RAUCOUS FIRST INNING SPEARHEADS WILMINGTON
Potomac starter Robbie Ray did not have much and it showed. The first five guys reached base and he left after facing eight batters. Orlando Calixte roped a single to center. Brett Eibner reached on a free pass. Lane Adams lined one to center that dropped for a knock to score Calixte for a 1-0 edge. A wild pitch from Ray moved Eibner to third and Adams to second. Matt Fields proceeded to work a walk to chuck the bags.
A 10+ pitch tangle with Cheslor Cuthbert concluded with a walk for a 2-0 lead. With one out, Geulin Beltre slammed a first-pitch fastball into the left field corner for a pair of runs. After retiring Cuthbert at home on a Juan Graterol fielder's choice, Ray was chased from the contest, making way for Ryan Demmin. Angel Franco floated a ball into right for a run-scoring single and a 5-0 edge. Calixte then bombed a fastball off the left field fence to score a pair more on a double, capping the inning at 7-0.
The Rocks added single tallies in the fourth and seventh.
Jason Adam was stellar in his 24th start of the year. He went six innings, allowing four hits, no walks and fanning five batters. He never allowed two men to reach base consecutively. Antonio Cruz came on for a one-run inning. Nick Graffeo closed out the game with two scoreless innings.
The Rocks open up a four-game series with the Lynchburg Hillcats at Frawley on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Wilmington will throw RHP Andy Ferguson (2-2, 3.49) while the Hillcats will go with RHP Michael Lee (2-2, 4.81). Broadcast coverage begins at 6:35 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:
With today's win and Frederick playing at Carolina, the Blue Rocks stand 1.5 game ahead of the defending CL champion Keys. Wilmington, Frederick and Potomac are all within 3.0 games of each other for the division's second-half playoff spot. The four-time Carolina League champion Blue Rocks are attempting to make their first playoff appearance since pacing the loop with 84 wins in 2009.
After a 15-game stretch against Southern Division squads, Wilmington concludes its regular-season schedule with 15 of their last 19 games against their brothers from the North. They own a 27-18 (.600) mark in intradivisional competition.
Lane Adams is starting to get the hang of hitting in the three-hole. He went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Minus the numbers of the since-promoted prospect Brian Fletcher, three-hole hitters have seen the average bump to .223 (83-for-373) with 72 strikeouts.
The Wilmington Blue Rocks responded in the very first inning to their tough defeat the night prior. They scored seven runs, setting a season-high. They had scored six runs in a frame three times before that, with the most recent coming on July 5 at Lynchburg.