Showing posts tagged “Chattanooga Lookouts”
Mike Potter ·
25 Aug 2009, 12:04 AM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s Game 3 of the Carolina Mudcats’ five-game homestand against a hot Tennessee Smokies club, and if for nothing more than to lift the mood in the clubhouse the home team needs a victory.
Tennessee has been holding up its end of the deal recently in its three-way battle with in-state rivals West Tenn and Chattanooga, while the Mudcats - who come into the game with a “tragic number” of four with nearly two weeks left in the season - are going to have to get it going to finish fourth in the Southern League’s North Division.
The Mudcats do have one of their marquee players back in Yonder Alonzo (pictured), who is back from Sarasota after going on the disabled list back on June 18 with a broken hamate bone in his right hand.
Tennessee’s Jeremy Papelbon, who pitched on Sunday, is having a good day as he has been named the SL’s pitcher of the week.
It looks like the weather is going to be good for this one, so after watching Smokies skipper Ryne Sandberg sign a long line of autographs let’s get a cheeseburger and play ball.
This one gets ugly early, and ends up with the Smokies winning 16-9. Trust me, Monday’s contest was a good one to miss. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, USA Baseball Alexander Smit, Andrew Cashner, Camilo Vazquez, Canada, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Dustin Sasser, Hung-Wen Chen, Jake Kahaulelio, Jeremy Papelbon, Jerry Gil, Jim Adduci, Logan Parker, Phillippe Valiquette, Ryne Sandberg, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, The Netherlands, Tony Thomas, Ty Wright, Welington Castillo, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Yonder Alonzo, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
15 Aug 2009, 10:59 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON The Carolina Mudcats host Game 4 of their five-game series with the Birmingham Barons, and with a four-game losing streak they’re pretty much playing for pride in the series.
If they don’t start a winning tear pretty soon, they could be playing for pride in the Southern League’s North Division standings as well. Carolina’s “tragic number” is 14 for elimination from the playoff race.
Birmingham, of course, is running away with the best record in the league.
There are ominously dark clouds in the sky before game time, but it becomes obvious that there isn’t going to be a threat of rain.
Grab an Italian sausage and let’s play ball.
This time the Mudcats hit Birmingham starter Kyle McCulloch early and hard, striking for four runs in the second inning. And the run of timely hitting is a beautiful thing for a decent home crowd to watch, eventually leading to - yes indeed, boys and girls - an 8-1 Mudcats romp.
With one out, Sean Henry reaches on an infield hit, followed by Stephen Chapman’s single to right. Carson Kainer follows with an RBI single to left. With two out, Korey Feiner hits a two-run single to right. And after Jake Kahaulelio (pictured) reaches on an infield single to third, Shaun Cumberland brings home Feiner with a hit to left to make it 4-0. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Birmingham Barons, Camilo Vazquez, Carson Kainer, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Donny Lucy, Greg Atencio, Jake Kahaulelio, Jake Long, John Lujan, John Shelby, Juan Francisco, Korey Feiner, Kyle McCulloch, Miguel Gonzalez, Sean Henry, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Stephen Chapman
Mike Potter ·
14 Aug 2009, 11:59 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON Time for Game 3 of the Carolina Mudcats’ five-game home series against the Birmingham Barons, and the hole seems to be getting deeper all the time for the home team.
The Barons are the Southern League’s best team with over twice as many wins as losses, while Carolina is in last place in the North Division, nine games behind the first-place Chattanooga Lookouts with a “tragic number” of 15 for elimination from the playoff race.
This is a crazy stat. Two teams out of the 10-team Southern League have records over .500, and the season may well finish that way. Birmingham comes into the contest 40 games over the break-even mark. And things don’t get any better for the red, black and white tonight as Birmingham wins 11-6.
It’s a bit of a saga for me to get over here from Brier Creek tonight. I-540 is a parking lot in Western Wake county, and there’s a pretty heavy thunderstorm in the middle of my trip.
But all of that means I get to the park 40 minutes before first pitch instead of about 75, and the game is going to start on time.
Grab a cheeseburger and let’s go.
