Walker hits for the cycle in 6-2 win at Carolina

ZEBULON, N.C. (June 14, 2019) - Steele Walker hit for the cycle on Friday night against Carolina, as the Dash pulled out a 6-2 win over the Mudcats at Five County Stadium.
Walker's cycle marks the first for a Winston-Salem (37-25) player since April 27, 2016, when Mason Robbins  accomplished the feat against the Lynchburg Hillcats at BB&T Ballpark. It is also the third cycle in Dash history (2009-present), as Gerson Montilla logged the milestone prior to Robbins in the 2016 season. 

After grounding out in his first at-bat, Walker stepped to the plate in the fourth with the Dash trailing 1-0 against Carolina (38-29). Following a Mitch Roman single, Walker, who was selected in the second round last year by the White Sox out of the University of Oklahoma, drilled a two-run homer to right against Nelson Hernandez (6-5) to put Winston-Salem ahead 2-1. 
The Mudcats knotted the contest by pushing across a run in the fifth, but Walker was a part of a rally that allowed Winston-Salem to pull away for good. 
Tyler Frost led off the sixth with a double against Hernandez, and Roman followed with a run-scoring single to right to give the Dash a 3-2 edge. Then, Walker lofted an RBI triple to left to push Winston-Salem's lead to two. 
In the eighth, Walker doubled with one out against Phil Bickford, setting up an opportunity to accomplish the feat in the ninth.
In the final frame, Evan Skoug stroked an RBI double to make it a 5-2 contest. Justin Topa then replaced Bickford, and, after Frost walked, Roman struck out to set up a two-on, two-out situation for Walker.
On an 0-1 pitch from Topa, Walker bounced an RBI single to left, scoring Skoug and completing the cycle. He finished with four RBIs while also setting a career-high in hits by going 4-for-5.
John Parke (4-2), who was selected to the Carolina League All-Star Game on Tuesday, logged his seventh quality start of the season in the win, going six innings and allowing just four hits and two runs while walking one and striking out three. Codi Heuer recorded his longest outing of the season on Friday, tossing three shutout innings to earn his second High-A save.
Winston-Salem continues its four-game set on Saturday at 5 p.m. against Carolina. Left-hander Konnor Pilkington (1-1, 6.16 ERA) takes the hill for the Dash against Mudcats right-hander Christian Taugner (2-4, 5.88 ERA). Pregame coverage begins at 4:45 p.m., and fans can catch all of the action on wsdash.com/broadcast, MiLB.tv and the TuneIn Radio App.
Following its four-game series at Five County Stadium against the Mudcats and the Carolina League All-Star Break, Winston-Salem returns to BB&T Ballpark for a seven-game homestand from June 20-26.
Promotions for the Dash's four-game set against Lynchburg from June 20-23 include a Lowes Foods Thirsty Thursday, a Pups in the Park Night, presented by Handy and Handy Orthodontics, a Fireworks Friday and live music on Saturday. Meanwhile, Sunday will be Latin American Jersey Day, and fans can get pregame autographs from the players before the game. 
The Dash's three-game series against Myrtle Beach from June 24-26 includes a Free Food Monday, $2 tacos on Tuesday and throwback Warthogs jerseys for Wednesday. For tickets and more information, call the Dash at (336) 714-2287 or visit wsdash.com.