Despite Monster Third Inning, Dash Fall to Jersey Shore 12-8 in Series Finale

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (July 25, 2021) — The Winston-Salem Dash fell to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws 12-8 in the Sunday finale of a six-game set at Truist Stadium.

Bailey Horn took the mound for the second time in the series and was tested early as Nate Fassnacht walked and scored on a two-out double by Jhaylin Ortiz to give the BlueClaws an early 1-0 lead. Ortiz pushed the ‘Claws further ahead in the second frame with three-run homer to left field, giving Jersey Shore a 4-0 edge.

The Dash shook off the deficit and struck with a mighty offensive force in the third inning, plating eight runs to snag the lead. Lazaro Leal led off drawing a walk and was followed by Travis Moniot who reached in the same fashion. Lenyn Sosa then flied out to center field advancing Moniot and Leal to scoring position. Yoelqui Cespedes drove Leal home on a ground ball that was bobbled by the shortstop Casey Martin.

Luis Robert drove in two more with a double down the third base line. Luis Curbelo put the Dash ahead with his 15th home run of the year—a two-run shot to left field. Back-to-back singles by Jagger Rusconi and Gunnar Troutwine set the scene for Leal to blast a three-run homer into left and put the Dash ahead 8-4 at the end of the third inning.

Jersey Shore crept back in the middle three innings. Wilber Perez entered in the fourth and allowed a two-run home run off the bat of D.J. Stewart. Perez was retired after the inning and replaced by Ryan Williamson, who gave up the tying home run in the fifth to Jhaylin Ortiz, marking the second of the game for the center fielder. Ortiz finished the game with a career-high six RBIs, the most by a BlueClaw player this year.

Williamson allowed two solo shots to Cole Stobbe and Nate Fassnacht in the sixth inning to push the BlueClaws ahead 10-8. In the ninth, D.J. Stewart sealed the fate of the game with a two-run home run to left field to push Jersey Shore to victory by the score of 12-8.

Reliever Tom Sutera (1-2) was credited with his first win of the year, while Manuel Silva collected his first save. Ryan Williamson (1-2) took the loss for Winston-Salem. The Dash and BlueClaws split the series three games apiece after the ‘Claws won the final three contests.

The Dash have Monday off and will head to Greensboro on Tuesday to begin a six-game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers at First National Bank Field. A starting rotation has not been announced for the Dash, while Greensboro will turn to Grant Ford in the first game of the series.