Judy Johnson is a Hall of Famer and the namesake of the field at Frawley Stadium. His statue stands outside the ballpark. He was a key member to some of the best teams in Negro League history. You can find out more about Johnson HERE .

The thing that disappoints me is that they have dropped the ball over the years with honoring the Negro Leagues in Wilmington (just like they have in Kansas City). Back in the day, both teams used to wear Negro League uniforms (I am a sucker for old school uniforms). Then their game worn hats would be auctioned off to support the Negro Leagues. They do have auctions going on throughout the concourse of autographed memorabilia tonight (which are drawing some crowds).

This year is no different. It is also Star Wars Night, with Star Wars characters set to be in attendance. It seems as if the promotional team is more interested in pushing that than the history of the Negro Leagues and Judy Johnson.

Anyway, to the game (and enough of my rambling).

First half Northern Division champion Lynchburg (the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves) is in town and the Hillcats are 2.5 games back of the Blue Rocks in the second half standings. The Blue Rocks have taken the first two games of the four-game series, as the pitchers have allowed just two runs to the Hillcats. In Game 1, the Blue Rocks won 2-1 and walked off on a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 10^th inning. In Game 2, the Blue Rocks scored ten runs in the bottom of the 2^nd inning and rode the arm of Matt Ridings to another victory.

Taking the mound for the Blue Rocks tonight is Brooks Pounders, who the Royals acquired this past offseason from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Despite the fact that Pounders has been with Wilmington since June, this will be the first time I will be seeing him pitch. With the Blue Rocks, he is 5-4 with a 4.83 ERA in 13 games (12 starts). He has allowed more hits (74) than innings pitched (63.1). His last start at Potomac was a great one: 7IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 5K.

The Hillcats will be sending Dimasther Delgado to the mound. Overall he is 6-6 with a 4.35 ERA in 20 starts. He, like Pounders, allows more hits than innings pitched (125 hits in 107.2 innings). Delgado faced the Blue Rocks in back-to-back-starts (June 29 and July 5) and allowed three runs in each game.

Lineups:

HILLCATS: Mycal Jones (CF), Nick Ahmed (SS), Dan Brewer (LF), Chris Garcia (1B), Edward Salcedo (3B), Adam Milligan (RF), David Rohm (DH), Emerson Landoni (2B), and Chad Comer (C).

BLUE ROCKS: Orlando Calixte (SS), Brett Eibner (CF), Lane Adams (RF), Matt Fields (1B), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Nick Van Stratten (DH), Geulin Beltre (LF), Juan Graterol (C), and Luis Piterson (2B).

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Oh and Jason Adam finally won his second game (and third).

Wilmington Blue Rocks pitcher Leondy Perez

Leondy Perez has returned from the DL. He will be making his third start for the Blue Rocks tonight since returning from the DL on July 28^th. Overall, he is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 games (seven starts). Since returning from the DL, Perez has struck out ten in nine innings (while allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks). He will be opposed by Winston-Salem’s Stephen McCray (5-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 20 games, 12 starts). The Dash right-hander has been a full-time starter since the June All-Star break.

Tonight’s game is the final game of their three-game series (and the last time the two teams will play barring a matchup in the Carolina League Championship). Heading into the game, the Blue Rocks are tied for first place in the Northern Division with Frederick (and just a ½ game up on the other two teams in the division). The Dash (who are the first half champs) are tied for first place in the Southern Division with Myrtle Beach (four games up on Carolina). When in Winston-Salem last week, the Blue Rocks lost two of three.

Let’s take a look at the first two games of the series.

Wilmington took Game 1 on Tuesday night in dramatic fashion. With two outs and a runner on second base and trailing 1-0, Watts lifted a fly ball to centerfield. Game over right? Wrong. Dash centerfielder Trayce Thompson dropped the ball, allowing the tying run to score. After Elder walked, Angel Franco delivered the game winner, a double to left.

Winston-Salem took Game 2, 8-0. They pounded out 13 hits, to just three for the Blue Rocks (Geulin Beltre had two of the hits). They were shut out for a league-worst 13th time this season.

