Game #55 Preview — Dash at Lynchburg

Winston-Salem Dash

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Jun 6, 2015

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Game #55 — Road Game #31
Winston-Salem Dash (22–31) vs. Lynchburg Hillcats (25–29)
Saturday, June 6–6:30 p.m.
Calvin Falwell Field (Lynchburg, Va.)

GAME BACKGROUND:

Winston-Salem was swept in a doubleheader Friday, with the Dash mustering just three combined runs between the two contests. Winston searches for a rebound Saturday.

STARTING LINEUP:

Adam Engel — CF
Jake Peter — 2B
Trey Michalczewski — 3B
Chris Jacobs — 1B
Omar Narvaez — C
Nolan Earley — RF
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Michael Suiter — LF
T.J. Williams — DH
James Dykstra — RHP

DASH DOTS:

• The Dash’s biggest issue on Friday was their inability to cash in on scoring chances. Overall, Winston-Salem was 1-for-16 (.063) with runners in scoring position, which includes an 0-for-12 showing in the opener. In that tilt, the Dash stranded a season-high 11 runners, eight of whom were in scoring position at the end of an inning. This rough showing followed a strong homestand, during which the Dash amassed 34 runs in six games (5.7 per game). Winston is last in the Carolina League in average (.236), while the club is fourth in runs per game (3.98).
• Game one starter Matt Heidenreich permitted season highs in runs (7), earned runs (7) and hits (10) in his first loss since August 7, 2014, as a member of the Lancaster JetHawks (High-A, Houston). Before this effort, Heidenreich had worked past 5.0 innings in all but one of his first nine starts, and the opposition had tallied more than one earned run against him just twice.
• As a result, Heidenreich fell short of becoming the second eight-game winner within Minor League Baseball. Heidenreich could have joined Jacob Faria of the Charlotte Stone Crabs (High-A, Tampa Bay) as the only two members of the eight-win club. However, Heidenreich must settle for sharing second in the Minors in wins with 11 other pitchers. He still stands third in innings (60.2) and fifth in ERA (2.67) in the CL.
• For the second time this season, Winston-Salem infielder Jake Peter has recorded an eight-game hitting streak. Since May 27, the former Creighton star is 9-for-28 (.321) with a homer and four RBIs. Although Peter did extend his hitting streak with exactly one hit in both games of Friday’s twin bill, he did not score in either game after touching home precisely once in each of the first six games of his hit streak. Peter’s first eight-game run took place from May 5–11. He is two games shy of the longest run by a Winston hitter in 2015 (Chris Jacobs, April 29-May 9).
• Winston third baseman Trey Michalczewski collected a pair of hits in Friday’s opener before hitting the ball hard twice in the nightcap, though both were ruled as Lynchburg errors. Within the Carolina League, Michalczewski is tied for fifth with six homers, while his 32 RBIs are tied for second, trailing Lynchburg’s Nellie Rodriguez.
• On Tuesday, the White Sox announced that Carolina League stolen base leader Keenyn Walker has earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham. Within the CL, Walker also stands tied for second in triples (4) and tied for third in runs scored (30). Fellow outfielder Nolan Earley has rejoined the active roster from the disabled list. On Wednesday, lefties Jordan Guerrero and Jefferson Olacio jumped to Winston-Salem from Low-A Kannapolis. Guerrero was seventh in the Minors in ERA through May (1.24).
• Including both games Friday, the Dash have mustered three runs or less in 29 of their first 53 completed games. The Dash are 4–25 in those contests and 18–6 when mustering four or more knocks.
• In his last outing, Saturday starter James Dykstra ripped off eight strikeouts, which doubled his previous season high. Winston-Salem is 6–2 in the eight games Dykstra has started.
• The Dash dropped to 6–3 on the road against Northern Division foes.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Saturday’s game will be available on wsdash.com/broadcast, along with the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash will begin at 6:15 p.m., with the first pitch at 6:30 p.m.

– Scott