CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Three-Run Homer in 10th Hands Rocks Sixth Consecutive Loss

April 24, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - A three-run 10th inning by the Winston-Salem Dash doomed Wilmington on Wednesday as the Blue Rocks dropped a 5-2 decision at Frawley Stadium. With the defeat, the Blue Crew were swept in a series for the first time in 2019. It also extended Wilmington's season-high losing streak to six games.

As per Minor League Baseball rules, the Dash started the 10th with a man at second base. Wilmington reliever Tad Ratliff started his outing with a strikeout, but a passed ball advanced the runner to third. Ratliff then intentionally walked Nick Madrigal, who promptly stole second. Ratliff seemed poised to escape the jam when he fanned Zach Remillard for out number two, but Craig Dedelow snuck a two-strike fly ball over the right-field for a game-clinching three-run homer.

Wilmington went down in order in the home-half of the frame to finish the night 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

In his second Advanced-A start, Marcelo Martinez scuffled his way through 4.2 frames for the Rocks. The lefty needed 84 pitches to get 14 outs and departed with two men on base, but he limited the Dash to only two score on four hits while fanning five.

The Rocks erased an early 2-0 deficit with single tallies in the fourth and fifth frames. Dennicher Carrasco got the Blue Crew on the board when his two-out double plated Seuly Matias. Another two-out knock drew Wilmington even, this time courtesy of a seeing-eye single from Cristian Perez.

The Rocks' relief corps got the game to extras. The duo of Daniel Duarte and Rito Lugo combined to toss 4.1 scoreless innings. Duarte entered in the fifth, stranded two inherited runners and then posted two more goose eggs. Lugo worked his way out of a first-and-second, no-out jam in the ninth.

Wilmington enjoys its first off day of the season before opening a seven-game road trip on Friday at Lynchburg. Left-hander Daniel Tillo (2-1, 5.17) gets the start for the Rocks. Fans can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks Cory Nidoh on 89.7 WGLS-FM or BlueRocks.com.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Crew have not been able to buy a big hit over the last six games. Wilmington has gone just 5-for-55 with runners in scoring position since Saturday. On the year the Rocks are hitting only .156 with men at second and/or third base. Overall, the struggling Rocks' offense is last in the Carolina League in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage in 2019. Wilmington has not scored more than four runs in a game since April 15.

Ricky Aracena has been the one Blue Rock finding success of late at the plate. The infielder went 1-for-4 on Wednesday and extended his season-long hitting streak to six games. During that stretch Aracena is batting a robust .500 (9-for-18).

The Blue Rocks fell to 1-2 in extra inning games this season. Wilmington got a walk-off win in the 10th inning on April 9 against the Dash but have lost two straight contests that were not decided in regulation since. The Blue Crew also dropped to 1-3 in games decided in the last at bat.

Wilmington may call the Carolina League's Northern Division home, but in the early part of the season the Blue Crew got much more familiar with the CL South. The Rocks wrapped up a string of 17 consecutive games against southern division foes on Wednesday. Wilmington swept a three-game series at home against the Dash and then took three of four at Carolina before taking two of three at Winston-Salem. The Rocks then dropped a four-game series at home against Down East and were swept by the Dash at Frawley Stadium. Wilmington went 10-7 during this long stretch of southern hospitality. In another scheduling quirk the Rocks have already received their last visits to Wilmington from Winston-Salem and Down East in 2019. The Blue Crew will play 24 of their 27 against the CL North starting Friday at Lynchburg.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics



Carolina League Stories from April 24, 2019


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