Winston-Salem 8, Carolina 4
W: Ryan Riga (1-4)
L: Frank Lopez (2-3)
S: None
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (July 10, 2017) – Tied at four with two outs in the bottom of the 11th, Zack Collins smacked a dramatic walk-off grand slam to lift the Dash to an 8-4, series-clinching victory over the Carolina Mudcats on Monday night at BB&T Ballpark.
Collins, who had never hit a grand slam professionally or a walk-off hit in his playing career, clobbered the first pitch he saw from Mudcats (9-10, 45-42) reliever Frank Lopez (2-3) into the porch in right field. The White Sox seventh-best prospect perMLB Pipeline, Collins also netted a career-high five RBIs in his 3-for-5 effort at the plate.
Collins’ blast marked the second walk-off grand slam in BB&T Ballpark’s eight-year history. Joey DeMichele clocked the first one at the downtown facility on August 24, 2013, in the ninth against Myrtle Beach. It was also the first time Winston won a contest via the long ball since June 10, 2014, when Grant Buckner accomplished the feat versus Wilmington in game two of a doubleheader.
Ryan Riga (1-4) snagged the victory in relief for Winston-Salem (9-10, 33-56), striking out the side en route to a perfect frame in the 11th. Jack Charleston dazzled out of the bullpen as well, hurling a career-best 3.2 scoreless innings.
Fresh off his appearance in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday at Marlins Park in Miami, Fla., Collins notched his first RBI of the evening in the home half of the first, ripping an RBI single that brought home Joel Booker to tie the contest at one.
The Dash notched two more in the third on a Seby Zavala two-run single to right against Cody Ponce, who lasted just 3.1 innings due to an undisclosed injury that forced him to leave the game in the fourth.
After surrendering a run in the first, Jimmy Lambert hung zeros on the scoreboard through the fifth inning. However, he labored in the sixth and could not record an out before he was lifted for Louie Lechich with runners at first and second. Overall, Lambert spun five innings, giving up two runs on six hits while fanning a pair in his fourth High-A start.
Carolina cashed in one of those runners in the sixth on a botched double steal to pull within one, and Trent Clark then tied the game at three an inning later as he cracked an RBI double to left-center. Later in the frame, Clark came around to score on a bloop single from Corey Ray that gave the Mudcats a short-lived 4-3 lead.
Winston-Salem knotted the game at four in the bottom of the seventh, as Telvin Nash smoked an RBI single to left off Brad Kuntz, who tossed three innings in relief of Ponce.
Following a league-wide off day on Tuesday, the Dash will embark on a seven-game road trip to Myrtle Beach and Lynchburg, beginning with the first of a four-game set against the Pelicans on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. from TicketReturn.Com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Winston-Salem right-hander Alec Hansen (0-1, 4.15 ERA) gets the nod in the series opener against fellow righty Mike Rucker (1-2, 2.93 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. and will be available on wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App.
The Dash return to BB&T Ballpark on July 20 to begin a four-game series with the Salem Red Sox from Thursday throughSunday. Promotions for the four-game homestand include a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday and Family Sunday, two incredible postgame fireworks displays on Friday and Saturday, Star Wars Day and much more. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.
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