Game #70 Preview — Dash vs. Salem
Game #70 — Home Game #35
Winston-Salem Dash (28–41) vs. Salem Red Sox (42–26)
Sunday, June 19–2:00 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Winston-Salem took a 2–1 lead into the eighth inning, but Salem plated two in the eighth and one in the ninth to pull past the Dash 4–2 in front of 5,550 fans at BB&T Ballpark. Winston-Salem can earn a series win against the first-place Red Sox with a victory on Sunday.
Hunter Jones is the final CL player to receive a day off. (Jody Stewart/ W-S Dash).
STARTING LINEUP:
Michael Suiter — CF
Mason Robbins — RF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Nick Basto — 1B
Marcus Davis– DH
Toby Thomas — 2B
Brett Austin — C
Zach Fish — LF
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Thad Lowry — RHP
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DASH DOTS:
- In a spot start, Kelvis Valerio tossed 5.1 innings and gave up just one run (no earned runs). Salem’s first-inning tally ended a string of 21 straight scoreless innings from Dash starters, though the rotation has not allowed an earned run since the seventh inning on Tuesday night at Wilmington (Thad Lowry), an impressive span of 27.2 innings. In the last go-around in the rotation, Winston-Salem’s starting staff boasts a 0.27 earned run average (1 ER in 33.1 IP/5 GS).
- Danny Dopico stretched his scoreless streak to six outings and 6.2 frames by facing the minimum over 1.2 innings before Connor Walsh and Colin Kleven gave up three combined runs.
- Sunday marks the final game of the season’s first half, and Winston-Salem has a chance to earn its second series win against Salem, the Southern Division’s first half champion. However, the Dash did clinch a dubious distinction with Saturday’s loss. In the Dash era (2009-present), Winston’s 28–41 record is the worst single-half showing. The Dash’s previous low-water mark was last year’s first half, when the club went 30–40. Winston-Salem bounced back remarkably in the second half by posting a 45–23 mark, the best half of the Dash era and the top second half record in the Carolina League since 1987.
- While most Dash players will enjoy three days off following Sunday’s contest, two will head to Lake Elsinore, Calif., for the California-Carolina League All-Star Game, which will take place on Tuesday night. Outfielder Hunter Jones will start in right field and hit third, while right-hander Matt Cooper is expected to pitch at some point as a reliever in the game. This marks the 20th meeting between the two High-A leagues, with the California League enjoying a slight 9–8–2 advantage thanks to back-to-back victories.
- Jones enters Sunday as the only CL player who has suited up in every game for his team thus far this season. Myrtle Beach’s Yasiel Balaguert missed his first game in Saturday’s doubleheader finale at Potomac. However, Jones is not in the lineup for Sunday’s game against Salem. In addition to leading the league in games played, Jones is tied for first in triples (7), second in hits (81), fourth in runs (48), fourth in stolen bases (26), tied for fifth in total bases (115) and fifth in batting average (.296). Jones is currently riding a season-long nine-game hitting streak.
- Cooper’s regular turn in the rotation was set for Saturday, but the White Sox elected to skip his start because of his significant workload in the season’s first half. He is second to teammate Spencer Adams (87.2) among CL hurlers in innings pitched (77.2) after spending his first two professional seasons as a reliever. Cooper’s new role has not limited his strikeouts. He leads all of Minor League Baseball with 95 strikeouts, which works out to 11.01 whiffs per nine innings.
- In his return from Triple-A Charlotte, Ryan Leonards reached in all four plate appearances Saturday (two 1B and two BB).
- Mason Robbins is fourth in the CL in batting average (.296).
- For the first time, the Dash lost a home game Saturday when leading after seven innings.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Television coverage of Sunday’s contest will be available on My48 at 2 p.m. A full channel guide is available here. The game will also be broadcast live on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash will begin at 1:45 p.m., with the first pitch set for 2 p.m.
-Joe
