CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Dash Doubleheader Game Notes

Published on May 18, 2011 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM DASH (17-20) vs. MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (23-14)

Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 12:00 noon | BB&T Ballpark ⌂ Winston-Salem, NC

Webcast available on www.wsdash.com 15 minutes before first pitch

Games No. 38 & 39 | Home Games No. 20 & 21 | 2011 Home Record 9-10 | 2011 Road Record 8-10

Game One: RHP Andre Rienzo (1-1, 2.95) vs. LHP Robbie Erlin (3-1, 2.14)

Game Two: TBA vs. RHP Kennil Gomez (0-1, 2.70)

Water Fowl: Last night's game between the Dash and Pelicans was rained out and the teams will play a doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games starting today at noon. It marked the third time this season Winston has had a game rained out and this will be the team's third doubleheader of 2011. The Dash have split both of their previous doubleheaders against the Nationals and Blue Rocks. Coincidentally, the Dash and Pelicans played a day-night doubleheader almost exactly one year ago at BB&T Ballpark. On May 19, 2010, the teams played a nine-inning game at noon, which was won by the Pelicans 5-0. They were slated to play another nine-inning game at 7 p.m. that night, but the game ended up going 20 innings. After five and a half more hours of baseball, the Dash pulled out a dramatic 4-3 victory in a game that did not end until 12:30 a.m. That day, Winston and Myrtle played 29 innings in a pair of games that lasted a combined seven hours and 46 minutes. No one is hoping for a replay of that today.

Delayed Dissatisfaction: Monday night the Pelicans beat the rain and then the Dash, as Winston-Salem dropped a 3-2 decision in the first game of the teams' four-game series at BB&T Ballpark. After a one hour, 15 minute-delay to start the game, the teams sat through a 19-minute delay after the top of the first inning. Myrtle built up a 3-0 lead against Terry Doyle and held off Winston behind very good pitching from Joe Wieland (6.1 innings) and Ryan Kelly (2.2). The loss snapped the Dash's three-game winning streak and dropped Winston to six games back in the division.

Big Stretch: The Dash are in the midst of a defining stretch for the first half of the season with ten straight games against the top two teams in the Carolina League: Salem and Myrtle Beach, two teams that happen to be in the same division as Winston-Salem. The Dash are 3-1 through four games against the Red Sox and Pelicans and can put themselves into position to make some noise for a potential playoff berth if they come out ahead during these important games.

On-Coll: Kyle Colligan hit his first home run of the season in the eighth inning Monday night to narrow Winston's deficit to one run. It was Colligan's first home run since August 1, 2010 when he was playing for low-A Kannapolis at Hickory. The Texan had gone 98 consecutive plate appearances between dingers before Monday night.

Only One Sheriff: Winston-Salem has still yet to taste success against this Rangers-affiliated Pelicans club. Between Monday night's loss and the sweep in South Carolina, the Dash are 0-4 this season against Myrtle Beach. While Winston has not emerged victorious in these games, the team has played the Pelicans close in every contest. Three of the Dash's losses have been by one run while in the other, Winston led by in the eighth before Myrtle scored five runs to win by three.

Colombian Exchange: Luis Sierra's tough start to the season is now a fading memory, as the Colombian catcher has been red-hot over the last two weeks. He went 4 for 8 with a home run, a double, and four runs scored in the Salem series. Sierra started the season just 2 for 27 (.074) at the plate, but appears to have rediscovered the form that led him to post a career-best year in 2010. Since the slow start, Sierra is hitting .364 (12 for 33) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, six RBI, and eight runs scored. For the month of May, he leads the Dash in batting average, on-base percentage (.417), and OPS (.992).

No Win Situation: Once again, Terry Doyle (0-5) deserved better than a loss Monday night, as the right-hander matched a career-high with eight innings pitched, allowing thee runs (two earned) on six hits (three of the infield variety). It was Doyle's fourth straight quality start and fifth overall this season. He has taken the loss in four of his quality starts this season, mostly because he has not received much support from his offense. The Dash score an average of 3.5 runs in games Doyle starts, the second lowest on the team (only Joe Serafin, who gets an average of 3.0 runs of support, is lower). Doyle is tied for the Carolina League lead with five losses, but owns a 3.86 ERA. Excluding one tough outing against the Keys last month, Doyle's ERA would stand at 3.14. He has been a workhorse for Winston-Salem, ranking second in the CL with 49 innings pitched.

