Game #85 Preview — Dash at Frederick
Game #85 — Road Game #42
Winston-Salem Dash (7–7, 35–49) at Frederick Keys (7–7, 43–41)
Friday, July 8–7:00 p.m.
NYMEO Field (Frederick, Md.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Winston-Salem exploded for 13 runs and 19 hits in a 13–9 victory over Myrtle Beach on Thursday at BB&T Ballpark. The Dash now square off against the Frederick Keys for the first time since May 24–26. The four-game road set begins on Friday at NYMEO Field.
STARTING LINEUP:
Marcus Davis was one of four players in Thursday’s game with three hits (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
Hunter Jones — CF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Mason Robbins — RF
Nick Basto — LF
Telvin Nash — DH
Marcus Davis — 1B
Toby Thomas — 2B
Chris O’Dowd — C
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Thad Lowry — RHP
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DASH DOTS:
- While everyone produced in the Dash’s win on Thursday, the top five men in the lineup were the biggest sources of offense. They combined to go 14-for-22 (.636) with six RBIs and 11 runs. Here is the individual breakdown, listed from 1–5:
- Hunter Jones: 2-for-4, RBI, 2R
- Gerson Montilla: 3-for-5, RBI, 2R
- Mason Robbins: 3-for-4, RBI, 2R
- Nick Basto: 3-for-4, RBI, 4R (tying a career-high)
- Marcus Davis: 3-for-5, 2RBI, R
- The Dash have scored seven or more runs five times through the first 14 games of the second half. Winston-Salem’s 13-run surge on Thursday is tied for the third-largest offensive output in a single game this year. It trails only the Dash-era record of 18 on July 1 at Wilmington and the 14-run showing on Opening Day at Lynchburg (April 7). The Dash’s 19 hits are one shy of the high-water mark for 2016 (April 22 at Salem).
- Thanks to the Dash’s victory and Carolina’s sweep-clinching win against Salem, Winston-Salem has reclaimed a share of first place in the Southern Division’s second half standings. With Salem earning the first half crown, the Dash just need to finish ahead of Myrtle and Carolina in the second half to clinch a playoff spot.
- The Dash are the only team in the CL with three active hitters who qualify for the league’s batting list and boast averages of .280 or better. Basto is back on the list with a .322 mark, the highest among current Carolina Leaguers (second to former Carolina infielder Joey Meneses overall). Robbins checks in at sixth on the circuit at .299. Jones is 14th overall at .280, while he paces the CL in hits (92). Jones is also tied for second in runs (59) and triples (7) and fourth in steals (29).
- With a series split against Myrtle Beach in the books, the Dash head back north to tangle with the Frederick Keys in a four-game series that begins Friday. The Dash and Keys will meet 14 times in the second half after Frederick claimed four of the six meetings prior to the All-Star break. However, the Dash have enjoyed their recent visits to Maryland. Since 2012, Winston-Salem is 28–17 at NYMEO Field, including a two-out-of-three take from the Keys in its lone trip to Frederick in the first half (April 29-May 1).
- After Thursday’s crowd of 3,825, the Dash have drawn 1,998,520 fans in BB&T Ballpark’s seven-season history. Thus, with only 1,480 to go until the two-million mark, the Dash will surpass this milestone this coming Wednesday, when the Dash host Potomac at 7 p.m. The downtown facility, which was named the best ballpark in High-A via a fan vote on Ballpark Digest earlier this year, was the quickest to reach one million fans, and it will be the second-quickest to get to two million fans. The Dash currently lead the CL in overall attendance (177,608).
- Friday starter Thad Lowry has given up one earned run in five of his last six starts.
- Spencer Adams will miss 7–10 days with a right ankle injury he suffered in the third inning of game one of Wednesday’s twin bill.
- Toby Thomas is hitting .458 (22-for-48) since the All-Star break.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Friday’s contest 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
