CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

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

Published on April 9, 2019 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


After back-to-back losses, the Dash look to rebound on Tuesday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m..

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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (3-2) at Wilmington Blue Rocks (3-2)

LHP Cristian Castillo (first start of 2019) vs. RHP Nolan Watson (first start of 2019)

6:35 p.m. - Frawley Stadium (Wilmington, Del.)

Game #6 (Road Game #6)

ROBERT GOES DEEP IN 5-3 LOSS

Dash outfielder Luis Robert continued his hot hitting by smashing his fourth homer of the season on Monday night, but the Wilmington Blue Rocks outlasted Winston-Salem 5-3 in the series opener at Frawley Stadium. After doubling and scoring in the first inning, Robert blasted a solo shot down the right-field line to make it a 2-0 contest. He'd drive in the final run for Winston-Salem with an RBI fielder's choice in the fifth, but Wilmington seized the lead for good with a three-run bottom of the sixth. Daniel Tillo earned the win by tossing a quality start (6IP, 3R) and Tad Ratliff recorded his second save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

SERIOUSLY, HE CAN'T BE STOPPED

Robert, who is ranked the 39th-best prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline, is off to a torrid start to 2019. Through five games, Robert is 11-for-21 with four homers, 12 RBIs and a batting line of .524/.583/1.190. He has also posted five consecutive multi-hit games for the first time since playing Minor League Baseball in the United States. Robert was inked to a $26 million signing bonus by the White Sox in May of 2017. It was the second-largest bonus given to an amateur, behind only Yoan Moncada's initial deal with the Boston Red Sox ($31 million). Robert posted an .813 slugging percentage in big league Spring Training.

MORE FROM "LA PANTERA" HIMSELF

Despite Robert's current success, his first year in the United States was not smooth sailing. Robert sustained a thumb injury in Spring Training last year that sidelined him for the start of the season. Robert would spend several stints on the IL in 2018. On Monday, he spoke about how it affected him (through translator Anthony Santiago), "Last year with the injuries, they did not allow me to play too much. Started off with the original injury and then not being 100% when I was saying that I felt ready, which led me to a [wrist] injury. But the two weeks I had off after the season and before the Arizona Fall League helped out, getting some extra rest and going into the Fall League, which helped me have good results there."

YOUNGEST IN FULL-SEASON MILB

Only 28 years old, Justin Jirschele is the 48th manager in Winston-Salem's franchise history, and he is the first former Dash player to become the team's skipper. Jirschele is also the youngest manager in full-season Minor League Baseball this year. He previously served as the manager of the Low-A Kannapolis Intimidators, helping the team reach the playoffs in 2017 and 2018. Before joining the coaching ranks, Jirschele, the son of Kansas City Royals third base coach Mike Jirschele, played in the White Sox system from 2012-2015.

TRADING BLUE FOR PURPLE

Interestingly enough, Winston-Salem's first two scheduled starters in this series previously played for the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Kyle Kubat, who pitched on Monday, played for Wilmington in 2016, posting a 4.28 ERA in 25 games. The former Nebraska Cornhusker was traded from the Royals to the White Sox before the 2017 season. Meanwhile, Cristian Castillo, who will start on Tuesday night, pitched for Wilmington last season, yielding a 5.16 ERA in 17 games. The Royals traded Castillo to the White Sox for cash in late March of this year.

STARTING TO FIND HIS STROKE

White Sox first-round pick Nick Madrigal posted his first two-hit game of the season on Monday, going 2-for-3 with two singles and a sacrifice fly. Prior to the series opener at Wilmington, Madrigal was just 1-for-12 to start the campaign. The former Oregon State star is back in a Dash uniform after ending last season with Winston-Salem, where he recorded a .355 on-base percentage in 26 games.

DASH DOTS

Due to a rainout on Monday, Dash alumnus Dylan Cease will make his first Triple-A tonight start in game one of a doubleheader against Norfolk. Cease was named the 2018 MLB Pipeline Pitcher of the Year after posting 160 strikeouts in 124.0 innings pitched...Craig Dedelow has reached base in each of his first five starts at the High-A level, posting an overall on-base percentage of .500.

Check out the Winston-Salem Dash Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from April 9, 2019


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