Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (August 21 vs. Carolina)
August 21, 2015 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash begin a vital three-game series with the Carolina Mudcats at 7 p.m. from BB&T Ballpark. Winston-Salem leads the Muddies by 2.5 games in the race for the final Southern Division playoff spot.
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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (32-20, 62-60) vs. CAROLINA MUDCATS (30-23, 64-58)
LHP Jordan Guerrero (5-3, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Blair Walters (5-6, 2.72 ERA)
7 p.m. - BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Game #123 (Home Game #64)
DASH WALK OFF, RECLAIM FIRST PLACE
The Dash plated two in the eighth to tie and one in the ninth to defeat Myrtle Beach 5-4 Thursday night at BB&T Ballpark. In the eighth, Cleuluis Rondon and Nolan Earley led off with back-to-back doubles, with the latter of the two pulling Winston-Salem within a run. Two batter later, Eddy Alvarez chased Earley home with a single to knot the contest. In the ninth, the Dash loaded the bases with two outs, and Michael Heesch uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Keon Barnum to score the game-winning run. As a result, the Dash are a half-game better than Myrtle Beach in the Southern Division's second-half standings.
THAT WAS QUICK
The Pelicans surged past the Dash and into first place with Wednesday's doubleheader sweep, which ended Winston-Salem's 55-day run atop the division. That half-starting stretch represents the longest first-place streak in the Dash era (2009-present) by 13 days (42 in 2009). On Thursday, though, the Dash snagged the top spot back. The Dash also maintained a two-and-a-half game lead on Carolina for the Southern Division's final postseason spot.
HUGE WEEKEND SERIES
Because Myrtle Beach won the first-half division crown, the Dash are fighting for the other playoff ticket with the Carolina Mudcats, this weekend's opponent. If the Dash finish with a better record than Carolina (2.5 GU) and Salem (15.0 GU), they would return to the postseason for the first time since 2012 and the fourth time in the Dash era. This weekend marks the final matchup of the season series, one that the Dash lead 11-8.
BREAKING DOWN THE MATCHUP
Statistically, the Dash and Mudcats are very similar. Winston-Salem (3.28) and Carolina (3.29) boast the second and third best ERAs in the CL, respectively. On the flip side, they are the two worst offensive teams by batting average on the eight-team circuit (Mudcats - .243, Dash, .242). Against one another, both teams are averaging less than four runs per game.
ONE-RUN MAGIC
Winston-Salem claimed a walk-off win on a wild pitch for the first time since June 1, 2011. Thanks to Thursday's bizarre victory, the Dash improved to 25-12 (.676) in games decided by three runs or less since the All-Star break. During this span, the Dash are also a league-best 14-2 in one-run contests. In the first half, the Dash were just 18-25 (.419) in games decided by three runs or less. Thursday also brought about the Dash's second walk-off win of 2015. Winston-Salem claimed its fifth triumph in 56 tries when trailing after seven innings, too.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Dash clubbed a pair of home runs Thursday night. Adam Engel began the Dash's offensive attack with a home run in the first, Winston's second leadoff long ball this year. One frame later, Nick Basto blistered a homer, also to left field. Before these two taters, the Dash had endured a 66-inning homerless drought. This year, the Dash have only collected 45 homers, which are tied for sixth in the CL. From 2010-14, Winston easily led the league in total home runs.
TWO INTRIGUING LEFTIES
Friday's opener features a fantastic pitching duel between Winston-Salem's Jordan Guerrero and Carolina's Blair Walters. Since recording his shortest professional start on July 17 at Carolina (2.2 IP, 6 R), Guerrero is 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five outings (6 ER in 33.0 IP with 32 K). Walters, a member of the Dash briefly in 2012, boasts the second-best ERA among CL qualifiers (2.72). In his first five outings against Winston-Salem this year, Walters is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA.
DASH DOTS
The Dash have scored (83) and given up (74) more runs in the first inning than any other frame this year...Winston's bullpen has successfully converted 16 straight save chances and 25 of its last 26...Engel (54) and Alvarez (50) are fourth and fifth, respectively, in stolen bases in all of Minor League Baseball...However, neither stole a base in the three-game set with Myrtle Beach.
Carolina League Stories from August 21, 2015
- Down to the Wire, Birds Drop Opener to Keys - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Lynchburg Uses Four-Run Third to Win Series Opener - Potomac Nationals
- Ramos Powers Wilmington Past Salem in Series Opener - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Bizarre Finish Ends in Keys One-Run Win - Frederick Keys
- Five-Run Fifth Dooms Red Sox in 7-5 Loss - Salem Red Sox
- Basto, Guerrero Help Dash Increase First-Place - Winston-Salem Dash
- Guerrero and Basto Halt Mudcats' Streak at Four with Series Opening Win - Carolina Mudcats
- Four-Run Third Gives Hillcats 5-2 Win over Potomac - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Former Pelicans Reliever Jon Edwards Traded to Padres - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Pelicans Game Notes: 7:00 p.m. at Frederick Keys - August 21, 2015 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mario Martinez Activated - Salem Red Sox
- Hillcats Game Notes August 21, 2015, 6:30 p.m. vs. Potomac - Lynchburg Hillcats
- It's Official: Phillies Call up Former Pelican Jerad Eickhoff to Majors - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (August 21 vs. Carolina) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Wild Pitch Lifts Dash over Pelicans in Finale - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
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