Latest Additions Snap Long Slide

June 25, 2012 - Carolina League (CarL) Wilmington Blue Rocks Woodbridge, VA - The three newest Wilmington Blue Rocks (30-45, 1-4) played the hero role as Lane Adams, Matt Fields and Orlando Calixte drove in a combined six runs over the final two innings in a 7-3 win over the Potomac Nationals (34-41, 3-2) on Monday night. The Rocks did not have a hit entering the eighth, but rallied for their first road win since May 28. The win snapped a seven-game slide overall and a 10-game road skid, one short of the franchise record.

Big leaguer Cole Kimball tossed two hitless frames in a rehab start while Adam Olbrychowski followed with five frames of no-hit ball until the eighth. Potomac held a 2-0 lead at that time thanks to Kevin Keyes' second-inning homer.

Angel Franco singled sharply past the dive of Adrian Sanchez at second to spoil the no-hit bid. An out and a walk later, Potomac skipper Brian Rupp removed Obrychowski in favor of the league leader in strikeouts per nine innings, Rob Wort (1-3). The slider specialist issued a full-count walk to Cheslor Cuthbert to load the bases, retired Brett Eibner on an infield pop, and then saw the wheels come off.

Adams worked the count full before laying off a pitch down and away for a run-scoring walk. Fields followed and ripped a 3-2 pitch through the left-side hole for a two-run single and Wilmington's first lead of the night, 3-2.

That had starter Yordano Ventura in line for the win. In seven innings, he struck out seven and allowed just two runs on four hits. However, the lead would not last long. Potomac tied the game without a hit in the eighth. In his Carolina League debut, Matt Ridings walked Blake Kelso to start the inning. A sacrifice and a groundout got him over, while a wild pitch pushed him home for a 3-3 draw.

The rollercoaster ride still had another loop coming. Consecutive hits by Juan Graterol and Franco started the ninth and chased Wort. Rupp brought in sidearmer Neil Holland and two batters later, Calixte brought the wood. The shortstop prospect blasted his first home run as a Blue Rock to left field, a three-run job that put the rocks on top to stay, 6-3. Eibner later added window dressing with a well-hit RBI double. Ridings (1-0) closed it out with a scoreless ninth.

The four-game series continues at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday night. Right-hander Brooks Pounders (0-2, 5.25) will get the nod for Wilmington against southpaw Robbie Ray (3-3, 4.84). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 p.m. as studio host Rob Cunningham brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Wilmington nearly suffered its second nine-inning no-hitter in less than 40 days. On May 19, Nick Tepesch and Jimmy Reyes of Myrtle Beach combined on the feat at Frawley Stadium. Now in its 20th season, the Blue Rocks franchise had not endured a no-hitter on its history until that Saturday night.

This series marks the start of divisional foes only for Wilmington over a stretch of 13 straight and 17 of 20. The Rocks are 17-34 against Southern Division squads and 13-11 against their brothers in the North.

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Latest Additions Snap Long Slide