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Wilmington Blue Rocks

Lisson Homer Leads Rocks To Win, 2-1

April 9, 2007 - Carolina League (CarL1)
Wilmington Blue Rocks News Release


Kinston, NC - Mario Lisson hit a two-out, two-run homer while pitchers Michael Penn and Patrick Green dominated their opposition in a Blue Rocks 2-1 win over the Kinston Indians on Monday night. With the win, Wilmington snapped a three-game losing streak and defeated the defending Carolina League champs on the night of Kinston's home opener.

Wilmington outfielder Ethien Santana threatened to break a scoreless tie in the third inning as he started the frame with a double to left field. Two batters later, Josh Johnson singled to right field and Santana was waved home. Kinston's Nate Panther threw a one-hopper to catcher Max Ramirez in time to tag out Santana at the plate.

After that demoralizing loss of a base runner at home plate, Mario Lisson lifted the entire team's spirit with a two-out, two-run home run to left field off Kinston starter Sung-Wei Tseng (0-1). The homer was the first for any Blue Rock this season - a stretch of 38.2 innings.

Starter Michael Penn (1-0) took it from there. With a sharp breaking ball, Penn struck out eight Indians over five shutout innings. At one point, the right-hander retired 12 in a row and allowed just two hits and one walk in his Blue Rocks debut.

Patrick Green followed with a scoreless fifth and retired the first two in the seventh when Kinston rallied. Third-base prospect Wes Hodges hit a two-out solo homer to left that cut Wilmington's lead in half, 2-1. Panther followed with a single to left and Brian Finegan pushed Panther to third with a double. With two men in scoring position, Green attacked designated hitter Mike Butia, jumping ahead of the former James Madison University Duke 0-2 in the count before striking him out looking to end the threat.

Green retired six of the next seven he faced, including a 1-2-3 ninth inning. Green went four innings and allowed one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts for his first save of the season.

The series continues on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. Wilmington right-hander Carlos Rosa (1-0, 0.00) will oppose Cleveland Indians rehabbing starter Cliff Lee. Lee went 14-11 with a 4.40 ERA for the Indians last season and finished second in the American League with 18 wins in 2005.

GAME NOTES:

Former Blue Rock Randy Newsom threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Indians. Newsom, who played with Wilmington last season while still a Red Sox affiliate, was the "player to be named later" in the Coco Crisp trade between Boston and Cleveland.

Miguel Vega saw his four-game hitting streak come to an end. The only Blue Rock to get a hit in each of Wilmington's first four games this season, Vega finished the night 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

Michael Penn and Patrick Green combined to strike out 12 Indians batters on the night, an early single-game high.

After starting 2007 0-for-6, Ethien Santana went 2-for-3 in the game. Only catcher Todd Balduf, who has yet to play this season, has not earned a hit for the Blue Rocks.

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Carolina League Stories from April 9, 2007


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