Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (April 29 at Wilmington)
April 29, 2018 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash look for a series-clinching victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks in Sunday's rubber match at Frawley Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m..
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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (12-11) at Wilmington Blue Rocks (10-12)
LHP Bernardo Flores (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Ofreidy Gomez (0-2, 4.97 ERA)
1:35 p.m. - Frawley Stadium (Wilmington, Del.)
Game #24 (Away Game #16)
BASABE HOMERS IN 3-1 LOSS
Luis Basabe launched his fourth home run of the season, but the Dash fell to Wilmington on Saturday night at Frawley Stadium. Basabe's blast came in the top of the first. He took the first pitch he saw from Blue Rock starter Jace Vines and deposited it over the right-field fence to give Winston-Salem an early 1-0 lead. Tanner Banks, who was making his first start of the season, was sharp through his first five frames, but he allowed runs in the third and fifth innings. In the third, Wilmington tied the game when Emmanuel Rivera hit a bloop RBI triple down the right-field line. In the fifth, Banks gave up two runs on three hits - including an RBI single from Rudy Martin - and the Blue Rocks took a 3-1 lead.
SLUGGERS IN THE OUTFIELD
The Dash outfield includes the Carolina League's top three performers in slugging percentage entering play on Saturday, and they continue to litter the circuit's offensive leaderboards:
Micker Adolfo: .322 AVG (fifth), five HRs (T-first), 21 RBIs (first), 28 hits (T-third), .575 SLG (second)
Luis Basabe: .316 AVG (T-eighth), four HRs (T-third), 17 RBIs (T-fourth), & .633 SLG (first)
Joel Booker: .353 AVG (first) and .515 SLG (fifth)
Blake Rutherford: .343 AVG (second) and seven doubles (T-third)
DON'T OVERLOOK THE INFIELD
Infielder Mitch Roman has reached base in each of his last 11 games, and he is batting .375 (12-for-32) in that span with a home run, eight walks and three stolen bases. Roman also has three multi-hit games this year. Meanwhile, infielder Gavin Sheets is third in the Carolina League with a .427 on-base percentage. Catcher Yermin Mercedes has a double and at least one RBI in each of his last three games.
ABOVE .500 AT THE SECOND BREAK?
At 12-11, the Dash are looking to be above .500 at the second scheduled off day of the season for the first time since 2012, when the ballclub was 18-11. Winston-Salem finished 87-51-1 that year, and the team made it the Mills Cup Finals, where they fell in four games to Lynchburg.
OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT
The Dash offense has staked their claim as the best in the 10-team circuit. Winston sits alone atop the Carolina League in several offensive categories, including batting average (.283), hits (219), on-base percentage (.366), slugging percentage (.441), doubles (53) and homers (19).
PROSPECT CITY
The Dash currently have five of the Chicago White Sox top 30 prospects on their active roster, according to MLB Pipeline. The group is led by right-hander Dylan Cease (fifth-best), and it also includes outfielder Blake Rutherford (seventh-best), outfielder Micker Adolfo (10th-best), first baseman Gavin Sheets (11th-best) and outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe (13th-best). Outfielder Luis Robert (third-best) is currently on the disabled list, but he is poised to join Winston-Salem once he recovers from his sprained left thumb.
STARTING TO FIND HIS GROOVE
Sunday's starter Bernardo Flores registered six innings in each of his first three outings. After logging quality starts back-to-back times in his first two times out, the lefty did struggle in his third outing, giving up five runs in a loss to Down East on Tuesday. Flores recovered to allow just two runs in five innings last Sunday against Salem. The former USC Trojan has pitched well at the High-A level as of late. He is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in his last nine starts with the Dash. Following a 14-game stint last year with Low-A Kannapolis, where he went 8-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 14 starts, Flores was bumped up to Winston-Salem on June 16.
DASH DOTS
Following Monday's scheduled off day, the Dash will begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday, with the first of a three-game set against Lynchburg. The Hillcats took two of three against the Dash earlier this week. After that, Winston-Salem will take on the Buies Creek Astros, who currently lead the Southern Division by four games.
Carolina League Stories from April 29, 2018
- Hillcats Squander Late Lead, Fall in Extras to Nationals - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Potomac Stuns Lynchburg 8-4 in Extras - Potomac Nationals
- Mudcats Swept in Three Straight by Wood Ducks in Kinston - Carolina Mudcats
- Four-Run Fourth Spurs 5-3 Triumph, Series Win - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Wood Ducks Sweep the Mudcats with Three Homers - Down East Wood Ducks
- Sox Pecked Down 5-3 by Pelicans Sunday - Salem Red Sox
- Keys Score Nine in Sunday Victory over Astros - Frederick Keys
- Gomez, Bender and Downes Lead Rocks to Shutout Win - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Dash Drop Series Finale to Blue Rocks - Winston-Salem Dash
- April 29 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans: Game Notes, April 29 at Salem - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (April 29 at Wilmington) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Potomac Nationals Game Notes at Lynchburg - Potomac Nationals
- RHP Elvis Diaz placed on the 7-day disabled list - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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