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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Melville Masters Hillcats In Lopsided Win

April 25, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - The good times keep on rolling for the first-place Wilmington Blue Rocks (12-5). The team won for the seventh time in eight road games with an 8-1 rout of the last-place Lynchburg Hillcats (4-11) on Monday night behind a dominant showing by starter Tim Melville (2-2). The righty became the first Blue Crewer to last seven innings this season and finished strong, retiring seven straight and 10 of 11.

The clutch nature that the team has displayed early this season made its first appearance in the second inning. With two outs, two strikes and the bases empty, Carlo Testa threaded a single down the third-base line. Joey Lewis made that hit matter when he walloped a home run down the left-field line, his second of the season.

A unique effort extended the advantage in the third. Nick Francis doubled to right and John Whittleman followed with a fly-out to deep center that L.V. Ware barely tracked down with an extended glove mid-sprint. Francis used the out's depth and carry to his advantage, tagging up from second base to not just take third, but score for a sacrifice fly.

Lynchburg recorded its lone run against Melville thanks to a similarly rare circumstance. Andrelton Simmons singled to left at the start of the bottom of the third. The speedy shortstop went from first to third on Ware's subsequent single to right. Phil Gosselin followed with a fly-out to center that allowed Simmons to tag and score. However, Ware went off on contact and did not retreat to first in time as Whit Merrifield recorded an outfield assist by doubling him off of first.

Hillcats starter Arodys Vizcaino (1-2) fell behind Lewis 3-0 to start the fourth before his pitching coach, Derek Botelho, manager, Luis Salazar, and athletic trainer, Ty Cobbs, came out to the hill. After a brief chat, Vizcaino got the hook and a cold Ryan Weber was beckoned from the bullpen.

Lewis would then ground out to third but later in the inning, the Carolina League's leading hitter, Rey Navarro, sent Ryan Eigsti home with a two-out single for a 4-1 margin. Eigsti added a two-out single in the eighth while Tim Ferguson's RBI fielder's choice and Testa's two-out, two-run double made for a three-run ninth and the 8-1 final.

The four-game set continues on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Tyler Sample (1-1, 2.03) gets the nod against fellow righty Zeke Spruill (1-1, 2.00). Broadcast coverage begins at 5:35 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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