Game #46 Preview — Dash vs. Frederick

Game #46 — Home Game #22
Winston-Salem Dash (17–28) vs. Frederick Keys (20–23)
Tuesday, May 24–7:00 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

GAME BACKGROUND:

All nine hitters registered at least one hit, while six logged a multi-hit contest in Winston-Salem’s 5–3 victory at Salem in Monday’s series finale at LewisGale Field. The Dash now begin a quick three-game homestand at BB&T Ballpark against the Frederick Keys.

STARTING LINEUP:

Marcus Davis was one of six players in the Dash lineup with two hits in Winston’s 5–3 victory over Salem on Monday (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).

Hunter Jones — CF
Mason Robbins — LF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Keon Barnum — 1B
Marcus Davis — DH
Toby Thomas — 2B
Louie Lechich — RF
Sean O’Connell — C
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Jordan Stephens — RHP

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DASH DOTS:

• The Dash used a balanced attack to earn a four-game split in Salem. The top five men in the order posted multi-hit games, and each of them scored once. Winston-Salem’s 15-hit output matched its biggest single-game showing this season. Only a 20-knock explosion on April 22, also at Salem, eclipses Monday’s total. The only criticism rests in the club’s 13 runners left on base, which matches a season-high.
• The White Sox announced Tuesday that Adam Engel has earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. Engel hit .327 with five RBIs and 15 runs in 14 games with Winston-Salem. Fellow outfielder Michael Suiter takes Engel’s spot after a promotion from Low-A Kannapolis. Suiter hit .243 in 11 games with the Intimidators.
• Winston-Salem is 13.5 games behind Salem in the Southern Division standings, but the Dash have enjoyed their two trips to the Roanoke Valley this season. The Dash boast a 5–3 mark at LewisGale Field. Salem, who possesses the Carolina League’s best record at 30–14, are 3–5 at home against the Dash and 27–9 (.750) in all other contests. However, the Dash do not visit Salem again until the final road trip of the year (August 30-September 1).
• Infielder Gerson Montilla continued his stellar RBI surge on Monday. He has driven home at least one run in his last 11 games since May 13. Montilla’s 17 RBIs during this stretch are tied with Las Vegas’ T.J. Rivera for the most in the Minors. As a result, Montilla has vaulted into a share of second place in the CL in RBIs with 35. He trails Lynchburg’s Bobby Bradley (40), while Myrtle Beach’s Yasiel Balaguert also has 35.
• Dash outfielder Hunter Jones has shined in the month of May. In 22 games, Jones is hitting .349 with two homers, eight RBIs and 16 runs scored (.242, 0, 6, 18 in April). He is one of four Carolina Leaguers who has played in all of his team’s games. He joins Myrtle Beach sluggers Balaguert and Ian Happ (43) and Potomac’s Jose Marmolejos (41). Jones paces the CL in both games played (45) and at-bats (178). He also sits second in hits (52; 1 shy of Potomac’s Andrew Stevenson), tied for second in triples (5), third in runs (34) and fourth in steals (21).
• The Dash announced Tuesday that the team will don commemorative Winston-Salem Warthogs jerseys for three “Throwback Thursday” games, with the first one being Thursday’s finale against Frederick. Before becoming the Dash in 2009, the franchise enjoyed a successful 14-year run under the Warthogs moniker from 1995–2008. The Warthogs posted a 944–1004 (.485) record and claimed Winston-Salem’s most recent Mills Cup crown (2003). Eight former Warthogs went on to become a Major League All-Star.
• Former Dash star Chris Sale takes to the hill for the White Sox on Tuesday against Cleveland. Sale is 9–0 with a 1.58 ERA in his first nine starts. Only one other Major Leaguer has eight wins (Jake Arrieta of the Cubs). Sale is the first pitcher to win his first nine starts of the season and post an ERA under 2.00 since 1952. In White Sox history, only Eddie Cicotte in 1919 strung together more wins to start a season (12).
• The Dash invaded Frederick and took two of three from the Keys in the two clubs’ only 2016 meeting (April 29-May 1).
• Winston-Salem is 1–7 when Jordan Stephens starts, with the lone win coming in walk-off fashion on May 13 against Potomac.
• The Dash logged two outfield assists Monday, giving them 21 on the season.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Tuesday’s game will be broadcast live on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash will begin at 6:45 p.m., with the first pitch set for 7:00 p.m.

-Joe