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CarL1 Winston-Salem Dash

Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes

May 26, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release


WINSTON-SALEM DASH (20-26) @ KINSTON INDIANS (22-23)

Thursday, May 26, 2011, 6:30 p.m. | "Historic" Grainger Stadium | Kinston, NC

Webcast available on www.wsdash.com 15 minutes before first pitch

Game No. 47 | Road Game No. 22 | 2011 Home Record 11-14 | 2011 Road Record 9-12

LHP Joe Serafin (0-3, 4.15) @ RHP Brett Brach (3-3, 2.97)

Home Sweet Home Run: The Dash used four home runs to blow by the Hillcats last night, taking the series finale with a 9-5 victory at City Stadium. Winston-Salem scored five times in the second inning and two more times in the third before Lynchburg responded with a four-run third. After the Hillcats scored another run in the eighth to cut their deficit to two, Tyler Saladino hit a two-run homer in the ninth to give Winston a four-run cushion. The win salvaged the series for Winston, which had lost the first two games via walk-offs by Lynchburg. The win was just the Dash's third of the season by more than three runs. Seventeen of the team's 20 wins in 2011 have been decided by three runs or fewer.

Ballpark Quartet: Winston-Salem tied its season-high with four home runs in a game last night. The team initially stroked four dingers exactly one week before against the Pelicans. The Dash hit just one home run in their seven games between the four-homer outbursts. Jared Mitchell (three-run shot), Andy Wilkins (solo), Luis Sierra (solo), and Tyler Saladino (two-run) provided the thunder last night for the Dash, which lead the Carolina League in home runs this season. Winston has sent 41 pitches out of the ballpark in 2011, eight more than second-place Salem. The previous two games in Lynchburg had seen zero home runs between the teams, but the Dash and Hillcats combined to stroke five in the series finale.

Second is the Best: Julio Vinas' decision to move Jared Mitchell into the second spot in the lineup paid immediate dividends, as Mitchell produced one of his best games of the season last night. The former first round pick, who had batted third exclusively this season before last night, went 3 for 4 with a single, a double, a three-run home run, a walk, and a stolen base. It was Mitchell's first three-hit night and the fourth of his professional career. He had gone 0 for 4 batting third in the order the night before. Over the last two games, the number two batters have gone a combined 6 for 8 with three extra-base hits and two walks while the number three hitters have combined to go 0 for 9.

Pick-Up Artists: The Winston-Salem offense picked itself up in a big way last night after struggling in the previous two and a half games. The Dash cranked out 11 hits, the second most in a game this season, and nine runs, also the second most in 2011. Prior to the offensive explosion is last night's game, the team had combined for just 12 hits and four runs in its previous 24 innings, hitting just .152 (12 for 79).

Droughts Ending': In addition to Jared Mitchell, several other players snapped out of some recent offensive troubles last night. Austin Yount showed signs of breaking free from his season-long struggles last night, going 2 for 4 with a run scored. It was Yount's fourth multi-hit game of the season and his first since April 24. Luis Sierra had gone 0 for 16 since hitting the game-winning home run in the tenth inning at Salem on May 14. He snapped that skid with another solo shot in the second inning to make it 7-0 Winston. Andy Wilkins' home run was his first since May 7, a span of 56 at bats. Daniel Wagner also had a big night, going 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. The multi-hit game was his first since May 6.

Quality's In: Cameron Bayne got the win last night, but could not muster a quality start. It ended a streak of ten straight quality starts by regular members of the Dash rotation (excluding Santos Rodriguez' two spot-starts). The Dash have quality starts from their starters in 12 of the last 16 games and the rotation has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 21 of the last 26 contests, posting a 3.18 ERA (52 ER, 147 IP) in that stretch.

Keeping ‚¬Ëœem Close: The Dash have played mostly close games this season. Thirty-seven of the team's 46 games have been decided by three runs or fewer and the team has had a lead in 35 games this season. Winston has played 18 one-run games and 13 two-run games. The Dash are 8-10 in one-run games and 6-7 in two run contests. At this rate, the Dash would play 94 one - or two-run games this season.

Espresso Shot: A night after going 3 for 4 with two singles, a double, a run scored, and his first stolen base of the season, Jose Martinez went 0 for 5 for the first time this season. Café's .318 batting average still leads the Carolina League, one point higher than Carlo Testa. He is tied for second in games (45), third in at bats (173), first in hits (55), and fifth in runs scored (29).

Falling Ian-to a Slump: After belting two home runs in a game on May 18, Ian Gac has fallen into a funk at the plate. In his last eight games, Gac is batting just .138 (4 for 29). The dropoff has not cost Gac's spot as the Carolina League's leader in home runs, as his 13 jacks still pace the circuit and he is on pace for 40. He appears well on his way to surpassing his previous career-high of 22, a number he reached while playing for Bakersfield in 2009. Gac is second in the CL in RBI (31), first in games (46), fourth in at bats (171), third in slugging percentage (.556), second in extra-base hits (24), tied for first in runs scored (34), first in total bases (95), and first in best HR/AB ratio (1/13.15).

Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Brett Brach (3-3, 2.97) makes his seventh start and ninth appearance of the season tonight against Winston-Salem. He made his only appearance against the Dash in a bullpen appearance during game two of the season, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings. Brach has had only one subpar outing this season, two starts ago against Lynchburg, when he allowed eight runs in 4.2 innings. He bounced back very nicely his last time out, throwing seven one-hit, shutout innings in Frederick. Other than his start against the Hillcats, Brach has allowed no more than two runs in any outing this season. He made a spot start for AA Akron on April 19 and threw six shutout innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in a win over Bowie. The Indians drafted Brach in the tenth round in 2009 and sent him to short-season Mahoning Valley, where he went 5-2 wit ha 2.19 ERA in 15 starts. He spent most of last year with low-A Lake County, going 5-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 22 starts. He briefly pitched for Kinston in 2010, making two appearances that totaled 2.2 innings. Brach played collegiately at Monmouth University alongside Dash starter Ryan Buch. The two were co-aces at Monmouth, helping lead the Hawks to the NCAA Regionals twice in three years. Brach went 7-3 with a 4.78 ERA in his final season, striking out 77 batters in 75 innings. His older brother, Brad, also a former Monmouth pitcher, is currently in AA with the Padres organization and has saved 78 of 84 opportunities over the last two years. Brad set a California League record last season with 41 saves, good for third in all of minor league baseball. Brett hails from Freehold, New Jersey, the same town where Kal Penn of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" fame was born.

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