Resilient Dash outlast K-Tribe

The Winston-Salem Dash were nothing if not resilient on Friday night. But it's nothing manager Joe McEwing hasn't seen before.

Jose Martinez slugged a three-run homer to spark a five-run 12th inning as the Dash outlasted the Kinston Indians, 10-5, to complete a sweep of the Carolina League South Division Finals.

Winston-Salem appeared to be cruising to the three-game sweep, taking a 4-1 into the eighth. But Jeremie Tice's two-run single highlighted a four-run rally that put Kinston ahead.

The Indians gave the ball to All-Star closer Cory Burns, who was 30-for-33 in save opportunities following a promotion from Class A Lake County. Greg Paiml led off the ninth with a bunt single, moved up on Brandon Short's comebacker and scored the tying run on a two-out single by Jon Gilmore.

"They're resilient, they just don't stop," McEwing said. "A that point, it's easy to shut down. And they didn't do it tonight and haven't done it all year. One through 25, the grind every at-bat, every pitch, every defensive play until the last out."

In the 12th, Gilmore and Seth Loman singled. After Ozzie Lewis popped out trying to bunt, Martinez deposited a pitch from Matthew Langwell (0-1) over the left-field fence for just his second hit in 13 postseason at-bats.

"He got a slider in and put a pretty great swing on it," McEwing said. "It looked like it was going to go foul, but it stayed fair the whole way. That was a big home run."

Paiml capped a three-hit night with a two-run double, and Jake Rasner (1-0) tossed four innings of one-hit relief for the win as Winston-Salem advanced to the Mills Cup Finals for the first time since 2003.

The Dash will face the winner of the series between Potomac and Frederick.

"Both teams are very good ballclubs. We'll just wait and see," said McEwing, the Carolina League Manager of the Year. "The two days off is going to be nice, especially the way the bullpen was used tonight."

In other Carolina League action

Potomac Nationals 7, Frederick Keys 1
Jimmy Barthmaier struck out seven over 5 2/3 scoreless innings as the P-Nats took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-5 series. Bill Rhinehart smacked a three-run homer and Carolina League MVP Tyler Moore added a solo shot. Box score