Game #133 Preview — Dash vs. Buies Creek
Game #133 — Home Game #71
Dash (29–33, 53–79) vs. Buies Creek Astros (34–27, 71–60)
Sunday, August 27 – 2 p.m.
BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
GAME BACKGROUND:
Behind a three-RBI performance from Daniel Gonzalez and a five-inning gem by Kelvis Valerio, Winston-Salem bested first-place Buies Creek 5–3 on Saturday night at BB&T Ballpark. Gonzalez drove home the Dash’s first three runs thanks to a two-run single in the second and an RBI double in the fourth. Behind Valerio’s five-inning, no-hit gem, Louie Lechich gave up two runs and a career-high six hits over 1.2 innings. Drew Hasler wiggled out of Lechich’s seventh-inning jam before Ian Hamilton spun the final two innings for his sixth High-A save.
With Saturday’s victory, Winston-Salem pulled one game closer to Buies Creek in the Southern Division’s second half standings. The Dash own an elimination number of three, meaning that any combination of Buies Creek wins and Dash losses adding up to three would eliminate the Dash from the playoff conversation. Winston-Salem would also need to soar past Down East and Carolina, both of whom won on Saturday to gain a game on Buies Creek. The Dash are 5.5 games behind the Astros, while the Wood Ducks are 3.5 back and the Mudcats are 4.5 back.
DASH LINEUP:
Joel Booker — CF
Jameson Fisher — LF
Seby Zavala — C
Brandon Dulin — DH
Matt Rose — 1B
Louis Silverio — RF
Bryant Flete — 2B
Brady Conlan — 3B
Yeyson Yrizarri — SS
Ian Clarkin — LHP
DASH DOTS:
· The White Sox announced that left-hander Ian Clarkin (oblique) has been activated from the disabled list. He will make his second start in the White Sox system on Sunday. To make room for Clarkin, right-hander Alec Hansen has been promoted to Double-A Birmingham. Hansen is second in the Minor Leagues with 174 strikeouts between the Dash and Low-A Kannapolis, for whom he has combined to go 11–8 with a 2.68 earned run average in 24 starts.
· For the fourth time this half, Winston-Salem took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning on Saturday. Valerio recorded his second hitless start of the season, with the other coming on July 29 at Lynchburg when he spun four perfect frames. The Dash have seen all of these no-hit bids end in either the sixth or seventh innings:
June 24 vs. Buies Creek (4–2 win): 6.2 innings (Jimmy Lambert, 6.0 IP; Mike Morrison, 0.2 IP)
June 25 vs. Buies Creek (4–0 win): 6.1 innings (Tanner Banks, 5.0 IP; Hasler, 1.1 IP)
July 18 at Lynchburg (3–0 win): 5.2 innings (all by Alec Hansen; game one of a doubleheader, so just a seven-inning game)
August 26 vs. Buies Creek (5–3 win): 5.0 innings (all by Valerio; Lechich gave up a leadoff single to Anibal Sierra in the sixth).
· Thanks to a crowd of 6,161 on Saturday night, the Dash are closing in on surpassing 300,000 total fans this season. Winston-Salem has welcomed 299,899 fans to BB&T Ballpark for the first 68 openings of 2017. The Dash lead the Carolina League in overall attendance, while their per-game mark of 4,410 is second to the Frederick Keys. Each season since moving into BB&T Ballpark in 2010, Winston-Salem has finished either first or second in High-A in both overall and per-game attendance. The Dash are just 101 fans away from reaching 300,000 fans for the first time since 2013.
· Louis Silverio has returned to his Midseason All-Star form as of late. Over his last 10 games dating back to August 16, Silverio is hitting .395 (15-for-38) with one homer, nine RBIs and four runs. The Florida native has hit safely in every game this homestand, during which he boasts a .550 mark (11-for-20) with four RBIs. Silverio is a .302 hitter in 43 games at BB&T Ballpark.
· Dash catcher Seby Zavala currently leads all three triple crown categories among full-season White Sox Minor Leaguers. He is hitting .283 with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs in 100 games between the Dash and Low-A Kannapolis. Jake Peter trails Zavala by one point, while Zavala leads Zack Collins and Danny Hayes by two in home runs and Micker Adolfo by two in RBIs.
BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Sunday’s homestand finale with the Astros will be televised on My 48 (WMYV-TV) locally in Winston-Salem, as well as online at wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and via the TuneIn Radio App. The Pregame Dash starts up at 1:45 p.m., with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
