CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Start Trip with Thrilling Win over K-Tribe

Published on May 12, 2003 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC--- The Kinston Indians made things very interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Wilmington Blue Rocks bullpen on Monday night, but the Rocks prevailed with a 6-5 victory at Grainger Stadium.

Jorge Vasquez entered the ballgame in the ninth with one out and the tying run on third and the potential winning run on first base but slammed the door shut with two strikeouts to end the game.

Vasquez retired Pat Osborn on strikes for the second out of the inning on a slider in the dirt that allowed Rodney Choy Foo to reach second base. Vasquez walked left-handed batter Bill Peavey to load up the bases for Armando Camacaro, who struck out on a ball in the dirt to end the game.

The Rocks jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after sending 10 men to the plate in the second inning against losing pitcher Jim Ed Warden (0-1). Warden hit two batters with the bases loaded to force in two runs.

Wilmington picked up another run in the fourth inning against reliever Nate Fernley. Andres Blanco led off with a double and scored on a two-out run-scoring single by Chris Fallon. It was Fallon's team-leading 31st RBI of the 2003 season.

Brian Bass (2-1), who notched his second win of the season, finally allowed a hit in the fourth inning, a one-out solo home run by Rodney Choy Foo.

After the fifth inning, the game went in the opposite direction. Fernley and Chris Cooper combined to retire the final 13 Wilmington batters from the fifth inning on.

In the meantime, while Wilmington's offense went quite, Kinston's offense started chipping away against the Blue Rocks bullpen.

Billy Keppinger entered with one out in the sixth inning in relief of Bass and got the final two outs. Keppinger, who joined the club on Sunday from extended spring training in Arizona, allowed a bases loaded walk to Luke Scott in the seventh inning. The 24-year-old settled down and retired the next two batters and stranded three runners on base.

Robbie Morrison yielded a solo home run to Camacaro in the eighth inning, pulling the Indians to within two runs.

Aric Leclair entered in the ninth inning and ran into trouble immediately by walking the leadoff hitter Eider Torres, who eventually scored on a single by Scott.

After Choy Foo reached with a single back through the middle Leclair gave way to Vasquez, who notched his sixth save of the season.

Wilmington and Kinston continue their four-game series at Grainger Stadium at 7:00 p.m. Zach McClellan (1-0, 1.73) goes to the hill for the Blue Rocks, who are 10-7 away from home this season. The Indians, who had a two-game winning streak come to an end on Monday night, counter with Travis Foley (2-2, 4.26).

Game Notes:

Justin Cowan went 1-for-4 with a double and has hit safely in seven in a row and nine of his last 10 games.

The Blue Rocks improved to 6-6 in one-run games and have had three straight and five of their last six games decided by a single run.

The Rocks have won three in a row and four of their last five away from home.

Bass allowed his first home run of the season in the fourth inning. It was only the fourth home run allowed this season by a starting pitcher.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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



Carolina League Stories from May 12, 2003


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