Winston-Salem Warthogs News & Notes - Adv A, Carolina League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - HOGS HANG ON….. After rolling to a five-run lead after four innings, the Winston-Salem Warthogs needed an outstanding defensive play in the ninth to preserve a 7-6 win over Lynchburg on Tuesday night at Ernie
Shore Field. Down a run entering the final frame, Hillcats infielder Angel
Gonzalez reached on an error to start the inning. Next, Jim Negrych, the
Carolina League’s top hitter, laced a shot down the third base line of Kanekoa
Texeira that was plucked off the dirt by a diving Javier Colina. The
Warthogs third baseman jumped to his feet a fired to first to double off
Gonzalez to end the threat and protect the Winston-Salem’s third consecutive
win.

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The Hillcats rattled Warthogs starting pitcher Matt Zaleski for two
runs on just one hit in the first inning. Brian Friday led off the game with a
single and consecutive walks to Angel Gonzalez and Jim Negrych loaded
the bases with no outs. Back-to-back RBI sacrifice flies by Jamie Romak
and Steve Lerud gave Lynchburg a 2-0 lead.

The Warthogs took the lead in the third inning when Shelby singled
and moved to third on a pair of stolen bases. He scored on a fly ball by
Colina to tie the game at two. Later in the inning, Brandon Allen doubled
to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and scored when Lee Cruz reached
on an error by Hillcats first baseman Kent Sakamoto.

A two-out rally by Winston-Salem brought four runs across in the
fourth inning as Colina and Salvador Sanchez notched RBI singles and Allen
struck for a two-run double to extend the Warthogs lead to 7-2.

Texeira worked the final two innings to collect his sixth save of
the season. Zaleski (1-1) battled thru 5 2/3 innings and limited Lynchburg
to three runs on three hits and five walks to earn his first win of the season.
Crotta (3-3) only lasted 3 2/3 for the Hillcats and surrendered six runs on
seven hits to claim the loss.

STREAKIN….. Brandon Allen went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI last night to extend
his hitting streak to 13 games. John Shelby III singled in his first atbat
to move his hitting streak to 11 games. Both are individual season
highs. Javier Colina started the season with a 15-game hitting streak, which
is still the longest in the Carolina League this year.

BALKIN….. The Warthogs have committed 10 balks for the season, which
is the most in all of baseball.

HAPPY RETURNS….. Since returning to the lineup after missing over 2
weeks with a pulled hamstring, John Shelby III has gone 18-for-43 (.419)
with 4 home runs and 12 RBI in 10 games. He has scored 9 runs and tallied
a hit in every game played during that stretch.

HOME COOKIN….. The Warthogs improved to 14-7 at Ernie Shore Field
this season, while they are just 2-10 on the road.

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