CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Can't Hold Early Lead, Drop Series in Salem

Published on May 9, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Salem, VA - The Salem Red Sox erased an early three-run deficit and handed the Wilmington Blue Rocks a 5-3 setback on Thursday at Haley Toyota Field. Salem pounded 14 hits on its way to five unanswered scores. The rubber match defeat ended Wilmington's three-series winning streak and handed the Blue Crew their first series setback to a CL North foe this season.

The Rocks didn't waste any time jumping in front. Brewer Hicklen got things started with a one-out single to center in the top of the first. Seuly Matias followed with a walk and then Sebastian Rivero got hit by a pitch. Salem starter Jhonathan Diaz gave himself a chance to get out of the bases loaded jam unscathed by retiring MJ Melendez, but Dennicher Carrasco picked him up with a two-out bases-clearing double that put Wilmington up 3-0.

That was it though for the Blue Crew attack. Wilmington managed just three hits the rest of the night. Hicklen and Carrasco each finished with two knocks and Angelo Castellano added one. Diaz went on to post five straight goose eggs on his way to a quality start. Alex Demchak worked around a hit during a scoreless seventh inning to get the win, while Jake Cosart picked up his second save of the season thanks to a pair of shutout frames.

Salem got on the board in the third when Pedro Castellanos lined an RBI-single off of Brady Singer. The Wilmington righty would surrender two more runs in the fifth on a game-tying double from Marco Hernandez. Singer got a no-decision, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk in five innings.

He gave way to Rito Lugo, who was tagged with the loss when he yielded two runs in 1.1 frames. Ryan Fitzgerald's double in the seventh put the Red Sox ahead to stay and Tanner Nishioka added an insurance tally with his single to center later in the frame.

Wilmington opens a seven-game homestand on Friday when it welcomes the Potomac Nationals to town for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch at Frawley Stadium. Right-hander Jackson Kowar gets the ball for the Blue Crew. Tickets are available at BlueRocks.com and fans that don't make it to the ballpark can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks Cory Nidoh on 89.7 WGLS-FM.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Despite spending two-thirds of the season atop the Carolina League North standings, the Wilmington offense continues to be a work in progress this season. The Rocks managed just two hits in Wednesday's loss and had only five on Thursday. It marked the the 13th and 14th times this year Wilmington has managed five knocks or fewer in a contest. The Rocks also went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and have just 10 total hits with men at second and/or third base in their last 10 games. Overall the Blue Crew attack is last in the Carolina League with a collective .198 batting average. Wilmington is also last in the loop in on-base percentage, runs, hits and extra-base knocks.

The Rocks defense continues to struggle in 2019. Wilmington committed two more errors on Thursday and had five in the three-game series against Salem. The Blue Crew is last in the Carolina League with 53 total defensive miscues as a team. The club has committed at least three errors in eight different contests, multiple defensive miscues in 15 games and one in all but seven.

Wilmington has had an odd schedule to start the 2019 season. Wilmington opened the campaign with a series against Salem and then played 17 consecutive games against CL South opponents. The Rocks went 9-8 during that stretch. The Blue Crew are now in the midst of playing 24 out of 27 against the CL North. The Rocks are 10-4 so far during this divisional-heavy portion of the slate and 8-6 on the year against CL North foes.

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Carolina League Stories from May 9, 2019


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