Birmingham wastes no time getting on the board against Zack Ward, as C.J. Retherford draws a one-out walk and scores on David Cook’s two-out single to left center.
The Mudcats really get it going in the bottom of the second off John Ely. Todd Frazier draws a one-out walk and scores on Carson Kainer’s two-out double that goes off the glove of diving center fielder Jordan Danks. Logan Parker (pictured) adds an RBI double, and after Jason Bour walks Sean Henry hits an RBI single to left center and the homeboys are up 3-1. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls Adam Ricks, Andy Tomberlin, Birmingham Barons, C.J. Retherford, Camilo Vazquez, Carson Kainer, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, David Cook, Ever Magallanes, J.R. Pedew, Jason Bour, Jerry Gil, Jim Gallagher, John Ely, Jordan Danks, Justin Tordi, Kyle McCulloch, Lee Cruz, Logan Parker, Matthew Zaleski, Sean Henry, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Todd Frazier, Zack Ward
Mike Potter ·
12 Aug 2009, 11:42 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON The Carolina Mudcats are back for a short five-game homestand, and they have a very tough row to hoe.
Not only are they eight games behind the first-place Chattanooga Lookouts with a “tragic number” of 18 for elimination, but they’re taking on the best team in the league in the Birmingham Barons.
Rain has been falling for much of the afternoon, but an hour before game time it’s pretty obvious the field is ready to go. And for me that’s great news, since I got back home to Brier Creek at, yes, 3:20 a.m. the last time I was out here after the game started over an hour late and the Mudcats lost in 12 innings.
But there’ll be none of that tonight - at least not in the rain-delay department. The one bad thing that happens is that the Mudcats are about to take a 9-1 shellacking.
To my knowledge, tonight I am the only media guy in the park besides the Mudcats’ radio crew and Birmingham’s Curt Bloom, whom I am seeing for the first time since he was the Prince William Cannons’ announcer in the Carolina League in 1989.
And I know one more guy in the Barons’ clubhouse in hitting coach Andy Tomberlin, who played for the Durham Bulls in the late ’80s at the old park.
Time to grab at Italian sausage and see how it’s going to go.
Both starting pitchers, Carolina’s Luis Montano and Birmingham’s Matt Long (pictured), get off to a good start. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls Adam Ricks, Andy Tomberlin, Birmingham Barons, Charlie Shirek, Charlotte Knights, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago White Sox, Chris Kelly, Christian Marrero, Cincinnati Reds, Curt Bloom, David Bell, David Cook, Dayan Viciedo, Jared Price, Javier Colina, Jim Gallagher, Logan Parker, Louisville Bats, Luis Montano, Matt Long, Matt Zaleski, Miguel Socolovich, Prince William Cannons, Ramon Geronimo, Ricky Brooks, Sean Watson, Southern League, Stephen Chapman, Winston-Salem Dash, Zach Ward
Mike Potter ·
9 Aug 2009, 7:54 PM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats have forced a rubber game in their five-game road series with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.
Todd Frazier (pictured) followed Juan Francisco’s single off Luis Villereal (0-1) with a three-run homer in the ninth, leading the Mudcats to a 6-4 victory over West Tenn that was their second straight win.
Greg Atencio (1-0) earned the win in his first game as a Mudcat, pitching a perfect eighth inning before Sean Watson pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his fifth save of the season and first since June 18.
Travis Garcia hit a two-run homer in the first for West Tenn the early lead, before each team scored twice in the third.
Before Zack Cozart’s single in the ninth, Steve Bray had worked six perfect innings for West Tenn.
The Mudcats are now seven games behind first-place Chattanooga, which leads West Tenn by two games in the Southern League’s North Division.
Carolina’s 10-game road trip as well as the season series with West Tenn ends tonight, with Jeremy Horst (0-2, 9.31) taking on West Tenn’s Nick Hill (3-4, 3.02) at 8:05 p.m. (EDT).
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Chattanooga Lookouts, Cincinnati Reds, Greg Atencio, Jeremy Horst, Luis Villareal, Nick Hill, Sean Watson, Seattle Mariners, Southern League, Steve Bray, Todd Frazier, Travis Garcia, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
5 Aug 2009, 11:42 PM ·
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Juan Francisco (pictured) blasted two homers, but there weren’t enough men on base when he hit them as the Carolina Mudcats dropped the finale of their five-game road series with the Tennessee Smokies.
