impressive home run to right-center, his team-leading sixth of the season, for the 3-1 score that would go final.

After Batista's single, Frederick pitching did not surrender another hit, retiring 11 in a row at one point. That span included starter Ryan O'Shea's five innings of one-run ball and three scoreless and hitless frames from 28-year-old reliever Ryohei Tanaka (1-0).

John Whittleman began the ninth against closer Sean Gleason with a routine pop to the right side of the infield. Rooney made an emphatic call for the ball, but dropped it at the edge of the outfield grass to allow the tying tally to bat. Alas, three straight outs followed as Gleason notched his sixth save of the season and second of the series.

The four-game set concludes on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Southpaw Justin Marks (1-1, 7.71) starts for Wilmington while right-hander Tyler Sample (1-2, 3.05) piggybacks behind him. Frederick looks to righty Oliver Drake (2-0, 1.02). Broadcast coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. as studio host Adam Dobrowolski brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

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Carolina League Stories from May 7, 2011


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