CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Rocks Work Extras to Win in Myrtle Beach

Published on June 2, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Myrtle Beach, SC - A two-run 10th inning delivered the Wilmington Blue Rocks a 7-6 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Sunday at TicketReturn.com Field. Wilmington increased its lead in the CL North to 6.5 games and lowered their magic number to clinch a first-half crown to eight with 13 contests remaining. At three hours and 49 minutes it was the longest game of the season for the Blue Crew.

Wilmington started the 10th inning with a runner at second base per Minor League Baseball rules. With one down in the frame Nick Pratto brought him home with an RBI-single to center. Pratto then stole both second and third and scored a critical insurance run on a Seuly Matias single.

Entering the fifth inning on Sunday the Blue Rocks had no hits, by the time the frame was through they had five runs Patience combined with a little small put the Blue Crew offense in position for its crooked number. Pratto got things started with his seeing-eye single to left. Matias followed with a walk and then both men moved up a base courtesy of Sebastian Rivero's sacrifice bunt.

It was at this point that the wheels fell off on Pelicans starting pitcher Javier Assad. He missed on seven straight pitches and walked back-to-back batters to force in a run. The righty appeared poised to limit the damage when he fanned Rudy Martin for the second out of the frame, but then he fell behind Brewer Hicklen 2-0 before the outfielder singled home both Matias and Colby Schultz. That sent Myrtle Beach to its bullpen, which did not seem to bother MJ Melendez, whose double to right scored Ricky Aracena and Hicklen.

Kris Bubic could not hold the lead. to bounce back from a rough start. The lefty allowed two runs in the second on a Luke Reynolds double to dead-centerfield and then yielded three more to tie the game in the sixth. Bubic pitched to contact, allowing nine hits and fanning none. He yielded a two-run single to Grant Fennell and then watched as reliever Rito Lugo allowed an insurance tally to score on Reynolds' RBI-single to right.

Wilmington pitcher Tyler Zuber escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the ninth to get the game to extra innings. He allowed the MiLB mandated runner at second to score in extra innings, but stranded the sacks full again to earn the win.

The Blue Crew continue their seven-game road trip at Myrtle Beach on Monday. Right-hander Jackson Kowar takes the mound for Wilmington as first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. Fans can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks, Cory Nidoh on 89.7 WGLS-FM.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Wilmington has excelled in close contests this season. The Blue Crew lead the Carolina League with 26 games decided by a single score in 2019 and have played 37 affairs with a margin of victory of two-or-less. The Rocks are an impressive 28-9 in those close calls including 21-5 in one-run decisions. Wilmington also improved to 3-2 in extra-inning games this season.

The Blue Rocks have taken a weird path offensively to first place in the CL North standings for 49 of the first 59 days of the 2019 season. The Blue Crew managed just seven hits as opposed to Myrtle Beach's 12 on Sunday. They have produced fewer hits than their foe in 18 of the team's 35 victories this season. Overall, the Blue Crew are last in the CL in runs, hits, batting average slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

Four has been the magic number for the Wilmington offense in 2019. When the Rocks score four times in a game they are 21-2 on the year. Conversely, when Wilmington manages just three scores or fewer in an affair the team is only 14-18.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from June 2, 2019


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