Game #12 Preview — Dash vs. Frederick
Game #12 — Home Game #5
Winston-Salem Dash (3–8) vs. Frederick Keys (4–6)
Monday, April 17 – 7 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Tanner Banks spun six sterling innings as the Dash took the series finale against Buies Creek on Sunday 6–2, splitting the series at BB&T Ballpark. Banks tied a career-high with his nine strikeouts during the contest. Kyle Tucker homered in the first to give the Astros an early 2–0 lead, but Ronald Bueno tied the game with RBIs in the third and fifth before Louis Silverio singled in Zack Collins to give the Dash the lead for good in the sixth. Yelmison Peralta and Ryan Riga combined for three scoreless innings of relief.
Winston-Salem kicks off a three-game set against the Frederick Keys tonight, with right-hander Zach Thompson (0–1, 4.50 ERA) taking the ball in the opener.
DASH LINEUP:
Jake Fincher — CF
Ronald Bueno — LF
Zack Collins — C
Brady Conlan — 3B
Louis Silverio — RF
Toby Thomas — 1B
Johan Cruz — SS
Daniel Gonzalez — DH
Danny Mendick — 2B
Zach Thompson — RHP
DASH DOTS:
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· Southpaw Tanner Banks churned out another quality start, leading the Dash past Buies Creek 6–2 in an Easter matinee at BB&T Ballpark. As a result, the Dash split their four-game set with the first-place Astros. After giving up a two-run home run to first-rounder Kyle Tucker in the opening frame, Banks settled in nicely to fan a career high-tying nine batters over six innings. Winston-Salem scored in five different innings, with eight starters netting at least one hit and four men recording both an RBI and a run scored.
· With six more innings on Sunday, Banks claimed the top spot in Minor League Baseball in innings pitched with 20.0. The Utah native also owns a share of third place in the Minors with 22 whiffs, including his second nine-strikeout performance of his professional career on Sunday. Among Minor Leaguers with three starts, Banks’ 1.35 earned run average is sixth-lowest. He has logged a quality start in each of his first three outings of the season after finishing with six in his final eight efforts of 2016.
· The Dash’s offense posted five different scoring innings for the first time this season. In fact, Winston-Salem had not mustered more than three scoring frames this year before Sunday. The club had not overcome a deficit in a victory until Sunday, when the Dash scored the final six runs after Buies Creek jumped out to a 2–0 lead.
· Several Winston-Salem hitters put together solid showings on Sunday. Ronald Bueno registered his first two RBIs and his first multi-hit game out of the two-spot in the lineup. Daniel Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs. Dating back to last year, Gonzalez is hitting .462 (12-for-26) with seven RBIs in his last seven games. Brady Conlan hit .467 (7-for-15) in the four-game set with Buies Creek after posting a .130 (3-for-23) mark on the season-opening road trip.
· North Davidson High School alumnus Landon Lassiter has re-signed with the White Sox, who assigned him to the Dash. A University of North Carolina product, Lassiter grew up in Thomasville and now resides in High Point. Last season, Lassiter was a Midseason South Atlantic League All-Star with Low-A Kannapolis, for whom he posted a .283 average with 24 RBIs and 35 runs in 77 games. He jumped to Winston-Salem in mid-July and hit .271 with eight RBIs and 27 runs in 38 games at the High-A level.
· Lassiter’s roster spot opened due to fellow outfielder Alex Call’s placement on the seven-day disabled list, the White Sox announced on Monday. In 10 games with Winston-Salem, the former Ball State star hit .244 with five RBIs and two runs scored. Call was the White Sox third-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft, and he owns a .300 average in his Minor League career.
· This series represents the Keys’ lone visit to BB&T Ballpark this season. The Dash will host just one series against three teams on the circuit (Potomac/Wilmington). The Keys will host the Dash for just one series (August 8–10).
· Winston-Salem collected its first win when facing a left-handed starter on Sunday. Including this series opener, the Dash have faced seven left-handed starters.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Monday’s series opener will be available online at wsdash.com/broadcast and via the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash starts up at 6:45 p.m., with first pitch slated for 7 p.m.
