CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Walks Galore in Ugly Collapse

Published on July 22, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - Make it three straight nights the Wilmington Blue Rocks (48-49, 16-11) have jumped out to a 3-0 lead only to post a road loss. On Thursday, a twist had the Kinston Indians (47-48, 11-14) assembling their rally in the bottom of the seventh, while the prior two collapses came in walk-off fashion. By contrast, the sudden pain of defeat on the night's final play likely would likely have been welcomed over the long and miserable experience suffered by the bullpen Thursday evening. The Blue Crew has lost three straight games for the first time on the second half.

Wilmington starter Danny Duffy dominated in outdueling the Carolina League's leader in wins and the starting pitcher for the loop in this past June's All-Star Game, T.J. McFarland. Duffy, a 2009 CL All-Star, allowed just two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings, striking out eight. Displaying the best changeup he has thrown in a Blue Rocks uniform and a superior fastball, he consistently keep the K-Tribe on its heels. He left in line for the win, but did not enjoy a wide margin.

The offense failed to maximize several early opportunities. With a man on and two outs in the second, Joey Lewis singled and Juan Rivera walked to load the bases. Patrick Norris made it 1-0 with a single to the backhanded glove of third baseman Kyle Bellows. That would be the only run the Rocks got though, as Christian Colon then grounded out to third to leave the bases loaded.

In the third, back-to-back doubles from Wil Myers and Ernesto Mejia lifted the lead to 2-0. One out later, Rene Oriental reached on error and Rey Navarro singled to load the bases. Alas, Lewis bounced into a double play to end the inning.

Similar difficulties stunted production in the fourth. Norris notched a second infield hit with a bunt single. He stole second and subsequently scored on a Colon hit to left. However, Colon tried to leg out a double only to slide into the tag of second baseman Karexon Sanchez with thanks to a Bo Greenwell outfield assist. Myers doubled to right for a third straight hit thereafter and Mejia struck out swinging to end the inning.

Kevin Chapman relieved Duffy at the start of the sixth and worked around a one-out walk by striking out the side. He whiffed Bellows to start the seventh but lost Juan Diaz to a full-count walk. The Blue Rocks went to the bullpen again for James Thompson (2-4), who induced a groundball to Rivera at third from Greenwell. While Rivera got leather on the ball, it skipped away from him for an error that would prove costly.

Nate Recknagel flied out to right for what in theory would have been the final out of the inning. Thompson then walked three straight men. The last two of those free passes, drawn by Lucas Montero and Sanchez, came with the bases loaded to make it a one-run game, 3-2. Abner Abreu then blew the game open with a bases-clearing triple to right for the Blue Rocks' first deficit of the night, 5-3.

Eric Basurto replaced Thompson and allowed an infield hit tight to the chalk down the third-base line by Chun Chen that went halfway to the bag. Ultimately, Basurto would hold the damage there and end the inning. The eighth inning would not prove as kind.

The first five Indians that frame walked against Basurto for an 8-3 game. Manager Brian Rupp then called upon utility man Adam Frost to fully live up to that billing by entering to pitch for the first time in a Blue Rocks uniform. The first two men he faced connected on sacrifice flies in Abreu and Chen. Bellows ended the inning with a bouncing ball fielded by Frost who worked a force at first himself to end the inning.

Wilmington's offense offered little late. Kinston pitching faced one over the minimum from the Mejia strikeout that ended the fourth through the rest of the game. Reliever Tyler Sturdevant (1-0) got the win with two scoreless frames and three strikeouts.

The four-game set continues on Friday night at 7 p.m. Southpaw Ivor Hodgson (5-8, 4.81) makes the start with right-hander Jairo Cuevas (3-3, 5.98) following as a piggybacker. Kinston will toss righty Joey Mahalic (3-5, 4.39).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Kinston manager Aaron Holbert received his first ejection of the season. The skipper became embroiled in an argument with home plate umpire Jay Pierce as he stood in his dugout before the top of the seventh inning. An animated Pierce exchanged volleys with the first-year skipper, who then donned his cap and walked out to the batter's circle. Shortly after his arrival, he was tossed from the game. That very inning, Kinston assembled its comeback.

On Wednesday, the bottom four batters in Wilmington's lineup went a collective 1-for-19. The top five hitters went 11-for-29. On Thursday, the top four hitters went 9-for-18 and the bottom five struggled to a 2-for-18 performance.

Kinston scored 10 runs on just five hits (four singles).

The Blue Rocks walked 12 men and struck out 12 as well.

Adam Frost became the first Blue Rocks position player to pitch in a game since then-catcher Matt Morizio did so on September 1, 2008 versus Potomac. Morizio repeated with the Blue Crew as a backstop in 2009, but has since converted to the pitching ranks. He currently relieves for the Rookie-Advanced Idaho Falls Chukars in the Pioneer League.

Frost also made two appearances on the hill with the Low-A Burlington Bees of the Midwest League earlier this year. In three total outings, he has not allowed a baserunner while striking out two. He reached 91 mph on the in-house radar gun Thursday night.

Juan Rivera's fielding error made six of Kinston's 10 runs unearned on Wilmington pitching, including all five tallies on losing pitcher James Thompson's line.

One night after the Blue Rocks struggled to score three runs on 12 hits, they plated three runs on 11 hits.

Wednesday's 13-inning game took 3:21 to complete. Thursday's nine-inning affair grinded itself out at 3:20.

Wilmington had not lost three straight games since a four-game slide from June 15-18.

The bullpen inherited a total of five runners and allowed four of those men to score.

Christian Colon went 3-for-5 with an RBI in posting his second straight three-hit game. After starting his career 1-for-18 through five games, the 2010 first-round pick (No. 4 overall) has hit .323 (20-for-62) with five extra-base hits and nine RBIs over 15 games.

Wil Myers doubled twice on a 3-for-4 night. Through 20 Advanced-A games, the Carolina League's youngest player has hit .357 with seven extra-base hits and 14 RBIs. His 10 walks make for a .446 on-base percentage and an OPS of .917.

The intense heat that has accompanied the road trip continued. According to the National Weather Service, the combination of air temperature and humidity made it feel like 101 degrees at first pitch.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from July 22, 2010


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