Ty Wright and Geovany Soto - on a Major League rehab assignment with the Chicago Cubs - each homered as the Smokies won 6-4 to keep a share of the lead in the Southern League’s North Division.
Casey Coleman (11-5), the league’s victory leader, was the winning pitcher.
Alex Maestri got his third save of the season with his performance in the ninth. The Smokies were up 6-3 when the Mudcats loaded the bases loaded when he got a one-out, three-pitch strikeout of Zack Cozart which led to the batter’s ejection.
Maestri then hit Francisco for the slugger’s fourth RBI of the game before getting Todd Frazier to ground out.
Francisco now has 22 homers and 71 RBI on the season.
Carolina, in last place in the division, trails Tennessee and Chattanooga by seven games with 30 remaining.
The Mudcats open a five-game road series with the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx on Thursday at 8:05 p.m. with Luis Montano (0-1, 6.00) on the hill.
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Alex Maestri, Casey Coleman, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Geovany Soto, Juan Francisco, Luis Montano, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Ty Wright, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
3 Aug 2009, 11:39 PM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats haven’t had much success over the last few nights, and after tonight’s contest things are even worse.
Doug Deeds (pictured) blasted a pinch-hit grand slam in the eighth inning, giving the Tennessee Smokies all the insurance they needed in a 7-2 victory over visiting Carolina.
It was the eighth straight win for Tennessee, while the Mudcats have lost five straight. Carolina is in last place in the Southern League’s North Division, 7 ½ games behind first-place Chattanooga, while the Smokies and just half a game out of the lead.
Tom Cochran (3-4) look the defeat despite a quality start, allowing three runs on nine hits in his six innings. He didn’t get off to a good start, though, as the first three Smokies all hit safely with Tyler Colvin’s single making it 2-0.
Carolina scored an unearned run in the second against winner Andrew Cashner (2-1).
Todd Frazier had his second straight two-hit game for Carolina.
Game 4 of the five-game set is Tuesday night at 7:15, with Camilo Vazquez (2-3, 5.44) taking on Tennessee’s Casey Coleman (10-5, 3.26).
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Andrew Cashner, Camilo Vazquez, Casey Coleman, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Doug Deeds, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, Tyler Colvin
Mike Potter ·
2 Aug 2009, 9:37 PM ·
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Tyler Colvin isn’t having any trouble with Carolina Mudcats pitching.
The Tennessee Smokies’ slugger out of Clemson blasted a three-run homer in the fourth inning - tying a Southern League record with a hit in his 11th consecutive at bat before failing in his next plate appearance - to lead his team to an 11-1 rout on Sunday.
That was the visiting Mudcats’ fourth straight loss.
Carolina scored its run in the first on a Todd Frazier triple before the dam broke.
Zach Ward lasted just three innings in his Mudcats debut, giving up six runs on eight hits.
Chris Kelly then came on for two innings and gave up five runs on seven hits.
Jeremy Papelbon (4-4) picked up the victory.
Frazier, who had two hits after enduring a 1-for-19 slump coming into the contest, led Carolina’s five-hit offense.
The Mudcats are now 6 ½ games behind the first-place Chattanooga Lookouts in the North Division.
Tom Cochran (3-3, 3.24) will start Monday’s 7:15 contest against the Smokies’ Andrew Cashner (1-1, 1.09).
The Mudcats’ transactions list continued to grow, as catcher Chris Denove has been promoted to Louisville to make his Triple-A debut, while fellow catcher Jake Long is up from Sarasota.
ACC, Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Andrew Cashner, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chicago Cubs, Chris Denove, Clemson, Florida State League, International League, Jeremy Papelbon, Louisville Bats, Sarasota Reds, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, Tyler Colvin, Zach Ward
Mike Potter ·
1 Aug 2009, 2:21 AM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s the fifth and rubber game of the Carolina Mudcats’ home series with the Chattanooga Lookouts, and the Mudcats are definitely looking for a win because they’re about to head out on a 10-game road trip.
