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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Fall Flat at Home

August 30, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - Tim Melville could not locate his command and the Wilmington Blue Rocks' offense could not find its footing on Tuesday night at Frawley Stadium. The result was a 6-2 loss for the Blue Crew at the hands of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a setback which ended Wilmington's season-long seven-game home winning streak.

Walks did in Melville (10-10). The right-hander issued five free passes in only 4.2 frames. He also hit a batter and uncorked two wild pitches. Two of the walks led to scores as Myrtle Beach plated four runs against the Wilmington starter.

After Melville stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first two innings, the Pelicans finally broke through against him in the third. Travis Adair singled and then moved into scoring position on a walk to Andrew Clark. Adair scored one batter later when Mike Olt doubled to left-center.

Myrtle Beach made Melville pay for a lead-off walk in the fourth. Chris McGuiness drew the free pass and then came home on Jared Hoying's double to dead-center. The Pelicans pushed two tallies across in the fifth. Vinny DiFazio sent a two-out double just past the reach of left fielder Carlo Testa to score one run, and then Jon Keck entered out of the bullpen and hit Hoying with the bases loaded to bring in another.

The Pelicans scored one more against Keck in the sixth and then capped their night at the plate with a tally off Bryan Paukovits in the eighth.

Meanwhile, Wilmington's offense had no answer. Testa had the Rocks' lone hit over the first eight innings. The outfielder snuck a fly ball just inside the left-field foul pole for an opposite-field home run. The Rocks got their only other score in the seventh, and did so without the benefit of a hit. Ryan Stovall reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on Joey Lewis' sacrifice fly to right.

Pelicans starter Justin Grimm got the win. Grimm (5-2) allowed just a single score on one hit in six innings. The right-hander struck out eight and walked only one.

The Rocks continue their final homestand of the 2011 season with another contest against the Pelicans on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. Justin Marks (7-8, 4.37) hits the hill for Wilmington against Myrtle Beach southpaw Chad Bell (3-2, 3.13). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:05 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. For tickets call 302-888-BLUE or visit bluerocks.com.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Carlo Testa's red-hot month of August continued on Tuesday. The outfielder had Wilmington's lone hit over the first eight innings when he sent a 3-0 pitch over the left-field fence. Testa has eight homers on the year, five of which have come in August. On the month he is batting .372 with 14 RBIs. Testa has reached base safely via hit or walk in 38 of his last 40 games.

Tim Melville's five walks equaled a career-high. Twice before the right-hander had issued five free pass in a single outing, once as a Blue Rock. Melville walked five Kinston Indians during a loss at Frawley Satdium on April 20, 2010.

Myrtle Beach won despite hitting into a pair of double plays and stranding 14 men on the basepaths. Eleven of the runners left on base were in scoring position. The 14 runners stranded equaled a season-high for a Wilmington opponent. Frederick left that many men on during a 13-inning affair with the Blue Crew on May 8.

Wilmington's two errors in the game lifted its season-long total of miscues to a league-high 150.

The Blue Rocks' seven-game home winning streak was their longest since a nine-gamer from July 27-August 12, 2009.

Bryan Paukovits entered in the eighth inning and allowed one run on two hits in two frames of work. The effort came on the night Kansas City announced Paukovits will pitch in the prestigious Arizona Fall League. Joining him in the Cactus State this autumn will be former Blue Rocks Brendan Lafferty, Christian Colon, Wil Myers and Clint Robinson.

Before the game, the Kansas City Royals announced their minor league Pitchers and Players of the Year for their respective affiliates. Right-hander Jake Odorizzi and infielder Rey Navarro took the pitcher and player honors for the Blue Rocks. At other levels, current Blue Rock Andrew Stueve was named Pitcher of the Year for the Rookie Surprise Royals. Wilmington alumni also swept the accolades at Double-A (southpaw Will Smith/ utility man Anthony Seratelli) and Triple-A (right-hander Luis Mendoza/second baseman Johnny Giavotella).

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