THE PITCH
Thursday 27 June 2007
REMINDER: To unsubscribe to THE PITCH simply send an email to this address with your request – new subscribers are always welcome and can be easily added by request. You may contact our office: majorleaguebaseball@bigpond.com or by telephone 02 9238 2292.
ROWLAND-SMITH SAVOURS 1ST MAJOR LEAGUE GAME
Greg Bishop, Seattle Times – 24 June
Most Mariners tried to move on immediately from the 16-1 beatdown they suffered courtesy of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. Not pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith (Newcastle NSW). He's going to savor that one forever.
Ugly as it was, the blowout allowed for the 24-year-old Australian's first major-league appearance. Recalled early Friday from Class AAA Tacoma, he got the ball in the sixth inning. He stole a glance at the scoreboard, trying to figure out the first hitter he would face. He turned to the rest of the bullpen, asked around.
The answer came back: Ken Griffey Jr., on the night he returned to Safeco Field.
The funny thing is Rowland-Smith wasn't as nervous as expected.
"I felt weird," he said. "But I was more excited than anything. I didn't think I'd feel the way I felt, like I had nothing to lose."
Rowland-Smith struck out Griffey and cruised through 1-1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. But that wasn't even the best part.
His mom and stepfather were en route from Sydney, Australia, to Los Angeles on Friday. Plans called for them to meet their son in Tucson for a AAA series. And when their 14-hour flight landed, they had a text message waiting. It read: "Redirect to Seattle."
They waited on standby lists all day Friday, and as word of their story spread, people were offering up seats. They didn't land until 11:30 p.m., catching the last flight from Los Angeles to Seattle, well after Rowland-Smith impressed the Mariners and manager Mike Hargrove.
But when the family met for breakfast Saturday morning, ESPN's "SportsCenter" came on the screen, and there was Rowland-Smith punching out Griffey on a national television replay. Other friends and family back home in Australia watched the game on MLB.com.
There's something to be said for the timing of the visit. Rowland-Smith's mother almost flew to Seattle last time the Mariners called him up, in May, but he didn't pitch during that stint. He didn't sulk after getting sent back down, either, posting a 3.86 earned-run average in Tacoma.
And when he returned to the majors Friday night, Rowland-Smith, per the Mariners' rookie customs, carried a pink backpack to the bullpen at Safeco Field. Then he made history in the sixth inning, becoming the first player with a hyphenated name to play in a major-league game.
"That's pretty cool, I guess," Rowland-Smith said. "I'm in the record books for something."
RISING FROM DOWN UNDER
Moylan’s Good Season Getting Noticed
David O’Brien – Braves Blog, The Atlanta Journal Constitution – 26 June
Just one more note, because gotta keep it short today and get by the bank on my way to the ballpark. Peter Moylan (Melbourne VIC). Are we noticing how good a season the Aussie right-hander is having?
Moylan gave up three runs in his first appearance, when he was still wiping sleep from his eyes after a red-eye from Richmond. Since then, Moylan has posted a stellar 1.60 ERA and .176 opponents’ average in 29 games, with 23 hits, 13 walks and 27 strikeouts in 39-1/3 innings.
His opponents’ average is .193 for the season, including .189 by lefties (ninth-best among qualifying NL pitchers, whether starters or relievers). There’s your situational “lefty†right there.
In 15 road games, he’s allowed just a .150 average and .257 OBP (it’s .227/298 in 15 home games, including that first one, the three-run, three-hit, one-out season debut vs. Florida on April 15, after his callup).
Oh, and he’s got a 1.59 ERA in 20 night games (3.97 in 10 day games).
The heavily tattooed lad is quietly putting together a very strong season.
PAWSOX TRIPPED UP
Craig Anderson Stellar in 2nd Triple-A Start
Peter Gobis, The Attleboro Sun Chronicle – 27 June
Ourimbah, Australia is a long way from McCoy Stadium and the Pawtucket Red Sox will not be welcoming back Craig Anderson anytime soon.
The 26-year-old, left-handed pitcher retired the first 13 PawSox batters that he faced en route to an overpowering, three-hit performance through 6 innings of work Tuesday in directing the Norfolk Tides to a 7-3 victory.
