Wilmington Wins on Walk-Off Single by Norris
Published on May 22, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release
Wilmington, DE- It was a war of attrition on Saturday night at Frawley Stadium. For 15 innings the Wilmington Blue Rocks and Myrtle Beach Pelicans stood toe-to-toe and absorbed each other's best shots. Finally, in the bottom of the 15th, Patrick Norris came through with a two-out single to right, which scored pinch-runner Juan Rivera and gave the Blue Crew a 2-1 walk-off win.
The Rocks' rally in the 15th got started by Rey Navarro, who opened the frame with a double to the corner in right. Eddie Prasch followed with a bouncer back to the mound on which Myrtle Beach pitcher David Francis (0-3) fielded and alertly caught Navarro between second and third. But the Wilmington shortstop kept himself in a rundown long enough to let Prasch advance to second.
Manager Brian Rupp then inserted Rivera as a pinch-runner. After Fernando Garcia was retired and Adrian Ortiz was intentionally walked, Norris sent the fans home happy with a chopper to right that gave Rivera just enough time to circle around and score. It was Norris' first hit of the contest, and it came in his seventh at-bat of the night.
The Norris knock was either team's first hit of the game with runners in scoring position. Until the walk-off single, the squads were a combined 0-for-19 with men on second or third base.
The game would have never made it as far as the 15th if not for the bullpens.
Barry Bowden calmly worked his way out of jams in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings. With one out in the ninth, Garcia committed an error on a bouncer to second base. The miscue allowed Dan Nelson to reach, and the Myrtle Beach second baseman then went to third on Luis Sumoza's single to center. But Bowden got prospect catcher Jesus Sucre to fly out to shallow center, and then fanned Mike Daniel to escape the jam unscathed.
In the 10th Bowden issued a two-out walk and then an infield single to Ryan Barba, which put two men on again. But this time the right-handed reliever got Cole Miles to bounce out to shortstop to end the threat.
Bowden surrendered a lead-off single in the 11th to Nelson, and then watched the second baseman move into scoring position on Sumoza's sacrifice bunt. He was stranded there however, as the Wilmington closer retired the next two batters on a soft fly to right and another grounder to short.
Myrtle Beach reliever Luis Avilan, who was making his Advanced-A debut, averted trouble of his own in the 12th and 13th frames. After retiring the Rocks in order in the 11th, the right-hander lost his command to open the 12th. He missed the zone with eight of his first nine pitches of the frame, walking Eric Hosmer and Jamie Romak in the process. Jamar Walton bunted both into scoring position, but Avilan escaped the jam without allowing a run.
He did the same in the 13th. Garcia opened the inning with a walk and then advanced all the way to third on Ortiz's sacrifice bunt. He was stranded there though, and the game continued on.
Buddy Baumann ended up with the win for Wilmington. Baumann (2-0) tossed four scoreless frames, allowing only a single hit in the process. He retired the final six batters he faced on a combined eight pitches.
Lost in the shuffle was the performance of Wilmington starter Tim Melville. The right-hander did not factor in the decision, but his performance was the game's top story over the first eight frames. Melville faced the minimum five times in his eight innings pitched, and he retired the side in order three times. The seventh-ranked prospect in the Kansas City system struck out three, walked only one, and surrendered just five hits.
The lone run he allowed came in the fifth. Back-to-back hits to open the frame gave Myrtle Beach a 1-0 advantage. Calvin Culver opened the inning with a line-drive single into right, and Mike Jones followed with an RBI double to the gap in left-center field.
Wilmington answered with a tally in the home half of the frame. Salvador Perez opened the inning with an opposite-field double down the line in right. It was the catcher's second two-bag hit in as many nights. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Garcia's run-scoring fielder's choice grounder to short.
The Rocks will go for the three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. at Frawley Stadium. Chris Dwyer (2-2, 3.89) gets the start for Wilmington, while Salem counters with right-handed prospect J.J. Hoover (1-3, 4.79).
Carolina League Stories from May 22, 2010
- Julius' Heroics Propels Keys In Rain - Frederick Keys
- Salem Evens Series in Fastest Game of 2010 - Potomac Nationals
- K-Tribe Falls 2-1 to End Streak - Kinston Indians
- Wilmington Wins on Walk-Off Single by Norris - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Escobar Powers Dash Past Lynchburg - Winston-Salem Dash
- Mesoraco Extends Reached Safely Streak to 28 Games - Hill City Howlers
- Huntzinger, Red Sox Silence Nationals 2-0 - Salem RidgeYaks
- Kinston Goes for Sixth Straight Win Tonight in Frederick - Kinston Indians
- Lynchburg Hillcats Game Notes for May 22, 2010 - Hill City Howlers
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes May 22, 2010 - Winston-Salem Dash
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