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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Melendez Salami Leads Wilmington to Convincing Win

June 3, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - Crooked numbers in the fifth and sixth innings keyed the Wilmington Blue Rocks to a 9-5 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Monday at TicketReturn.com Field. The Blue Crew scored four runs in the fifth and five times an inning later en route to their largest offensive output of the season. Wilmington is now 7.5 games up on Frederick and Lynchburg in the CL North standings, and their magic number to clinch a first-half crown is six with 12 contests remaining.

The Rocks erased an early 2-0 deficit thanks to a scorching start to the fifth frame. Rudy Martin opened the inning with a single and Blake Perkins followed with another. Brewer Hicklen then loaded the bases the hard way by getting with a Erick Leal Pitch. That set the stage for MJ Melendez, who launched Wilmington's first grand slam of the season.

After Myrtle Beach tied the game in the home-half of the frame Wilmington responded in the sixth. Again it was Martin who jumpstarted things with a one-out bunt-base-hit. Hicklen followed with a single and then it was Melendez's turn to be plunked by a pitch to load the bases. Dennicher Carrasco singled to left to give Wilmington the lead for good as everyone moved up a base. Nick Pratto added some insurance with an RBI-fielder's choice and then Seuly Matias capped the Blue Crew scoring with a two-run single to center.

Jackson Kowar was the benefactor of Wilmington's middle-innings explosion. The righty allowed four runs on six hits over five frames to pick up the victory.

The Blue Crew conclude their seven-game road trip at Myrtle Beach on Tuesday. Southpaw Marcelo Martinez takes the mound for Wilmington as first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. Fans can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks, Cory Nidoh on 89.7 WGLS-FM.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Wilmington has been in first place for more than three-quarters of the 2019 season- 49 of the campaign's first 59 days.

The Blue Crew have travelled exceedingly well this season. Wilmington is 21-10 on the road in 2019, the second-best mark in the CL. The only club with a better road record this year is the Down East Wood Ducks, who are 22-5. Ironically that is the only road destination Wilmington has not visited yet this season. One of the reasons for the variance in success have been Wilmington's ability to hit for power outside of the First State. Twenty of the Blue Crew's 24 homers this season have come away from the friendly confines of Frawley Stadium.

It had been 344 days since a Blue Rocks had last hit a grand slam. That streak came to an end on Monday, courtesy of MJ Melendez's bases-loaded long ball in the fifth frame. It was the third homer of the season for Melendez, who now moves into sole possession of third place on the team in that category, behind only Seuly Matias and Dennicher Carrasco. The last salami by a Blue Crewer also came courtesy of a catcher, thanks to Meibrys Viloria on June 24, 2018 at Potomac.

Four has been the magic number for the Wilmington offense in 2019. When the Rocks score four times in a game, they are 22-2 on the year. Conversely, when Wilmington manages just three scores or fewer in an affair the team is only 14-19. The Blue Crew's nine runs on Monday were their most since July 20 of last year.

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