CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rally Rocks Strike Again

Published on August 9, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - A pair of long balls in the sixth inning seemed to put the Wilmington Blue Rocks in a bad position on Monday night at Frawley Stadium. But the Rocks showed great resolve, answering with a two-run seventh inning to score a 5-4 victory over the Winston-Salem Dash. It marked Wilmington's third consecutive comeback win.

The decisive rally was started by leadoff-man Patrick Norris. The center fielder used his speed to get on base by legging out an infield single. Christian Colon then drew a free pass to put two men on base for Wil Myers. The designated hitter came through with a huge knock, soaring a run-scoring double into the left-center field alley. Myers' two-base hit also moved Colon to third, and the shortstop came home when Ernesto Mejia followed with a sacrifice fly to deep-right. The RBI put Wilmington in front to stay, and it erased a bitter sixth inning for the Rocks.

Wilmington starter Will Smith was chased by a pair of long balls in that frame. The left-hander seemed to be in a groove entering the sixth. Smith had retired five consecutive Dash hitters before Jose Martinez came to the plate with one down in the inning and Wilmington clinging to a 3-2 advantage. But the Winston-Salem right fielder worked a very good at-bat, looking at several close pitches and then fouling off a pair of full-count offerings from Smith. He was biding his time, as Martinez deposited Smith's next pitch over the left-field fence and into the Winston-Salem bullpen to tie the game.

Logan Johnson followed and worked another full count, but this time Smith won the battle as he induced a fly ball to center field. He then jumped ahead of Kenny Williams, Jr., 0-2, but after a close pitch missed, Williams lined one just over the fence in left to put Winston-Salem on top, 4-3.

Harold Mozingo entered after the second homer, and although he allowed a double on the first pitch he threw, the right-hander settled down nicely to grab the win. Mozingo (4-2) lasted 2.1 frames, allowing just the one hit and fanning two.

Barry Bowden came on in the ninth and struggled to find the strike zone. He walked the first two batters he faced, but then watched Winston-Salem kill its own momentum. Williams broke from second on a pitch in the dirt that Salvador Perez blocked and then fired to third. Williams was caught in a rundown and tagged out. The play helped Bowden grab his team-leading 11th save of the season.

It was a sloppy contest, which featured four errors between the two teams and a combined four unearned runs. The game also included its share of excitement, as the lead changed hands four times.

Winston-Salem went on top first. The Dash took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a Brandon Short triple and a sacrifice fly by Josh Phegley. Wilmington responded with three unearned runs to take the lead in the bottom of the frame.

Greg Paiml botched a routine grounder off the bat of Rene Oriental to open the frame. Back-to-back singles by Norris and Colon followed, the second of which scored Oriental to tie the game. One out later, Mejia launched a sacrifice fly to left, and Nick Francis then made it, 3-1, with an RBI triple.

The Dash cut it to a one-run deficit in the fourth courtesy of a Norris miscue in center field. After Williams ripped a two-out double, Smith got Kyle Shelton to lift a playable fly ball to right-center. But Norris lost the ball in the lights on its way down, and was unable to make the grab.

Wilmington will host the Dash again on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. Right-hander Bryan Paukovits (3-3, 5.13) takes the hill for the Rocks against Winston righty Terry Doyle (5-7, 3.46)

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Eddie Prasch returned to the lineup for the first time since going on the disabled list with a broken hamate bone on May 28. The third baseman got an infield single in his first at-bat and finished his night 1-for-3 with a walk.

Patrick Norris continues to use his speed as an advantage. The center fielder padded his team-high total by legging out his 16th infield hit of the season. The knock keyed Wilmington's two-run seventh frame.

Wil Myers extended his hitting streak to a season-high 10 games on Monday. Over his last eight contests Myers is batting .548 (17-for-31) and has raised his Advanced-A batting average by 58 points.

With the effort, Wilmington improved its record in one-run games to, 21-13. The Rocks lead the Carolina League both in winning percentage and total victories in such contests.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from August 9, 2010


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