Anderson, signed by the Orioles' organization two years ago as a free agent after bouncing around the Seattle organization since 1999, did not allow a hit until Brandon Moss drilled a one-out single into left field in the fifth inning. He was never hit hard until veteran DH Michael Tucker smacked his fifth homer of the season, a two-out, two-run shot over the right-field wall in the seventh inning.
In making just his second appearance for Norfolk, since being summoned from AA ball, the Aussie Anderson walked just two batters, retired just two batters on strikes and not once did he allow a leadoff PawSox batter to reach base.
"I pretty much put the ball where I wanted to," said Anderson, whose hometown is an hour's drive north of Sydney. "I got ahead on the counts. I had good rhythmn."
Reliever Mike Burns, making just his third spot starting assignment for the PawSox (due to Kason Gabbard being called up by Boston to take Curt Schilling's spot in the rotation), allowed six hits over five innings, including a solo homer to Jason Dubois in the second and a solo homer to Terry Tiffee in the fourth inning.
But, Burns (no walks, no strikeouts) did not receive much offensive support as Anderson did not leave much room for error, throwing 88 pitches, 60 for strikes. He induced eight ground-ball outs, including a double play to end the fifth inning.
"I had good command of every pitch (curveball, changeup," added Anderson. "The long innings and the heat made it easy, I felt loose. That was definitely the best I've felt in a while."
The only time that the 6-foot-3 Anderson labored a bit was in the fifth inning when the PawSox finally scored. After Moss singled, Tucker drew a walk and third baseman Chad Spann stroked an RBI-single into center field.
The loss, the eighth in the past 10 games for the PawSox, dropped them nine games (33-42) under .500 for the season and to 13-12 during the month of June.
FRESNO BACK ON TRACK WITH OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Blackley Earns Win, Help Himself at the Plate
Freson Grizzlies Media Release – 22 June
With a two-game losing streak to the visiting Portland Beavers, Fresno starting pitcher Travis Blackley (Cheltenham VIC) was thirsty for a victory. Needless to say, Blackley's thirst has been quenched.
In front of 7,517 fans at Chukchansi Park for Thirsty Thursday, Blackley and the rest of the Grizzlies squad returned to their winning ways, putting away the Beavers in an 8-1 victory.
Just as the Grizzlies got back on track, so did Blackley, who threw six innings, allowing only one run and striking out seven Beaver batters. At the plate, Blackley nearly did as much damage, hitting an RBI triple in the second inning and a single in the sixth inning.
For Blackley, it is the first time in his last four starts that he has recorded a win. In his last three starts, Blackley had an 0-2 record and had given up 15 earned runs.
Playing with only nine healthy position players, the Grizzlies decided not to take pre-game batting practice, instead opting to rest up for game time. Coincidence or not, the move worked in the Grizzlies favor, as they knocked around Beavers pitching for eight runs on 10 hits.
Fresno reliever Brian Wilson also made his return to the mound for the Grizzlies, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Wilson had previously been on the D.L. and most recently was on a rehab stint in Class A San Jose.
TWINS PROMOTE JOSH HILL TO AA
Erik Hall, The News Tribune (Illinois) – 23 June
Over the last month, Peru (Illinois) resident Josh Hill (Warilla NSW) became the ace starting pitcher for his minor league baseball team the Fort Myers (Fla.) Miracle.
Earlier this week, Hill got the chance to forego his role as team ace for the Single-A Twins affiliate, and he jumped at the chance.
“Right after the all-star break, we had a workout [Sunday],†Hill said. “[Miracle manager] Kevin Boles called me into his office and asked me how things were going and if I would like to move up to Double A. They put in a call to [Twins director of minor leagues] Jim Rantz and [Twins general manager] Terry Ryan, and they said that I was going. They found out about two hours before me. They called me in and told me that. I was absolutely excited. It was unbelievable. I’m going to be able to see what I can do at Double A. It’s going to be good.â€
The news of Hill’s move to the Twins AA affiliate, the New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats hit the minor league transaction wire Monday.
