Rally Rocks' Road Streak Alive At Eight
August 26, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
Lynchburg, VA - In a game that saw more twists and turns than your average trashy soap opera, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (76-51, 38-20) took a dramatic 5-3 victory from the Lynchburg Hillcats on Wednesday night in 11 innings. The win extended the Blue Rocks' franchise record road winning streak to eight games. The Blue Crew has victories in 14 of its last 15 away from home.
The late-game magic began in the top of the eighth with the Rocks trailing 2-1. Wilmington's rally started courtesy of a pair of inning-opening singles by Anthony Seratelli and Derrick Robinson. Seratelli bounced one back through the box, while Robinson dragged a bunt down the first-base line. That allowed Johnny Giavotella to sacrifice both men into scoring position.
Mike Moustakas followed with a liner to right which plated a pair and gave Wilmington its first lead of the night. The Rocks tried for more, but after Moustakas stole second and Clint Robinson's single put runners at the corners, Nick Van Stratten lined into an inning-ending double play.
The lead lasted exactly one-half inning though, as Lynchburg responded in the home eighth off of reliever Barry Bowden. Bowden allowed two singles on his first two pitches of the night. Then, after a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Bowden struck out Kris Watts, and intentionally walked Jared Keel to load the bases. His second wild pitch of the inning tied the contest and brought the tying run to within 90 feet of home plate. Then, Bowden's luck turned.
He escaped the inning without further damage, by inducing an unorthodox 1-2-5 double play off the bat of Kent Sakamoto. Sakamoto bounced back to Bowden who threw home in time to retire Matt Hague. Catcher Ryan Eigsti then caught Keel cheating off of third and threw behind the left fielder for the out which retired the side. Lynchburg manager P.J. Forbes did not agree with the call and put on an impressive display of histrionics before getting tossed from the game.
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Bowden (2-0) would then set the Hillcats down in order in the ninth and strike out the side in the 10th.
That set the stage for some offensive heroics in the 11th. Clint Robinson kick-started the rally with a one-out walk. After Van Stratten flied out to center, Jamar Walton narrowly kept the inning alive with a swinging-bunt single. Reliever Moises Robles' fielder the ball cleanly, but his throw to first bounced off of Walton's back.
Robinson and Walton then moved into scoring position on a Robles (0-2) wild pitch. That allowed Paulo Orlando's single up the middle to plate a pair and move the Rocks in front to stay.
Kelvin Villa entered in the bottom half of the frame, and struck out the side to pick up his second save. Wilmington pitching fanned the final seven Hillcat batters of the game.
The frenetic finish came seemingly out of no where, as the early stages of the game were far from out of the ordinary.
The Hillcats grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third. Chase d'Arnaud tripled to left to begin the inning and Josh Harrison sent him home with a sacrifice fly to right. Van Stratten made an impressive diving catch of Harrison's ball in the gap.
The Blue Rocks responded with a single score in the visiting fourth. Clint Robinson reached on an infield single to second. Two batters later, Walton's first-pitch stroke resulted in a double to the right-center gap and scored Robinson from first.
Back-to-back two-out doubles by Watts and Keel gave the 'Cats the lead back for the last time in the sixth.
The series wraps up on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Alex Caldera (4-10, 5.51) will oppose Hillcats southpaw Justin Wilson (6-7, 4.33).
PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
The Blue Rocks stand a season-best 25 games over .500.
The victory marked Wilmington's 38th win of the second half, which equals its total from the campaign's first half.
The Rocks pace the league in road wins and winning percentage (42-23, .646).
Wilmington has owned the Hillcats of late, winning eight straight against the first-half CL North champions, and 11 of 12. Lynchburg's last victory over the Rocks came back on July 7.
Wednesday's win marked the fourth time in 2009 a game between the Rocks and Hillcats went into extra innings.
Wilmington improved to 5-6 in games decided in extra frames. Entering Wednesday, the Rocks had not won a game that was tied after the ninth since June 29.
The Hillcats are just 6-for-39 (.154) with runners in scoring position during the first three games of this series. They posted a slim 1-for-8 night in the big spot on Wednesday.
Clint Robinson enjoyed another big night on Wednesday, going 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Robinson has batted .485 (16-for-33) over this stretch.
Barry Bowden has earned victories in each of his first two appearances as a Blue Rock. Bowden was promoted from Low-A Burlington on August 22.
The Potomac Nationals also earned a victory on Tuesday, taking a 4-3 decision over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. That means the Rocks' lead in the CL North stays at 2.5 games with less than two weeks left in the regular season. The Rocks' magic number though is down to 10.
Carolina League Stories from August 26, 2009
- Wilmington Sinks Lynchburg In 11 Innings - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Rally Rocks' Road Streak Alive At Eight - Winston-Salem Dash
- Sox Win Third Straight Over Dash 8-5 - Salem Red Sox
- Atwood Dazzles in Carolina Homecoming - Potomac Nationals
- Red Sox Thwart Late Rally, Dash Drop Fourth Straight - Winston-Salem Dash
- Nationals Beat Birds Behind Early Homers - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Pena's Triple Lifts K-Tribe - Kinston Indians
- Indians Edge Out Keys - Frederick Keys
- Potomac Nationals Game Notes - Potomac Nationals
- Hillcats Game Notes August 25th - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Lynchburg's D'Arnaud Chosen for Arizona Fall League - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Keys Well Represented in Arizona Fall League - Frederick Keys
- Six Men Who Spent Time on Riverfront in 2009 Headed to Grand Canyon State - Wilmington Blue Rocks
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