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CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington's Late Rally Comes up Short in Two-Run Loss to Frederick

April 23, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


FREDERICK, M.D. - The Blue Rocks mounted a furious rally in the ninth inning on Thursday, scoring two in the frame and getting the tying run to the plate, but they couldn't finish the comeback, as they fell to the Frederick Keys 7-5. Wilmington drops back to .500 on the season, sitting at 7-7 as a result of the loss. Trey Mancini led the charge for the Keys, recording a 3-for-4 night with a double, a run, and two RBI's. Anthony Hewitt also collected three hits for Frederick, including two doubles, a run, and a RBI.

Wilmington starter Eric Skoglund struggled for the first time this season, and could not hold onto an early lead provided by his offense. Skoglund did go six innings, but he allowed five earned runs on nine hits and a walk, striking out four. Frederick starting pitcher Jarret Miller finished one out shy of being eligible for a win, throwing 4.2 innings, yielding three runs on eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts.

The Blue Rocks got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Mauricio Ramos doubled to begin the frame, and was followed by a single by Zane Evans. After Dominique Taylor struck out, Cam Gallagher knocked a base hit to drive in Ramos. Later, with the bases loaded and two out, Ramon Torres walked to force in the second and final run of the inning.

Frederick responded an inning later with three runs to take the lead. Anthony Hewitt doubled to open up the bottom of the third, and the next batter, Tucker Nathans, drove him in with a single. Nathans moved up two bases via two outs by his teammates, as Gregory Lorenzo produced a sacrifice bunt, and Jeff Kemp flew out, advancing Nathans to third. Drew Dosch would then come through with an RBI single, plating Nathans and tying the game. The Keys would take the lead on a line drive by Trey Mancini that was hit directly at Wilmington right fielder Logan Moon, who lost it in the lights, allowing the ball to get by him. Skoglund would get Chance Sisco to ground out to end the frame.

Frederick padded their lead in the next inning to push their edge to 4-2. With one out and Brenden Webb in scoring position after he walked and stole second, Hewitt laced a double that plated Webb. Skoglund struck out the next two men to the dish to end the frame without further damage.

The Rocks got back to within one run in the very next half inning, thanks to a pair of singles by Wilmington infielders. Jack Lopez reached on a base hit with one down in the frame, and after he stole his way to third, Ramos hit a ground ball off the glove of Miller, and reached on the infield hit, scoring Lopez in the process. The Ramos knock would spell the end of Miller's night, but Jon Keller came in and got Evans to ground out, ending the fifth inning.

The Keys got the run back in the bottom of the frame, pushing their advantage to 5-3. Kemp doubled to begin the inning, and after moving up to third base on a Dosch grounder, Mancini recorded his second run-producing hit of the night with a single that plated Kemp.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Frederick scratched across two more runs to give them some much needed insurance. Three straight singles by Dosch, Mancini, and Sisco accounted for the first run of the inning, and with Mancini on third base, Adrian Marin reached on a fielder's choice to score the second run.

The Blue Rocks went down swinging in the ninth, scoring twice before the end of the contest. Gallagher walked to begin the inning and came around to score on a single by Moon. Two batters later, Lopez smacked a double to score Moon, bringing the tying run to the plate with two outs. Wilmington's evening would end there, however, when Frank Schwindel struck out to end the game.

Wilmington and Frederick meet again in Maryland on Friday in the second game of their four game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and fans can listen to the broadcast on 89.7 WGLS-FM. The Rocks return to Frawley Stadium on Tuesday, April 28 when they welcome the Myrtle Beach Pelicans to town. For tickets, call 302-888-BLUE.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Eric Skoglund did not have his best stuff on Thursday, but the lefty showed some toughness on the mound, fighting through six innings. He is only the second Rocks starter to make it through six frames this season, with the other one being Juke Junis, who has actually done it twice (April 15 at Carolina, and April 20 vs. Potomac). Skoglund, who has been known as a ground ball pitcher this year, uncharacteristically issued lots of fly balls on Thursday, with eight of his 18 outs coming in the air.

Even when Ramon Torres can't manage to produce a hit, he still finds a way to help the Wilmington offense. With two outs in the top of the second inning, the switch hitter worked a bases loaded walk that scored Zane Evans, giving the Rocks a 2-0 lead at the time. The run batted in was Torres's second of the year. Torres finished the night 0-for-4, but even with a hitless effort, the middle infielder has hit safely in all but two games during the 2015 campaign.

Jack Lopez manufactured a run with his speed for the Blue Rocks Thursday night. With one down in the top of the fifth inning, Lopez singled, then stole both second and third base. He would come around to score on a two-out infield single by Mauricio Ramos. The thefts were Lopez's first two of the season. He has finished second on the Blue Rocks in steals in each of the last two years.

Bubba Starling must now be referred to as a former Blue Rock, as the center fielder was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas earlier Thursday morning. Starling spent his entire 2014 season in Wilmington, during which he batted .218 with nine home runs and 54 RBI's. Starling was one of the best players in the Carolina League during his short second season with the Rocks. In 12 games played with the Blue Crew, Starling batted .386 with two homers, four doubles, six runs scored, and 12 RBI's.

THEY SAID IT:

Manager Brian Buchanan:

"(Eric Skoglund) did leave some pitches up, and they hit them. But he gave us six solid innings, kept us in the game, and he competed. Even with his stuff being elevated a little bit, he still went out there and gave us a shot to win the game."

"(Skoglund) was laboring. Every inning seemed like it was a tough inning for him. I was talking to (Pitching Coach Steve) Luebber after the fifth (inning), and he came in and said he wanted to go one more inning. His pitch count was down, so we gave him a shot to go out there and get the six inning, and he got out of it...he competed his rear end off for us, and unfortunately we couldn't get some runs for him. But that's what you want to see when a guy doesn't have his best stuff, to go out there and still give us a chance to win the game."

"With the bases loaded this year, I think we're trying too hard. I talked to them the other day in a meeting. In that situation, you're not trying to get the guy in from first (base), you're trying to get the guy in from third (base). A lot of times they put unwarranted pressure on themselves, and they need to learn that the pressure is on the pitcher and not them. It will come; it's just part of being a young hitter and learning the situation. The at-bats have been good I think, and we had a chance there tonight in the ninth (inning) with the tying run at the plate after being down 7-3. They are battling. It was a cold night to hit."

"(The offense) did a good job there in the ninth (inning). That's what you want, to keep playing until it's over, and they did that tonight. They (have) to learn how to play in this (cold) weather. There was a blizzard the other day in Detroit, so if they make it into the big leagues they're going to have to play in it. It's just part of the gig."

"(Jack Lopez) did a nice job stealing third base there with two outs, and (Mauricio) Ramos got that infield single, and that's what you want to do in games like that. If they are going to give you third (base), we're going to take it. Even with two outs, that can happen. The ball went off the pitcher's glove and we ended up getting a run out of it. He's been having good at-bats all year...he hasn't been rewarded with any hits, but he's doing a nice job."

"(Jack Lopez) still has the same approach, he's not trying to do too much. I think, this being his third year in the league, he knows what kind of player he is now. He's working his rear end off to put some at-bats together...it's not paying off as far as (batting) average or anything like that, but he's going to be hitting second, and he's having good (at-bats)."

"(Dominique Taylor) plays a great outfield. He plays a great center field. All four of those guys will move around and play different positions. Losing Bubba (Starling) is tough, but we've got good enough players that we can fill in there and hopefully not lose a beat. Taylor did a real nice job in center (field)."

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