Game #67 Preview — Warthogs vs. Salem
Game #67 — Home Game #32
Winston-Salem Warthogs (26–40) at Salem Red Sox (23–39)
Thursday, June 16–7:00 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Winston-Salem surrendered three runs in the ninth inning but survived for a sweep-avoiding 4–3 victory over Wilmington on Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium. Thursday is also the second of three Throwback Thursdays, presented by Parr Investments, at 7 p.m. The Warthogs welcome Salem for the first of a four-game set to conclude the first half. from BB&T Ballpark.
STARTING LINEUP:
After tossing six shutout innings on Wednesday, Jordan Stephens has posted three straight quality starts (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
Hunter Jones — CF
Mason Robbins — LF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Nick Basto — 1B
Marcus Davis– DH
Toby Thomas — 2B
Chris O’Dowd — C
Michael Suiter — RF
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Spencer Adams — RHP
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DASH DOTS:
- Wednesday starter Jordan Stephens was the key to Winston-Salem’s victory. The fifth-round pick in 2015 scattered three hits over six frames, during which he struck out a career-high nine. Stephens has worked at least six innings in each of his last four starts after doing so in only two of his first nine efforts in 2016. He and fellow righty Thad Lowry have turned on the jets as of late. Lowry has posted a 1.35 earned run average (3 ER in 20.0 IP) in his last three outings.
- Winston-Salem snapped a five-game skid on Wednesday, thus avoiding the club’s first slide of six or more games since August 21–27 of 2014 (seven). From 2009–15, the first six years of the Dash era, Winston-Salem had only endured nine losing streaks of five-plus contests. However, the skid that just ended was already the squad’s fourth five-gamer of 2016.
- Winston-Salem is one loss from recording its worst single-half showing of the Dash era (2009-present). Including this half, the four worst halves in the Dash era have come in the most recent five halves. In 2014, Winston went 30–39 and 31–39 in the first half and second half, respectively. The worst half of the Dash era came in the first half of 2015 (30–40), though Winston did rebound with a 45–23 half two.
- The second of three Throwback Thursdays, presented by Parr Investments, is set for this series opener with Salem. Winston-Salem had not sported the Warthogs logo in 2,819 days (September 6, 2008) until May 26 of this year at home against Frederick, a 9–4 loss. Before the nickname change to Dash in 2009, the Warthogs enjoyed a successful 14-year stretch from 1995–2008. During this span, Winston-Salem posted a 944–1004 (.485) record and claimed its most recent Mills Cup crown (2003).
- Winston-Salem is just 1–7 against Salem, the first-half champions in the Southern Division, at BB&T Ballpark thus far this season.
- Thursday starter Spencer Adams leads the Carolina League in innings pitched (79.2), two frames more than teammate Matt Cooper.
- Cooper and Hunter Jones, the CL’s leader in games, are the Dash’s two Midseason All-Stars.
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 Warthog will begin at 6:45 p.m, with the first pitch at 7:00 p.m.
-Joe
