Rocks Use Pair of Four-Run Outbursts to Top Down East

Wilmington, DE- Patience combined with a little small ball and some timely hitting led the Blue Rocks to a decisive eighth inning that earned Wilmington an 8-4 victory over the Down East Wood Ducks on Saturday at Frawley Stadium. The Blue Crew scored four times in the game's penultimate frame and secured a series victory over the only Carolina League team with a better record in 2019 than Wilmington. 

With the score tied, Cristian Perez opened the bottom of the eighth by drawing a five-pitch free pass. Sebastian Rivero then moved him into scoring position and reached himself on a perfect sacrifice bunt. Ricky Aracena followed with a bunt-hit to load the bases. One out later Brewer Hicklen was hit by a pitch to force in what proved to be the winning run. Tyler Hill and Dennicher Carrasco provided some insurance with a pair of seeing-eye singles and then Kyle Kasser concluded the scoring with an RBI-grounder to second. 
Wilmington also scored four times in the fourth frame, which erased a 3-0 deficit. The inning started, ironically enough, with four consecutive hits. Carrasco jumpstarted the rally with a single and went to third on Kasser's ground-rule double to left. Carrasco scored on Nick Pratto's bloop-single to center and Kasser and Pratto came home on Cristian Perez's RBI-knock to right. Kyle Isbel capped the crooked number with a two-out, run-scoring single. 
Rocks reliever Robert Garcia got the win, despite allowing a run in his only inning of work. Down East righty Jairo Beras took the loss by yielding four runs in his line frame. 
Wilmington wraps up its homestand on Sunday against Wood Ducks. First pitch is slated for 1:35 p.m. and tickets are available at BlueRocks.com. Fans who can't make it to the ballpark can catch all the action with the Voice of the Blue Rocks, Cory Nidoh, on 89.6 WGLS-FM. 
PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:
The Blue Rocks offense has caught fire over the last week. Wilmington had 14 hits on Saturday against Down East, which marked the fifth time in the team's last seven games it has managed double-digit knocks. On the season the Blue Crew have managed 10 or more knocks only 21 times and have won 14 of those contests. 
Wilmington improved to 49-8 when scoring four-or-more runs in a game this season. Conversely the Blue Crew are just 28-45 when plating three-or-fewer runs.
With the win the Rocks improved to a season-best 24 games above .500. The CL North first-half champs have sat atop the division's overall standings for most of the 2019 season-130 of the campaign's first 140 days. The Rocks have not been out of first place in the overall ledger since April 26. The only team with a better record than the Rocks is Down East.