By Wednesday, Hill made his first career appearance above Single A. The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher started the first game of a doubleheader against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
He pitched five innings and allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks with one strikeout. When he left the game after five innings, New Britain held a 6-5 lead.
“I gave up a couple runs, but it is just getting used to the league and used to the players and everything like that in different situations,†Hill said. “It’s just another team. You got to make adjustments all the way through. I think having better players to play against is going to make me better as well.â€
CUTTERS START SEASON WITH WIN
Drew Naylor Stellar in Season Opener
Ian Quillen, Williamsport Sun-Gazette – 25 June
Williamsport Crosscutter starter Drew Naylor (Cannon Hill QLD) couldn’t remember throwing seven innings in a game. Let alone in the first full game of the New York-Penn League season.
But with a fastball that pounded the zone and a curve that froze State College Spikes hitters all night, the Australian threw seven scoreless innings and led the Cutters to a 2-0 victory at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to officially open the season Wednesday.
“It was exciting,†said Cutters manager Greg Legg. “He was throwing harder tonight than he was in extended spring training. The juice, the adrenaline, the fans, the fights, he had a little extra life on his fastball and that was fun to watch.â€
Charlie Yarbrough broke open a scoreless contest with a two-out, RBI double in the sixth. Mike Durant blasted a solo homer off the second tier of the picnic deck in left field to add a run in the ninth, silencing a crowd of 5,671, the largest in the Spikes’ short history.
And Cutter reliever Brian Schlitter got a two-inning save after leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, helped by left fielder Jermaine Williams’ running catch to take a potential bases-clearing double from Daniel Rios.
But the night belonged to the 6-foot-4 righty from Brisbane.
Naylor (1-0), who has spent his time in the Gulf Coast League since signing as a free agent in 2004, struck out eight — five looking — while allowing just four hits and walking none. Four times, he froze Spikes batters with the curveball on two-strike counts. And he left after only throwing 85 pitches — 57 for strikes.
“They know it’s coming,†said Naylor with a hint of a grin. “I mean, as soon as I get two strikes, it doesn’t matter who it is. They’re not going to hit it. It’s true.â€
Spikes starter Moises Robles (0-1) was unlucky to lose his first NY-PL outing. Robles, last charged with an official earned run in June 2006 while playing in the Dominican Summer League, scattered seven hits over six innings. He struck out three, walked none, picked off Cutters lead-off man D’Arby Myers in the first, and almost did it again in the third.
Myers went 4-for-4, all singles, and could’ve made things less stressful if he’d gotten past first base. He was stranded in the third, caught stealing in the sixth, and doubled up on Freddy Galvis’ liner to first in the eighth.
“Growing pains, you know,†Legg said. “The first [pitcher] had a really good move, it had him kind of baffled a little bit. He was quicker to the plate, and then the couple of times he got good jumps, we fouled the ball off. He’s got to try it … We’ve got to let D’Arby grow as a baserunner.â€
Wednesday they wouldn’t need him.
After Myers was thrown out in the sixth and Galvis flew to left, Brown singled to left to get aboard for Yarbrough. After one strike, the former Batavia player pulled one to left center, just beyond the glove of diving left fielder Austin McClune.
“He threw two fastballs in,†Yarbrough said of the at-bat. “I took the first one, and the second one, I got a good piece. When I hit it, I thought he was going to get to it honestly, but just got lucky I guess.â€
The Spikes could think luck hurt them a little. Before Rios’ fly out ended the eighth, Michael Ambrose hit a potential game-tying infield single down the third place line,only for it to be ruled foul. The next inning, umpires ruled that Brown made a diving catch in right off pinch hitter (and former Cutter) Miles Durham, but replays showed that the ball likely spilled out of his glove.
“I glanced and I thought he made the play,†said Spikes manager Turner Ward. “But I was more concerned with my baserunner making sure he didn’t get caught up coming to third base and getting rung up with us down by two.â€
It would’ve been first and second with two outs after Durant had homered in the top half of the inning. Durant, a 2005 draftee who knows Naylor well from down in Florida, finished 2-for-4, and had a good view of the show from first base.
