Kinston, N.C. - Francisco Villegas retired the first nine Dash hitters he faced, but the subsequent eight reached base for Winston-Salem, highlighted by a Craig Dedelow grand slam, as the Dash downed the Woodies, 8-2, Friday.
Kinston, N.C. - Francisco Villegas retired the first nine Dash hitters he faced, but the subsequent eight reached base for Winston-Salem, highlighted by a Craig Dedelow grand slam, as the Dash downed the Woodies, 8-2, Friday.
Villegas (loss, 2-2) was outstanding to start. He was perfect through three innings, and matched a career-high with seven strikeouts in the process. However, in the second turn through the order, the bats came alive for the Dash. Tyler Frost led off the inning with a home run to center, and then the Dash loaded the bases, on two hits and a walk. That set up Dedelow for the grand slam, his seventh home run of the year, to put Winston-Salem in front 5-2, and end the night for Villegas.
The lefty worked 3.0+ innings, giving up five runs on four hits, he walked one and struck out seven.
Wes Robertson took over, but the bats stayed hot for the Dash. They loaded the bases for a second time in the inning, pushing across two more runs, on a sacrifice fly from Yeyson Yrizarri , and a RBI single from Nick Madrigal, to make it 7-2.
The Dash (20-20) then added one more run in the fifth, when Dedelow walked to begin the inning, and score on a sac fly from Tate Blackman three batters later.
The Woodies (29-13) did get out to an early lead. With one out in the second, Sam Huff launched his first Carolina League home run, and 16th overall this season, a solo shot to right-center, to put the Woodies on the board. Then in the third, Eric Jenkins went yard, off the batter's eye in center, his second of the year, and first since April 8th against Myrtle Beach, which made it 2-0 Down East.
Lincoln Henzman (win, 2-2) held Down East in check thereafter. He went on to work six innings, giving up two runs on five hits, struck out three, and did not walk a batter.
Josh Advocate was sharp in relief for the Wood Ducks, firing the final four innings of the contest, and facing the minimum, as he got two double plays to erase the walk and single that he allowed. He finished his outing with three strikeouts.
The Wood Ducks and Dash return for the middle game of the three game set tomorrow night at 6 p.m., when lefty John King (0-0, 1.50) makes his second start of the year for the Woodies, and first at home, opposite Dash lefty John Parke (1-2, 3.96). It's military appreciation night at Grainger Stadium, and the Wood Ducks will be giving away a patriotic cap to the first 1,000 fans, presented by Stallings, and American Standard. Gates open at 4 p.m., and the broadcast will begin at 5:50 p.m. on 960AM The Bull, and online at 960thebull.com as well as the MiLB First Pitch and TuneIn Radio Apps. For tickets and more information, visit woodducksbaseball.com or call (252) 686-5172.
