CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Strait's Homer Proves Difference, Chambliss Bolts Down 23rd Save

Published on August 22, 2008 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - On a night of incredible symmetry, even showings by the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Kinston Indians of course required extra innings as the Rocks prevailed in 12 innings, 3-2. Reliever Aaron Hartsock (10-5) became the first Blue Rock to reach double-digit victories by entering from the bullpen to strike out Jared Goedert with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th, forcing a 12th frame. Cody Strait slammed his team-leading 12th home run and seventh in nine games for a 3-2 lead in that inning and closer Tyler Chambliss worked a 1-2-3 bottom half for his league-leading 23rd save. Combined with Frederick's 10-5 loss in Salem, the Blue Rocks have slimmed their magic number to five.

Both starters logged quality starts with each man allowing two runs over six innings with nine strikeouts and one walk. The Blue Rocks got to Kinston's Hector Rondon first, scoring a couple of runs in the fifth. Jeff Bianchi began the inning with a pulled solo homer to left, his 10th of the year. Two batters later, Jarrod Dyson doubled to left and scored on a line single to right by Matt Morizio for a 2-0 lead.

But Kinston answered with two tallies on Everett Teaford in the bottom half of the same frame. The near carbon-copy inning also saw a leadoff homer by Carlos Rivero, a pull job to left. Two batters later, Johnny Drennen walked and Cristo Arnal singled on the infield grass to Teaford, who rushed an errant throw tall to first base, allowing Drennen to take third. One pitch later, Roman Pena drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Teaford's nine strikeouts tied his single-game career high, previously reached on August 8, 2006 while with Rookie-Advanced Idaho Falls in his first year as a pro. Outside of the fifth inning, each starter faced just one over the minimum.

The bullpens went pitch for pitch thereafter with each unit working four straight perfect innings. Wilmington's Ben Swaggerty struck out one in a 1-2-3 seventh, including a head first dive in the right-center gap by Dyson to rob Rivero on a sinking line drive to begin the frame. Russ Haltiwanger twirled a perfect eighth and ninth, getting three defensive gems. Third baseman Kurt Mertins made a brilliant barehanded grab and throw on the run to retire Cristo Arnal at the start of the eighth. In the ninth, a pair of line outs bookended a strikeout. Anthony Seratelli went to one knee and snared a Carlos Santana liner and Paulo Orlando ran down a laser from Goedert to end the inning.

Henry Barrera struck out two in a 1-2-3 10th inning but ran into trouble in the 11th. With two outs, Lucas Montero worked a full-count walk. Montero stole second and Santana joined him with a full-count free pass as well. A wild pitch moved the runners up before Beau Mills walked on a payoff pitch to load the bases. Hartsock entered from the bullpen and jumped ahead of Goedert 0-2 before striking him out on a check swing gone too far without appeal.

The major momentum play carried into the 12th. Orlando lined out to left field to begin the inning against Sung-Wei Tseng (0-7), making it 18 straight Blue Rocks retired. Then came Strait, who bombed a no-doubt-about-it bullet to left for the game's winning run. That run stood up thanks to Chambliss who induced consecutive weak pop outs before striking out Drennen swinging to secure the victory.

The three-game series concludes on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Wilmington's youngest player, 19-year-old righty Ed Cegarra (5-7, 5.02), will face struggling southpaw Kelvin De La Cruz (3-2, 6.35.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE: Kinston has lost seven straight games. Combined with Winston-Salem's 1-0 walk-off win versus Myrtle Beach in 11 innings, the K-Tribe finds itself 2.5 games back of the Warthogs for the wild card spot in the Southern Division. Kinston has not missed the playoffs since 2000, reaching the finals four times and winning two titles in that time.

The Blue Rocks improved to 3-5 in extra-inning games including 2-1 in free baseball against the K-Tribe.

The man who wears No. 23, Tyler Chambliss, notched his 23rd save on the season in the win. He stands just two saves shy of the franchise's single-season record of 25 held by Steve Prihoda (1996) and Mike James (2006).

Wilmington used six pitchers for the first time this season. The collective group combined to strike out 16 batters, a new season-best total.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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