Wilmington Beats Kinston 10-4, K-Tribe Splits Series
Published on July 25, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Kinston Indians News Release
Wilmington pounded K-Tribe pitching for ten runs on eleven hits and three home runs on their way to a 10-4 win on a scorching Sunday afternoon at Historic Grainger Stadium. Nick Francis hit two home runs, including a grand slam and had 6 RBI to lead the Blue Rocks to the victory. During the afternoon contest the heat index made it to 114, as the temperature reached 98.
Wilmington struck early, as Patrick Norris led off the game with an infield single and stole second. After a groundout moved Norris to third, Wil Myers blooped a single to left to put the Blue Rocks ahead 1-0.
In the fourth, the Blue Rocks started a two-out rally against Kinston starter Joe Gardner. Ernesto Mejia singled to center and Nick Francis drove a home run to left center to give Wilmington a 3-0 lead. Wilmington added on in the fifth, as Rey Navarro hit a leadoff single to center. The next batter, Rene Oriental crushed a two-run homer to left to make it 5-0. After Gardner loaded the bases, reliever Travis Turek came in and walked Adam Myers to score a run and push the lead to 6-0.
Gardner (8-5) had perhaps his roughest outing of the season, giving up six runs on on seven hits in four innings. He walked two, struck out two and gave up two home runs. Gardner allowed a season high in runs, hits and home runs. He gave up two homers in the game despite allowing just 2 home runs in his first 14 starts with Kinston.
Kinston got on the board in the sixth on a leadoff home run to left by Chun Chen, his second dinger of the season, to cut the lead to 6-1.
Wilmington blew the game open in the seventh inning. Turek walked a man and hit a batter before Christian Colon knocked a hit to left field to load the bases. After Turek left the game with what appeared to be a lower leg injury, Tyler Sturdevant came on to face Francis. Francis blasted a grand slam off the scoreboard in right center to give the Blue Rocks a 10-1 lead.
Indians first baseman Nate Recknagel hit his fifth homer of the season, a solo shot in the seventh inning, to make it 10-2. In the ninth, Karexon Sanchez hit an RBI triple to right. Jeremie Tice followed with an RBI double to right to cut the lead to 10-4.
Kinston dropped the final two games of the series to settle for a split. The K-Tribe went 4-3 on the seven game homestand, and now will hit the road for six in Winston-Salem and Wilmington. On Monday, the K-Tribe will head to Winston-Salem to take on the Dash at 7 pm. Right hander Marty Popham will pitch for the K-Tribe.
Carolina League Stories from July 25, 2010
- Pelicans Take Finale from Keys - Frederick Keys
- Francis Slams, Drives in Six - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Lynchburg Sneaks Past Salem 6-5 in Series Finale - Salem RidgeYaks
- Cats Earn Split with Second Straight Win - Lynchburg Hillcats
- P-Nats Blast Dash with Ten-Run Eighth - Winston-Salem Dash
- P-Nats Demolish Dash, Split Series - Potomac Nationals
- Wilmington Beats Kinston 10-4, K-Tribe Splits Series - Kinston Indians
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Dash IF Kayne Retires - Winston-Salem Dash
- Blue Rocks Log Ninth Shutout Win, Sixth This Month - Wilmington Blue Rocks
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.
