CarL1 Wilmington Blue Rocks

Winston Wallops Wilmington, 8-3

Published on August 2, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Winston-Salem, NC - The Wilmington Blue Rocks (52-55, 20-17) never led in dropping their road trip opener at Winston-Salem (61-45, 18-18) on Monday night, 8-3. A brief 2-2 deadlock ended the half inning after it the Blue Crew forged it as the host Dash scored four runs in the fifth against starter Manauris Baez (1-4) and never looked back The Rocks' fifth loss in seven games also goes down as their ninth over their last 13. In those nine losses, Wilmington has scored more than three runs just twice and has averaged less than two runs per game.

Carolina League All-Star Jon Gilmore and ranked prospect Josh Phegley each knocked in a run in a two-run first for the Dash. Run-producing groundouts by Adrian Ortiz and Christian Colon knocked in Adam Frost and Patrick Norris respectively to tie the game in the fifth against starter Nate Jones (8-4).

Baez retired 10 straight men from the close of the first into the start of the bottom half of that fifth frame. But Kenny Williams, Jr. singled to left and Mike Richard followed with a bunt single. Brandon Short worked a full-count walk in a key plate appearance that loaded the bases. While Drew Garcia bounced into a fielder's choice that cut down Williams at the plate, Gilmore knocked in a run with an infield single to second and a wild pitch plated a second score. Rey Navarro's two-out error on a grounder to second by Seth Loman allowed two more runs in for a 6-2 deficit.

Nick Francis began the sixth with a solo homer to left. Jones would not allow another run. His quality start included three runs on nine hits and no walks over six innings. Hector Santiago tossed the final three frames for his first save.

Baez departed with a man on and two down in the seventh. Jairo Cuevas entered only to allow a homer to Seth Loman, his league-leading 17th, to round out the scoring. Baez gave up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.

The three-game series continues on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Recently received right-hander Aaron Crow (NR) will make his Blue Rocks debut against southpaw Joe Serafin (0-2, 8.24).

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Seven of Nick Francis' eight home runs have come on the road and seven have been hit since the Fourth of July.

Patrick Norris switch hit for the first time since July 26. He batted exclusively right side for five straight games in the interim, going 4-for-20 with nine strikeouts. He finished Monday's effort 1-for-4 with his team-leading 23rd stolen base and a run scored. He struck out twice in his two right-handed at-bats, but went 1-for-2 as a lefty. The hit came on a bunt single, his 14th infield hit of the year.

In his first game of a homecoming series, Thomasville, NC's Wil Myers doubled on a two-hit night for the Blue Rocks.

Joey Lewis singled twice on a two-hit night. After starting his Blue Rocks career 2-for-16 through his first four games, he has gone 6-for-13 (.462) over his last four contests.

Four of Nate Jones' eight wins have come against the Blue Rocks. In fact, the ranked prospect has gone 4-0 in five starts against Wilmington despite a 4.00 ERA and .346 batting average against.

Hector Santiago's save, his first in two tries on the season, goes into the books as his third in six attempts on his four-year career.

With paid attendance announced at 3,419, Winston-Salem's season-long average checks in at 4,499. That number ranks second in the Carolina League, trailing just Wilmington's 4,586 fans-per-game average. The Blue Crew has led the loop in average attendance every year since the famed Durham Bulls departed for Triple-A after the 1997 campaign.

Winston-Salem owns the league's best home record at 36-17. It has a winning record against every team in the CL except Wilmington, which has played even baseball at the Dash's new downtown ballpark (4-4).

Check out the Wilmington Blue Rocks Statistics

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Carolina League Stories from August 2, 2010


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