Games #53/54 Preview — Dash at Lynchburg

Winston-Salem Dash

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Jun 5, 2015

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UPDATE: 8:10 p.m.

Dash’s game two lineup:

Adam Engel — CF
Jake Peter — 2B
Trey Michalczewski — 3B
Chris Jacobs — DH
Jeremy Dowdy — C
Nolan Earley — RF
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Michael Suiter — LF
T.J. Williams — 1B
Brian Clark — LHP

Games #53/54 — Road Games #29/30
Winston-Salem Dash (22–29) vs. Lynchburg Hillcats (23–29)
Friday, June 5–5:30 p.m.
Calvin Falwell Field (Lynchburg, Va.)

GAME BACKGROUND:

After Thursday’s postponement, Winston-Salem and Lynchburg will tangle in a doubleheader on Friday. The Dash took two of three from the Hillcats last week in the clubs’ first meeting this year.

STARTING LINEUP (Game 1):

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
Matt Heidenreich — RHP

DASH DOTS:

• Even though Tuesday’s suspended game is still hanging in the balance, the Dash recorded a victorious week-long homestand. The Dash averaged 5.7 runs per game, while their pitching staff limited the opposition to just 3.8 runs per night. On Monday, Winston overcame a six-run deficit, which is tied for the second-biggest come-from-behind win in the Dash era (2009-present). Winston bounced back from a 7–0 hole against Salem on May 22, 2009, to win 8–7. Since then, the Dash have never mustered a comeback greater than six runs in a victory.
• Thanks to Tuesday’s suspension and Thursday’s postponement, Winston-Salem will conclude half one by finishing 19 games over the course of 17 days. The first eight games of this surge to the All-Star break will take place against Northern Division opponents (Lynchburg and Wilmington) before concluding the first half with a series against each of the other three Southern Division clubs, with two taking place at home.
• Winston-Salem is 11 games out of first place, which likely means that the club will fail to win a half for the fifth time in a row. The Dash have not qualified for the playoffs since 2012. If Winston does not make the postseason this year, it would mark the longest drought for the franchise since a four-season wait from 1999–2002.
• Winston-Salem starter Matt Heidenreich is one of 11 pitchers in all of Minor League Baseball with seven or more personal victories. With a win on Thursday, Heidenreich would be the second hurler with eight. Jacob Faria of the Charlotte Stone Crabs (High-A, Tampa Bay) is the only man to reach eight wins, and he notched number nine on Monday. Only four big league pitchers have more wins than Heidenreich. The Coronado, Calif., native was the fourth pitcher in the Minors to pick up his fifth (May 7), sixth (May 17) and seventh (May 29) win.
• Heidenreich has earned those seven victories with stellar pitching throughout his first nine outings. Among qualifiers, his 1.78 earned run average is fourth in the Carolina League and 21st in the Minor Leagues. Heidenreich has logged 55.2 innings, which are good for a share of third place in the CL. He has worked into the sixth inning in all but one start, and only twice has a team tagged him for more than one earned run (2 at FRE on 5/7; 5 at SAL on 5/12).
• 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).
• Winston-Salem took two of three from Lynchburg during the recent homestand. The Hillcats took the opener 4–2 before the Dash outscored the new Indians High-A affiliate 15–4 in the final two contests.
• This is the first of two trips for the Dash to the Hill City. Winston opens the second half in Lynchburg from June 25–27.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Friday’s game will be available on wsdash.com/broadcast, along with the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash will begin at 5:15 p.m., with the first pitch at 5:30 p.m.

– Scott