CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Get Comeback Victory In Extra Innings

Published on April 19, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - In a 140-game baseball season, not all victories are created equally. Some have more meaning than others. Sunday's 8-7 win over the Lynchburg Hillcats certainly fit into that category for the Wilmington Blue Rocks.

Leading 7-6, with two-outs and nobody on base in the ninth inning, closer Aaron Hartsock was one pitch away from earning his third save in as many attempts. But Pedro Alvarez victimized the right-hander with his third home run of the year, sending the game into extra innings.

In the road tenth, Wilmington narrowly escaped allowing a run, as Lynchburg stranded Miles Durham at third base. That set the stage for some home heroics in the bottom half of the inning.

With one down, Jeff Bianchi beat out an infield single and David Lough advanced him to third with a base hit to right field. After Paulo Orlando popped out to shallow center, up-stepped Anthony Seratelli. With two-outs, the shortstop dropped a perfectly-placed squeeze bunt down the third-base line. Alvarez charged hard and fielded it cleanly, but his throw to first was not in time, and the Rocks had themselves a win.

It was the second time Wilmington had seemingly risen from the dead on Sunday. Entering the eighth inning, the Blue Crew seemed to lack a pulse. Down 6-3, Wilmington had just four base hits all afternoon.

But when Johnny Giavotella was hit in the elbow to lead off the frame, the Rocks' offense came alive. Mike Moustakas followed with a walk, and one batter later Lough's RBI double scored Giavotella. That brought Orlando to the plate. Entering the eighth inning, the Brazilian outfielder had been just 4-for-33 on the season. But he turned on a Christian Castorri pitch, and sent it clear over the left field wall for a go-ahead home run. It was Paulino's first dinger of the season.

Before all of the late drama, Lynchburg seemed destined to cruise to a victory. The Hillcats used three-run spurts in both the third and fifth innings to take a 6-1 lead. The Rocks crawled to within three runs in the bottom of that frame. Despite not getting a hit in the inning, Derrick Robinson and Giavotella scored when

Moustakas' hard-hit ground ball went through the legs of Lynchburg first baseman Matt Hague. Moustakas also was responsible for the Rocks' first run, on a solo home run in the opening inning.

Hartsock got the win, bouncing back from his disappointing ninth inning, by escaping trouble unscathed in the tenth.

The Rocks welcome home an old friend on Monday, as former manager Chad Epperson returns to the Riverfront with his new team, the Salem Red Sox. The Rocks and Sox open a four-game set with first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The game marked Wilmington's first extra inning contest of the season. The victory also was the Rocks' first walk-off win of the campaign, and their first victory when trailing after eight innings in four attempts.

Sunday marked the first time all season someone started at shortstop other than Jeff Bianchi. Anthony Seratelli got the nod, and saved a run with a diving catch of a line drive in the second inning.

Wilmington turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the third inning. It was the fifth twin-killing the Rocks induced from Lynchburg in the three-game series.

After taking two-of-three from Lynchburg this weekend, the Blue Crew are now in a tie for first place with the Hillcats, at three games over .500.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Carolina League Stories from April 19, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central