Winston-Salem Dash Game Notes
August 19, 2011 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Winston-Salem Dash News Release
WINSTON-SALEM DASH (29-24, 61-62) @ POTOMAC NATIONALS (28-25, 57-65)
Friday, August 19, 2011, 7:05 p.m. | G. Richard Pfitzner Stadium | Woodbridge, VA
Webcast available on www.wsdash.com 15 minutes before first pitch
Game No. 124 | Road Game No. 60 | 2011 Home Record 35-29 | 2011 Road Record 26-33
RHP Jake Petricka (3-4, 4.04) @ RHP Paul Demny (8-10, 4.76)
Feeling Kinda Edgy: Winston-Salem dropped a frustrating ballgame last night, losing by a 4-3 final score for the second straight night, this time to the P-Nats, who lead a race for the Northern Division's second half playoff spot. Like the night before against Lynchburg, the Dash jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, only to see the opposition take the lead by the middle innings. Potomac scored three runs on five consecutive base his in the fourth inning against Cameron Bayne to take the lead. Winston got to within a run with a tally in the fifth, but the Nats got that one back in the sixth inning on a controversial RBI double by Francisco Soriano that appeared to have been incorrectly ruled a fair ball. After the Dash made it a one-run game again in the seventh with Kyle Colligan's sixth home run of the season, Potomac again was the beneficiary of a questionable and crucial call. With the tying run at third base with two outs in the ninth inning, pinch hitter Kevin Dubler hit a ground ball deep in the hole to the shortstop. It appeared that Dubler beat out Soriano's throw, but Dubler was mysteriously punched out to end the game, denying a chance for Nick Ciolli to score the game-tying run from third base. The Dash have lost three straight games heading into game two of the four-game series tonight.
Small Fall from the Top: The Dash have dropped six of their last eight games and yielded first place to the Kinston Indians for the first time in three weeks. The Indians won last night and now lead the Dash by one half-game for a playoff spot in the Southern Division. Last night's loss sent Winston-Salem into second place for the first time since July 28. The Dash are four games clear of Myrtle Beach, which has already qualified for the postseason, and 4.5 games in front of last place Salem.
The Tao of Tyler: Dash shortstop Tyler Saladino is starting to get hot offensively. A night after the San Diegan tied a career-high with four hits, he was 3 for 4 on Thursday with two doubles, a triple, a run batted in, and a run scored. In his last three games, Saladino is 10 for 14 with four doubles, a triple, four RBI, and two runs scored. Prior to the last three games, he had gone 11 straight without a multi-hit contest.
Terre Hot: In addition to Saladino's hot performance, the Dash have also been getting good production from right fielder Nick Ciolli. Last night the Terre Haute, Indiana native was 3 for 4 with a double and, if not for a questionable late call, would have scored the game-tying run in the ninth inning. Since Sunday, Ciolli is 11 for 21 with two home runs six RBI, three runs scored, and four walks (including the game that was suspended on June 28 and resumed in the bottom of the first on Monday night). During this hot streak, Ciolli has raised his batting average from .247 to .266.
Duble Your Pleasure: Winston backup catcher Kevin Dubler saw his nine-game hitting streak fall victim to what appeared to be an incorrect umpiring call on last night's final play. Dubler was pinch hitting for Kyle Colligan and appeared to beat out a throw following a grounder to shortstop, but was called out. It marked the first time that Dubler has played in a game for the Dash and has not picked up a hit. Since joining the Dash, Dubler is batting .370 with three doubles, three homers, ten RBI, and nine runs scored. The Downers Grove, Illinois native's a nine-game hitting streak went back to his final game with Kannapolis. He was batting .462 (12 for 26) during the streak.
31 Jump Street: Ian Gac blasted his 31st home run of the season in the first game on Monday night, extending his Carolina League lead and keeping him second in all of minor league baseball (the Iowa Cubs' Bryan LaHair has 34). Gac has 12 more home runs that any other player in the CL and his 86 RBI are ten more than second place. Gac is also first in the CL in games played (123), first in at bats (456), eighth in batting average (.276), second in hits (126), tied for third in doubles (28), first in slugging percentage (.542), second in extra-base hits (59), first in runs scored (83), first in total bases (247), and first in HR/AB ratio (1/14.71). He is on pace to hit 35 home runs this season which would surpass his previous career-high of 32 in 2008. That total would tie the Winston-Salem record (Ed Olivares set the current record of 35 home runs in 1960 for the Winston-Salem RedBirds) and also would be the most in any Carolina League season since Tolia Solaita hit 49 for the Hi-Toms in 1968. Gac has 158 career homers in nine professional seasons.
Winning Formula: The odds are pretty good for Winston-Salem to come away with the victory when Ian Gac homers. The Dash are 20-8 in games Gac hits a home run, good for a .714 winning percentage. The Dash are just 41-54 (.432) when Gac does not homer. The Dash are 10-6 (.625) when Andy Wilkins hits a home run, but have won 10 of the last 12 games during which the Oklahoman has homered.
'Maul Rat: Since giving up two runs in an outing on June 2 against Potomac, Kussmaul has been nothing short of spectacular. He has allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits in his last 19 appearances, sporting a 0.64 ERA (2 ER, 28.1 IP) with a .117 batting average against (11 for 94) and 51 strikeouts (seven walks) in the process. Kussmaul leads all Carolina League relievers with 14.09 strikeouts per nine innings, nearly two more full K's than second-place Eliecer Cardenas (12.42). He is second among all full-season minor league pitchers in the category. Kussmaul is second on the Dash in strikeouts (83) despite only ranking seventh among all 2011 Winston players in innings pitched (53.0). He also leads CL relievers with a .167 opponents' batting average and is second in fewest baserunners/9 IP (8.83).
Today's Opposing Starter: RHP Paul Demny (6-10, 4.76) makes his 24th start of the season tonight and his sixth against the Dash. He is 3-1 with a 5.40 ERA against Winston-Salem and was hit hard his last time against the Dash on July 23 (4 IP, 5 H, 9 R). He has thrown well in his last two outings, allowing three runs on nine hits in 13 innings. The East Bernard, Texas native has spent the last two seasons with low-A Hagerstown, going 6-10 with a 4.23 ERA in 27 starts last year and 3-11 with a 5.14 ERA in 23 starts in 2009. He suffered from bouts of inconsistency in both of his seasons with the Suns. While he had 15 starts in which he allowed one run or fewer, he also had 12 during which he yielded five or more runs. According to scouting reports, Demny's inconsistency stems from inconsistent mechanics that have led to shaky control, leaving him effectively wild at times and uncomfortable for hitters to face. At 22 years old, he is the youngest pitcher on the P-Nats and the fifth youngest on the entire roster. He throws his four-seam fastball in the low-90s and his two-seamer in the high-80s. His repertoire also includes a curveball and changeup. Demny was selected in the sixth round of the 2008 draft after two years at Blinn College (Brenham, TX), where he mainly pitched in relief. He was originally selected by Atlanta in the 12th round in 2006 but did not sign. In high school, Demny was an All-State player and the Houston Chronicle Athlete of the Year. He was an accomplished hitter in high school, leading East Bernard HS in on-base percentage, slugging, doubles, and total bases.
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