CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes

Published on May 26, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


Just Add Winston for the "W": The Dash won a pitcher's duel last night 3-2 against the Salem Red Sox. Winston took the first game of the three-game series thanks to just enough offense and a very good start by Terry Doyle. The Dash got RBI hits from Kyle Shelton and Brandon Short and a bases-loaded RBI walk of Eduardo Escobar to account for the Winston offense. Gregory Infante allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth and put the tying run on third base, but struck out Oscar Tejeda to end the ballgame and pick up his league-leading eighth save.

First Half Playoff Race: With the Dash and the Red Sox gunning for the same playoff spot in the Southern Division, this series takes on immense importance, especially for second-place Salem. This series marks the final time the two teams meet before the second half of the season, meaning that this is the last chance for each team to directly affect the other in the standings. Last night's game gave the Dash a season-best six-game lead in the division and reduced its magic number to 20. Any combination of 20 Dash wins or Red Sox losses over the final 25 games in the first half will give Winston-Salem the first half crown and a playoff spot.

Long Road Ahead: Last night's game was the start of a nine-game road trip for the Dash, its longest trip of the season. Following this three-game series at Salem, Winston will play three-game sets at Kinston, followed by Potomac before returning home on June 3.

Terry Terrific: Winston-Salem starter Terry Doyle rebounded from a loss in his Carolina League debut last week with a very solid start on Tuesday. Doyle allowed just three hits and one run in six-plus innings. The only run he allowed scored after he had left the game in the seventh inning. The start lowered his CL ERA to 3.00 and his season ERA to 1.37.

Best Record Watch: The Dash's win on Tuesday, coupled with the Tampa Bay Rays' loss to Boston, gives Winston-Salem the best record professional affiliated ball. Winston is the only team in the majors or minors that owns a winning percentage over .700 (the Dash's sits at .711). The only team with a record that compares to Winston's is the Mexican League's Pericos de Puebla, which owns a 37-14 mark (.725).

Staff Streaking: Doyle's start continued an excellent stretch for the Dash's pitching staff. The starters have pitched into the sixth inning in each of the last ten ballgames and the team has posted a collective 2.06 ERA (19 ER, 83 IP) in the last eight contests. The team ERA stands at 3.57, third in the Carolina League this season.

Swinging a Good Stick: The Dash's season batting average stands at .307, the second best mark in the majors or minors. Only the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes have a better average (.315). Winston's average is still the best in the Carolina League by 32 points (Lynchburg is the closest with a .275 average). Winston has five players in the top ten in the league in batting average: Brandon Short (2nd, .370), Jon Gilmore (5th, .332), Justin Greene (6th, .331), Drew Garcia (8th, .323), and Ozzie Lewis (9th, .318). The team's 288 runs are the most of any team, majors or minors. High Desert (California League) is the next closest team with 268 runs.

Iron Man 2: Only three players in the Carolina League have played every game and two of them are on the Dash. Justin Greene and Brandon Short have been Winston-Salem's iron men, playing in all 45 games this season. Wilmington's Eric Hosmer has also played every game in 2010.

Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Alex Wilson (2-1, 3.89) makes his ninth start of the season and his second against the Dash. He took the loss at Winston-Salem on 5/9 despite allowing just two earned runs on five hits in five innings. Wilson has posted an ERA of 2.25 in his last three starts after his ERA stood at 5.01 following his first five. He was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of last year's First-Year Player Draft and made his professional debut in 2009 with short-season Lowell. He was outstanding with the Spinners, dominating the New York-Penn League with a 0.50 ERA in 13 starts. Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery in 2007, so the Red Sox limited him to three innings per start last year. He struck out 33 batters, walked seven, and allowed only ten hits in 36 innings. Batters hit .085 against him. Wilson attended Winthrop before transferring to Texas A&M in 2007. In the summer between schools, he participated in the Cape Cod League, where he blew out his arm. He was viewed as a potential first round pick before the injury and was drafted in the tenth round by the Cubs after his 2008 redshirt season, but did not sign. In his 2009 with the Aggies, Wilson went 6-6 with a 4.22 ERA and fell to Boston in the second round. He throws a 92-93 mph fastball and a slider that Baseball America designated the best in the Red Sox system.

Check out the Winston-Salem Dash Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from May 26, 2010


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