MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com-Wilmington, DE– The Wilmington Blue Rocks wasted a superb pitching performance from starterRowdy Hardyon Sunday, as they were shutout by the Kinston Indians 2-0 at Frawley Stadium.

 

It was the 11^thtime in 2009 the Rocks failed to plate a single score.

 

Hardy however seemed oblivious to his team’s offensive failures.The left-hander cruised his way through seven innings, allowing only one unearned run on six hits.

 

The only real trouble he ran into all day came in the opening inning.

 

Hardy surrendered three straight hits to begin the game.Lucas Montero ripped a double to left, and then moved to third on aRyan Eigstipassed ball.Tim Fedroff followed that up with a bouncer up the middle that caromed off of the pitcher’s body.It did not go far enough from Hardy for Montero to score, but Fedroff did reach with an infield single.
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Cord Phelps made it three knocks in a row, as he singled to right, and gave Kinston a 1-0 lead.But Hardy would escape the rest of the frame unscathed, as he struck out Ole Sheldon and induced a line-drive double play off the bat of Roman Pena.

 

Over his next six frames Hardy was superb, allowing only three more base runners the rest of the way.He finished his longest outing of the season with five strikeouts and nary a walk.

 

He gave way toKelvin Villain the eighth, who loaded the bases with one out, on two hits and a walk.The southpaw then uncorked a wild pitch which allowed the K-Tribe to score an insurance run, and make it 2-0.After an intentional walk reloaded the bases, Villa escaped the jam by striking out Pena and Ronnie Rivas to end the inning.

 

Unfortunately two was more than enough, as Kinston starter Ryan Morris pitched even better than Hardy.Morris (4-8) went seven strong, and allowed only three hits, while striking out seven.

 

Wilmington only threatened twice.

 

In the first, the Rocks put runners on first and third with one out, beforeAnthony Seratellipopped out andPaulo Orlandowhiffed to end the frame.

 

Then in the seventh, Seratelli singled to open the inning, and advanced into scoring position on Paulo Orlando’s sacrifice bunt.Jamar Waltonthen walked, butAntonio Jimenezgrounded into a 4-6-3 twin-killing on the very next pitch.

 

Dave Roberts did not allow a Rock to reach base over the final two frames, as he picked up his first save of the season.

 

Wilmington is off on Monday before beginning a six-game road trip in Lynchburg on Tuesday.Carolina League All-StarDanny Duffy(6-3, 3.86) takes the hill for the Rocks.He is scheduled to be opposed by Hillcats’ hurler Bryan Morris (2-2, 4.30).

 

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

Rowdy Hardysuffered his first loss of the season on Sunday.It also marked the first time all year the Rocks dropped a game that the southpaw had started.

 

Hardy has still not allowed an earned run at Frawley Stadium in 2009.Both of the scores he has surrendered at home have come as the direct result of defensive miscues.

 

Jamar Waltonwent 0-for-2 and saw his seven-game hitting streak come to an end.Dating back to June 8, the outfielder is now just 9-for-50 at the plate.

 

Paulo Orlandoalso had his seven-game hitting streak erased on Sunday.Orlando was 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt in three plate appearances.

 

Of the 11 times the Blue Rocks have been shut out in 2009, eight have come at Frawley Stadium. The only silver lining is that six of the scoreless efforts have come in games that were less than nine innings in duration.

 

The Rocks’ season-long home run drought has now extended to 10 games.They have not left the yard yet in the season’s second half.Overall, the Blue Crew are dead-last in the Carolina League with just 33 dingers on the season.

 

Wilmington dropped three out of four to Kinston over the weekend.The Rocks were outscored 15-1 in their three setbacks.Ironically, the Blue Crew had taken eight of 10 from the K-Tribe entering this four-game set.

 

Blue Rocks first basemanClint Robinsonwas spotted running on the field with team athletic trainerDave Iannicca.The first baseman was testing his strained groin, which has kept him out of the lineup since June 27.

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