CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Softball score see-saws to Frederick

Published on May 10, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Frederick, MD - Mama said there'd be days like this. On Mother's Day 2009, the Blue Rocks blew a four-run lead as the host Frederick Keys (12-18) bombed five homers and 18 total hits on a blustery Sunday afternoon in a 15-9 final. It means a series defeat for the Blue Rocks (13-17), who have lost six of their last seven games to fall a season-worst four games below .500. It also draws Frederick within a game of the Blue Rocks in the CL North standings, placing Wilmington only one game out of last place. The team has lost five of its last six series.

Few would have expected the final score after the first three innings. The Blue Rocks failed to put a man on base against prospect lefty Zach Britton, and the Keys scratched out a couple of single scores versus Ray Liotta. Bobby Stevens started a career day with a one-out solo homer in the first inning and Caleb Joseph knocked in a run with a single in the second.

Wilmington's first of back-to-back four-run frames came in the visiting fourth. Eight of the nine men batted, including a run-scoring single from Jeff Bianchi and Clint Robinson's team-leading fifth home run, a three-run shot to right. In the bottom half of that same frame, Frederick made its first of two comeback rallies. Liotta issued a four-pitch walk to Tyler Henson and two batters later, Joseph homered to left for a 4-4 tie.

But the Blue Rocks plated another quartet of scores in the fifth to take an 8-4 lead. Again, eight of the nine men in the order batted, but this time, Frederick's league-worst defense helped the cause. Two hits combined with two errors and a passed ball on the scoring. Mike Moustakas drove in a run with a single and Paulo Orlando belted a gap double to hammer home another pair.

Stevens homered again in the home fifth for an 8-5 score but Liotta did not allow another man on base that inning. The 26-year-old former White Sox farmhand would then start the sixth, but failed to record an out. Billy Rowell hit a titanic homer to right after a Henson double, slimming the Wilmington lead to a single score, 8-7, and Liotta departed after a season-best five innings-plus two batters. He gave up seven runs on nine hits (four homers), walked one and struck out three.

Lefty Kelvin Villa (0-3) entered from the bullpen and promptly retired the first two he faced. Then came the Keys' two-out rally. Rodolfo Cardona singled, Matt Angle walked and Stevens worked a full-count before doubling in two for a 9-8 deficit from which the Blue Rocks would not fully recover.

Frederick's fourth error of the day tied the game in the seventh. With two on and two out, Orlando hit a fly ball down the right-field line. An awkward Rowell, just converted from third base to right field this year, stumbled underneath it as the ball bounded of his glove in fair territory. The lead man, Moustakas, scored and Clint Robinson attempted to follow. Rowell fired home, beating Robinson by a wide margin. The 6'5" 225-pound first baseman collided hard with catcher Wally Crancer, but the smaller backstop held his ground, feet and the ball, applying the tag for an inning-ending out.

Rowell redeemed himself all the more after the seventh-inning stretch when he singled home Henson for a 10-9 score and the Rocks would trail the rest of the way. Cliff Flagello (1-0) allowed just one unearned run over two innings during that time in recording his first win.

Former Carolina League Pitcher of the Year Rowdy Hardy made his second appearance of the season and as a reinvented submarine specialist to begin the eighth. But after a groundout, five straight men reached and all five scored against the soft-tossing southpaw, including a second two-run homer by Rowell to cap it all off.

Frederick's Brian Parker and Luis Lebron each struck out a man over perfect showings in the eighth and ninth to finish the game.

The Blue Rocks return home Sunday evening for a scheduled day off on Monday. The team will start a brief three-game homestand and series with the Kinston Indians on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Mario Santiago (1-3, 6.20) will oppose K-Tribe southpaw Russell Young (0-1, 7.00). Fans are invited to "Come on down!" for a The Price Is Right theme night which will include some legendary games from the television staple.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Frederick's Bobby Stevens went 5-for-5 with a double, two homers, four RBIs and three runs scored. He entered the game with just four total hits and no homers on the season as a .174 hitter. As a rookie in 2008, he had just one home run and hit .214 in the Appalachian League.

Five of Wilmington's nine runs went unearned on Frederick pitching.

The Blue Rocks have not won back-to-back road games since April 23 when they extended their only road winning streak of the year to three at Winston-Salem.

The 15 runs allowed are the most by a Blue Rocks opponent in a single game all season. In fact, the team had not allowed 15 runs in a game since a 16-7 loss at Salem on Aug. 30, 2005.

Ten of Frederick's 18 hits went for extra bases.

The Keys scored in seven of their eight offensive innings.

Wilmington fell to 1-6 with an 8.00 ERA when Matt Morizio starts as the catcher.

The Blue Rocks had gone a season-long four straight games without a home until Clint Robinson's liner on Sunday.

After starting the year 8-4, Wilmington has lost 13 of its last 18.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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



Carolina League Stories from May 10, 2009


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