Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (May 29 at Potomac)
May 29, 2016 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash have dropped five in a row entering Sunday's matinee against Potomac from beautiful Pfitzner Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
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WINSTON-SALEM DASH (17-33) at POTOMAC NATIONALS (26-20)
RHP Jordan Stephens (0-6, 5.31 ERA) vs. RHP Boone Whiting (5-1, 3.45 ERA)
1:05 p.m. - Pfitzner Stadium (Woodbridge, Va.)
Game #51 (Road Game #27)
EARLY OFFENSE LIFTS NATS PAST DASH
Potomac plated five runs in Saturday's first four innings against Thad Lowry en route to a 5-2 victory over Winston-Salem at Pfitzner Stadium. The Nationals' bottom four hitters plated all five runs and collected all four RBIs. Potomac starter Erick Fedde blanked the Dash over six frames. Winston-Salem did pull within three thanks to a Toby Thomas two-run homer in the seventh against big league rehabber Matt Belisle, and Winston threatened in the eighth and ninth. However, the Dash left a pair in both instances.
LENGTHY SCORING DROUGHT
Thomas' two-run blast snapped the Dash's 20-inning scoring drought, which started with the fifth frame on Thursday against Frederick. Still, the Dash failed to surpass three runs for the 22nd time in 50 games this year. Winston-Salem is 1-21 when scoring three runs or less this year. Overall this season, the Dash are sixth in the Carolina League in runs per game (3.9).
NOT THE HIGH FIVES YOU WANT
For the third time this season, Winston-Salem has dropped five consecutive games. The Dash also lost five in a row from April 14-18 and May 1-6. During last year's playoff season, Winston only had two skids of five games, while the club has not endured a losing streak longer than five since a seven-gamer from August 21-27, 2014. Because of this current funk, the Dash have fallen a season-worst 16 games under .500 and 15.5 games back of first place in the division.
A FIRST FOR STEPHENS?
Sunday starter Jordan Stephens shined in his first and only duel with Potomac. On May 13 at BB&T Ballpark, Stephens permitted just three runs over a career-high seven innings. This will be Stephens' 21st appearance and 11th start as a professional, and he has never earned a win. His six losses are tied for the most in the CL, while the Dash are 1-8 in games that Stephens starts (lone win - May 13). More information on Stephens is available on page 3 of the attached document.
OFFENSIVE POSITIVES
Cleuluis Rondon has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games, including his 1-for-3 effort Saturday. During this surge, he is hitting .333 (16-for-48), which has raised his season-long average 83 points (.120 to .203). Marcus Davis is riding a seven-game hitting streak, during which he has a .290 average (9-for-31). Within the CL, Hunter Jones is first in hits (58), second in total bases (87) and fourth in runs (36) and steals (22).
BEST IN THE MINORS
Due to his 12-strikeout performance in Friday's series opener, right-hander Matt Cooper paces the Minor Leagues with 75 strikeouts. Tyler Glasnow of Indianapolis (Triple-A, Pittsburgh) places second in the Minors with 69, while Carolina's Max Povse is the CL's second-best strikeout pitcher, though he only has 57. Cooper is scheduled to pitch again Thursday night against the Carolina Mudcats at BB&T Ballpark.
MORE ON FRIDAY'S GAME
Here are some other facts from Friday's wacky opener, which resulted in a 2-0 Potomac win:
- Cooper fell one strikeout shy of the Dash-era record (J.B. Wendelken, July 30, 2014).
- Cooper also recorded the longest complete game by a Dash pitcher since July 20, 2014, when Tony Bucciferro tossed a nine-inning shutout at Frederick.
- The game was completed in just one hour and 52 minutes, the shortest nine-inning game in Minor League Baseball this season.
- This contest came almost two years to the day of a nine-inning game that took just one hour and 48 minutes (May 28, 2014), the shortest time for a nine-inning MiLB game in 2014.
DASH DOTS
Winston-Salem is 1-9 in day games this season (first pitch at or before 4 p.m.)...Gerson Montilla has failed to drive home a run in his last five games after surging for 17 RBIs in his previous 11 contests...Zach Fish struck out in his first High-A at-bat (pinch hit in ninth inning Saturday).
Carolina League Stories from May 29, 2016
- Hedges Shines, But Birds Swept in Doubleheader - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Grimes Grinds up Mudcats on Sunday Night - Carolina Mudcats
- Grimes Magnificent with Eight Scoreless in 2-0 Win - Frederick Keys
- Rocks Hold Off Pelicans in Game One, Outlast Them in Game Two for Sweep, 8-4, 3-1 - Wilmington Blue Rocks
- P-Nats Held to Three Hits in 4-1 Loss to Winston-Salem - Potomac Nationals
- 'Cats Stumble against Salem in 2-1 Loss - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Salem Slides Past Lynchburg, 2-1 - Salem Red Sox
- Dash Snap Skid with Wire-To-Wire Win at Potomac - Winston-Salem Dash
- May 29 - Carolina Mudcats Game Information - Carolina Mudcats
- Jake Drehoff Activated - Salem Red Sox
- Potomac Nationals 2016 Game Notes vs Winston-Salem Dash - Potomac Nationals
- Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (May 29 at Potomac) - Winston-Salem Dash
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