“I’ve been watching him for a long time now,†Durant said of Naylor. “He’s always thrown pretty good. We just played good defense behind him. He’s at his best every time I’ve seen him throw.â€
AT A GLANCE
· The Boston Red Sox have reassigned Adam Blackley (Cheltenham VIC) to the Short Season Single A Lowell Spinners in the NY-Penn League.
· LHP Adrian Burnside (Alice Springs NT) has been promoted by the San Diego Padres to their Triple-A affiliate in Portland, Oregon.
· Catcher Allan de San Miguel (Bentley WA – Low A Twins) and Trent Durrington (Broadbeach Waters QLD – Triple A Indians) have been activated from the disabled list.
· Infielder John Hattig (Piti Guam – AAA Toronto), Murray Hopley (Gold Coast QLD – Rookie Padres) and Trent Oeltjen (Baulkham Hills NSW – Triple A Twins) have been placed on disabled lists.
· RHP John Hussey (Mornington VIC) has been reassigned from the Padres Low-A affiliate to their Short Season Single A team in Eugene, Oregon.
· Catcher Tim Kennelly (Palmyra WA) has been promoted to the Phillies High-A Clearwater Threshers in the Florida State League.
· The Rocky Mountain News reports that Shane Lindsay (Bacchus Marsh VIC) “who is coming back from surgery in the offseason to repair a tear in his right labrum, is about two weeks from pitching for the [A-SS] Dust Devils.â€
· As of 20 June Chris Oxspring (Rouse Hill NSW) led the Pacific League with a 2.50 ERA (minimum 0.8 IP/team game) and was second in the league in strikeouts (74) while limiting opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.
· RHP Rich Thompson (St Ives NSW) has been selected to participate in the 2007 XM Satelitte All-Star Futures Game, to be played Sunday, July 8th in San Francisco as part of the All-Star Week festivities. 50 Minor Leaguers altogether, representing 12 countries and all 30 organizations, were chosen for the ninth-annual mid-summer showcase.
RHP Matt Wilkinson (Barwon Heads VIC) has been transferred from the Coastal Bend Aviators to the Sioux City Explorers both in the independent American Association.
Thursday 27 June 2007
REMINDER: To unsubscribe to THE PITCH simply send an email to this address with your request – new subscribers are always welcome and can be easily added by request. You may contact our office: majorleaguebaseball@bigpond.com or by telephone 02 9238 2292.
ROWLAND-SMITH SAVOURS 1ST MAJOR LEAGUE GAME
Greg Bishop, Seattle Times – 24 June
Most Mariners tried to move on immediately from the 16-1 beatdown they suffered courtesy of the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. Not pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith (Newcastle NSW). He's going to savor that one forever.
Ugly as it was, the blowout allowed for the 24-year-old Australian's first major-league appearance. Recalled early Friday from Class AAA Tacoma, he got the ball in the sixth inning. He stole a glance at the scoreboard, trying to figure out the first hitter he would face. He turned to the rest of the bullpen, asked around.
The answer came back: Ken Griffey Jr., on the night he returned to Safeco Field.
The funny thing is Rowland-Smith wasn't as nervous as expected.
"I felt weird," he said. "But I was more excited than anything. I didn't think I'd feel the way I felt, like I had nothing to lose."
Rowland-Smith struck out Griffey and cruised through 1-1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. But that wasn't even the best part.
His mom and stepfather were en route from Sydney, Australia, to Los Angeles on Friday. Plans called for them to meet their son in Tucson for a AAA series. And when their 14-hour flight landed, they had a text message waiting. It read: "Redirect to Seattle."
They waited on standby lists all day Friday, and as word of their story spread, people were offering up seats. They didn't land until 11:30 p.m., catching the last flight from Los Angeles to Seattle, well after Rowland-Smith impressed the Mariners and manager Mike Hargrove.
But when the family met for breakfast Saturday morning, ESPN's "SportsCenter" came on the screen, and there was Rowland-Smith punching out Griffey on a national television replay. Other friends and family back home in Australia watched the game on MLB.com.
There's something to be said for the timing of the visit. Rowland-Smith's mother almost flew to Seattle last time the Mariners called him up, in May, but he didn't pitch during that stint. He didn't sulk after getting sent back down, either, posting a 3.86 earned-run average in Tacoma.
