Booker wins CL All-Star MVP honors

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (June 20, 2018) - Dash outfielder Joel Booker earned the BUSH'S® All-Star MVP honors after posting an impressive 3-for-4 effort with a homer and four RBIs in the Southern Division's 7-6 win over the Northern Division in the 2018 Carolina League All-Star Classic, presented by US Foods, at Five County Stadium in Zebulon, N.C., on Tuesday. Booker's award marks the first time a Winston-Salem player has won All-Star MVP honors in the Dash era (2009-present).
Batting in the leadoff spot, the 24-year-old blasted the first pitch he saw from Daniel Gonzalez in the bottom of the first over the left-field fence for a solo homer. The former Iowa Hawkeye added a leadoff single in the third and an RBI groundout in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-3 before coming to bat in the sixth.

With the Southern Division ahead 5-4 against the Northern Division, Booker drove in two key insurance runs on a ground ball single into center, bringing home both Jhonny Pereda and Ronnie Dawson. Those runs would prove important, as the Northern Division plated one in the eighth and one in the ninth to fall short of a comeback by one run. Booker ended up playing all nine innings of the ballgame.
Luis Basabe, the Dash's other position player in the Midsummer Classic, went 0-for-2 with a run scored and a stolen base. On the bump, righty flamethrower Dylan Cease, who currently leads the Carolina League in strikeouts, punched out two batters in a hitless second. Fellow starting pitcher Bernardo Flores allowed two hits in a scoreless seventh. Right-hander Matt Foster gave up a run in the eighth, but he maintained the Southern Division's advantage.
The Dash will resume play at BB&T Ballpark on Thursday for a four-game series against the Down East Wood Ducks from June 21-24. The promotions during this four-day stretch will include a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday, postgame fireworks on Friday, an "Energize the Ballpark" postgame concert featuring Passion Music on Saturday and a Latin American Jersey Day on Sunday. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.