Lineups:

DASH: Keenyn Walker (CF), Marcus Semien (SS), Trayce Thompson (RF), Dan Black (1B), Cyle Hankerd (DH), Michael Earley (LF), Mike Blanke (C), David Herbek (3B), and Daniel Wagner (2B).

BLUE ROCKS: Angel Franco (2B), Orlando Calixte (SS), Lane Adams (CF), Matt Fields (1B), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Geulin Beltre (RF), Murray Watts (DH), Juan Graterol (C), and Chris Elder (LF).

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Jason Adam

When will Jason Adam win his second game of the 2012 season?

Maybe tonight is the night. Adam and the Wilmington Blue Rocks return home from a long road trip that followed the All-Star break for a short three-game home series against first-place Lynchburg. The Hillcats won the first half Northern Division title.

It has been a struggle for Adam over the last month or so. He has allowed three or more runs in six of his last seven starts. In his first start of the second half, he allowed six runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings in Carolina. His defense failed him, as only one of those runs was earned.

Overall, Adam is 1-9 with a 3.71 ERA in 14 starts.

The Blue Rocks are just 2-5 to start the second half. Their roster is ever-changing, as they have added five players while they were out on the road (pitchers Elisaul Pimentel and Matt Ridings, first baseman Matt Fields, shortstop Orlando Calixte, and outfielder Lane Adams).

Lynchburg hasn’t seen too much movement with their roster. They did lose outfielder Matt Lipka to the DL this week (he was hitting .271). First baseman Chris Garcia (.308 with 34 RBIs), second baseman Tommy La Stella (.267 with 44 RBIs), shortstop Nick Ahmed (.269 with 21 doubles), catcher Braeden Schlehuber (.294), and pitcher JR Graham (8-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 14 starts) all returned to the team following the California-Carolina League All-Star Game. Lynchburg has allowed three runs or less in 16 of their last 21 games.

Pitching for the Hillcats is Aaron Northcraft. He is 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA in 14 starts (two complete games). In 80 innings, Northcraft has allowed 69 hits and 35 walks. He has struck out 78 and has yet to allow a homerun. In his last start (Friday), he threw a no-hitter (which was the first of his career), though it was a seven-inning affair.

Lineups:

Hillcats: Mycal Jones (CF), Nick Ahmed (SS), Bobby Stevens (LF), Adam Milligan (DH), Edward Salcedo (3B), Chris Garcia (1B), Matt Weaver (2B), David Rohm (RF), and Chad Comer (C).

Blue Rocks: Whit Merrfield (LF), Orlando Calixte (SS), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Matt Fields (1B), Lane Adams (CF), Roman Hernandez (DH), Kevin David (C), Geulin Beltre (RF), and Angel Franco (2B).

It’s a hot one here tonight in Wilmington and I’ll be out and about during the first few innings getting some photos of some of the new Blue Rocks and trying to get some video. I will update as soon as I get back into the pressbox.

It’s Tubby Raymond bobblehead night and there were quite a few people in line before the gates opened, but I’m not sure they have stuck around for the game. For those who are wondering, Raymond is the longtime football coach for the University of Delaware (plus he’s a Hall of Famer).

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The Blue Rocks aren’t going to get no-hit tonight. Whit Merrifield led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second base, and scored on Matt Fields’ RBI bloop single. In the 2nd inning with one out, three straight hits produced another run, with Angel Franco’s double driving in the run. Merrifield followed with a walk to load the bases for Orlando Calixte. He struck out and Cheslor Cuthbert grounded out. That’s three left on in that inning.

There have been a few foul balls off of the feet of Blue Rocks hitters in the 2nd inning. First it was Geulin Beltre, who then singled. Then it was Cheslor Cuthbert, who limped around and then jogged to first base on a ground out. Both stayed in the game.

Meanwhile, Adam has retired the first six batters of the game. He has thrown 26 pitches through two innings, 15 for strikes.

Lynchburg got their first hit, a double leading off the 3rd inning by Matt Weaver, on an 0-2 pitch. The Hillcats got on the board with two outs, as Mycal Jones blooped a single towards the right field line just beyond first base and beyond the dive of second baseman Franco. That also came on an 0-2 pitch (that was flailed at). A nice sliding grab by Merrifield near the left field line ended the top of the 3rd inning.

