Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes (May 8 vs. Rome)
May 8, 2021 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
The Dash host the Rome Braves for their fifth of six consecutive games. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m..
WINSTON-SALEM DASH (1-3) vs. Rome Braves (3-1) RHP Isaiah Carranza (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Alan Rangel (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
6:00 p.m. - Truist Stadium (Winston-Salem, NC)
THAT'S A LONG, LONG, LONG...
Dash starter Isaiah Carranza makes his professional debut for Ryan Newman's club today, marking a stretch of 1,038 days since the right-hander last pitched at Azusa Pacific (CA) University. Carranza spent a season as a reliever and occasional starter his freshman year at Oregon, transferring closer to home after one season in Eugene. Due to Tommy John surgery, Carranza makes his professional debut looking to tap into his swing-and-miss stuff he boasted at Azusa Pacific, where he fanned 10 or more hitters four different times.
TOMMY BOY - NO NOT CHRIS FARLEY
A surgery that has become commonplace in the professional and collegiate ranks is surgery to repair
and reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The surgery, typical in pitchers, is known as Tommy John surgery. It used to be when a pitcher tore his UCL, his career was over. The ligament is stressed after overuse, and is particularly strained when repeatedly throwing a baseball.
That all changed when Tommy John had an experimental surgery done to repair his UCL in 1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe - who was able to replace and reconstruct the UCL with a ligament from elsewhere in the body. The rehab process was long, but Tommy John became the first pitcher to return to the MLB after undergoing UCL surgery.
Since that point, the surgery has been perfected, and more pitchers than ever are coming back to the MiLB and MLB after having a reconstructed UCL.
THE ALAN RANGEL FILE
For the fourth time, right-hander Alan Rangel will pitch with the Rome Braves, albeit this time, at a higher level. Rangel spent the 2017-19 seasons with Rome when they were the Low-A affiliate for the Atlanta Braves, and now receives the promotion to High-A, where he looks to make his first start of the year. Signed as a free agent in 2014, Rangel makes his 60th start with Rome between the two levels. Still only 23 years old, Rangel takes a lifetime 4.39 ERA into today's matchup against a hot-hitting Dash team.
THE DUKE WILL SEE YOU NOW
In each of the first three games, Duke Ellis has had the bases loaded looking to add a few pivotal runs to a Dash team searching for their first win. Come Friday night, Ellis came through with his biggest hit in the purple and white. Ellis lobbed a high-arcing pitch towards the left field line. Three different Braves converged but no one could grab it before it safely hit the grass, plating three runs and giving the Dash a stranglehold on the game. The RBIs were the first of his MiLB career.
In four games atop the lineup, Ellis has swiped two bags, walked two times, and driven in three. The base knock from Ellis hopes to be a sign of great things to come, as the leadoff man looks to try and pair his plus speed tool with his ability to get on base.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS
In the Dash's 8-3 win over Rome Friday, the Dash picked up their first win of the season in four tries. Despite that, the Dash left 11 more on base, tied for their most of the season. Hitting with runners in scoring position has not been kind to the Dash either - hitting just .200 in the first four games, compared to .359 for Rome. The Dash have left 38 men on in 4 games, good for fifth most in High-A as well as an average of 9.5 left on each game. While the offense ranks fifth in total hits, driving in runs is the only thing holding back the Dash from becoming a full-fledged offensive force.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT!
The biggest change made to the game this year in High-A was the addition of the "step off rule". Only in place at the High-A level, each pitcher must disengage the rubber before throwing to a base or trying to pick off a runner. If a pitcher does not disengage the rubber and throws to first, they will be charged with a balk. The rule figures to create an increase in overall offense and stolen base opportunities.
Despite the implementation of the rule, Dash reliever Dilmer Mejia picked off Andrew Mortiz at first base on Thursday's game, representing the first Dash successful pickoff of the season.
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