CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Two Late Errors Cost Rocks 7-6 Loss

Published on April 29, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Woodbridge, VA - Down 5-1 in the seventh inning, the Blue Rocks assembled a valiant rally in game one of their three-game series with the defending league champion Potomac Nationals. But while the Blue Crew (9-10) grabbed a 6-5 lead in the eighth, two errors and some timely hitting in the bottom half of the inning hung two unearned runs and a tough-luck setback on Kelvin Villa (0-2), as a 1-2-3 ninth meant a 7-6 loss. The team has dropped six of its last seven games to fall below sea level for the first time all season. Four of those six losses have come by two runs or less, including three one-run affairs.

Leading 6-5 in the bottom of the eighth, the collapse began with a one-out single to center off the bat of Tim Pahuta. After a pop out to second, Dan Nelson hit a hard grounder just fair at third for an infield hit that utility man Anthony Seratelli stopped with a dive into foul territory. But his throw to first errantly sailed tall, giving Pahuta third base and Nelson second. On the next pitch, the scourge of Wilmington in last year's Northern Division Championship Series, Boomer Whiting, collected an infield single to shortstop Jeff Bianchi. Bianchi made a spectacular glove, sliding to his left on one knee to make a back-hand glove before popping up into a throw to first base, which errantly bounced beyond the reach of Clint Robinson and two runs came in.

Potomac closer Atahualpa Severino recorded a pair of one-pitch outs during a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to notch his third save in as many tries. While fellow reliever Dan Leatherman (1-0) lucked into a win after blowing a save try.

The Blue Rocks sent eight men to the plate in both the seventh and eighth to rally from a 5-1 deficit. Extra-base knocks factored into a three-run seventh, which saw Johnny Giavotella begin the inning with a triple to right-center field against starter Will Atwood. Center fielder Francisco Plasencia made an ill-advised head-first dive the aided the blow. Seratelli followed with a sacrifice fly to left for a 5-2 margin. After Bianchi singled the next pitch to right, Potomac went to its bullpen and right-hander Martin Beno, who promptly struck out David Lough.

The next three Blue Rocks all reached base safely. Paulo Orlando doubled to right-center, Clint Robinson knocked in Bianchi with a single to right and a bobble of the cut-off by Nelson at second base allowed Orlando to score as well for a one-run game, 5-4. Ryan Eigsti walked on four pitches, but Adrian Ortiz popped out to the catcher in foul ground to strand a couple of runners.

Leatherman began the eighth and had his own issues. With one out, four straight singles combined with a passed ball for a pair of runs. Giavotella singled past the third baseman Pahuta, Seratelli singled the next pitch to right, sending Giavotella first to third, and Bianchi collected an RBI with a hit to right. The next pitch saw Lough flair a single to shallow left-center, loading the bases. While Orlando batted, a Brian Peacock passed ball pushed every man up a sack, including Seratelli who scored from third for the go-ahead run, 7-6. But Orlando struck out and after Robinson walked on four pitches, Eigsti struck out to leave the bases loaded.

Blue Rocks starter Eduardo Paulino lasted a season-best 4.2 innings, but allowed three runs and three extra-base hits over the first two frames alone. Plasencia singled to right in the first and Danny Espinosa brought him home with a two-run homer to right-center. The Rocks saw a fly-ball double play off the bat of Orlando double-up Bianchi at second a half inning later and in the bottom half of the second, the Nats scored again when Peacock followed a leadoff single to short by Pahuta with an RBI double to left. Peacock got greedy though and tried to slip into third base while the throw came in, but the alert combo of Eigsti behind the dish and Seratelli at third base combined to easily tag him out on a slide. Nelson doubled thereafter and Whiting walked, but a line-drive double play off the bat of Plasencia, 4-3, ended the inning when Giavotella flipped a snared liner to Robinson at first base.

A second two-run homer chased Paulino in the fifth. Jesus Valdez bombed a two-out, full-count pitch to straightaway center for a 5-1 margin. Ray Liotta entered and struck out Pahuta en route to two innings of scoreless, hitless relief, walking two and collecting a pair of strikeouts as well. Paulino gave up five runs on 10 hits and two walks.

The Blue Rocks lone score in the early innings came without a hit. Robinson doubled to right, took third on a bunt single by Ortiz and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Derrick Robinson. Derrick would get picked off of first base to end the inning.

Wednesday night's game two of the series will pit right-hander Mario Santiago (0-2, 8.53) against southpaw Tom Milone (1-1, 3.45). Game time is 7:05 p.m.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks are just 2-5 in one-run ballgames.

Top prospect Mike Moustakas started the game as the third baseman and popped out to close the first frame, but did not enter defensively in the bottom half of the inning. It was a manager's decision. Anthony Seratelli took his spot on the field and in the order.

The loss dropped Wilmington out of a tie for second place with Potomac. In combination with an 8-2 Lynchburg win over Myrtle Beach, the Rocks stand 3.5 games out of first.

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Carolina League Stories from April 29, 2009


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