And when he returned to the majors Friday night, Rowland-Smith, per the Mariners' rookie customs, carried a pink backpack to the bullpen at Safeco Field. Then he made history in the sixth inning, becoming the first player with a hyphenated name to play in a major-league game.
"That's pretty cool, I guess," Rowland-Smith said. "I'm in the record books for something."
RISING FROM DOWN UNDER
Moylan’s Good Season Getting Noticed
David O’Brien – Braves Blog, The Atlanta Journal Constitution – 26 June
Just one more note, because gotta keep it short today and get by the bank on my way to the ballpark. Peter Moylan (Melbourne VIC). Are we noticing how good a season the Aussie right-hander is having?
Moylan gave up three runs in his first appearance, when he was still wiping sleep from his eyes after a red-eye from Richmond. Since then, Moylan has posted a stellar 1.60 ERA and .176 opponents’ average in 29 games, with 23 hits, 13 walks and 27 strikeouts in 39-1/3 innings.
His opponents’ average is .193 for the season, including .189 by lefties (ninth-best among qualifying NL pitchers, whether starters or relievers). There’s your situational “lefty†right there.
In 15 road games, he’s allowed just a .150 average and .257 OBP (it’s .227/298 in 15 home games, including that first one, the three-run, three-hit, one-out season debut vs. Florida on April 15, after his callup).
Oh, and he’s got a 1.59 ERA in 20 night games (3.97 in 10 day games).
The heavily tattooed lad is quietly putting together a very strong season.
PAWSOX TRIPPED UP
Craig Anderson Stellar in 2nd Triple-A Start
Peter Gobis, The Attleboro Sun Chronicle – 27 June
Ourimbah, Australia is a long way from McCoy Stadium and the Pawtucket Red Sox will not be welcoming back Craig Anderson anytime soon.
The 26-year-old, left-handed pitcher retired the first 13 PawSox batters that he faced en route to an overpowering, three-hit performance through 6 innings of work Tuesday in directing the Norfolk Tides to a 7-3 victory.
Anderson, signed by the Orioles' organization two years ago as a free agent after bouncing around the Seattle organization since 1999, did not allow a hit until Brandon Moss drilled a one-out single into left field in the fifth inning. He was never hit hard until veteran DH Michael Tucker smacked his fifth homer of the season, a two-out, two-run shot over the right-field wall in the seventh inning.
In making just his second appearance for Norfolk, since being summoned from AA ball, the Aussie Anderson walked just two batters, retired just two batters on strikes and not once did he allow a leadoff PawSox batter to reach base.
"I pretty much put the ball where I wanted to," said Anderson, whose hometown is an hour's drive north of Sydney. "I got ahead on the counts. I had good rhythmn."
Reliever Mike Burns, making just his third spot starting assignment for the PawSox (due to Kason Gabbard being called up by Boston to take Curt Schilling's spot in the rotation), allowed six hits over five innings, including a solo homer to Jason Dubois in the second and a solo homer to Terry Tiffee in the fourth inning.
But, Burns (no walks, no strikeouts) did not receive much offensive support as Anderson did not leave much room for error, throwing 88 pitches, 60 for strikes. He induced eight ground-ball outs, including a double play to end the fifth inning.
"I had good command of every pitch (curveball, changeup," added Anderson. "The long innings and the heat made it easy, I felt loose. That was definitely the best I've felt in a while."
The only time that the 6-foot-3 Anderson labored a bit was in the fifth inning when the PawSox finally scored. After Moss singled, Tucker drew a walk and third baseman Chad Spann stroked an RBI-single into center field.
The loss, the eighth in the past 10 games for the PawSox, dropped them nine games (33-42) under .500 for the season and to 13-12 during the month of June.
FRESNO BACK ON TRACK WITH OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Blackley Earns Win, Help Himself at the Plate
Freson Grizzlies Media Release – 22 June
With a two-game losing streak to the visiting Portland Beavers, Fresno starting pitcher Travis Blackley (Cheltenham VIC) was thirsty for a victory. Needless to say, Blackley's thirst has been quenched.
