Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (August 5)
August 5, 2021 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash take on Asheville for the third game in a six-game set tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m..
Winston-Salem Dash (31-49) vs. ASHEVILLE TOURISTS (33-44)
LHP Dan Metzdorf (3-3, 5,59 ERA) vs. RHP R.J. Freure (3-5, 6.66 ERA)
6:35 p.m. - McCormick Field (Asheville, NC)
Game #81
DASH RALLY, FALTER LATE IN 8-7 LOSS
The Winston-Salem Dash were bested 8-7 by the Asheville Tourists Wednesday night despite a career-high 10 strikeouts from Dash starter Johan Dominguez.
Winston-Salem tied the game at two in the second following a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly, setting the stage for lights-out pitching from Dominguez. The righty walked none and scattered eight hits over five innings, handing a tie game to the bullpen after the fifth.
After a Samir Dueñez solo homer in the seventh gave the Dash a 3-2 edge, Asheville exploded for five runs in the home seventh to take their first lead at 7-3. The Dash proved feisty, knotting the game in the eighth after RBIs from Alex Destino, Luis Curbelo, Dueñez and Leal brought Winstno-Salem into a stalemate with their intrastate rival for the third time.
Come the eighth though, Justin Dirden delivered the crippling blow with a solo blast to right to give Asheville an 8-7 win and split of the first two games of the series.
DASH ON THE LEADERBOARDS
After Wednesday's contest against the Tourists, the Dash have several players amongst the league leaders in the High-A East.
With 17 doubles, Lenyn Sosa and Luis Curbelo are tied for fourth in the league in two-baggers, while Yoelqui Cespedes (13 doubles) ranks inside the top 20 in the same category despite a late start to the season.
The trio of Curbelo, Destino, and Sosa all rank within the top 20 in RBIs, making the Dash one of three teams to place three or more players inside the top 20 in RBIs.
From the pitching side, Johan Dominguez ranks tied for third in WHIP (1.14) among qualified pitchers in the league, walking just 17 hitters on the season. Davis Martin and Dominguez both sit atop the league in starts made, with Martin's 17 pacing the High-A East. The duo also ranks in the top ten in innings pitched, making the Dash the one of two clubs with two players in the top ten.
THE RED-HOT GAMECOCK
After a scorching series in Greensboro, Alex Destino has shot up the Dash and High-A East leaderboards in several offensive categories. The former South Carolina Gamecock ranks seventh in the High-A East in homers (17), eighth in RBIs (49), and 14th in slugging (.498).
FORMER DASH AT THE NEXT LEVEL
Since the start of the 2021 season, the Dash have promoted nine players to either Double-A Birmingham or Triple-A Charlotte. Many of these players have thrived at the next levels, including recent call-up Caleb Freeman, who struck out four in two perfect innings in his Birmingham Barons debut. Jason Bilous has also impressed at the Double-A level - through 11 starts, the righty has struck out 54 in 44.1 innings with the Barons. Another Dash starter, Taylor Varnell, has punched out nine in seven innings with the Barons this season, parlaying a five-inning shutout start in his Birmingham debut to earn his first Double-A win.
Offensively, Yolbert Sanchez has torched Double-A pitching through his first two series with the Barons. Sanchez is slashing .474/.512/.553 with three doubles and 18 hits while showcasing his regular brand of strong defense.
Winston-Salem has seen three players suit up for both the Dash and Triple-A Charlotte this season as well. Evan Skoug and Johan Cruz have made their Triple-A debuts this year, while Lane Ramsey has pitched for the Dash, Barons, and Knights in 2021, striking out 5 in 3.2 innings after being called up to Charlotte on July 22.
A PREVIEW OF TOMORROW
The Dash will determine their starter for Friday's game at the conclusion of Thursday's contest, working through starting options in the meantime.
Asheville has seen their rotation change after expected Thursday starter Matt Ruppenthal is expected to receive a promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi. As a result, R.J. Freure moves up to start Thursday's game. Asheville will determine their starter after Freure's start.
South Atlantic League Stories from August 5, 2021
- Tourists Drop Game Three to the Dash, 11-6 - Asheville Tourists
- 'Clones Rally Comes up Short, Fall 3-2 to Renegades - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Cyclones Skid Hits Six as They Fall 5-3 to Renegades - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Koss Hits Drive's First Three-Homer Game in One-Hit Shutout Win Over Rome, 4-0 - Greenville Drive
- Hot Rods Held to Six Hits in Blowout Loss on Thursday - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (August 5) - Winston-Salem Dash
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