After Roman Hernandez beat out an infield single fielded by the first baseman with two outs, Lynchburg seemed to think he was suddenly a speedster. Northcraft threw over to first base about four times and then there was a pitch-out before he ended up taking second base on a wild pitch. Kevin David grounded out to end the 3rd inning. The Blue Rocks lead 2-1.

After getting two quick outs on six pitches in the top of the 4th inning, Adam then allowed a solo homerun (a bomb down the LF line that stayed just fair) to Edward Salcedo to tie the game at 2-2. That blast came on a 2-0 pitch.

After getting the best of a ten-pitch at-bat (which resulted in a strikeout of Weaver), Adam needed just three pitches to get through the top of the 5th inning.

Jones led off the top of the 6th inning with a bunt single on the very first pitch. He stole second base on the very next pitch. Ahmed took the 0-2 pitch back up the middle, which got a piece of Adam, but Calixte fielded it and threw to first to get Ahmed out (Jones moved to third base). Adam was okay and with the infield in, got Stevens to ground out. However it was a high chopper and Jones scored to give the Hillcats the lead. Adam struck out Adam Mulligan on three pitched to end the top of the 6th inning. Adam did not throw a ball that inning (all 11 pitches were for strikes).

Another two quick outs for Adam in the top of the 7th inning (six pitches), but the first pitch to Weaver was crushed into the night (left-center field). I honestly lost it and I didn’t hear it hit the double-wall. David Rohm then blooped a double down the right field line and Chad Comer followed with a slow roller to short that Calixte threw away to score another run. A hard hit ball at Cuthbert that he couldn’t handle ended Adam’s night.

Two on and two out for Nick Rogers. He walked the first batter he faced in a nine-pitch AB. He did get out of the inning unscathed. The Hillcats lead 5-2 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning with a new pitcher on the mound. That new pitcher is Cole McCurry. Northcraft struck out four of the final seven batters he faced.

McCurry walked Merrifield with one out and Calixte followed with a single. However McCurry struck out Cuthbert and Matt Fields hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in right field that was caught for the final out.

Rogers got into trouble in the top of the 8th inning, but was bailed out by a double play grounder. He then gave up a double and fell behind Weaver 2-0, which brought out a coaching visit from pitching coach Steve Luebber. Rogers walked Weaver on four pitches. Rohm swung at the first pitch and grounded out to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the 8th, the Blue Rocks put together back-to-back doubles to score a run. That brought out a long coaching visit, but no pitching change (though there was the beginning of bullpen action). A bloop single by Beltre scored Kevin David from second base to cut the deficit to 5-4 and bring the pitching change.

That new pitcher is Chasen Shreve, who inherited a runner on first base with one out. Franco hit a ground ball to third that was booted and then thrown away to put runners at the corners. That brought out a manager visit with Merrifield coming to the plate. A squeeze play got the tying run to score (though it looked like he was out). The throw by the catcher to third base sailed down the LF line as the go ahead run scored. Merrifield was thrown out at the plate on the same play. It was alot of craziness, but the catcher should have held onto the ball because no one was covering third base (he was throwing to a moving target). At the end, the Blue Rocks lead 6-5 heading into the top of the 9th inning.

In for the save was Sam Runion. With one out, Jones blooped the ball down the RF line for a double. That’s his fourth hit of the game. It seems like everyone is blooping hits down the RF line. Ahmed hit a ground ball to short, but Calixte has a strong arm and got him for the second out (he looked safe to me). There was a short argument by the Hillcats manager, but to no avail. Runion got Stevens to ground out to end the game.

Blue Rocks win 6-5.

The Blue Rocks begin their final homestand of the first half (a seven-game homestand), as they welcome Salem into town for three games. The Red Sox also struggled a bit this weekend and fell to three games back of the Dash in the Southern Division.

The Blue Rocks have the chance to be spoilers for both Salem and the Dash (who they play in their final four games of the first half). The Red Sox are a tired bunch, with playing five games in three days (they played two days of doubleheaders this past weekend).

