DASH FIRST BASEMAN LED MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL IN HITS DURING APRIL
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 5, 2016) – Dash first baseman Nick Basto parlayed a staggering month of April into the Carolina League’s Player of the Month award, the league office announced Thursday. Basto becomes the first Winston-Salem player to earn a monthly honor from the league since right-hander Jake Cose was the Pitcher of the Month for August of 2013. The franchise’s last Player of the Month was Jeremy Farrell in May of 2013.
In 22 April contests, Basto led all of Minor League Baseball with 39 hits and finished second among qualifiers in batting average with a .433 mark. The 22-year-old smacked four home runs, seven doubles and one triple while posting a 1.147 OPS, good for fifth-best in the minors. The Davie, Fla. native reached base at least once in every April game.
The former fifth-round pick finished April on a nine-game hitting streak, the longest from a Dash hitter this season. During that stretch, Basto hit .538 (21-for-39) with three home runs and eight RBIs.
Entering play Thursday, Basto tops the Carolina League and is second in the Minors in hits (40), while his batting average (.381) paces the circuit and is eighth in the Minor Leagues. In the CL, Basto also ranks third in slugging percentage (.610) and fourth in on-base percentage (.431). He currently boasts a team-high five home runs and 18 RBIs in his 25 games.
The Dash begin a four-game set against the Salem Red Sox at BB&T Ballpark on Thursday at 7 p.m. The opener against Salem is a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday, with $1 beers available through the seventh inning. Also, in honor of Cinco de Mayo, the Foothills Brew Pen will open at 5:05 p.m., and fans can enjoy $1 nachos until first pitch.
The current homestand at BB&T Ballpark, which runs through Sunday, also includes a Fireworks Friday (presented by Piedmont Sheet Metal), Princess Night and much more. For your tickets, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.
The Winston-Salem Dash are the Class A-Advanced minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call (336) 714-2287 or visit www.wsdash.com.
