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Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington Bats Befuddled by Hillcats

August 11, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - For the second straight night and the third consecutive game, the Wilmington Blue Rocks offense failed to produce. Just 24 hours after scoring two runs in 14 innings on the way to getting swept in a doubleheader with the Winston-Salem Dash, the Rocks were beaten by the Lynchburg Hillcats, 4-1, on Thursday at Frawley Stadium.

Wilmington sent the minimum to the plate in five different frames, and was retired in order twice. Of the Rocks' six hits on the night, none went for extra bases. Add to that the three runners who were cut down on the base paths and it is not easy to see why the Blue Crew managed a meager one run.

Lynchburg starter Dimasther Delgado (8-6) struck out six over five one-run frames to earn the win. He was carried over the finish line by his bullpen, which used three pitchers to keep Wilmington off the board over the final four innings. Eliecer Cardenas worked a hitless ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season.

Meanwhile Wilmington starter Elisaul Pimentel had no such success. The right-hander's command was off as he walked three and hit one in five innings pitched.

Pimentel (5-7) allowed four runs, but it could have been much worse. The ranked prospect stranded two in scoring position in a scoreless first and then runners at first and second in the next two frames.

Lynchburg plated the game's first runs in the second inning. Barret Kleinknecht laced a one-out run-scoring double into the left-field corner that made it, 1-0. The Hillcats' second baseman then came home three batters later on an RBI single by Andrelton Simmons.

Wilmington cut the two-run deficit in half in the third. The Rocks saw their first three batters of the inning reach safely, and should have had the bases loaded with nobody out. But Michael Liberto overran third base and was tagged out. They still got a run when Carlo Testa followed with an RBI single.

The Hillcats responded in the top of the fourth however. Todd Cunningham legged out an infield single and then circled around to score on Phil Gosselin's triple to the left-center alley. Joe Leonard followed with an RBI double to left that capped the scoring.

The Rocks continue this seven-game homestand on Friday with another 7:05 p.m. encounter with the Hillcats. Tyler Sample (6-10, 5.63) hits the hill for Wilmington against Lynchburg left-hander Matt Crim (1-6, 5.40). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. as studio host Adam Dobrowolski brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu. For tickets call 302-888-BLUE or visit bluerocks.com.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

John Whittleman drew two more free passes on Saturday. The infielder has now worked a league-high 69 walks on the season.

Carlo Testa continued to shine at the plate in the friendly confines of Frawley Stadium. The outfielder went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the losing cause. Testa upped his average to .307 at home as opposed to just .220 on the road.

Wilmington surrendered a season-high six stolen bases in the setback, while thwarting just two Lynchburg theft attempts. Catcher Jose Bonilla has now gunned down just 28 of 110 (25%) would-be base stealers on the season. He also went hitless at the plate. Since June 16, Bonilla is batting just .147 (15-of-102) with 28 strikeouts. The catcher's batting average has dropped 46 points (.255-.209) over that stretch.

With the loss Wilmington fell to a season-high nine games under .500 overall on the season, with a record of 53-62.

The Rocks have committed at least one error in six of their last seven games.

Wilmington has dropped three straight contests at home for the first time since July 14-16 and for just the second time in 2011.

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