Easterling continues rotation's streak in shutout win

KINSTON, N.C. (June 27, 2017) - Right-hander Brannon Easterling stretched the rotation's scoreless streak to 23 innings with six dominant frames in Winston-Salem's 4-0 win at Down East on Tuesday night at Grainger Stadium.
Easterling (5-4) befuddled the Wood Ducks (2-3, 26-48) for his fourth quality start of the season. He scattered four hits and struck out three over an 84-pitch gem. Dash starters have not given up a run since the fifth inning on Friday night.

The rotation's previous high-water mark for a scoreless streak in 2017 was 10 innings. This current run is the club's longest since a 25-inning span from June 4-7, 2016.
Behind Easterling, Mike Morrison stranded three over two shutout frames before Zach Thompson punched out a pair during a 1-2-3 ninth. Morrison was making his second High-A appearance, while Thompson dominated in his second professional relief outing.
Winston-Salem (5-1, 29-47) could not solve Down East starter Jeffrey Springs (1-7) over the first five innings. However, the Dash plated at least one run in each of the next three innings. Shortly after leading off the sixth with a double, Johan Cruz scored on a wild pitch from Springs to give the Dash the lead for good.
In the seventh, Springs hit the leadoff man Jameson Fisher, who came around on a Cruz sacrifice fly. Winston-Salem's lone run-scoring hit came in the eighth. Following a Telvin Nash walk and a Fisher single, Seby Zavala lashed a two-run double down the left field line to make it 4-0. Zavala has collected eight RBIs in his first four Carolina League games.
As a result, Winston-Salem is off to its best start in a half since 2015, when the club also bounced back from a league-worst first half to start 5-1. The Dash also improved to 5-3 at Grainger Stadium and 10-5 against the Woodies overall this year.
This series continues on Wednesday at 7 p.m. from Kinston, with Dane Dunning (3-3, 3.25 ERA) hoping to continue the rotation's recent tear. Fellow right-hander Emerson Martinez (0-7, 4.83 ERA) will counter for the Wood Ducks. Play-by-play coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on wsdash.com/broadcast and the TuneIn Radio App.
The Dash's next home game is their annual Fourth of July Extravaganza, which is set for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. against the Wood Ducks. The festivities begin with a free pregame party from 4-6:30 p.m. on First Street. Tickets for the game start as low as $9 in advance, but seats will sell out. To guarantee your seat for the only Fourth of July Fireworks Show in Winston-Salem, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.