Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (May 2 vs. Myrtle Beach)
May 2, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
After winning a series in Frederick over the weekend, the Dash begin a week-long homestand with the first of three against division rival Myrtle Beach. First pitch from BB&T Ballpark is set for 7 p.m.
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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (10-14) vs. MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS (11-11)
LHP Blair Walters (1-1, 4.95 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Stinnett (2-0, 2.55 ERA)
7 p.m. - BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Game #25 (Home Game #11)
KEYS SPOIL DASH'S SWEEP BID SUNDAY
Four Frederick pitchers combined to limit the Dash to five hits in a 5-2 Keys victory on Sunday afternoon from NYMEO Field. Starter Matthew Grimes, whom the White Sox drafted out of high school but did not sign, worked into the seventh and gave up both runs before the bullpen never allowed a true late-inning surge. Winston-Salem plated a run in the first and had second and third with nobody out in the second, but the Dash did not take advantage. The Keys responded with three in their half of the second against Jordan Stephens to seize the lead for good.
STILL A STRONG ROAD TRIP
Even though they missed out on their first sweep of 2016, the Dash continued their great work away from home this season. Winston-Salem boasts an 8-6 road record and has rattled off three consecutive road series triumphs for the first time since June 13-30, 2013. Since April 12, the club is 7-2 away from home, which matches Winston-Salem's best nine-game road run in the Dash era (2009-present).
ON THE FLIP SIDE
The Dash have shined on the road, but they are in the basement of the Southern Division due to a rare funk at BB&T Ballpark. Winston-Salem has dropped eight of its first 10 home games, the franchise's worst single-season 10-game stretch since this downtown facility opened in 2010. This week-long homestand features the same two opponents who sent the Dash to a 1-6 start at home from April 14-20. Salem handed Winston-Salem just its second four-game sweep at BB&T Ballpark before Myrtle Beach took two of three, with the Dash's lone win a walk-off.
DASH HITTERS HEATING UP
Several Dash hitters have shined as of late. Gerson Montilla is hitting .370 (17-for-46) with 11 RBIs and 12 runs in his last 12 games. Mason Robbins is 12-for-29 (.414) in his last six. Marcus Davis has two straight multi-hit tilts and is second on the team in that category (9).
BASTO'S BACK TO EVERYONE
The Dash's hottest hitter all season long has been first baseman Nick Basto. Despite an 0-for-4 showing Sunday in Frederick, Basto still paces the Minor Leagues with 39 hits, one more than Stockton's James Harris for the top spot. No other Minor Leaguer has more than 34 knocks. Basto's .415 average trails only Fort Wayne's Austin Allen (.462) among qualifiers. Only six Minor League hitters boast batting averages above the .400 mark.
NO DOUBLE DIGITS
The former fifth-round pick did see his nine-game hitting streak, the longest from a Dash hitter in 2016, come to an end Sunday. During this surge, Basto hit a ridiculous .538 (21-for-39) with three homers and eight RBIs. Overall in the Carolina League, Basto leads the way in batting average by .055, on-base percentage by .012, hits by seven and total bases by one.
QUITE THE RIVALRY
Winston-Salem and Myrtle Beach renew what has been a remarkably even rivalry over the next three days. Since the start of the 2015 season, the Dash and Pelicans have played 35 times (regular season and playoffs), with the latter of the two owning a slight 18-17 lead. Each of the last 10 games have been decided by three runs or less, including five by a single tally. These two clubs will meet nine more times before the All-Star break, with this series being the final such clash in the Triad.
DASH DOTS
Stephens logged the shortest start by a Dash hurler thus far this season, though he only gave up two earned runs...Dash alumnus Chris Sale became the first to six wins in Major League Baseball with a victory at Baltimore on Sunday...He is the first Sox pitcher to post a win in his first six outings since Jon Garland in 2005...Myrtle Beach's Sunday finale at home against Salem was postponed due to rain...The Birds also had a finale at Potomac washed out Thursday.
Carolina League Stories from May 2, 2016
- Basto Goes Deep in Extra-Inning Loss to Pelicans - Winston-Salem Dash
- Pitching Leads Pelicans to Series-Opening Win over Dash - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Blue Rocks Give Up Double Digit Runs, Losing Streak Hits Double Digits - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Complete Effort Yields Keys Nine-Run Win - Frederick Keys
- Monday Opener vs. Lynchburg Suspended in the 5th, P-Nats Lead 4-2 - Potomac Nationals
- Hillcats Game Suspended in Fifth Inning - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Tonight's Game in Salem Postponed Due to Rain - Carolina Mudcats
- Monday's Game vs Carolina Postponed - Salem Red Sox
- May 2 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- Obregon Placed on Disabled List - Carolina Mudcats
- Grimes Named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week - Frederick Keys
- Benintendi Named Carolina League Player of the Week - Salem Red Sox
- Jordan Betts Joins Salem Red Sox Roster - Salem Red Sox
- Winston-Salem Dash: Game Notes (May 2 vs. Myrtle Beach) - Winston-Salem Dash
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
