MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -Lynchburg, VA Alex Caldera did not allow a hit until there was one out in the home seventh, and the Wilmington Blue Rocks offense demoralized the Lynchburg Hillcats with two-out knocks. The combination led to a 7-2 victory, which completed a four-game sweep for the Rocks, their eighth series sweep of the season.

 

Caldera (5-10) was downright dominant. The right-hander stifled Lynchburg for eight sterling innings. He allowed only one hit and nary a run, while striking out a pair and walking three.

 

The 23-year-old El Centro, CA native flirted with a no-no. He did not surrender a knock until Matt Hague looped a pop up off the tip of the out-stretched glove of a sprinting Johnny Giavotella with one out in the seventh. Hague would get as far as third, but Caldera retired Kris Watts to escape the only threat he would face on the night.

 

Even without the no-hitter, Caldera cruised to victory. His excellent outing was supported by an offense that feasted on two-out rallies.

 

Wilmington got on the board with a three-spot in the third. That frame began with Lynchburg starter Justin Wilson retiring a pair and moving ahead of Anthony Seratelli on an 0-2 count. But the Blue Rocks shortstop fouled off several pitches before depositing a single into shallow center. From there, it would be all downhill for Wilson.

 

That was followed by a Derrick Robinson walk, and a Giavotella line-drive single to center that scored Seratelli and moved Robinson to third. Upon reaching, Giavotella immediately stole second, which allowed Mike Moustakas single to right to plate a pair.

 

In the fourth, Wilmington added to its advantage without the benefit of a hit. Nick Van Stratten led off the frame with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, and advanced to third on Jamar Waltons grounder to first. Van Stratten then came in to score on Paulo Orlandos nubber to the first-base side of the mound.

 

That was Wilsons final frame. The left-hander took the loss by allowing four runs on four hits in just the four innings of work. Wilson (6-8) suffered only his second setback since a July 9 loss to the Blue Rocks.

 

The Blue Rocks put three more two-out tallies on the board in the fifth off reliever Mike Colla. Seratelli got things started again with a single, which was followed by a Robinson hit to left. After back-to-back strikeouts, Clint Robinson avoided wasting the threat when he drilled a two-run double off the wall in left-center. Van Stratten followed with a double that scored Robinson.

 

Seratelli and Derrick Robinson each finished the night with two hits, while five different players drove in runs.

 

Lynchburg avoided the shutout with a two-out, two-run homer off Zach Peterson in the ninth by Hague. But Peterson, who was making his third appearance in four days, retired Kris Watts one batter later to secure the win.

 

The Blue Rocks final road trip of the season shifts to its last city and series. The Blue Rocks open a four-game, three-day set in Salem on Friday night with game one scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. Danny Gutierrez (0-0, 2.11) will take the hill in game one for the Rocks. He will be opposed by right-hander Seth Garrison (8-10, 3.60). In the nightcap, Mario Santiago (6-12, 4.50) makes his return to the rotation after pitching from the bullpen earlier this week. Salem will counter with southpaw Jose Capellan (5-3, 6.88)

 

PEBBLES OF KNOWLEDGE:

The Blue Rocks stand a season-best 26 games over .500.

 

The victory marked Wilmingtons 39^th win of the second half, exceeding its total from the campaigns first half (38-31).

 

The Rocks pace the league in road wins and winning percentage (43-23, .652). They have won 14 straight road series since dropping two of three at Lynchburg May 15-17.

 

Wilmington has owned the Hillcats this season, winning nine straight against the first-half CL North champions, and 12 of 13. Lynchburgs last victory over the Rocks came back on July 7.

 

The win for Alex Caldera was his first since August 3. That victory also came on the road, against the Winston-Salem Dash. Thursdays performance marked his longest outing of the season, and matched the deepest he has pitched into a game during his three-year career.

 

The Hillcats finished this four-game set just 6-for-41 (.146) with runners in scoring position. They only had two-such opportunities on Thursday, and failed to come through in either.

 

Clint Robinson extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Thursday. Robinson has batted .459 (17-for-37) over this stretch.

 

Robinson was also involved in one of the more intriguing moments of the game. The first baseman had a fastball just miss him in the seventh, and had some words for Lynchburg pitcher Harrison Bishop. That was as far as it would go, but both teams were warned by home-plate umpire Kolin Kline. If the Rocks hold on in the CL North, the first-half champion Hillcats would be their opponent in the first round of the postseason.

 

Brian Sanches tossed the only nine-inning no-no in Blue Rocks history on May 2, 2000. Coincidentally enough, the current Florida Marlin turned the trick against the Hillcats.

 

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