Series Tie Slips By Blue Rocks

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (37-51) were unable to secure a series tie against the Greensboro Grasshoppers (44-43) on Sunday, July 23, dropping the series finale by a final score of 8-1.

Greensboro struck first in the top of the first inning and never looked back. After kicking off the game with a leadoff double, Francisco Acuna came around to score along with Sammy Siani on an RBI triple by Jase Bowen to break the scoreless tie and make it 2-0. Then, after Jack Brannigan tallied an RBI single to put another run on the board, shortstop Nick Shumpert committed a crucial throwing error on what would have been an inning-ending groundout, which allowed Brannigan to score and make it 4-0 after one.

Things were quiet up until the top of the fifth, where the Grasshoppers were able to tack on four more runs. Will Matthiessen led off the inning with a solo shot to deep left field, extending the Grasshoppers’ lead to 5-0. Then, with Marlon Perez coming out of the pen to relieve starter Kyle Luckham with the bases loaded, he fired a wild pitch over Israel Pineda’s head behind the plate, allowing another run to score. From there, Brenden Dixon was able to drive in a run on a fielder’s choice, and Acuna drove in a run on his second single of the day to make it 8-0.

The Blue Rocks were able to avoid the shutout in the bottom of the seventh, as Murphy Stehly crushed his first career A+ home run on a bomb to deep left field, cutting the deficit to 8-1. Stehly’s homer was one of just two hits for the Rocks in the game, and their first since Daylen Lile’s leadoff double in the bottom of the first.

Luckham suffered his third loss of the season, going 4 ⅓ innings, allowing seven hits and eight runs (six earned) while walking four and striking out five. The bullpen did their job behind him, tossing 4 ⅔ scoreless innings and punching out six.

Wilmington will now hit the road for a six-game series against the Brooklyn Cyclones, beginning on Tuesday, July 25.