In front of 7,517 fans at Chukchansi Park for Thirsty Thursday, Blackley and the rest of the Grizzlies squad returned to their winning ways, putting away the Beavers in an 8-1 victory.
Just as the Grizzlies got back on track, so did Blackley, who threw six innings, allowing only one run and striking out seven Beaver batters. At the plate, Blackley nearly did as much damage, hitting an RBI triple in the second inning and a single in the sixth inning.
For Blackley, it is the first time in his last four starts that he has recorded a win. In his last three starts, Blackley had an 0-2 record and had given up 15 earned runs.
Playing with only nine healthy position players, the Grizzlies decided not to take pre-game batting practice, instead opting to rest up for game time. Coincidence or not, the move worked in the Grizzlies favor, as they knocked around Beavers pitching for eight runs on 10 hits.
Fresno reliever Brian Wilson also made his return to the mound for the Grizzlies, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Wilson had previously been on the D.L. and most recently was on a rehab stint in Class A San Jose.
TWINS PROMOTE JOSH HILL TO AA
Erik Hall, The News Tribune (Illinois) – 23 June
Over the last month, Peru (Illinois) resident Josh Hill (Warilla NSW) became the ace starting pitcher for his minor league baseball team the Fort Myers (Fla.) Miracle.
Earlier this week, Hill got the chance to forego his role as team ace for the Single-A Twins affiliate, and he jumped at the chance.
“Right after the all-star break, we had a workout [Sunday],†Hill said. “[Miracle manager] Kevin Boles called me into his office and asked me how things were going and if I would like to move up to Double A. They put in a call to [Twins director of minor leagues] Jim Rantz and [Twins general manager] Terry Ryan, and they said that I was going. They found out about two hours before me. They called me in and told me that. I was absolutely excited. It was unbelievable. I’m going to be able to see what I can do at Double A. It’s going to be good.â€
The news of Hill’s move to the Twins AA affiliate, the New Britain (Conn.) Rock Cats hit the minor league transaction wire Monday.
By Wednesday, Hill made his first career appearance above Single A. The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher started the first game of a doubleheader against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
He pitched five innings and allowed five runs, seven hits and two walks with one strikeout. When he left the game after five innings, New Britain held a 6-5 lead.
“I gave up a couple runs, but it is just getting used to the league and used to the players and everything like that in different situations,†Hill said. “It’s just another team. You got to make adjustments all the way through. I think having better players to play against is going to make me better as well.â€
CUTTERS START SEASON WITH WIN
Drew Naylor Stellar in Season Opener
Ian Quillen, Williamsport Sun-Gazette – 25 June
Williamsport Crosscutter starter Drew Naylor (Cannon Hill QLD) couldn’t remember throwing seven innings in a game. Let alone in the first full game of the New York-Penn League season.
But with a fastball that pounded the zone and a curve that froze State College Spikes hitters all night, the Australian threw seven scoreless innings and led the Cutters to a 2-0 victory at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to officially open the season Wednesday.
“It was exciting,†said Cutters manager Greg Legg. “He was throwing harder tonight than he was in extended spring training. The juice, the adrenaline, the fans, the fights, he had a little extra life on his fastball and that was fun to watch.â€
Charlie Yarbrough broke open a scoreless contest with a two-out, RBI double in the sixth. Mike Durant blasted a solo homer off the second tier of the picnic deck in left field to add a run in the ninth, silencing a crowd of 5,671, the largest in the Spikes’ short history.
And Cutter reliever Brian Schlitter got a two-inning save after leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, helped by left fielder Jermaine Williams’ running catch to take a potential bases-clearing double from Daniel Rios.
But the night belonged to the 6-foot-4 righty from Brisbane.
Naylor (1-0), who has spent his time in the Gulf Coast League since signing as a free agent in 2004, struck out eight — five looking — while allowing just four hits and walking none. Four times, he froze Spikes batters with the curveball on two-strike counts. And he left after only throwing 85 pitches — 57 for strikes.
