Game #129 Preview — Dash at Frederick
Game #129– Away Game #62
Winston-Salem Dash (25–33, 53–75) at Frederick Keys (28–30, 64–64)
Thursday, August 25–7:00 p.m.
NYMEO Field (Frederick, Md.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Despite a 10-strikeout performance from Jordan Stephens, Winston-Salem dropped the middle match of its three-game series at Frederick, 2–0 the final from NYMEO Field. Stephens permitted a two-run blast off the bat of Aderlin Rodriguez in the first inning before cruising through five, during which he whiffed a career-high 10 Keys, including seven of the final nine he encountered. These two teams meet for the final time in 2016 in Thursday night’s rubber match.
STARTING LINEUP:
Jordan Stephens logged a career-high 10 strikeouts on Wednesday (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
Michael Suiter — CF
Dante Flores — 2B
Mason Robbins — RF
Nick Basto — LF
Zack Collins — DH
Toby Thomas — 3B
Marcus Davis — 1B
Brett Austin — C
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Tanner Banks — LHP
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DASH DOTS:
- Because of the Dash’s loss at Frederick and Myrtle Beach’s 2–1, 10-inning victory at Carolina, the Pelicans eliminated Winston-Salem from the postseason conversation on Wednesday night. This marks just the fourth time in the Dash era (2009-present) that Winston-Salem will not suit up in the Carolina League playoffs. The Pelicans will meet first-half champion Salem in the best-of-three Southern Division Championship Series, which begins Wednesday, September 7.
- For the first time this season, a Winston-Salem pitcher not named Matt Cooper registered a double-digit strikeout performance. Cooper, who led the Minors in strikeouts after his final start with the Dash on June 13, struck out 12 on May 27 at Potomac and followed that up with 11 punchouts on June 2 at home against Carolina. Otherwise, the Dash had not seen a double-digit strikeout showing since Yency Almonte whiffed 12 on August 30, 2015, against Frederick.
- Stephens had been close to a 10-strikeout effort, as he had nine on both June 15 at Wilmington and July 4 vs. Myrtle Beach. The former Rice University star leads the CL with 136 strikeouts, 14 more than second-place Trevor Clifton of Myrtle Beach. Stephens is also second to Clifton (2.87) in earned run average at 3.71.
- The Dash boast the two best qualified hitters in the Carolina League. Even though he is mired in a 3-for-22 slump, Mason Robbins paces the circuit with a .315 average. Nick Basto stands second at .309, though he is also limping a bit as of late (0-for-11 in his last three games). The next-closest competitor Frederick’s Rodriguez, who has a .301 average. If Robbins and Basto maintain their hold on the top two spots, it would be the second time in five years that a Dash duo would finish one-two in batting average. Carlos Sanchez and Dan Black finished with .315 marks in 2012, the last year the Dash reached the Mills Cup Championship Series.
- Following Thursday’s finale in Maryland, the Dash will return to BB&T Ballpark for their final three home games of 2016. Winston-Salem will welcome the Carolina Mudcats, the Braves’ High-A club, for a three-game set that begins on Friday. The Dash claimed all three clashes with Carolina during the Mudcats’ last visit to the Triad from August 9–11.
- When the Dash head back home, they will try to finish the BB&T Ballpark slate strongly after an uncharacteristically tough year at the downtown facility. Winston-Salem will record its worst home record since moving to BB&T Ballpark in 2010. The Dash’s only other losing season at home came in 2014, when the club was 34–35. The Dash’s 37 home losses are tied for the most in the Carolina League with Wilmington.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Thursday’s game will be broadcast live on 600 AM-WSJS in the Winston-Salem area, as is the case with every Thursday game throughout the season. The game is also available on wsjs.com, as well as wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn App. The Pregame Dash will begin at 6:45 p.m, with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m.
