(2-4, T3rd–PCL American Southern)
Game Notes:
The Express take revenge on the Oklahoma Redhawks for Monday night’s loss, bouncing them by a 7-3 score.
Former Phillie Robinson Tejeda, the key component in the David Dellucci deal for the Rangers, was treated badly by RR hitters who knocked him around for 8 hits (including 2 dingers) resulting in 5 runs over 5 innings.
The Express offensive onslaught consisted almost entirely of the 1st 3 hitters in the lineup: DH Charlton Jimerson, CF Mike Rodriguez and LF Luke Scott. The threesome was a combined 9-14 with a double, triple, 2 homers, 5 RBIs and scored all 7 runs. Jimerson did the most damage, being just a single shy of the cycle.
Jason Hirsh (5 IP 5 H 3 R 3 ER 1 W 4 K) had a shaky first inning and on into the 2nd, but settled down well by retiring the last 11 batters. He tossed 93 pitches.
Roberto Giron and Dave Borkowski blanked the Redhawks the rest of the way.
(2-3, T2nd–Texas League South)
Game Notes:
Ben Zobrist, Jonny Ash and Hunter Pence all had 3 hits apiece as the Hooks defeated Frisco 5-2.
27 year-old Josh Miller got the start and responded with 6 innings of 1-run ball.
Aaron Williams picked up his 1st save of the season with a scoreless 9th.
Zobrist committed his 3rd error of the year.
Other News and Notes:
(1) C J.R. House, who had a double in the contest, has hits in all 5 games this season.
(3-2, T2nd–Carolina League Southern)
Game Notes:
Avalanche hitters are throttled by the Keys’ pitchers, who limit Salem to just 2 hits in the 4-1 win by Frederick. Among the pitchers doing the shutting down was Beau Hale (discussed yesterday) who gets the win.
3B Billy Hart and CF Beau Torbert were owners of the lone hits (singles). Both players along with SS Edwin Maysonet (who reached on an error) swiped bases in the game.
DH Neil Sellers walked 3 times.
C Lou Santangelo made a baserunning blunder in the 4th. On at third base with just one out (reached on a FC and then moved to 2nd on an error and 3rd on a WP), a slow groundball was hit to the shortstop. Rather than heading to the plate, the Clemson-ex just froze (much to the unhappiness of manager Jim Pankovits). After the out was recorded at first base, the following batter also grounded out and the Avs ended up not scoring in the inning.
Troy Patton made his 2006 debut and was outstanding (5 IP 3 H 0 R 0 ER 2 W 4 K).
Robert Stiehl, whose previous 2 appearances had been scoreless, was battered around in this one as he surrenders all 4 Keys runs on 5 hits, a walk and a HBP in just 1.1 IP.
Carolina League managers will eventually get the message: don’t run on Santangelo. He erased 2 of the 3 Keys’ runners who tried to steal on him in the game.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Rule 5 (minor league portion) draftee RHP Ben Diggins has some sort of foot injury which is why he has yet to see action. (2) RHP Ronnie Martinez has been rehabbing what was indicated as a “non-serious” arm problem and supposedly will be ready to pitch soon.
Quoting:
Those 11 errors compiled by both clubs Monday night were a result of the poor playing conditions there in Frederick at Harry Grove Stadium (it’s sophomoric, but I still giggle every time I hear that name):
“It’s terrible, terrible. It’s bad, it’s probably the worst field in baseball,” (Frederick manager Bien) Figueroa said. “Everything is wrong with it. The guys can’t field the ball the way we teach them.”
“Today, we took infield practice and dropped 10 balls,” Figueroa said. “There are a bunch of bumps on the field. There is a bunch of grass and there is no grass. Last year, the field was more even. The guys do the best they can, but they’ve only had one week.”
“No one can get used to that field,” he said. “You don’t know where the ball is going to go, you can only guess.”
(5-1, T1st–SAL Northern)
Game Notes:
An 8-2 pasting at the hands of the Hickory Crawdads brings the Legends back to earth.
Tip Fairchild, a member of the starting rotation after all given Ryan McKeller’s unfortunate circumstances, didn’t pitch too badly as 2 of the 3 runs he gave up over 5 innings came on a longball. An error or two contributed to the other run (though it was earned).
Reliever Jamie Gant allowed 5 baserunners (3 hits and 2 walks) in his 1/3 of an inning, and every single one of ’em scored. But his line is a lot messier than it should have been. LF Ryan Reed misplayed a couple of fly balls into “hits”. 3 of the runs were unearned as a result of a dropped foul pop by 1B Mark Ori.
CF Josh Flores returned to the lineup with a bang, going 3-5 with a solo shot (#1).
1B Ole Sheldon reached 3 times for the second day in a row, this time on 2 walks and a single.
If you totaled up all the errors Lex committed in the game, you end up at the number 5. They were committed by 5 different players. And it doesn’t count those misplayed fly balls out in left.
Quoting:
Regarding Bogusevic’s start Monday night:
“Bogie threw all right,” Legends Manager Jack Lind said. “And I haven’t heard anything about any (arm) problem, so that’s good.”