Game #89 Preview — Dash vs. Potomac
Game #89 — Home Game #44
Winston-Salem Dash (8–10, 36–52) vs. Potomac Nationals (12–5, 46–39)
Wednesday, July 13–7:00 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Winston-Salem collected 15 hits, but Frederick rallied for the game’s final six runs in an 11–7 win over the Dash on Monday at NYMEO Field. Winston-Salem now begins its second home series of the season against Potomac on Wednesday.
STARTING LINEUP:
Hunter Jones became the first Carolina League player to reach 100 hits on Monday (Jody Stewart/W-S Dash).
Hunter Jones — CF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Mason Robbins — RF
Nick Basto — LF
Marcus Davis — DH
Telvin Nash — 1B
Toby Thomas — 2B
Brett Austin — C
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Tanner Banks — LHP
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DASH DOTS:
- Wednesday is a milestone day for the home of the Dash, as BB&T Ballpark will welcome its two millionth fan. Currently, the downtown facility has drawn 1,998,520 fans. BB&T Ballpark was the quickest High-A stadium to one million fans, and it will be the second-fastest to two million. Since its opening in 2010, BB&T Ballpark has finished either first or second in both overall and per-game attendance among the 30 High-A clubs. It earned the title of “Best Ballpark in High-A” per an online vote on Ballpark Digest last month.
- Winston-Salem hit .311 and scored 25 runs (6.3 per game) in its four-game series in Frederick. Since the All-Star break, the Dash have recorded seven games of seven or more runs, while the squad is averaging 5.9 runs per game (106 runs in 18 games). In the first half, Winston posted just 3.9 per contest. On Sunday, Telvin Nash became the first Dash hitter to post a multi-homer game since June 20, 2014 (Jason Coats).
- However, Winston-Salem gave up 35 runs (8.8 per game), the second-most in a single series during the Dash era (2009-present). The Dash permitted 36 runs in a four-game split with Potomac from July 22–25, 2010. A Dash starter has not worked through the sixth inning since Jordan Stephens’ six-inning gem on July 4.
- Six years ago Tuesday, Chris Sale made his final appearance with Winston-Salem before jumping to Triple-A Charlotte. On Tuesday, Sale threw the first pitch of the MLB All-Star Game while representing the White Sox. He gave up a solo homer to Cubs slugger Kris Bryant in an otherwise flawless inning of work in the A.L.’s 4–2 victory over the N.L. at Petco Park in San Diego. Sale has reached the All-Star Game in five straight seasons. Fellow White Sox lefty Jose Quintana also tossed an inning (fifth), during which he had one hit and one strikeout.
- One of the Dash’s Midseason All-Stars, outfielder Hunter Jones, became the third High-A player and the first Carolina Leaguer to reach 100 hits thanks to a four-hit showing on Monday. Jones’ second career four-knock effort gave him an even 100 on the year. Not only does the former Cleveland farmhand pace the CL in hits, but he is first in at-bats (346), second in runs (61), third in games (86), and fourth in both stolen bases (31) and total bases (142).
- BB&T Ballpark’s landmark day also kicks off a home-heavy next month for Winston-Salem. The Dash will play 21 of their next 29 games in the Triad, though the team is seventh in the eight-team CL in home record (17–26; Wilmington, 16–29). During this run, the Dash’s lone trips are to Potomac from July 21–24 (doubleheader on July 23) and August 1–3 at Carolina. Once this span ends on August 11, the Dash will play 17 of their final 23 regular season games on the road.
- Nick Basto has reached in 10 of his last 13 plate appearances. He leads all active, qualified CL hitters with a .329 batting average. Teammate Mason Robbins stands second at .303.
- Righty Colin Kleven earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham on Tuesday after going 1–2 with a 5.35 ERA in 24 relief efforts with Winston-Salem.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Wednesday’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
