(10-10, 2nd–PCL American South)
Game Notes:
The Express put a 7-1 hurting on the Omaha Royals.
RR had 3 longballs and 14 hits in the game, but the most impressive performance was on the mound where Chris Sampson went 8 strong innings and limited the O-Royals to just 3 hits and 1 run. The sinkerballer threw a very economical 83 pitches and had 14 GB outs. The former Red Raider retired 13 straight at one point.
The big stick belonged to LF Luke Scott who was 3-5 with a double and bashed his 5th longball.
Also bashing homers were 2B Brooks Conrad (#4, a 3-run shot) and SS Jesse Garcia (#1). Each also added a single in the game.
C Hector Gimenez walked, singled and doubled.
CF Charlton Jimerson had a walk and a double.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Sampson lowered his ERA for the year to a very tidy 2.17.
(14-9, 1st–Texas League South)
Game Notes:
The Hooks continue to pluck the Cardinals, this time by a 4-3 score. After Springfield tied it up in the top of the 7th at 3, CC responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame and made it stand up for the win.
CF Josh Anderson was 2-5 and had the strong defensive game (despite making his 1st error of the season). He threw out a couple of baserunners and also made the nice diving catch on a sinking liner.
RF Hunter Pence and 2B Jonny Ash were each 2-4, with the latter picking up an RBI double.
C J.R. House was intentionally walked and singled in 4 trips.
SS Ben Zobrist walked and belted his 7th double of the year, scoring a run.
Starting pitcher Mitch Talbot whiffed 8 for the second outing in a row as he goes 6 innings and allows just one run on 4 hits.
Jailen Peguero gets his 6th save with a scoreless 9th.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Springfield entered the series with the best record in the Texas League at 13-6 but CC ended up taking 3 of the 4 games. (2) The Hooks are 9-3 since starting the season 5-6. (3) That gives Anderson 3 outfield assists on the year.
Quoting:
Manager Dave on Talbot:
“This kid has got big-league stuff,” Clark said. “He’s got one of the nastiest change-ups I’ve ever seen. We’re going to look at that as another quality outing.”
Talbot on…Talbot:
“The first inning has been haunting me the last two years,” (the pitcher) said. “They score early on, and then I get comfortable and it’s OK from there on out. The key (to the strikeouts) was I was able to throw off-speed (pitches) for strikes when I was behind in the count. My changeup was working well, and I was able to go to that when I was in trouble.”
(8-14, 4th-Carolina League Southern)
Game Notes:
The slumping Avalanche are blanked 4-0 by the Kinston Indians.
The good news in this one was another outstanding outing from the right arm of Chad Reineke. He lowers his ERA on the year to a very cool 1.88 by holding the K-Tribe scoreless over his 6 innings of work.
The work from the bully was as bad as the starting pitching was good as Anthony DeWitt, Enyelbert Soto and Rory Shortell each gave up runs in their outings.
1B Scott Robinson and 3B Billy Hart had 4 of Salem’s 6 hits. Robinson had a 2-bagger and a single, while Hart’s were both singles. Hart did get picked off while on base and in the field made his 5th error.
RF Frankie Caraballo had a double in 4 trips.
There was no help from the top of the offense as the 1st 4 hitters went a combined 0-14.
Among that group, C Lou Santangelo was 0-4 with 3 strikeouts.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Make it 6 straight losses for the Avalanche. (2) That’s the 1st time Salem has been shut out since that no-hitter thrown against ’em back on April 12th. (3) Hitting streaks: CF Ervin Alcantara took the 0fer to bust his 11-gamer. (4) Reineke hasn’t give up an earned run in 17.2 IP at home this season.
Quoting:
Reineke on what was working for him on Saturday night:
“I was able to throw it [the changeup] for strikes,” (he) said. “And I was able to throw it on counts where the hitter was probably thinking fastball. My changeup really helped a lot.”
On his success this season at Salem Memorial Stadium:
“I don’t know why. It’s a good mound. The field’s nice. It’s a pitcher’s park,” he said. “I guess everybody just feels more comfortable at home. You have a little more time to warm up, you’re not rushed. It’s easier to stay on a schedule.”
Jim Pankovits on his starting pitcher:
“He’s had a quiet, good year,” (the manager) said. “He goes about his business. He throws strikes, he works ahead of hitters, he keeps the ball down. I wish I had more like him.”
And on his ballclub:
“We’re struggling in every area. Our defense has been shoddy, our bullpen has been shaky, our starting pitching has been up and down.”
(14-9, T1st–SAL Northern)
Game Notes:
The Legends break out of a 3-game losing streak in a nice way with a DH sweep of the Hickory Crawdads by 5-2 and 6-5 scores.
Levi Romero goes to 4-0 with the excellent outing in the opener (5.2 IP 6 H 1 R 1 ER 0 W 8 K).
Brandon Stricklen walked in a run in relief of Romero. In all, the Texas Southern-ex gave up a single and 3 walks in his 1.1 inning stint.
DH Ole Sheldon provided a big chunk of the offense in game #1 with a single, double and homer (#2). He drove in 2 and scored 3 times.
Providing some additional offense in the opener was RF Eli Iorg with an RBI double and 3B Michael Thompson, who went 2-3 with a run driven in.
Lex won the nightcap courtesy of a 7th-inning walk-off home run from CF Mitch Einertson. That was Einertson’s 3rd longball of the year.
Tommy Manzella was 1-2 in the opener but really got his bat cranked up in game #2 by going 3-3 with 2 doubles, a homer and 3 RBIs.
Sheldon’s performance remained strong on the day as he went 2-3 in the nightcap with an RBI double.
3B Wlad Sutil was 2-4 in the second game after going hitless in game #1. The 21-year old Venezuelan swiped a couple of bases, giving him 5 SB
Doug Arguello went just 2 innings as the game 2 starter, giving up 2 runs on 3 hits.
Jamie Gant was as ineffective as Arguello on the hill (3 runs on 3 hits in 1.2 IP) but bullpen mates Scott Sarver (2.1 IP) and Sammy Gervacio calmed things down with scoreless outings.
Other News and Notes:
(1) The 4 hits on the day for Manzella matched the number of hits he had in his previous 17 games this season. His 3 extra-base hits in game #2 compares to the lone extra-base hit he had entering Saturday play. Similarly, the 3 RBIs was triple the number he had for the year. (2) Gervacio still hasn’t given up an earned run in 9 games (14 IP) this season.
Quoting:
Manager Jack Lind on Sheldon:
“Ole’s a great batter. He can fight off pitches better than anybody I’ve seen at this level and he’ll end up on base somehow.”