Rotation Revolution: Doyle's outing Monday night continued a strong stretch for Winston-Salem's starting pitchers. The Dash have quality starts from their starters in six of the last seven games and the rotation has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 of the last 17 contests, posting a 3.06 ERA (34 ER, 100 IP) in that stretch.

Gac Attack: Ian Gac hit a laser-beam of a home run Friday night in the fifth inning to extend the Dash's lead to 5-0. Gac leads the Carolina League with 11 home runs on pace to hit 42 dingers this season. He is tied for second in the CL with 25 RBI, is tied for first in games played (37), fourth in at bats (138), first in slugging percentage (.594), tied for first in extra-base hits (21), first in runs (30), first in total bases (82), and second in best home runs per at bats ratio (1/12.55).

Ciolli No Evil: Nick Ciolli has been heating up as the month of May progresses. In his last six games, Ciolli is 8 for 24 (.333) with a home run, a double, two triples, and seven RBI, raising his batting average from .204 to .244 in the process. Eight of his 19 hits this season have gone for extra bases, and his .459 slugging percentage is second on the Dash (behind only Ian Gac). In ten games with Winston-Salem near the end of last season, Ciolli hit .375 with seven of his 15 hits going for extra bases.

Keeping ‚¬Ëœem Close: The Dash have played mostly close games this season. Thirty of the team's 37 games have been decided by three runs or fewer and the team has had a lead in 29 games this season. Winston has played 15 one-run games and 11 two-run games. The Dash are 7-8 in one-run games and 6-5 in two run contests. At this rate, the Dash would play 98 one - or two-run games this season.

Today's Game One Opposing Starter: LHP Robbie Erlin (3-1, 2.14) makes his eighth start of the season and his second against the Dash. He got a no-decision against the Dash on April 20 at BB&T Coastal Field, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in five innings. Since his sub-par outing against Winston-Salem, Erlin has allowed just three runs in his last four starts, posting a 1.35 ERA while striking out 31 batters and walking only two. Erlin entered the season ranked as the Rangers' fourth-best prospect according to Baseball America. Last year at low-A Hickory, he was a South Atlantic League All-Star, going 6-3 with a 2.12 ERA and one save in 28 games (17 starts). He was the first high school draftee that the current Rangers development staff placed on a full-season team directly out of his first spring training. His ERA led the league and was third among all minor league pitchers in full-season leagues. Erlin struck out 125 batters and walked just 17 in 114.2 innings; his 7.4 K/BB ratio led the SAL. He was drafted by Texas out of Scotts Valley (CA) High School in the third round in 2009. He eschewed his commitment to attend Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for a reported bonus of $425,000. Just 20-years-old, Erlin has pitched beyond his years as a professional, displaying terrific arm action and mechanics. He throws his fastball 89-91 mph and also features an 11-7 curveball and an upper-70s changeup. As a high school senior, he went 9-1 with a 0.63 ERA with 125 strikeouts in 62 innings and was named Sentinel All-County Player of the Year. He threw four complete games, including a 15-strikeout no-hitter, and compiled a scoreless innings streak of 45 innings.

Today's Game Two Opposing Starter: RHP Kennil Gomez (0-1, 2.70) makes his second start and tenth appearance of the season in the second game of today's doubleheader. Gomez did not get a decision in his only other start this season, also in the second game of a double-dip against Potomac, allowing three runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Gomez has been tough to hit in relief this season, posting a 1.62 ERA and a .193 opponents' batting average. This is his third straight season at the Advanced-A level, having spent all of the last two years with Bakersfield in the California League. He was 5-9 with a 6.47 ERA in 24 games (14 starts) for the Blaze last year and 8-10 with a 5.27 ERA in 26 starts in 2009. Gomez was a 2008 All-Star in the Midwest League. He originally signed with Texas out of the Dominican Republic as an 18-year-old in 2006.

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Carolina League Stories from May 18, 2011


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