WATTS, BELTRE PACE HIGH-SCORING TRIUMPH
Prospect right-hander Erik Johnson had not allowed a baserunner through his first four frames. Despite retiring the first Wilmington hitter in the fifth, it was the defense that sparked Johnson's demise. Cheslor Cuthbert got aboard on shortstop David Herbek's third error before Whit Merrifield posted the team's first hit with an opposite-way single. Three run-scoring knocks followed, highlighted by Murray Watts' two-run double as the Rocks took a 4-0 lead.
Watts singled Merrifield home to chase Johnson (1-2) in the seventh while Geulin Beltre's fourth homer of the year stretched the lead to 7-0 against reliever Steven Upchurch.
The league's mightiest offense would not go quietly. Kevan Smith smashed a two-run homer against starter Matt Ridings (3-1) in the bottom half of the frame. Four runs crossed in total and the league's active home run leader, Trayce Thompson, came to the plate as the tying run against Antonio Cruz. But the lefty struck him out to strand a pair and the Blue Rocks cruised thanks to insurance runs in the eighth and ninth on hits by Merrifield and Brett Eibner.
The three-game set concludes at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night. Right-hander Brooks Pounders (4-3, 5.44) gets the ball for Wilmington against fellow righty Justin Collop (7-2, 3.90). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. as studio host Rob Cunningham brings fans the Rocks Report Pre-game Show, presented by Wawa, on 89.7 WGLS-FM and online at wgls.rowan.edu.
PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
Murray Watts and Geulin Beltre paced the offense with two hits and three RBIs apiece.
Before the game, the Kansas City Royals announced that Matt Fields and Elisaul Pimentel were named the Blue Rocks' July Player and Pitcher of the Month respectively.
Fields saw his nine-game hit streak come to a close after he went 0-for-5 with a pair of strikeouts.
Starter Matt Ridings got his first win as a Wilmington starter with the longest outing of his pro career. He allowed three runs over 6.1 innings on five hits and no walks. He has issued just one free pass over 22 innings as a starter with the Blue Crew.
Manager Vance Wilson made several major changes to the lineup. Orlando Calixte hit leadoff for the first time as a professional. He had two hits, an RBI and scored a run. Fields batted third for the first time as a Blue Rock and Lane Adams cleaned up for the first time with Wilmington. Whit Merrifield also hit sixth for the first time this season. He had three hits including a double, an RBI, two runs scored and his team-leading 24th stolen base.
Wednesday marked the Blue Rocks' second-highest run-scoring effort in a nine-inning win this half.
Wilmington won for just the second time in 13 games against Winston-Salem.
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