The Carolina League finally announced their All-Star team for next Tuesday’s game versus the California League All-Stars in Winston-Salem. The Blue Rocks have two honorees: pitchers Sugar Ray Marimon (4-1 with a 2.05 ERA) and Yordano Ventura (3-5 with a 3.21 ERA in 12 starts). Marimon’s ERA is second in the league. Ventura is second in the league in strikeouts with 70. For Salem, they garnered three starters: outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, and first baseman Travis Shaw. Pitcher Mike Olmstead also was named to the team (he leads the league in saves with 12). Bradley leads the league in hitting at .377. Shaw is fourth in the league in hitting at .322 and is second in RBIs at 44.

Starting tonight for Wilmington is Tyler Sample, who has struggled much of his return trip to the CL (1-6 with a 5.04 ERA). He was solid in his last start, but picked up a no-decision. He lost 2-0 to Salem back on May 2nd.

The Red Sox are sending Miguel Celestino to the mound. He is 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA. He beat the Blue Rocks back on April 26th (4-1).

Lineups:

Red Sox: Jackie Bradley Jr (CF), Shannon Wilkerson (RF), Travis Shaw (1B), Brandon Jacobs (LF), Xander Bogaerts (SS), Michael Almanzar (3B), Christian Vazquez (C), Heiker Meneses (2B), and Adalberto Ibarra (DH).

Blue Rocks: Whit Merrifield (DH), Angel Franco (2B), Brian Fletcher (LF), Brett Eibner (CF), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Geulin Beltre (RF), Kevin David (C), Jake Kuebler (1B), and Luis Piterson (SS).

It is overcast and a bit windy here at the ballpark and with about a half hour to game time, the crowd is very thin. I’ll keep you posted throughout of the goings on here in Wilmington.

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Hosmer bobblehead via KC Royals

It’s Eric Hosmer bobblehead night here in Wilmington (and no that photo is not a picture of the actual bobblehead). Hosmer spent the second half of 2009 as a Blue Rock (and struggled mightily to hit just .206 in 27 games) and the first half of 2012 in Wilmington (where he made adjustments and hit .354 in 87 games).

It’s also a beautiful night for baseball, though pop-up storms are expected to roll through (fingers crossed that they come after the game). Tonight, the Blue Rocks finish their seven-game homestand and four-game series with Carolina, the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. So far, the Blue Rocks have won two of the first three games of the series after losing three of four last week in Carolina.

The Mudcats are 27-31 and seven games out of first place in the Carolina League’s Southern Division. The Blue Rocks are 28-30 and just 1.5 games back of Lynchburg for the Northern Division title. Wilmington heads to Winston-Salem to face the Dash on Friday for a short three-game series before returning home to finish the first half against Salem and Winston-Salem (who are battling for the Southern Division title).

On the mound for the Blue Rocks will be hard-throwing right-hander Yordano Ventura. This will be the first time I will be seeing him pitch and I now have seen every Blue Rocks pitcher throw (except the new reliever Nick Graffeo). Ventura is 3-4 with a 2.82 ERA and will be making his 12^th start of the season. He has struck out 67 to just 19 walks in 54.1 innings. This will be Ventura’s first start against Carolina.

Getting the ball in the finale for the Mudcats is Michael Goodnight. He is 1-6 with a 4.88 ERA in 11 games (ten starts). Opponents are hitting .298 against him and he has walked 28 to just 38 strikeouts in 55.1 innings. His lone victory came in his first start of the season back on April 14^th. He faced the Blue Rocks last week in Carolina (May 28^th) and allowed four runs on ten hits over seven innings. He struck out nine in the loss.

Lineups:

Mudcats: Tyler Holt (CF), Tony Wolters (2B), Giovanny Urshela (3B), Carlos Moncrief (RF), Anthony Gallas (DH), Ronny Rodriguez  (SS), Justin Toole (1B), Tyler Cannon (C), and Delvi Cid (LF).

Blue Rocks: Angel Franco (2B), Geulin Beltre (DH), Whit Merrifield (CF), Brian Fletcher (LF), Cheslor Cuthbert (3B), Kevin David (C), Roman Hernandez (LF), Juan Graterol (1B), and Alex McClure (SS).

For those who follow the Blue Rocks, you will notice a few lineup changes. Merrifield is back in centerfield and batting in the three-spot. Fletcher is in left field with Hernandez moving to right field. There is no Brett Eibner tonight.

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