Game Notes:
More of the same for the Express (1-3)–good starting pitching, spotty-to-bad relief work and not enough offense–as they fall to the Z’s 2-0.
Zeke Astacio (6 IP 4 H 0 R 0 ER 1 W 4 K) deserved better than a no-decision.
Bob Giron, on the other hand, definitely merited the L beside his name with 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks over 2 innings of work (though a pop fly that the wind played tricks with and ultimately fell in did the most damage).
RR had only 5 hits on the day and 2B Brooks Conrad had 2 of ’em (including a two-bagger). He had a swipe on his resume as well.
The Zephyrs stole 3 bases in the game, 2 off of Messrs. Astacio and Quintero and 1 off the Giron/Quintero combo.
Other News and Notes:
(1) The Jimerson K Counter: 2 more on Sunday, giving him 10 in 18 AB’s on the season. (2) And for the team? Another 10 today gives Express hitters an unpleasant 49 whiffs in 4 games. (3) With Kevin Orie having retired, that would mean RR is currently operating with a vacancy on its roster. Calling up someone like Jared Sandberg or Derek Nicholson from CC could happen, though that in turn of course creates a hole on the Hooks roster. Signing someone who was released by another organization at the end of spring training (whether to play at RR or CC) seems like a possibility.
Game Notes:
The Corpus hitters finally break out of their funk, scoring 6 runs to double their output of the previous 3 games combined. Unfortunately, it was on a day in which San Antonio plated 13 runs. CC falls to 1-3.
1B J.R. House remains the hottest CC hitter, going 3-5 with a couple of doubles.
RF Hunter Pence had dos hits, a 2-bagger plus his 2nd Texas League dinger. He drove in 3 on the day.
DH Josh Bonifay singled, doubled and walked in 5 trips to the plate.
CF Josh Anderson finally picked up his first base knock of the season, a single in 5 trips to the plate.
Another one of the AA rookies in the starting rotation, Chance Douglass wasn’t able to continue the string of exceptional debut performances. In fact, the Amarillo native just got blasted: 7 runs on 5 hits (3 of ’em were for extra bases) and 2 free passes and a plunk in 2 IP. In Chance’s defense, a couple of those exta-base hits he gave up were wind-aided homers. A third-strike call in the 2nd inning also did not go his way, turning what would have been the final out into an eventual single followed by two more base hits resulting in 4 runs.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Both clubs combined for 5 longballs on the day. (2) 13 was the most runs allowed in a game by Hooks’ pitchers last year in their inaugural season.
Game Notes:
Day off.
Quoting:
Manager (and former Astro, of course) Jim Pankovits talking about the Avs’ hitting success early on:
Noting the “organizational philosophy to use the whole field,”
“We want to pound the middle,” Pankovits said. “Then you take what the pitcher gives you.”
“It looks like our players have bought into that philosophy early on,” Pankovits said.
Game Notes:
Break up the Legends! They’re off to the 4-0 start after taking a mallet to the Blue Claws on Sunday by an 8-1 score.
The Lex offense really came alive for the first time this season in the 6th inning. C J.R. Towles singled, SS Tommy Manzella reached on an error and 2B Eric King walked to load the bases. 3B Mike Thompson then doubled in two runs. DH Koby Clemens doubled in 2 more and then scored on a single from 1B Ole Sheldon. LF Mitch Einertson drove in the final run of the inning on a two-bagger..
Sheldon reached 4 times in all on the day with 2 walks and 2 singles.
JR also had a triple in the game.
Last year’s 24th-round pick and Baylor-ex Sean Walker kept the Lex starting staff looking impressive with 5 innings of 1-run ball.
Tip Fairchild, whose starting rotation gig seems to have fallen by the wayside given Brian Bogusevic’s seeming quick return to health, tossed a scoreless inning.
Other News and Notes:
(1) All systems are apparently go for #1 pick Bogusevic, who is listed as the probable starter for tonight’s game against Hickory. (2) Mark Maloney in the Lexington Herald-Leader indicates that Wlad Sutil, who was in the starting lineup at DH, pulled a hammy while scoring on a SF in the 3rd inning. He was replaced by Clemens. (3) Greg Golson out of Connally HS in Austin is batting leadoff for Lakewood and finally got his 1st base hit of the season in Sunday’s game. He was Philly’s #1 pick in ’04.