And the rains that were heading East across Wake county do a pretty good job of delaying the game, although the field is going to be in great shape.
It’s another very special occasion tonight as it is the birthday of “Muddy the Mudcat” and mascots from everywhere are in the house including Stormy from the Carolina Hurricanes and Rufus Lynx from the Charlotte Bobcats.
And the game starts 74 minutes late with no apparent threat of further rain, as we get ready for the boys to start circling bases in a game the Lookouts eventually win 9-8 in 12 innings.
The Mudcats have no trouble jumping on starter Alberto Bastardo for five runs on five hits in the first. The big ones are a bases-loaded two-run single from Juan Francisco and a two-out, two RBI single from Chris Denove.
Chattanooga makes it 5-1 in the second on Juan Gonzalez’ two-out single to right.
And in the third inning, one of those once-in-a-lifetime things for casual baseball fans happens. The Lookouts have a big inning going as James Tomlin singles to right and then Andrew Lambo reaches on an error to Shaun Cumberland in left. Gaby Martinez follows with an RBI single to right and then Lucas May adds another RBI single to right.
Then it happens. Eddy Perez hits a bouncer straight to first baseman Justin Tordi, who fires home to get Martinez. May is caught between second and third, and Denove fires the ball down to Francisco at third to finish the triple play. (I have now seen three, a 9-2-6 pulled by the Richmond Braves in the late 70s and a bases-loaded L5-4 by the Lynchburg Hillcats against the Durham Bulls sometime in the early 90s. I think, anyway.)
After the Mudcats put one across in the third, Russ Mitchell’s homer in the fourth cuts the Lookouts’ deficit to 6-4. Carolina answers in the bottom of the frame as Jake Kahaulelio (pictured) hits a one-out triple and scores on Todd Frazier’s sacrifice fly. Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Mudcats, Duke, Durham Bulls Alberto Bastardo, Andrew Lambo, Carolina League, Charlotte Bobcats, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chris Denove, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, David Patton, Eddy Perez, Enerio Del Rosario, Florida State League, Gaby Martinez, International League, Jake Kahaulelio, James Tomlin, Jesus Rodriguez, Juan Francisco, Juan Gonzalez, Justin Tordi, Lee Tabor, Los Angeles Dodgers, Louisville Bats, Luis Muñoz, Lynchburg Hillcats, Richmond Braves, Russ Mitchell, Sarasota Reds, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Stephen Chapman, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Tommy Giles, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx
Mike Potter ·
30 Jul 2009, 11:54 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s Game 4 of the Carolina Mudcats’ five-game series with the Chattanooga Lookouts, and the home team is on a bit of a roll after winning back-to-back close games.
Tonight is “Pack the Park” night, with N.C. State football coach Tom O’Brien and former standout wide receiver Alvis Whitted scheduled to throw out two of the many ceremonial “first pitches.” It’s also “Thirsty Thursday.”
I hear from a club employee that a lot of the lower-level staffers who attended rival schools -I’m guessing maybe that means UNC or ECU given the geography - aren’t keen on the idea of wearing Wolfpack red and are settling for Mudcats red instead.
It could be an interesting night since Tim Corcoran, a popular former Mudcat from last season who played for the Durham Bulls a few years ago, is on the mound for the Lookouts.
Corcoran, who played here only the second half of last season after coming off elbow surgery, has been with Chattanooga all season and in and out of the bullpen after signing with the Dodgers in a free-agent tryout in spring training. And he turns out to be the winner as his team scores early and survives 3-2. Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Duke, Durham Bulls, Football, N.C. State Alberto Bastardo, Alvis Whitted, Andrew Lambo, Atlanta Braves, California League, Camilo Vazquez, Carson Kainer, Chattanooga Lookouts, Chris Denove, Cincinnati Reds, Gaby Martinez, Huntsville Stars, Inland Empire 66ers, International League, Jacksonville Suns, James Tomlin, Jesus Rodriguez, Juan Francisco, Logan Parker, Los Angeles Dodgers, Lucas May, Richmond Braves, Scott Carroll, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Tim Corcoran, Tom O'Brien, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Zach Schreiber
