LYNCHBURG, Va. (April 10, 2016) – Winston-Salem submitted an excellent pitching performance, but Greg Allen’s speed was the difference in Lynchburg’s 2-0, series-clinching victory on Sunday afternoon at Calvin Falwell Field.
The Dash’s trio of Jordan Stephens (0-1), Nolan Sanburn and Andre Wheeler limited the Hillcats (3-1) to just three base hits, but Lynchburg tallied a run in the first and the third innings without the use of a knock.
Allen coaxed an eight-pitch walk to begin the first. He stole second base, reached third on a long flyout to right-center and scored on a passed ball to give the Hillcats the lead.
The third inning unfolded similarly. Allen, the top base stealer in the Indians farm system a year ago, swiped second and third after a leadoff walk. Anthony Santander’s sacrifice fly to deep center chased him home and capped the scoring. Allen finished the series 5-for-16 with six stolen bases, six runs scored and four walks.
Winston-Salem (1-3) had many more scoring opportunities, but the Hillcats were able to strand eight runners, including at least one in the Dash’s final seven innings. Lynchburg starter Julian Merryweather (1-0) scattered five hits over six strong innings, during which he whiffed six. David Speer turned in a pair of scoreless frames before Trevor Frank worked around a two-out single for a one-inning save.
Two opportunities, in particular, cost the Dash. In the fourth, Louie Lechich and Gerson Montilla, the latter of whom recorded a three-hit game, strung together consecutive singles to begin the frame, but neither man moved after that. One inning later, Cleuluis Rondon was gunned down at the plate after a double from Hunter Jones.
Thus, the Dash missed out on a great pitching afternoon. Stephens, who had only tossed 17.2 innings professionally before Sunday, minimized damage after walking four in his four-inning effort. Sanburn struck out four and faced the minimum over three innings before Wheeler turned in a flawless eighth with two strikeouts.
Lynchburg prolonged the Dash’s early-season struggles. Over the last five seasons, Winston-Salem is just 5-13 in its first series of the season. For a second straight year, the Dash lost the opening series despite earning a victory on Opening Night.
This week-long road trip shifts to Myrtle Beach for a three-game series that begins at 7:05 p.m. on Monday from TicketReturn.Com Field. It marks the first time these two teams will have met since last year’s thrilling Southern Division Championship Series. Southpaw Blair Walters, who last pitched for Winston-Salem in 2012, will toe the rubber for the Dash against right-hander Jake Stinnett. Pregame coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio App.
The Dash return to the Triad this Thursday for a week-long homestand that kicks off the seventh season at BB&T Ballpark. Tickets for the exciting homestand, which features a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday on April 14 and a Fireworks Friday on April 15, are available by calling (336) 714-2287 or visiting wsdash.com.
