Hansen dominates in 4-1 win over Pelicans

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Aug. 16, 2017) - Behind Alec Hansen's 11-strikeout effort in a career-high tying seven innings of work, the Dash snapped a four-game slide with a 4-1 victory over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans on Wednesday night at BB&T Ballpark. 
A second-round pick by Chicago last year out of the University of Oklahoma, Hansen (3-5) currently leads all White Sox farmhands this season with 166 strikeouts between Low-A Kannapolis and Winston-Salem after entering the evening tied with Birmingham flamethrower Michael Kopech in that category.

On Wednesday, the former Sooner yielded just three hits - all of which were singles - in what was his longest High-A outing of his career. Rated by MLB Pipeline as the ninth-best prospect in Chicago's system, Hansen has recorded double-digit strikeout totals in three of his last four outings, during which he has fanned 40 over 23.2 innings.
The 22-year-old's only blemish of the night came in the opening frame, as Myrtle Beach (21-32, 64-59) jumped out to an early lead. Tyler Alamo stroked a two-out, run-scoring single to left to bring home P.J. Higgins, who reached on Hansen's only walk of the game.
However, the Dash (25-28, 49-74) responded with a run in the bottom of the inning against Pelicans starter Mike Rucker (4-4). Bryant Flete doubled with one out, and, two batters later, Jameson Fisher grounded an RBI single through the right side to knot the contest at one. 
Following two scoreless innings, Winston-Salem took the advantage for good in the fourth. Fisher, who is hitting .353 (12-for-34) over his last 10 games, led off the frame with a double, and Matt Rose followed with an infield single to put runners on first and second.
With Louis Silverio at the plate, Fisher and Rose executed a perfect double steal, and, on the play, a throwing error by Higgins to third allowed Fisher to score and Rose to move to third. Later in the at-bat, Silverio grounded an RBI single to left to make it a 3-1 game. The Dash capped the scoring in the eighth on a Seby Zavala run-scoring double.
In relief of Hansen, Dash righty Ian Hamilton locked down his fifth save in six High-A opportunities with two hitless innings, striking out three batters in the outing.
#YourHomeTeam wraps up this five-game series against the Pelicans in its homestand finale at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Winston-Salem sends right-hander Dane Dunning (5-5, 3.43 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts, to the bump against Myrtle Beach righty Duncan Robinson (3-3, 2.34 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m., and fans can follow the action on WSJS (600 AM and 101.3 FM), along with wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App.
Thursday's series finale against the Birds is another Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday, during which fans can enjoy $1 Domestic Cans, $1 Carolina Blonde Drafts and 50% off other Foothills Drafts through the seventh inning. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.