CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington Grabs Sole Possession of First Place in CL North

Published on August 7, 2009 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Woodbridge, VA - The Wilmington Blue Rocks have the look of a team peaking at the right time. After losing nine of their first 14 contests with the Potomac Nationals in 2009, the Rocks have taken two in a row. The Blue Crew's 8-1 win on Friday gave Wilmington sole possession of first place in the CL North. The victory was the Rocks' 12th in a row, which sets the franchise record for longest winning streak in team history.

For the second consecutive night, a Wilmington starter dominated the P-Nats. On Thursday Michael Montgomery tossed seven one-run frames, and Eduardo Paulino nearly matched that feat on Friday.

Paulino (6-6) lasted 6.2 innings, allowing only one run on two hits. His lone blemish came on Tim Pahuta's bomb of a home run to open the fifth. Not one P-Nat would reach base again thereafter. In securing his third straight win, Paulino struck out five, walked one and notched three 1-2-3 innings. The right-hander has now lasted at least six innings in each of his last six starts and nine of his previous 11.

The performance allowed the Rocks offense to slowly chip away at Potomac's resolve by scoring one run at a time early before piling on late.

Wilmington jumped on the board in the second courtesy of Clint Robinson's solo homer to right. Robinson launched a high-fly to right that Michael Burgess appeared to have a beat on. The outfielder tracked it back to the fence, and when he ran out of room to retreat, made a leaping attempt. But the ball just cleared his glove and went for Robinson's ninth dinger of the season.

In the third, the Rocks made it 2-0 when Matt Morizio walked, moved to second on an Anthony Seratelli sacrifice bunt, and then came home on Derrick Robinson's bouncing single to right.

After Pahuta's blast pulled Potomac back to within one in the home fifth, Wilmington pulled away with three straight run-producing innings. The Rocks made it 3-1 in the sixth when a Mike Moustakas line-drive single up the middle plated Derrick Robinson. In the seventh, Wilmington scored when Paulo Orlando singled, stole second and came around to score on Morizio's double to left-center, the catcher's first extra-base hit of '09.

Then in the eighth, the Robinsons salted the game away for the Rocks. First, Clint left the yard for the second time with a solo shot, and then Derrick scored two on a double to right-center field.

Wilmington capped the scoring in the ninth when Moustakas singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an Eric Hosmer liner to left.

Potomac starter Adam Car took the loss. Carr (1-3) surrendered four runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings pitched.

The Rocks have now outscored Potomac 13-2 over the first two games of this pivotal August series. Wilmington has 23 hits in the two wins compared to seven for the P-Nats.

Opening Day starter Alex Caldera (4-8, 5.28) gets the ball in Saturday night's game three of the four-game set. Potomac gives the nod to southpaw Tom Milone (7-4, 3.50). First pitch will come at 6:35 p.m.

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Carolina League Stories from August 7, 2009


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