CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Rally For Lone Lead In Ninth, Win 3-2

Published on July 6, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - The Wilmington Blue Rocks did not enjoy a single lead Sunday night, until the inning that mattered most. Anthony Seratelli tripled in the ninth and scored on the very next pitch, darting home on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead that went final, as the Rocks (42-45, 7-10) defeated the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Coastal Field. Wilmington pitching excelled on a night where defense failed to show up. Ed Cegarra, Aaron Hartsock and Tyler Chambliss combined to allow a single earned run on seven hits, but each team committed three errors during a defensively ugly game. The series tied at a game apiece, the Blue Crew has ensured itself at worst a level road trip and has a chance to post a winning journey with a rubber-match victory on Monday night.

Seratelli's triple to right field brought the infield in with Derrick Robinson at the plate. Reliever Michael Broadway (0-2) fired a surprise pitchout well above the rising reach of Tyler Flowers and all the way to the backstop for the deciding score. A lead that held up thanks to a scoreless ninth by Chambliss for his 13th save. After Tyler Flowers singled with one out, Concepcion Rodriguez grounded into a 6-6-3 double play turned by Chris McConnell and Seratelli, the fourth twin killing turned by the Blue Rocks on the game.

The teams alternated run-scoring innings through the opening four. Myrtle Beach grabbed the lead in the first with a bases-loaded walk drawn by Flowers against Cegarra. A run unearned against the 19-year-old Venezuelan thanks to a two-out error by McConnell that extended the inning and loaded the bases. McConnell would commit two errors in total on the night, bringing his team-worst total to 21 on the season.

An error tied the game the next inning. Cody Strait sparked the frame with a beautifully deadened bunt single halfway down the third-base line. Starter Jeff Lyman walked Kurt Mertins on five pitches, pushing Strait to second, and Josh Johnson's fly out to center allowed Strait to tag up and take third. With Jeff Howell at the plate, an errant check on Mertins at first eluded first baseman Ernesto Mejia and Strait scored for a 1-1 draw.

Travis Jones bombed the Pelicans to a 2-1 lead in the third with a two-out solo homer to left, his 14th on the year. The Blue Rocks tied things in the fourth, 2-2, on an RBI comebacker out to the pitcher struck by Howell. Mertins began the inning with a single to right-center, lifting his team season-best hitting streak to 15 games. Mertins went first to third on a single to right by Johnson, allowing the Howell bouncer to draw Wilmington even. The hard shot deflected off the glove of Lyman and by the time he descended the hill a gathered the ball in the grass, the run was already in.

Cegarra did not allow a hit after Jones' third-inning homer. In his seven innings, he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits, one walk and three strikeouts. He retired each of the last 10 men he faced. Hartsock worked around a single in the eighth by inducing a double play to face the minimum.

Wilmington and Myrtle Beach play their rubber match at 7:05 p.m. on Monday. The Blue Rocks wins leader, Mario Santiago (7-4, 3.68), opposes converted reliever Chris Vines (2-1, 3.59).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

At 15 games, Kurt Mertins' hitting streak is the best active string of success in the Carolina League and tied as the fourth-best overall in the circuit this season. During his hot hitting, Mertins has hit .414 (24-for-58) and his overall average has reached .306, tied for third among active CL hitters.

Sunday marked the first time the Blue Rocks have turned four double plays in a single game this season, tying a franchise record now accomplished 19 times.

The Blue Rocks have won three of their last four games in Myrtle Beach.

Derrick Robinson tripled to begin the seventh inning but Wilmington failed to get him in. Chris McConnell grounded out to second base with the infield in and Robinson darted home on a grounder to second by Joe Dickerson, but the drawn-in Travis Jones gunned him down at home plate.

Cody Strait notched an outfield assist when he threw out Gorkys Hernandez at home plate to end the second inning.

The recently added Brad Correll picked up his first hits as a Blue Rock with a 2-for-4 showing in the victory.

Wilmington won for just the fourth time in 39 games when trailing after eight innings.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 6, 2008


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