Game #49 Preview — Dash at Potomac

Game #49 — Road Game #25
Winston-Salem Dash (17–31) at Potomac Nationals (24–20)
Friday, May 27–7:05 p.m.
Pfitzner Stadium (Woodbridge, VA)

GAME BACKGROUND:

On a Throwback Thursday at BB&T Ballpark, the Frederick Keys earned a 9–4 win over Winston-Salem, who donned commemorative Warthogs jerseys. The Dash will spend the holiday weekend in Woodbridge, Va., for a four-game series with the Potomac Nationals. Friday’s opener begins at 7:05 p.m. from Pfitzner Stadium.

STARTING LINEUP:

Cleuluis Rondon has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games (Jody Stewart/ W-S Dash).

Hunter Jones — CF
Mason Robbins — LF
Gerson Montilla — 3B
Keon Barnum — 1B
Marcus Davis — DH
Toby Thomas — 2B
Brett Austin — C
Louie Lechich — RF
Cleuluis Rondon — SS
Matt Cooper — RHP

DASH DOTS:

• For the first time since BB&T Ballpark opened in 2010, Winston-Salem played as the Warthogs on Thursday night. The franchise had not sported the Warthogs logo in 2,819 days (September 6, 2008). Before the nickname change to Dash in 2009, the Warthogs enjoyed a successful 14-year run from 1995–2008. During this stretch, Winston-Salem posted a 944–1004 (.485) record and claimed its most recent Mills Cup crown (2003). Eight former Warthogs became MLB All-Stars (year in W-S), including Joe Crede (1998), Carlos Lee (1997) and Aaron Rowand (1999).
• Even with the spiffy Warthogs jerseys, Winston-Salem failed to turn things around at home. The Dash entered 2016 with an all-time record of 244–176 (.581) at BB&T Ballpark, which was the best home mark in the Carolina League during this span (2010–15). However, the Dash own the worst home record in the Minors thus far in 2016 (5–19). The only other team that has just five home wins is Syracuse (Triple-A, Washington), who has only played 16 home games.
• From 2010–15, Winston-Salem earned 23 home sweeps, while the opposition only combined for four. However, Frederick finished the third sweep for a visitor in seven series at BB&T Ballpark this year (Salem, April 14–17; Myrtle Beach, May 2–4).
• On this Memorial Day weekend, the Dash travel to beautiful Pfitzner Stadium for a four-game set with the Red, White and Blue defenders of Woodbridge, Va. Potomac and Winston-Salem split their first series of 2016 from May 13–16, which remains the only home set the Dash have not lost this year. After making just two trips to Potomac last season, the Dash have the fortune of playing at Pfitzner Stadium 11 times from Friday through July 24. Last year, Winston-Salem went 3–3 in Woodbridge. One of the wins at Potomac in 2015 was James Dykstra’s no-hitter in game one of a doubleheader on April 15.
• Hunter Jones has shined throughout the month of May. Jones boasts a .358 average (34-for-95) with three homers, 11 RBIs and 18 runs in 25 games. In 23 April games, he hit .242 with no homers, six RBIs and 18 runs. Jones is one of four men in the Carolina League who has yet to miss a game (48), joining Myrtle Beach sluggers Yasiel Balaguert (46) and Ian Happ (46) and P-Nats infielder Jose Marmolejos (44). Within the CL, Jones is first in hits (57), second in triples (6) and total bases (86), fourth in runs (36) and steals (22) and 10th in batting average (.300).
• Over 51.0 innings, Friday starter Matt Cooper has amassed 63 strikeouts, tied for second-most in Minor League Baseball. Only highly-touted Braves prospect Lucas Sims (65) has more than Cooper, who has logged at least five in all nine starts this season. Before this year, Cooper had pitched exclusively in the bullpen as a pro. He struck out 123 in 86.1 innings over 59 appearances in 2014 and 2015 (12.8 K/9IP).
• Gerson Montilla has failed to drive home a run in his last three games after surging for 17 RBIs in his previous 11 contests.
• Cleuluis Rondon has hit safely in 10 of his last 12, during which he boasts a .326 average (14-for-43).

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

Friday’s game will be broadcast live on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio app. The Pregame Dash will begin at 6:50 p.m., with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.

-Joe