Blue Rocks pull away from Winston Saturday

WILMINGTON, Del. (Aug. 31, 2013) - The Wilmington Blue Rocks seized an 8-3 victory over Winston-Salem in a back-and-forth clash inside Frawley Stadium on Saturday night to begin the final series of the season.

The Dash (32-36, 70-68) have now dropped consecutive games since their record-tying 10-game winning streak. Winston also failed in its attempt to clinch its fourth winning record in the five seasons of the Dash era. Still, the Dash have won 14 of their 18 games against the Blue Rocks this year.

A three-run fifth inning for Wilmington (29-39, 62-76) proved to be the difference. With one down, six consecutive Blue Rocks reached, and three men scored against Winston-Salem starter Jake Cose (7-5), who entered with a 4-0 record and a 1.06 ERA in his first five starts in August.

Cose allowed six runs, all of which were earned, in four and a third innings, his second-shortest outing at the High-A level. The righty issued a career high-tying six walks and suffered his first loss since July 30.

The Blue Crew added to its lead with single tallies in the next two innings. Dennis Raben clubbed his second homer of the night, a bomb to dead center, in the sixth, while Ethan Chapman's bloop double to left in the seventh capped Wilmington's scoring. In all, the Rocks scored in five of their eight offensive frames.

Both clubs plated three runs in Saturday's first three innings. Winston-Salem jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to Kevan Smith's RBI double in the first, but Raben clubbed a two-run homer in the last of the inning to push the Blue Rocks in front.

In the second, Josh Richmond launched a two-run shot of his own to right-center for his eighth long ball with the Dash. However, the Blue Rocks knotted the score in the bottom of the third thanks to a run-producing single from Sam Bates.

The Dash mustered three runs against Wilmington starter Tripp Davis, but Winston could not solve the Blue Rocks' bullpen. Cory Hall (1-2) twirled a perfect fifth before big league veterans Wade Davis and Louis Coleman spun a combined three scoreless innings. Davis whiffed five over two frames, while Coleman stranded a runner in the seventh. Tyler Sample recorded a spotless ninth to wrap up Wilmington's win.

Winston-Salem and Wilmington meet in the second-to-last game of the regular season Sunday afternoon at 1:35. The Dash will send High-A innings leader Bryan Blough (11-10, 3.97 ERA) to the hill against fellow righty Leonel Santiago (3-3, 4.30 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 1:20 on wsdash.com/broadcast.