(Photo: Brad Glazier/Wilmington Blue Rocks)
The Wilmington Blue Rocks won their fourth straight game on Wednesday when the team defeated the Winston-Salem Dash 4-1 at BB&T Ballpark.
In the last two wins, the pitching has been almost near perfection with a no-hitter and Wednesday’s starter Kris Bubic pitching six innings with 11 strikeouts. It should not surprise anyone though as the pitching has been the backbone of this team’s success this year.
The RBIs in the game came from left fielder Michael Gigliotti (1), DH Brewer Hicklen (1),third baseman Dennicher Carrasco (1) and first baseman Nick Pratto (1).
Three Blue Rocks players had runs in the win and they were Hicklen (1), Carrasco (2) and Pratto (1).
Four Wilmington hitters gained a hit in the win and they were Hicklen (1), Carrasco (2), Pratto (2) and second baseman Kyle Kasser (2).
The Wilmington Blue Rocks were one for nine with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.
Brewer Hicklen and Dennicher Carrasco each recorded a home run in the 4-1 win.
On the pitching side, Rocks starter Kris Bubic was throwing flames in the win as he struck out 11 Dash hitters. Bubic went six innings, five hits, one run, one earned run, 11 strikeouts, one home run and earned the win ( third win of the season).
This is the second start in a row for Bubic throwing 10 strikeouts or more in a game.
Collin Snider came into the game to relieve Bubic as he went two innings,two strikeouts and earned the hold ( sixth of the season).
Walker Sheller was the last man up for the pitching staff on the night as he went one inning and earned the save ( first of the season).
Rocks Score Three Runs In Back To Back Innings
The runs in this game did not come right away but the Rocks did not drag out the silence of the scoreboard too long, as the team scored one run in the third inning.
The Rocks run in the top of the third inning came when Michael Gigliotti grounded out which allowed Nick Pratto to score to give their team a 1-0 lead.
Wilmington would add two more runs to their lead in the top of the fourth inning when Brewer Hicklen and Dennicher Carrasco hit back to back solo home runs. The home runs from Hicklen and Carrasco would expand Rocks lead to 3-0.
The Dash would end their silence on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning when Craig Dedelow would hit a solo home run to right field which decreased the Rocks lead to 3-1.
Rocks Add One More Run In Sixth Inning & Pitching Does The Rest
Wilmington was not done adding to their lead as the team added one more run in the sixth inning to make the score 4-1.
The Rocks run came from Nick Pratto who hit a two-out line drive single to right field which would score Dennicher Carrasco to extend their team’s lead to 4-1.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Rocks starting pitcher Kris Bubic would exit the game as the only blemish to his name was a home run given up. Bubic went six innings, five hits, one run, one earned run, 11 strikeouts, one home run and earned the win
Collin Snider came into the game to replace Bubic which he was not fooling around as the pitcher had four ground outs and two strikeouts in two innings. Snider went two innings,two strikeouts and earned the hold.
Walker Sheller would come into the game for the Rocks in the ninth to wrap up the game and he did just that as he recorded two fly outs and a ground out to seal the 4-1 win.
Sheller went one inning and earned the save.
Rocks continue the road series with Dash tomorrow at 7:00pm ET.