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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Record Shutout in Opener, Salem Returns Favor in Nightcap

August 28, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Salem, VA - Despite seeing their franchise-record 10-game road winning streak come to an end in a doubleheader split with the Salem Red Sox on Friday, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (78-52, 40-21) still managed to lower their magic number for a second-half Carolina League North crown to seven. The Rocks' game-one win, coupled with Potomac's 7-1 loss to Kinston, inched the Blue Crew closer to the postseason. Wilmington had not lost a road game since August 8 at Potomac. The Blue Rocks won the opener, 3-0, and lost the nightcap, 1-0.

In the opener, Wilmington used superb pitching and one offensive outburst to carry it to victory. Danny Guitierrez earned his first victory as a Blue Rock in his eighth outing (fourth start). The right-hander, who had not made it through five innings on the hill in 2009, came just three outs shy of tossing his first complete game as a pro. Gutierrez (1-0) went six-plus scoreless frames, allowing only six hits, while striking out four.

Gutierrez's specialty was pitching around trouble. He allowed base runners over his first five innings, but the 22-year-old Riverside, CA product continued to wiggle his way out of jams. Gutierrez stranded runners at second and third in the first, a man 90 feet from the plate in the third and fourth, and a man at first in the fifth.

He tried to finish the game off in the seventh, but allowed back-to-back hits to open the frame. Tim Federowicz singled past short, while Chih-Hsien Chiang doubled into the left-center field gap. That ended Gutierrez's night, as he was replaced by Brandon Sisk.

The flame-throwing left-hander came on and quickly extinguished the threat. Sisk immediately fanned Jon Hee and Ryan Dent, and then induced a broken-bat line drive from Che-Hsuan Lin that was caught by Johnny Giavotella to end the game. The effort garnered Sisk his 19th save of the season and 15th in as many opportunities.

Offensively, Wilmington scored all of its runs in a single frame. The Rocks posted a three-spot in the top of the fourth off of Salem starter Seth Garrison.

Wilmington opened the inning with back-to-back doubles off the bats of Giavotella and Mike Moustakas which gave the Blue Crew a 1-0 lead. Clint Robinson followed with a bloop single that put runners at the corners. That set up Nick Van Stratten's RBI fielder's choice. Van Stratten grounded into what should have been a 4-6-3 double play, but the right fielder's hustle coupled with a tall throw to first by Dent allowed Van Stratten to beat it out.

That would lead to a run, as Van Stratten went to second on Jamar Walton's single, and came around to score on Paulo Orlando's RBI hit.

In the nightcap, Salem scored the game's only run in the fourth inning. With one out, former Blue Crewer Brad Correll launched a fly ball to the warning track in right. Van Stratten staggered back on it, and appeared to somewhat lose his balance just before the ball bounced off his glove. The error allowed Correll to reach second. He would come home to score on Jered Stanley's RBI single.

In the seventh, Wilmington threatened, but was done in on a tough-luck double play to close things out. The Rocks put two men on with only one out when Chase Fontaine walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Orlando. Walton pinch hit for catcher Matt Morizio, only to get hit on the foot by a pitch. But Seratelli hit a liner to shortstop, which Dent caught and threw to second to double up Fontaine and end the game.

The loss spoiled a fine pitching performance by Mario Santiago. The right-hander did not allow an earned run in six sterling frames. Santiago (6-13) struck out two and surrendered only five hits in suffering the ultimate tough-luck loss.

Jose Capellan (6-3) got the win. The southpaw tossed five scoreless frames. Jason Blackey preserved the lead over final two innings to grab his fifth save.

The four-game, three-day series continues on Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. Red-hot right-hander Eduardo Paulino (9-6, 3.68) bids for his seventh straight win. He will face right-hander Kyle Weiland (6-9, 3.49), the all-time saves leader at Notre Dame.

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Carolina League Stories from August 28, 2009


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