Lamb has longest start but Blue Rocks lose in 13 innings!

Myrtle Beach, SC - Wilmington Blue Rocks lost the series and the game tonight following a 27 minute rain delay and a 13 inning contest with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Atlanta Braves Advanced Class A team. Despite the solid pitching by Lamb the Blue Rocks suffered from errors and missed opportunities with runners on base.

John Lamb tossed a career-best 7.1 innings and allowed just one earned run, his first in six outings and 35.2 innings. (Photo credit - Brad Glazier)

John Lamb was solid again with his longest outing of the year, as he took the ball to the mound in the bottom of the eighth inning with a 3-2 advantage. Lamb was at 81 pitches to start the inning but gave up a lead off single for the third of the night. On a 1-0 count a sacrifice bunt moved the lead off runner to second with the put out throw from Lamb to first base. Lamb finished with 88 pitches, 69 percent in the strike zone, 18 first pitch strikes, 8 first pitch balls, 13 ground ball outs and did not have any fly ball outs. The lack of fly ball outs was really a little unusual for most of his past performances, but still effective none the less.



Blue Rocks went to the bull-pen for Harold Mozingo who promptly surrendered a hit allowing the first earned run to be tallied against Lamb in his last six starts. Mozingo continued to pitch well on his own accord until his removal in the 13th by Barry Bowden.



Lamb finished the longest work of his second professional baseball season with 7-1/3 innings, 3 runs, 1 earned run, 3 hits, 8 strike outs and 0 walks. He managed to shave a little off his current earned run average and continues to lead all levels of Minor League Baseball.



Blue Rocks had plenty of hits through the game put just didn’t get the timely ones needed to blow the game open. Four different Rocks had multiple hits during the extra inning game, including Navarro, Colon, Mejia and Francis. Salvador Perez was the only Blue Rock with a single hit for the night, although there were a few that did not get a hit during the game. The team finished the night going 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
 
 
 
Pelicans grabbed the win and the three game series in the bottom of the fourth extra inning. The Blue Rocks suffered only their third loss in an extra inning contest for the Carolina League Northern Division, as the current first place team. Tonight’s blow also put the Blue Rocks back into an even .500 level of wins and losses as they climb into the bus and head for Kinston to play the Indians.

Last win for the teenager Lamb...Blue Rocks sweep series!

Lynchburg, VA - Three Wilmington Blue Rocks pitchers combined on a shut out performance to make a clean sweep of the Lynchburg Hillcats series and allowing only four hits. John Lamb, Harold Mozingo and Barry Bowden kept the Hillcats from scoring despite the threat when Lamb was pulled from the game with a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with no outs and two runners on base.

 

Although the Blue Rocks bats were much cooler than last night, they proved more than adequate in helping Wilmington achieve a 43-43 record. The Rocks finished their road trip with a 5-2 mark and sole possession of first place. Nick Francis, Jarrod Dyson, Christian Colon and, the legitimate youngster of the team, Wil Myers drove in all the Rocks runs. Timely hitting, solid defense and good pitching again prove to be the simple formula to win baseball games even with a little moisture falling from the sky.



With John Lamb turning 20 tomorrow, he finished his teenage professional baseball stats on a high note by picking up his fifth win in the ten starts since being called up to the, Advanced Class A level, Carolina League. Lamb threw 75% of his 72 pitches for strikes while allowing 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and striking out 4.



The Blue Rocks return home for an eight day home stand and a day off between the next two series. They will play Myrtle Beach Pelicans for three games starting tomorrow and a four game series against Frederick Keys following a day off the schedule.



GO BLUE ROCKS!

Lamb good again...Rocks take the series!

John Lamb gave his Wilmington Blue Rocks a chance to win with his 8th start of the year in the Carolina League. It is can always be somewhat of a challenge to pitch on the road, but Lamb continues to be steady with the numbers home or away during his first full season in professional baseball.

Lamb had a high pitch count during his work tonight due to patient Frederick Keys hitters and again the high strike-out count. The line on Lamb was 4 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 0 earned runs, 1 walk and 7 strike-outs in 86 pitches. When Lamb handed the ball to the bull-pen the Blue Rocks had a 3-1 lead, but unfortunately could not qualify for the win.




Hodgson and Mozingo both teamed up to hold off a late inning surge in the bottom of the 9th to take the series from the Keys in Frederick, MD. Ivor Hodgson had a very solid performance into the 9th and qualified for the win, while Harold Mozingo came in and got the save.



Adrian Ortiz hit his first Blue Rocks home run during his 4-for-5 night at the plate. Another note, worth mentioning was the Christian Colon debut that was very quiet at the plate. He finished the night 0-for-5 with two strikeouts. It is very safe to say that this will not be the only night he has nothing to show at the plate, during his career, but the kid can simply play the game and he is a wonderful addition to the organization.

The Blue Rocks return home to fend off the Lynchburg Hillcats, Advanced Class A team of the Cincinnati Reds organization, for a short 3 game stand. The current rotation has Lamb pitching the next two starts on the road and he will not be throwing at home until July 15. At least he won’t be a teenager the next time he pitches in front of the Wilmington crowd.
 
 
- - - James Lamb
 
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