“They know it’s coming,†said Naylor with a hint of a grin. “I mean, as soon as I get two strikes, it doesn’t matter who it is. They’re not going to hit it. It’s true.â€
Spikes starter Moises Robles (0-1) was unlucky to lose his first NY-PL outing. Robles, last charged with an official earned run in June 2006 while playing in the Dominican Summer League, scattered seven hits over six innings. He struck out three, walked none, picked off Cutters lead-off man D’Arby Myers in the first, and almost did it again in the third.
Myers went 4-for-4, all singles, and could’ve made things less stressful if he’d gotten past first base. He was stranded in the third, caught stealing in the sixth, and doubled up on Freddy Galvis’ liner to first in the eighth.
“Growing pains, you know,†Legg said. “The first [pitcher] had a really good move, it had him kind of baffled a little bit. He was quicker to the plate, and then the couple of times he got good jumps, we fouled the ball off. He’s got to try it … We’ve got to let D’Arby grow as a baserunner.â€
Wednesday they wouldn’t need him.
After Myers was thrown out in the sixth and Galvis flew to left, Brown singled to left to get aboard for Yarbrough. After one strike, the former Batavia player pulled one to left center, just beyond the glove of diving left fielder Austin McClune.
“He threw two fastballs in,†Yarbrough said of the at-bat. “I took the first one, and the second one, I got a good piece. When I hit it, I thought he was going to get to it honestly, but just got lucky I guess.â€
The Spikes could think luck hurt them a little. Before Rios’ fly out ended the eighth, Michael Ambrose hit a potential game-tying infield single down the third place line,only for it to be ruled foul. The next inning, umpires ruled that Brown made a diving catch in right off pinch hitter (and former Cutter) Miles Durham, but replays showed that the ball likely spilled out of his glove.
“I glanced and I thought he made the play,†said Spikes manager Turner Ward. “But I was more concerned with my baserunner making sure he didn’t get caught up coming to third base and getting rung up with us down by two.â€
It would’ve been first and second with two outs after Durant had homered in the top half of the inning. Durant, a 2005 draftee who knows Naylor well from down in Florida, finished 2-for-4, and had a good view of the show from first base.
“I’ve been watching him for a long time now,†Durant said of Naylor. “He’s always thrown pretty good. We just played good defense behind him. He’s at his best every time I’ve seen him throw.â€
AT A GLANCE
· The Boston Red Sox have reassigned Adam Blackley (Cheltenham VIC) to the Short Season Single A Lowell Spinners in the NY-Penn League.
· LHP Adrian Burnside (Alice Springs NT) has been promoted by the San Diego Padres to their Triple-A affiliate in Portland, Oregon.
· Catcher Allan de San Miguel (Bentley WA – Low A Twins) and Trent Durrington (Broadbeach Waters QLD – Triple A Indians) have been activated from the disabled list.
· Infielder John Hattig (Piti Guam – AAA Toronto), Murray Hopley (Gold Coast QLD – Rookie Padres) and Trent Oeltjen (Baulkham Hills NSW – Triple A Twins) have been placed on disabled lists.
· RHP John Hussey (Mornington VIC) has been reassigned from the Padres Low-A affiliate to their Short Season Single A team in Eugene, Oregon.
· Catcher Tim Kennelly (Palmyra WA) has been promoted to the Phillies High-A Clearwater Threshers in the Florida State League.
· The Rocky Mountain News reports that Shane Lindsay (Bacchus Marsh VIC) “who is coming back from surgery in the offseason to repair a tear in his right labrum, is about two weeks from pitching for the [A-SS] Dust Devils.â€
· As of 20 June Chris Oxspring (Rouse Hill NSW) led the Pacific League with a 2.50 ERA (minimum 0.8 IP/team game) and was second in the league in strikeouts (74) while limiting opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.
· RHP Rich Thompson (St Ives NSW) has been selected to participate in the 2007 XM Satelitte All-Star Futures Game, to be played Sunday, July 8th in San Francisco as part of the All-Star Week festivities. 50 Minor Leaguers altogether, representing 12 countries and all 30 organizations, were chosen for the ninth-annual mid-summer showcase.
RHP Matt Wilkinson (Barwon Heads VIC) has been transferred from the Coastal Bend Aviators to the Sioux City Explorers both in the independent American Association.
