CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks come back for the win

Published on May 1, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - For much of Friday night it felt like the Wilmington Blue Rocks were being outplayed. Winston-Salem scored runs in three of the first five innings, Wilmington's only offense had come on one swing of the bat, and Dash starting pitcher Matt Long was cruising. But the Rocks used efficient hitting, including a 4-for-5 effort with runners in scoring position, to persevere with a 6-4 victory at Frawley Stadium.

The Rocks took the lead for good with a one-out rally in the home sixth. Long, who had retired 12 straight Wilmington batters at that point, allowed a double to the left-center field gap by Johnny Giavotella. Power-hitting prospect Mike Moustakas followed with his own double, which tied the game at four. After a Jeff Bianchi single advanced Moustakas to third, David Lough lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring the go-ahead run.

Wilmington would add an insurance run in the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead. Derrick Robinson singled with one out, and then Giavotella walked to setup Moustakas with another runner in scoring position. The California native came through yet again with an RBI single.

That allowed closer Aaron Hartsock some breathing room, but the closer really did not need it, striking out the side to earn his fourth save of the season.

Hartsock's fellow reliever Chris Chavez (3-1) earned the win by pitching 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. The right-hander entered with a man on and two outs in the fifth, and promptly struck out three of the next six batters he would face.

Ben Swaggerty held the Blue Rock advantage by pitching a scoreless eighth.

It did not start as promising for Wilmington, as starter Alex Caldera allowed single runs in the first and second innings. Winston-Salem got its first run courtesy of a two-out RBI single by Brad Morel. In the second, the Dash scored on another run producing single with two outs, this time by Jordan Danks.

The Rocks responded with a rally in the home second. Jeff Bianchi opened the inning with a double that was followed by a Paulo Orlando bunt single. That brought up Clint Robinson, who crushed a Long pitch well over the fence in right for his fourth home run of the year, giving the Blue Crew a 3-2 lead.

Wilmington did not hold the lead long though, as Winston-Salem got two more off of Caldera in the fifth. The right-hander got the first two men out easily, but a walk and a stolen base by Salvador Sanchez, set up an RBI single by Morel. Morel, who advanced to second on Lough's throw home, then scored on Giavotella's throwing error on a ground ball that should have ended the inning.

It would be the last batter Caldera would face. He left the game allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and walking three in 4.2 innings. Fortunately for Blue Crew starter, he was bailed out by his bullpen, and the late offensive heroics.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE

At one point in the sixth inning three Blue Rocks had tied for the team lead in RBIs. Clint Robinson, David Lough and Mike Moustakas each recorded their 16th run batted in on Friday, but Moustakas finished the night in front when he drove in an insurance run in the eighth frame.

The Wilmington bullpen saw three pitchers combine to throw 4.1 shutout innings on Friday. That improves the unit's ERA to 2.63 for the season.

The Blue Rocks did not leave a single runner on base all night.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 1, 2009


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