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CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes

May 7, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


Step in the Right Direction: The Dash took game two of the series with Lynchburg 6-5 last night at BB&T Ballpark. The Hillcats scored a run in the first, and the Dash took the lead in the second on Nick Ciolli's two-run triple. Lynchburg then tied the score in the third, only to have the Dash regain the advantage that same inning. Jared Mitchell's three-run home run in the fifth inning opened up a four-run advantage for the Dash. Despire scoring a run in each of the last three innings, Lynchburg left the tying run at third base when Brandon Kloess shut the door. Last night's win was the Dash's 4th in their last 19 games.

Andre the Giant: Andre Rienzo picked up his first decision of the season in last night's win. After throwing five innings and allowing two runs (one earned), Rienzo put himself in line for the win. Statistically, Rienzo has been Winston-Salem's best pitched so far this season, registering a 2.27 ERA in six starts. The Sao Paolo, Brazil native ranks ninth in the Carolina League in ERA and fourth in strikeouts (36). He leads the Dash in both of those categories.

Start Me Up: Rienzo's start last night continued a good run for the Dash rotation. Aside from Joe Serafin's subpar outing on Wednesday (3 IP, 5 R), none of the team's starters have allowed more than two runs in a game since last Saturday. Leaving out Serafin's start, the starters have posted a combined ERA of just 1.70 (7 ER, 37 IP) and an opposing batting average of .255 (38 for 149).

No Cork Here: Winston-Salem tied its lowest hit output of the season in the series opener Thursday night with three against the Hillcats. The mark had been set just three before that in a loss at Frederick. The Dash are hitting .230 as a team this season, the sixth-lowest in minor league baseball. Only the AAA Syracuse Chiefs (.218) and Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (.229), AA Richmond Flying Squirrels (.222), and low-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (.228) and Savannah Sand Gnats (.227) have hit for lower averages this season.

Same Green & Gold, Different Hill City Kitties: Tonight the Dash continue their series with the new-look Lynchburg Hillcats. This marks the first series between the teams in 2011 and the first time Winston-Salem has played Lynchburg since it became affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. For the previous 12 seasons, the Braves' Carolina League affiliate was Myrtle Beach, but with the Rangers moving in this season Atlanta had to look elsewhere to house their Advanced-A team. Last year against the Braves-laden Pelicans had the worst record in the Carolina League (58-82) but won nine of 20 games against the Dash, who had the best record in the league (81-58). Winston-Salem is sad to see the Cincinnati Reds leave the Carolina League. With their affiliate in Lynchburg last year, the Dash won 16 of their 20 matchups including the first nine of the season.

See Nick. See Nick Run: Nick Ciolli hit his second triple of the season in the second inning of last night's win. He drove in two runs with the hit, his first multi-RBI at-bat of the season. The triple also came with a runner in scoring position and two outs in the inning. The Dash have struggled in similar situations so far this season, hitting only .250 with RISP and two outs. Winston-Salem scored another run with two outs in the third inning, when Daniel Wagner scored from third on a wild pitch with Ian Gac at the plate.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer: The Dash have played mostly close games this season. Twenty-three of the team's 28 games have been decided by three runs or fewer and the team has had a lead in 21 games this season. Winston has played 12 one-run games and eight two-run games. The Dash are 5-7 in one-run games and 3-5 in two run contests. At this rate, the Dash would play 100 one- or two-run games over the course of the season.

Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Cory Rasmus (0-2, 4.82) makes his fourth start of the season and his first against the Dash. He was placed on the disabled list on April 21 with a right bicep strain and was activated Tuesday. Rasmus threw one inning Wednesday night against Wilmington and struck out two in a scoreless frame. He is expected two pitch two innings in tonight's contest before Chris Masters (3-0, 1.11) will come into the game. Earlier this season, Rasmus nearly tied a Carolina League record in Lynchburg's game against Salem on April 12. He struck out the first eight batters he faced, and fell one short of the record, last matched on April 30, 1982 when Brian Fisher pitched for Durham. Rasmus split 2010 between low-A Rome and Myrtle Beach. He went 6-6 with a 3.14 ERA in 20 appearances (12 starts) for the Braves, and replaced teammate Arodys Vizcaino as a South Atlantic League All-Star when Vizcaino was called up. With the Pelicans, he went 0-3 in eight starts and had a 3.27 ERA. Rasmus' second start with the Pelicans was against the Dash on July 31, where he wasn't given a decision but threw six innings and gave up one run. In 2009, Rasmus pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader for the Danville Braves. He walked one batter. Rasmus was drafted in the supplemental first round (38th overall) of the 2006 MLB First-Year Player Draft and missed all of 2007 and most of 2008 after shoulder surgery. He is the younger brother of St. Louis Cardinals CF Colby Rasmus.

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