8/18/08. The Warthogs have won five in a row and are now just 1.5 games behind Kinston (Indians' farmclub) in the wild card race. It's their longest winning streak of the season. They are now 32-24 in the second half.

 

One of the keys to their second half success has been the resurgence of John Ely. After starting the season with a 3-11 mark through mid-July, Ely has allowed only four earned runs and has 26 strikeouts over his last 28 innings. He was won his last 5 starts.

 

W-S has 14 games remaining, including 4 at home vs. Kinston.

 

Should be an interesting couple of weeks.

Edited August 30, 200817 yr by scenario

8/18/08. The Warthogs have won five in a row and are now just 1.5 games behind Kinston (Indians' farmclub) in the wild card race. It's their longest winning streak of the season. They are now 32-24 in the second half.

 

One of the keys to their second half success has been the resurgence of John Ely. After starting the season with a 3-11 mark through mid-July, Ely has allowed only four earned runs and has 26 strikeouts over his last 28 innings. He was won his last 5 starts.

 

W-S has 14 games remaining, including 4 at home vs. Kinston.

 

Should be an interesting couple of weeks.

 

 

Go Hogs! It's their last year as the "Warthogs." They'll have a new nickname and stadium in 2009.

Go Hogs! It's their last year as the "Warthogs." They'll have a new nickname and stadium in 2009.

 

Interesting, I didnt know that.

 

I still have a Winston Salem Warthogs hat from my trip down there in 2003... they have a pretty awesome logo... any idea what they will be next year?

Interesting, I didnt know that.

 

I still have a Winston Salem Warthogs hat from my trip down there in 2003... they have a pretty awesome logo... any idea what they will be next year?

 

These are the finalists for the new nickname...

 

Aviators: It plays off the strong aviation history of North Carolina and the founding of Piedmont Airlines in Winston-Salem. (Blah)

 

Dash/The Dash: A nickname used for the city of Winston-Salem. (Kinda cool)

 

Racers: Ties to the strong auto racing heritage of North Carolina and Winston-Salem. (Blah)

 

Rhinos: A strong, swift, ferocious animal with ties to the area. (Why change it from Warthogs to that?)

 

Wallbangers: A fun, unique baseball term. (Bingo!)

 

Wallbangers would be awesome! I hope they choose that one.

Edited August 18, 200817 yr by JPN366

As long as it isn't the Racers. We already have the Intimidators in the system. I don't think I could root for a franchise with such strong ties for racing/NASCAR in its minor league system.

One reason for Rhinos' is that part owner, Billly Prim, owns Blue Rhino Propane.

3 of my buddies are from Winston-Salem and they're not happy about the name change. Though, they do always refer to Winston-Salem as "the dash" so they thought that would be alright.

I'd do Flyers instead of Aviators. Interesting.

Wallbangers opens up pandoras box.... i love it

Wallbangers opens up pandoras box.... i love it

 

LOL. Yeah, gotta figure a year with the Wallbangers might be good preparation to play for Ozzie someday.

 

Dash? Sounds more like a Twins farm team.

 

3 of my buddies are from Winston-Salem and they're not happy about the name change. Though, they do always refer to Winston-Salem as "the dash" so they thought that would be alright.

 

 

I don't see why they would change it anyway. They've only had that nickname for 10 or so years, and it is unique and alliterative.

8/19 games:

 

- Winston-Salem won (on the road) 10-1

- Kinston lost (at home) 17-14

 

Wild card deficit down to 1/2 game with 12 games to go.

Edited August 21, 200817 yr by scenario

8/20 Games:

 

Warthogs beat Salem 3-2

Kinston loses to Potomac 6-0

Winston-Salem takes a .5 game lead in the wild card race!!!

8/21...

 

Eleven games remaining:

 

The Warthogs start a 3-game series with 1st place Myrtle Beach (Braves farmclub) tonight at home.

Then they have 4 games against Kinston (Indians) at home. Kinston is the team they must stay ahead of to make the playoffs.

Finally, the finish off the season with a 4-game road series at Frederick (Orioles).

 

 

Their new name should either be the wallbangers or the dash.

A W-S win and a Kinston loss last night puts the Warthogs/Wallbangers/Dash 1.5 games up in the wild card race with 10 games to go!!!

8/22...

 

Warthogs win an 11th inning walkoff... their 9th win in their last 10 games.

 

Kinston loses in extra innings.

 

W-S goes up 2.5 games in the wild card race with 9 games to go.

Edited August 23, 200817 yr by scenario

8/23...

 

Warthogs beat Myrtle Beach 10-4.

 

Kinston lost to Wilmington.

 

Winston-Salem extends its wild-card lead to 3.5 games with 8 games left in the season.

 

In fact, they've closed to within 2 games of 1st place Myrtle Beach!!!

 

CJ Retherford is now 6th in batting average (.295) and 6th in homeruns (16) in the Carolina League.

 

 

Edited August 24, 200817 yr by scenario

From the Carolina League notebook this week...

 

Winston-Salem Warthogs (Chicago White Sox)

WEEK IN REVIEW: The Warthogs continue to make a strong push for the final playoff spot in the Southern Division, residing in second, only two games behind Myrtle Beach, with a 37-25 record. Winston-Salem concluded a seven-game road trip by defeating Salem, 3-2, Aug. 20, for a 6-1 week. The Warthogs won five straight during the span, and had 10 wins in their last 11 outings. With a 66-65 mark at week's end, Winston-Salem rose above the .500 mark on the season for the first time since April 21. The team is currently in the midst of a seven-game homestand, the last one in the 53-year history of Ernie Shore Field.

 

WHO'S HOT: Anthony Carter has been tough to score on over the last two starts. In the span of 14 innings, Carter has not allowed a run. On Aug. 20, he tossed six shutout innings, surrendering only three hits and fanning a season-high five batters in a 3-2 triumph at Salem, to improve to 6-4. ... SS Greg Paiml concluded the week with a 10-game hitting streak. Paiml was 18-for-43 during the stretch with seven RBIs.

 

WHO'S NOT: 2B Dale Mollenhauer has only a single to show for 13 plate appearances over his last six games.

 

A REASON FOR WINNING: Winston-Salem is in the playoff hunt because the club is doing just about everything the right way. Prior to an off-day Aug. 24, the Warthogs played 34 consecutive days, dating to July 21, and went 22-12 during that stretch. With a 1-0 win in 10 innings over Myrtle Beach on Aug. 22, Winston-Salem was 10-2 in extra-inning contests, and 27-15 in one-run decisions. Both marks rank as the best in the Carolina League.

Edited August 25, 200817 yr by scenario

Thursday night's double header sweep was huge.

 

The Warthogs reduced their magic number to 1 after splitting the 4 games series with Kinston.

 

 

 

Warthogs clinch playoff berth

 

FREDERICK, MD – The Winston-Salem Warthogs clinched the second half playoff berth with a 12-4 victory over the Frederick Keys on Friday night at Harry Grove Stadium. The Warthogs offense erupted for seven runs in the eighth inning on the way to their 14th win in the last 17 games and first postseason berth since 2005.

 

Greg Paiml finished with three hits and was a single shy of hitting for the cycle while Francisco Hernandez tallied a season-high 5 RBI, including a three-run home run in the decisive eighth inning as the Warthogs collected 14 hits for the game.