CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (April 9 at Lynchburg)

Published on April 9, 2016 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


The Dash continue their season-opening series in chilly, windy Lynchburg at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Right-hander Thad Lowry, who won 16 games with Kannapolis over the last two seasons, makes his Winston-Salem debut.

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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (1-1) at LYNCHBURG HILLCATS (1-1)

RHP Thad Lowry vs. LHP Luis Lugo

6:30 p.m. - Calvin Falwell Field (Lynchburg, Va.)

Game #3 (Road Game #3)

HILLCATS EDGE DASH IN SEE-SAW CLASH

A three-run sixth inning brought about the final lead change in Lynchburg's 5-4 victory over the Dash on Friday night from Calvin Falwell Field. In his High-A debut, Kelvis Valerio allowed the first four men he faced to reach in the deciding inning. Winston-Salem did have a great chance to tie the game in the eighth, but Anderson Polanco stranded the bases loaded with nobody out to preserve a one-run lead. Polanco worked four and a third innings en route to the victory.

TWO BY TWO

Three Dash hitters are off to stellar starts in 2016. Nick Basto is even with Carolina's Keith Curcio for the league lead with five hits, while both Michael Danner and Hunter Jones are in a nine-way tie for third with four. Here is a look at all three men's early efforts:

Basto: 5-for-11 (.455), 3 RBIs, 3 R

Danner: 4-for-9 (.444), 2 RBIs, 2 R

Jones: 4-for-10 (.400), 2 RBIs, 3 R, 3 SB

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SITUATIONS

The winner in each of the first two games of this series has been the team to avoid letdowns after creating run-scoring opportunities. On Thursday, Lynchburg stranded 18 runners and went 4-for-22 with men in scoring position. Winston-Salem was the team to struggle on Friday, leaving 10 men on base and six in scoring position. In the eighth, after the Dash scored a run on a bases-loaded walk, Lynchburg third baseman Claudio Bautista made a dazzling diving play to preserve the lead, which jump-started Polanco's Houdini-like escape.

STRONG FIRST START

Righty Matt Cooper made his first professional start in his 60th appearance on Friday night, and he turned in a solid outing. The former University of Hawaii star permitted two runs on five hits in five innings, during which he struck out seven. Cooper's two blemishes came on back-to-back pitches in the fourth inning: a Sicnarf Loopstok RBI single and a Bautista RBI double.

RECORD-SETTING HURLER TO DEBUT

Saturday starter Thad Lowry will make his first appearance in High-A on Saturday. A year ago, Lowry won 12 games with Low-A Kannapolis, giving him 16 for his Intimidators career. Those 16 wins are good for a share of the most by a Kannapolis hurler (Brian Miller). In addition to his record-tying effort, Lowry led the South Atlantic League with 150.2 innings pitched, which were good for fourth in all of Low-A. More information on Lowry is available on page 3 of the attached document.

FIVE OF THE SOX TOP PROSPECTS

Of the top 30 prospects in the White Sox system according to MLB Pipeline, five of them begin the season in Winston-Salem, and all are pitchers. Right-hander Spencer Adams is the top farmhand on the roster and the third-best in the organization, behind only righty Carson Fulmer and shortstop Tim Anderson. Jordan Stephens (13th), Thad Lowry (21st), Danny Dopico (26th) and Andre Wheeler (30th) round out the talented group of prospect pitchers.

A WACKY OPENER

Winston-Salem and Lynchburg played a bizarre season opener Thursday. The Dash claimed a 14-6, 13-inning game that took four hours and 59 minutes, marking the second-longest game in the Dash era (2009-present). This does not even include a 25-minute delay due to a thunderstorm that dropped hail in the first inning. The Dash scored more runs on Opening Day than any team in Minor League Baseball.

ALL-TIME KANNAPOLIS WINNER

Kannapolis has had a baseball franchise since 1995, and no man has won more games for the club than Lowry. The right-hander won four games during his 17-start season of 2014, and he soared to much greater heights in 2014. Lowry led the Intimidators and finished in a tie for second in the South Atlantic League with 12 victories in 2015. On August 28, Lowry worked 5.2 innings en route to the record-tying 16th career win, which evened him with Brian Miller (2002-03) for the all-time mark. Lowry had two chances to set a new standard in career triumphs, but he suffered a no decision at Hagerstown on September 2 and lost in the season finale against West Virginia on September 7.

A LATE CATCH

This talented pitching prospect was more well known as a catcher when he performed at the World Wood Bat Association World Championships in the fall of 2012. However, he began to make a name for himself as a pitcher at this high school showcase, and he hit 96 in a scrimmage shortly thereafter. Thus, Lowry began to focus on pitching, which quickly propelled him into the MLB Draft conversation. The White Sox selected him in the fifth round in 2013, and a $400,000 signing bonus persuaded the Texas native to pass on a scholarship to Texas Tech.

DASH DOTS

Winston-Salem has still yet to start a season 2-0 in the Dash era...Friday marked just the team's third chance to accomplish the feat, as the Dash are now 3-5 in the season opener...Lynchburg starter Luis Lugo was 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three starts against the Dash in 2015... Former Dash star Carson Fulmer gave up five runs in 2.2 innings in his Double-A debut Friday...He gave up a grand slam to former Dash All-Star Brady Shoemaker (now with Jacksonville).

Check out the Winston-Salem Dash Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from April 9, 2016


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