Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (July 11 at Fayetteville)
July 11, 2019 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
Following a one-run loss on Wednesday, the Dash continue their three-game set against the Woodpeckers on Thursday at Segra Stadium. First pitch is set for 7 p.m..
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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (9-12, 47-38) at Fayetteville Woodpeckers (10-10, 41-48)
LHP Konnor Pilkington (1-5, 5.40 ERA) vs. RHP Cody Deason (first High-A start)
7 p.m. - Segram Stadium (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Game #86 (Away Game #42)
SKOUG HOMERS IN WEDNESDAY'S LOSS
Despite a clutch homer from Evan Skoug in Wednesday's series opener at Segra Stadium, the Dash fell 3-2 against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers. With the Dash down 2-0 in the eighth inning, JJ Muno led off the frame with a walk against Austin Hansen. Following a groundout by Tate Blackman, Skoug crushed a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right-center to knot the contest at two. However, Fayetteville retook the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth against Jose Nin. Jake Adams reached on a one-out single, and, after Enmanuel Valdez flied out to left, Miguelangel Sierra stepped to the plate. With Sierra up, Adams stole second, and he moved to third on a throwing error by Skoug. On a 3-2 pitch, Sierra grounded a go-ahead single through the right side to put the Woodpeckers ahead 3-2.
RECAPPING THE FIRST HALF
With a victory against Carolina on June 16, Winston-Salem clinched its third-best first-half winning percentage (.594) in the Dash era (2009-present). The Dash also ended the first half in second place in the Southern Division. By posting a .594 winning percentage, the 2019 team trailed only the 2012 club (.637) and 2010 team (.614) in first-half finishes.
SKOUG HAS FOUND HIS STROKE
A former seventh-round pick out of TCU, Skoug has now hit a homer in back-to-back starts, and he has increased his slugging percentage to .500 at the High-A level. Prior to joining the Dash, Skoug was hitting .172 in 18 games with Low-A Kannapolis. Before joining the White Sox organization, Skoug was batting in the middle of the lineup for the Horned Frogs, helping TCU reach the College World Series three consecutive years.
FIVE OUT OF 10 IN THE SECOND HALF
In the Dash's history (2009-present), Winston-Salem has had the best second-half record in the Southern Division five separate times. These years include 2009 (tied with Salem), 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2018 (tied with Buies Creek).
LOOKING TO TURN IT AROUND
Left-hander Konnor Pilkington will make his 10th start for Winston-Salem on Thursday against Fayetteville. Pilkington, who was named the White Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April, is 0-4 with a 5.85 ERA in four second-half starts. However, his last first-half start was spectacular, as he carried a no-hit bid into the sixth against the Carolina Mudcats before having it broken up by a single from Ryan Aguilar. His no-hit bid (5.2IP) on June 15 was the longest for a Dash pitcher since Dane Dunning went 6.1 no-hit frames at Myrtle Beach on April 11, 2018, before giving up a hit. A former third-round pick out of Mississippi State, Pilkington has allowed one run or fewer in eight out of 15 starts this year between Low-A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem.
THE GIVE AND TAKE ON OFFENSE
Despite scoring just 42 runs over the last 14 games, the Dash are the only team in the Carolina League that is in the top three in batting average (3rd, .253), on-base percentage (1st, .336) and slugging percentage (2nd, .388). Meanwhile, the Dash are third in homers (64) and fifth in runs scored (386). However, in the second half, the Dash have struggled with runners in scoring position, hitting at a .222 (42-for-189) clip.
NOT A LOT OF SEPARATION
Through the first 21 games of the second half, the Dash have not played a contest where the margin of victory or defeat was more than four runs. Here's the breakdown of the Dash's record in these games:
One-run games: 4-5
Two-run games: 3-4
Three-run games: 1-2
Four-run games: 1-1
ALWAYS CLOSE WITH FAYETTEVILLE
After going 6-1 through their first seven games against the Woodpeckers, the Dash have now lost four consecutive games against their Southern Division foe. However, all these contests have been close, as Winston-Salem has lost by a combined margin of nine runs in this four-game stretch.
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