CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Solo Homers Propels Blue Crew to 4-2 Win

Published on June 3, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - Everett Teaford's sixth straight quality start held the Kinston Indians (23-29) in check, and solo homers from Clint Robinson and Jeff Bianchi broke up a 2-2 tie in a 4-2 Blue Rocks (27-25) win. The Blue Crew took two of three on the series and abbreviated road trip. Teaford's win, his sixth of the year, moved him into sole possession of the lead in the entire Royals minor league system. Ben Swaggerty struck out two in a perfect ninth for his first save as the Blue Rocks improved to 2-6 in day games this season.

Robinson stroked a solo homer to right field in the fourth that gave Wilmington a 3-2 lead, his seventh on the season. The blast tied him with Mike Moustakas for the team lead in dingers and joined Robinson and Moustakas as the lone Blue Rocks with 30+ RBIs this season. It was the first of two late solo shots against Paolo Espino (1-2), who also gave up a one-out shot to Bianchi in the sixth. Espino allowed all four runs in six innings on six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. Each of his two losses this season have come against the Blue Rocks.

Teaford (6-1) made sure the runs mattered, surrendering just two runs on four hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out seven and hit one batter. Up 2-0 in the second, three straight bloop singles scratched the first run on Teaford's line. The 2008 CL All-Star allowed a Nate Recknagel well-struck double to center for a second score. But with the infield in and men at second and third, the southpaw struck out Matt Willard and followed a walk to Tim Fedroff with a strikeout looking against Lucas Montero to leave the bases loaded.

He danced through some more danger in the third, striking out the side while leaving a hit batter and a walk in scoring position.

Lefty Kelvin Villa used a couple of groundball double plays to negate three this over his two scoreless bridge innings. Bianchi made a brilliant twin-killing in the eighth. With men at the corners, he fielded a Ronald Rivas grounder behind the bag at second with an athletic range to his left, hit the base for one and threw to first in time to end the inning.

The Blue Rocks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first and Kinston lost a player in the process. Johnny Giavotella hit a one-out double to right-center. In pursuit, right fielder Ryan Bair missed the ball then lost his balance on the warning track, crashing face first into the wall at full speed. The game was stopped for over five minutes as both teams' athletic trainers tended to Blair. He ultimately walked off the field under his own power but was lifted from the game.

Mike Moustakas broke up the tension with a single to right and baseball was back on. Bianchi knocked in Giavotella with a groundout to first and David Lough bounced a double over Recknagel at first base for the second tally. The infield made for several odd hops on the day, including that two-base hit.

With the brief three-game road trip over, the Blue Rocks return home to open a seven-game homestand with the first of four against the Lynchburg Hillcats on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Fresh off his first win of the season, Wilmington right-hander Alex Caldera (1-2, 6.00) will oppose right-hander Ronald Uviedo (2-3, 3.81), a member of the Pirates' 40-man roster. The night will feature Redneck Games on the Return of Mullet Night. The first 1,250 kids in attendance will receive a t-shirt courtesy of duPont Hospital for Children.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks love playing Kinston, sporting an 8-2 record against the K-Tribe this season.

Adrian Ortiz started in center field for the first time all season.

Jamar Walton had a second straight two-hit game, going 2-for-3.

Wilmington's defense turned three double plays on the day, upping its league-leading total to 53 in 52 games played.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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



Carolina League Stories from June 3, 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