CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington Offense Stumbles to Third Straight Setback

August 15, 2009 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Wilmington, DE - For the fourth consecutive game the Wilmington Blue Rocks offense managed just one run, and for the third straight night it cost the Rocks. On Saturday, Wilmington dropped a 3-1 decision to the Potomac Nationals. The setback brought the P-Nats to within one-half game of the Rocks in the chase for a Carolina League North second half crown.

The worst part for Wilmington was all of the blown opportunities.

The Rocks left runners on base in seven of their nine trips to the plate. Seven of the nine men Wilmington stranded on the night were left in scoring position, and their lone run came mostly as the result of a couple errors.

Wilmington's only score came in the bottom of the third. Anthony Seratelli reached when Potomac shortstop Danny Espinosa made two errors on one play. His bobble of a sharply hit grounder gave Seratelli time to reach first. His subsequent errant throw to first let Seratelli advance to second. He would be plated one batter later, on Derrick Robinson's RBI single to center.

Unfortunately that would be Wilmington's only clutch hit of the night.

The Rocks' downfall came in the top of the seventh. Reliever Kelvin Villa got himself into a two-out, nobody on position and still watched the P-Nats put together four straight two-out hits, plating three runs in the process to go ahead for good.

Tim Pahuta got things started with a single. He would come around to score on a Greg Veloz RBI triple to left. The Potomac third baseman's clutch hit came on a high fly ball that just kept carrying to left field. Wilmington outfielder Jamar Walton chased it all the way back to the edge of the warning track, but it landed just past his outstretched glove and bounced off the fence.

That brought up Boomer Whiting, who also sent a high fly ball into the outfield. This time it was right fielder Nick Van Stratten who chased it towards the right-center gap. But again the ball carried just far enough to elude the outfielder's glove, and the resulting triple scored Veloz and put Potomac in front.

The P-Nats added an insurance run on Michael Martinez's line-drive RBI single to right.

Before the two-out rally Potomac's offense had been as ineffective as Wilmington's. The P-Nats had only three hits before the decisive stretch, including one bunt-single.

Blue Rocks starter Danny Duffy looked incredible in his four innings. Making his first start since July 28, the left-hander showed very few signs of rust. Duffy struck out seven and allowed only one hit, in his scoreless time on the hill. The best part was he reported no ill effects from lingering back tightness afterwards.

He was replaced by Villa (4-7) in the fifth. The lefty-reliever was effective over his first two frames, retiring six of the seven batters he faced, before falling apart in the seventh.

Potomac pitcher Brad Peacock got the win. Peacock surrendered just the lone unearned run on three hits while striking out two over six innings.

The Blue Crew put a scare into the Potomac bullpen a couple of times. In the seventh, Wilmington put runners at first and second against reliever Hassan Pena. But Johnny Giavotella grounded out to third to end the frame.

Then in the ninth, Pena put two men on with two outs before being replaced by Cole Kimball. The right-hander got Derrick Robinson to roll out weakly to second to nail down his seventh save.

The Rocks look to avoid the sweep as this crucial three-game series with Potomac wraps up on Sunday. Wilmington sends left-hander Michael Montgomery (2-0, 2.11) to the mound. The 20-year-old California native has won each of his last two starts, including one against the P-Nats. Potomac is slated to counter with left-hander Will Atwood (6-7, 4.81). Off the field the first 1,000 kids will receive lunch bags compliments of AT&T.

To get your seats, call 302-888-BLUE.

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics



Carolina League Stories from August 15, 2009


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.

OurSports Central