CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Finish Regular Season with Sweep

Published on September 5, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - Justin Marks turned in his seventh consecutive strong start and the Wilmington offense got all the runs it needed in the third inning as the Blue Rocks beat the Frederick Keys, 3-0, on Monday at Frawley Stadium. The win completed a three-game sweep for the Rocks in their final series of the 2011 season.

Marks was masterful as the left-hander whiffed eight and walked only three in seven sterling innings. He set down the side in order three times, retired 12 consecutive hitters at one point and only faced two serious Frederick threats.

The Keys put runners at first and second with two outs in the first, but Marks got Miguel Abreu to fly out to center to end the inning. Frederick seemed almost assured of a run in the seventh when it placed men at the corners with nobody out. Marks fanned Dale Mollenhauer though and catcher Jared Dyer turned it into a double play when he gunned down a potential steal attempt at second. Marks retired the final batter he faced to escape the jam unscathed.

Wilmington got all of its offense in the third. Joey Lewis delivered the big blow. The designated hitter took former college teammate Nate Moreau (11-12) deep to left for a two-run homer. Whit Merrifield made it a three-run lead later in the frame with his run-scoring single to left.

Jon Keck entered in the eighth and struck out four of the seven batters he faced in a pair of scoreless frames. The effort was good for Keck's fourth save as a Blue Rock.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Joey Lewis hit his third home run of the season in Wilmington's win on Monday. Four of the infielder's dingers have come since August 21. Lewis also enjoys the unique destinction of hitting Wilmington's first and last home run of the 2011 campaign. The University of Georgia product went deep in the Blue Crew's second game of the season at Myrtle Beach and then came through with his three-run blow in the team's season-finale.

The win gave Wilmington its first three-game sweep of the Frederick Keys since June 21-23, 2007. The Rocks swept eight series in 2011.

Monday's effort was also good for Wilmington's 10th shutout of the season and its first blanking of Frederick in 2011.

Justin Marks finished the season in style. The southpaw posted a 3-0 mark and a 2.03 ERA in his final seven starts of the year. He led all Carolina Leaguers with 140 strikeouts in 2011.

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