Kinston, NC - Clutch hitting was contagious for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (29-27) as they rallied for three runs in the seventh inning en route to a come-from-behind 6-4 win in the series opener against the Down East Wood Ducks (21-25) Sunday night at Grainger Stadium. Chris DeVito paced the
Kinston, NC - Clutch hitting was contagious for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (29-27) as they rallied for three runs in the seventh inning en route to a come-from-behind 6-4 win in the series opener against the Down East Wood Ducks (21-25) Sunday night at Grainger Stadium. Chris DeVito paced the offense with three hits and two RBIs, while Roman Collins reached base four times and delivered the go-ahead, two-run single in the seventh to give the Blue Crew the lead and eventual victory.
Down 4-3 in the top of the seventh frame, the Blue Rocks loaded the bases on two walks and a fielding error. With two-outs and two strikes on him, Wander Franco hit a comebacker off the Down East pitcher's leg that fell in for an RBI infield single to tie the game 4-4. Collins followed suit and grounded a base hit up the middle that scored two runs and gave the Rocks a 6-4 lead.
The back and forth nature of the game was evident at the start. The Blue Rocks and Wood Ducks traded runs in the first inning, with the Rocks scoring on a two-out base hit from DeVito and the Wood Ducks countering with a Preston Scott solo shot that tied the game 1-1. Down East would load the bases in the third inning and took advantage of D.J. Burt's throwing error on a double play ball that allowed two runs to cross to make it 3-1. Nathan Esposito got one run back with his run-scoring single in the fourth inning and Wilmington would tie it 3-3 in the fifth on another clutch two-out RBI hit from DeVito. The Wood Ducks took their last lead of the game after a sixth inning home run from Tyler Sanchez that made it 4-3.
Wilmington starter Cristian Castillo did not factor in the decision and lasted five innings, allowed three runs, two earned on four hits. Strong relief pitching from Jacob Bodner (2-0) and Richard Lovelady bridged the gap in the final four innings. Bodner allowed a run and struck out four while Lovelady picked up his team-leading fifth save of the season with two scoreless innings.
The three-games series continues on Monday, June 5 with game two scheduled to start at 7:00pm. RHP Andres Machado (1-5, 5.13 ERA) takes the rubber for the Rocks while LHP Frank Lopez (0-0, 8.31 ERA) will start for the Wood Ducks. Fans can listen to the game as Matt Janus will have the call on 89.7 WGLS-FM.
PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
With the win, the Rocks have taken four of their first five games against the Wood Ducks in 2017. Offensively, the Blue Crew has enjoyed playing the newest team in the league. In the five game span, Wilmington has outscored the Wood Ducks 38-20 and have pounded out 61 total hits, including 18 extra-base hits, nine of which have been home runs. Individually, Anderson Miller leads the way after picking up a pair of hits in the victory on Sunday. Overall against Down East, Miller is hitting .478 (11-for-23) with two home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored.
Chris DeVito is having a quite the journey away from Frawley Stadium. With a three-hit game Sunday, the slugging first baseman is hitting to the tune of .522 (12-for-23). It was his third consecutive multi-hit game after picking up a pair of hits on Saturday night before hitting for the cycle on Friday night at Winston-Salem. DeVito etched his name in the Blue Rocks record book, becoming the first Blue Rock hitter in 18 years to hit for the cycle. The last time a Wilmington hitter accomplished the feat was back on April 18, 1999 when Dee Brown did it at Myrtle Beach. It was also the third cycle hit at BB&T Ballpark. The first was hit by Matt Lipka of Lynchburg (when they were affiliated with the Atlanta Braves) and in 2016 when Mason Robbins of the Dash completed the cycle.
Richard Lovelady continues to dominate out of the bullpen for the Blue Rocks. The hard-throwing lefty notched his team-leading fifth save of the year, tossing two scoreless innings on Sunday. Over his last nine appearances, Lovelady has yielded just one earned run in 13.2 innings pitched. Overall, Lovelady has allowed just four earned runs in 23 innings of work and has an impressive 25 to 2 strikeout to walk ratio.
Nicky Lopez and Brandon Downes continue to be key components in the Rocks lineup. Downes returned to the Blue Rocks active roster on Wednesday after missing the last six weeks due to a broken hammate bone, which he suffered against the Carolina Mudcats on April 11. Downes started the season 5-for-18 with a homer, two triples, an RBI and two runs scored in five games with Wilmington. He is 6-for-16 with two homers, five RBI and six runs scored and has walked twice since his return. Last season, Downes led the Blue Rocks with 12 homers, but batted just .230 and struck out 170 times in 130 games. Lopez got on base two more times on Sunday. The shortstop had a double and a walk in the Rocks 6-4 win. He now has hits in all but seven games this season and has been on base in all but three contests and 32 of his last 33 affairs. The second-year pro has 14 multi-hit games in his last 31 contests.
THEY SAID IT: JAMIE QUIRK
"It was huge (on the two seventh inning base hits). Wander Franco got himself down in the count, swung at a couple sliders in the dirt and battled. The key there is getting the ball in play. We preach it and talk about it. Good things happen when you put the ball in play. He stayed on the last slider and hit it off (the pitcher's) leg. Then Roman Collins got a big hit to give us the lead. Franco's was a big one though. You have to tie it first and he stayed on the ball and put it in play.
"I know that (our team) likes hitting at (Grainger Stadium). The wind is blowing out all the time, they feel good when they come here. Obviously it's a lot different than our place (Frawley Stadium). It's a hitter's park, they like it, it gives them confidence and they feel good when they come here.
"(On vote for All-Star Game) Well, I have a vote and I voted for Foster Griffin, Richard Lovelady, Yunior Marte, Anderson Miller and Nicky Lopez. Hopefully all five of them get in, that would be nice. We will see (Monday), I'm sure someone will notify us, but that's who I voted for.
"(Richard Lovelady) has been fantastic. I think he has walked two guys all year. He is pounding the strike zone with his fastball that is in the upper 90s. He is throwing strikes and he is focused. He is in a really good place right now and has a lot of confidence going. When he is on the mound, we all feel confident. Hope the Carolina League recognizes it, it would be nice for him. We will see (Monday), but he is in a great place right now.
"I really hope that no matter what happens, we go into that last week with Lynchburg and Salem and it means something.(On playing the two teams in final week for the First Half) It would be fun to watch these guys react and get after it. I hope we stay close or get closer when we play those games in the last week there. We will see what happens."
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