CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Rally Past Kinston Late

Published on June 8, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE- For seven innings on Tuesday night at Frawley Stadium it seemed like one run would be enough to earn a win. So when the Kinston Indians got that first tally in the top of the eighth, things looked bleak for the Blue Crew. Wilmington had an answer, however, responding with two runs in the home-half of that same frame, on its way to a 2-1 victory.

Kinston got its run in the top of the eighth inning off of reliever Barry Bowden. Trent Baker started the rally with a one-out single, and then moved to third when Karexon Sanchez roped a two-out single down the right-field line later in the frame. Jason Kipnis followed with a clutch line-drive ground-rule double over the wall in left that put Kinston on top. Bowden induced a grounder to first by Doug Pickens to keep the K-Tribe lead at one run.

That would prove huge as the Rocks had an immediate reply off Kinston reliever and Delaware native Rob Bryson. The William Penn grad, who entered the game in the eighth, walked Patrick Norris to open the frame. After Adrian Ortiz laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt up the first-base line to move Norris into scoring position, Nick Francis stepped to the plate.

The right fielder roped a double into the left-center field gap allowing Norris to cruise home with the tying run. Bryson (2-1) then lost his ability to throw a strike, as he issued free passes to both Eric Hosmer and Jamie Romak.

Having walked three batters and allowed four of the five men he faced to reach, Kinston manager Aaron Holbert went to his bullpen again, inserting Matt Langwell. The right-hander was greeted by a Salvador Perez fly ball to right, which was deep enough to plate Francis with the winning run.

Bowden (2-3) settled down in the ninth, pitching around a Fernando Garcia error to set down the next three batters he faced. The effort earned the right-hander a victory.

Truth be told, both starters pitched well enough to get wins, despite the fact that both received no-decisions. Wilmington's Chris Dwyer tossed seven sterling scoreless frames. The southpaw fanned seven and did not issue a single free pass. He retired the first 11 K-Tribers he faced, and struck out the side in his final inning of the night.

His seven scoreless were matched by Kinston hurler Marty Popham, who whiffed five and also walked none. Popham scattered six hits and was helped out by outfielder Jordan Henry, who gunned down Rey Navarro at the plate in the fifth.

Wilmington concludes this three-game series with the K-Tribe on Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium. The Rocks will send southpaw Ivor Hodgson (2-4, 5.33) to the hill, while Kinston counters with right-hander Joseph Gardner (3-1, 2.14). First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Jamie Romak extended his hitting streak to 16 games with his fourth-inning double. The utility man, who played third base on Monday night, added a key walk during the game-winning rally in the eighth. He is batting a blistering .450 (27-for-60) over these last 16 games. He has raised his average 72 points (.196-.268) in the process. It is the longest hitting streak by a Blue Rock since Kurt Mertins compiled a 17-gamer from June 18-July 9, 2008.

Rey Navarro failed to record a multi-hit game in each of his first 31 contests as a Blue Rock. He has now done so three times in the last three games. The shortstop had two more hits on Monday night. Over the last 72 hours, Navarro has raised his average 40 points (.187-.227).

Nick Francis went 2-for-4 on Tuesday, ripping two doubles, scoring the game-winning run, and driving home the game-tying score. With the effort, the right fielder extended his hitting streak to eight games. It was only his second multi-hit performance of the streak. Francis has just11 hits as a Blue Rock in 2010, but he has made his knocks count, sending seven for extra bases.

With the win Wilmington has evened its season-long winning streak at four games. The Rocks posted four straight victories from May 21-24.

Wilmington has won 11 of its last 14 games at Frawley Stadium. The Rocks record at home has now reached a season-high two games above .500 at 16-14 on the year.

Over the last eight games, the Blue Rocks starting rotation has been impeccable. In 50.1 innings pitched the starters have combined to go 4-1 with a 1.25 earned run average. The unit has fanned 56 over that stretch, and walked only 14.

The Rocks saw their season-long four-game errorless streak come to a close with Fernando Garcia's miscue to open the ninth. Wilmington has committed 60 errors in 2010. No team in the Carolina League has committed fewer.

The Rocks pitching staff saw its longest scoreless streak of the season come to a close with Kinston's eighth-inning tally. Wilmington had not surrendered a score since Sunday afternoon against Potomac, tossing 16 straight frames without allowing a run. The season's previous long was 13 innings, done April 13-16.

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Carolina League Stories from June 8, 2010


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