Brilliant Blough blanks Birds for series sweep

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 26, 2013) - Bryan Blough tossed his first career nine-inning complete game shutout, and the Winston-Salem Dash picked up a 3-0 win to complete a sweep of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Monday night at BB&T Ballpark.

Blough (11-10) becomes the third Winston-Salem hurler in the Dash era (2009-present) to toss a nine-inning complete game shutout, and the second this year after former Dash righty Chris Beck turned the trick on June 7 against Wilmington. Matt Heidenreich's gem against Salem in June of 2012 was the other such gem spun by a Dash pitcher.

The win is the eighth straight overall for Winston-Salem (30-33, 68-65), and it completes the Dash's second consecutive sweep of first half champions after their sweep of Potomac late last week. The shutout is the Dash's 12th of the year, which is the most in the Carolina League.

Blough was rolling through most of the night, with his biggest trouble spot coming in the eighth when the Pelicans (34-30, 74-59) put two aboard with one out. The righty induced a ground out and then got some help from Mark Haddow, who made a diving catch to take a bloop single away from Patrick Cantwell to keep the shutout intact.

The Dash finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Curley reached on a throwing error by Pelicans reliever Josh McElwee (2-2) to start the frame before Haddow doubled him home, collecting one of his four hits on the night.

With two outs in the frame, the Dash added two more as Grant Buckner notched a single to record his fifth and sixth RBIs of the series.

Overshadowed by Blough's effort was Myrtle Beach starter Alec Ashser, who tossed five scoreless frames while picking up eight strikeouts.

The Dash are off on Tuesday but continue their last homestand of 2013 on Wednesday night with a makeshift doubleheader against the Potomac Nationals at BB&T Ballpark. Winston-Salem and Potomac were suspended in the bottom of the fourth inning the last time the P-Nats were in town on July 11 and will conclude that game starting at 6.

Approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of that contest, the two teams will meet for a seven-inning affair. Winston-Salem will send right-hander Myles Jaye (8-6, 4.37 ERA) to the mound for that affair, while the Nationals will counter with lefty Brett Mooneyham (0-1, 18.00 ERA). The suspended game will resume at 6, and pregame coverage will begin on wsdash.com/broadcast at 5:45.

The Dash's final homestand continues Wednesday night at BB&T Ballpark. Fans can get two games for the price of one as the Dash resume their suspended game with Potomac and then will play a seven-inning affair afterwards. For tickets, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.