CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Team's Sixth Shutout Setback Part of Series Defeat

Published on May 17, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Lynchburg, VA - Disappointing. A Blue Rocks offense many heralded as the best in a long while was shut out for a sixth time this season on Sunday in a 4-0 setback to the Lynchburg Hillcats (23-13). Mario Santiago (1-4) took a tough loss despite arguably his best outing of the year, allowing just two runs over a personal season-best 6.2 innings. The Blue Rocks (17-19) dropped two of three on the weekend series to the first-place Hillcats in starting their season-long 10-game road trip 1-2. The Blue Rocks, who dropped a series for the third time in their last four tries, went a collective 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Hillcats have the best record in the Carolina League both overall and at home (14-6).

The top prospect in the Pirates' organization, Pedro Alvarez, provided all the scoring the Hillcats would need in the opening inning when he singled home Jordy Mercer. Mercer had singled and stolen second base on Santiago.

Meanwhile, the Blue Rocks struggled to score against sinkerballer Matt McSwain (3-1). Wilmington tied a season-high mark by bouncing into three double plays. The third of which proved the biggest, nullifying the Blue Crew's best scoring threat in the fifth. Jamar Walton began the inning with a walk and Anthony Seratelli followed with a single to left. Catcher Matt Morizio swung away at the first pitch thereafter, and bounced into a killer 4-6-3 double play. Adrian Ortiz then flied out to left, stranding Walton at third.

In the very next half inning, Santiago faced his stiffest challenge and minimized damage. Joel Collins singled and Alex Presley attempted to sacrifice him up with a bunt. The throw from third arrived late, however, for a bunt base hit. Mercer popped out to third on a bunt try and a wild pitch with Alvarez batting moved the runners up. That prompted an intentional walk of Alvarez to load the bases. Matt Hague hit a weak broken-bat grounder to shortstop as Jeff Bianchi threw to first. A run scored, but Santiago struck out Miles Durham and kept it a 2-0 game.

McSwain did not strike out a batter on the day, but did not allow a run over six innings of four-hit ball, walking two. Harrison Bishop followed with a couple of scoreless innings and stranded a man in scoring position in each.

The Hillcats salted the victory with two unearned runs on reliever Kelvin Villa in the eighth. The disastrous frame began with a Villa throwing error that gave Durham first base. He moved up on a groundout before Maiko Loyola joined him with a full-count walk. Ray Chang singled to shallow right, loading the bases for Collins. With the infield in, a grounder to third set up exactly what the Blue Crew wanted. But while the throw home forced out the lead runner, said man, Durham, still slid hard and took out the catcher Morizio while he threw to first. As a result, his throw errantly sailed into the corner, allowing another run to score for a 4-0 margin.

Double-barrel action in the bullpen was knocked down to one as a save try was no longer in order. So instead of closer R.J. Rodriguez, manager P.J. Forbes went to Michael Dubee, son of Phillies' pitching coach Rich Dubee. The right-hander struck out one and allowed only a two-out hit to Clint Robinson before ending the game with a Walton grounder to second base.

With one of their three series complete on a season-long 10-game road trip, the Blue Rocks journey one hour west to Salem, VA. Wilmington opens a four-game series against the Red Sox at 7:05 p.m. on Monday. Southpaw Everett Teaford (3-1, 3.03), who celebrated his 25th birthday on the first day of this road trip, faces right-hander Kyle Weiland (1-3, 8.31).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Five of Wilmington's six shutout losses have come against the two teams they trail in the Carolina League's Northern Division, Lynchburg (1) and Potomac (4).

Frederick's game at Kinston was suspended due to rain. As a result, the Blue Rocks and Keys now have identical records, tying the clubs for last place in the CL North. It is the first day the Blue Rocks have occupied the divisional cellar on the season.

Sunday's loss dropped the Blue Rocks to 1-4 in day games.

Jeff Bianchi posted the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He owns a team-best 12 multi-hit efforts on the year and his hitting streak is tied for the best by a Blue Rock in 2009. He is tied for ninth in the Carolina League with a .310 batting average.

None of Wilmington's seven hits went for extra bases.

The game started 55 minutes late due to a rain delay.

After a jammed Saturday night crowd, rain scared off the locals. A friends-and-family gathering of 546 took in the contest.

Matt Morizio committed two errors in the game, tying for the most by a Rock in a single contest this year. He also dropped a foul pop that hit his glove on the warning track behind home plate in the seventh. The team fell to 2-7 when he is the starting catcher.

The trio of Lynchburg pitchers that combined on the blanking struck out just one batter all game.

The Blue Rocks have lost five straight rubber matches since beating Lynchburg in their first back on April 19.

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Carolina League Stories from May 17, 2009


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