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CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Rocks Ride Hit Parade to 9-4 Win

June 11, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM, NC (JUNE 11, 2011) - Wilmington scored early and often against Winston-Salem, notching 18 hits en route to a 9-4 win in front of a sell-out crowd on Saturday night at BB&T Ballpark. The 18 hits were a season-high for the Blue Rocks, and also a high watermark for Dash pitching.

Four of the first five Blue Rocks hitters in the ballgame reached on base hits against Dash starter Joe Serafin. Whit Merrifield led off with an infield single and Carlo Testa grounded a single into right field. Nick Francis followed with a single that scored Merrifield just ahead of a throw from left fielder Nick Ciolli. After Francis was retired on a fielder's choice ground ball from John Whittleman, Jose Bonilla singled in the second Rocks run of the inning.

Joey Lewis singled to lead off the second for Wilmington (32-28), and came around to score on Testa's two-out double. With Testa on second, Francis singled to left and Ciolli gunned down Testa trying to score.

The Dash (28-34) got on the board in the bottom of the second. Ian Gac led off with a double and moved up to third on a single by Andy Wilkins. Mike Blanke struck out before Ciolli hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Gac.

The Rocks responded with a run in the fifth when they loaded the bases with nobody out, and Tim Ferguson hit a sac fly to center to score Francis. Francis reached on a single to begin the inning.

Serafin limited Wilmington throughout the rest of his outing, but gave up a season-high 12 hits. In the seventh against reliever Santos Rodriguez, Bonilla walked to start the frame and scored when Ferguson nailed a two-run home run to left field to put the Blue Rocks up 6-1.

The Dash plated a pair in the bottom of the inning. Jose Martinez led off with a single and Wilkins walked with one out. Blanke followed with a single to load the bases before Ciolli singled up the middle to cut the deficit to three.

After a scoreless eighth, the Blue crew broke it open against reliever Leroy Hunt in the ninth. The Rocks batted around starting with Bonilla, who walked to begin the inning. Ferguson followed with a single, and then Alex McClure sacrificed the runners to second and third. Joey Lewis proceeded to drive in both runners with a triple, and came around to score on an infield single by Merrifield to extend the lead to six. Francis tied a Wilmington record with his fifth hit of the game later in the inning.

Winston plated one more in the ninth after Blanke doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Jake Oester.

Serafin (0-5) got the loss after six innings where he allowed four runs (all earned) on 12 hits. Tyler Sample (4-4) earned the win after seven innings. Sample gave up three runs (all earned) on six hits and struck out a season-high seven batters.

Winston-Salem concludes the series with Wilmington Sunday evening at 5 p.m. at BB&T Ballpark. Justin Collop (0-3, 6.86) starts for the Dash opposite Carolina League All-Star Jake Odorizzi (5-0, 2.03).

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