Dykstra dominates again in series-clinching win

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (April 22, 2015) - James Dykstra fired seven sensational innings as the Winston-Salem Dash beat the Carolina Mudcats 4-2 Wednesday to win their three-game series in front of 6,254 fans at BB&T Ballpark.

Dykstra (3-0) became the first pitcher in the Carolina League to three wins with his seven-inning effort. The right-hander gave up just one run on five hits and struck out four against zero walks. Through his first three starts, Dykstra boasts a league-low 0.45 earned run average, and he had a hitless streak of 12.0 innings from the third inning in his first start to the second inning Wednesday.

In a scoreless game in the second, Keon Barnum singled to lead off the inning against Carolina starter Lucas Sims (1-2). After Nick Basto flied out, Barnum moved to second on Cleuluis Rondon's single and came home for the game's first run when Keenyn Walker clouted a double to right-center.

Sloppy play by the Mudcats (6-6) helped the Dash (5-8) dent the scoreboard in the third. With the score tied at one, Adam Engel led off by reaching first on a strikeout and wild pitch. After four pickoff attempts to first, Sims tried his luck again and threw the ball away, allowing Engel to gallop all the way to third.

With the infield in, Jake Peter hit a soft grounder that got through Carolina shortstop Eric Garcia, allowing Engel to score to make it 2-1 Dash on the second Mudcats error of the inning.

With the same score in the bottom of the fourth, Sims walked Rondon and then balked him to second base before issuing another free pass to Walker. Nolan Earley tried to bunt both runners into scoring position, only for Sims to field the ball and chuck it into left field, another error that allowed Rondon to score from second, giving the Dash a 3-1 advantage. With runners on second and third, Sean O'Connell served a single to left, scoring Walker just before Carolina leftfielder Dustin Peterson threw out Earley at the plate.

One of the top prospects in the Braves' system, Sims lasted just 3.2 innings, surrendering four runs, two earned, on four hits. He walked four and struck out six to take the loss.

Jose Brito pitched a scoreless eighth but ran into trouble trying to shut the door in the ninth. Brito got Garcia to groundout for the inning's first out before Connor Oliver singled to right. After Peterson struck out, Jacob Schrader doubled to center to score Oliver from first and cut the Dash lead to 4-2. Levi Hyams singled, and Joey Meneses walked to load the bases with two outs, but Brito completed the save when Carlos Franco looped out to Rondon at shortstop.

The Dash begin a four-game series with the first-place Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Thursday. Jace Fry (0-2, 2.70 ERA) gets the start for Winston-Salem against Myrtle Beach's Daury Torrez (1-1, 6.52 ERA). Pregame coverage is available on wsdash.com/broadcast at 6:50 p.m. and the TuneIn Radio app. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.