Showing posts tagged “International League”
Mike Potter ·
15 Sep 2009, 11:06 PM ·
4 Comments
DBAP/DURHAM Well good evening sports fans from beautiful Downtown Durham, where I am in what has become my regular spot covering the Governors’ Cup Finals ever since the Bulls joined the International League in 1998.
The Bulls are taking on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the opener of the best-of-5 series for the title for the second straight year, after losing the series in four games in 2008. It is only the fourth rematch in Governors’ Cup Finals history and the first since 1997.
Durham is in the Governors’ Cup Finals for the third straight season and the seventh time in its 12 seasons in the league. The Bulls won back-to-back championships in 2002 and ‘03.
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has been in the playoffs four times since 1992, with its only championship coming last season.
The series winner advances to the one-game Triple-A National Championship Game on Sept. 22 in Oklahoma City.
Tonight I - who covered the Bulls for The Incredible Shrinking Herald-Sun from May of 1985 to May of 2009, when they decided to start sending my former salary to the hard-working suits in Kentucky - am pinch-hitting for Adam Sobsey, who has been covering the team all season for Triangle Offense. Don’t worry, folks. Adam, who is expected back for Game 2 on Wednesday night, misses a good one as the Bulls win a 4-1 pitchers’ duel for ace Jeremy Hellickson (pictured).
I am also, incidentally, covering for the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader.
There is, by Triple-A standards, a veritable media crush in the press box. By the time I fight through a traffic jam on West 40 to get to the park from Brier Creek, all the mashed potatoes that went with the glorified Salisbury steaks on the buffet are gone. Hello, kettle chips.
But enough about all that. Hard-nosed Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole fires a solid ceremonial first pitch and it’s time to play ball!
The Bulls get to SWB’s Romulo Sanchez for a run in the first. Henry Mateo draws a one-out walk, takes third on Joe Dillon’s single to left and scores on Sean Rodriguez’s two-out single to left.
Durham adds to its lead in the sixth. Mateo leads off with a bunt up the third-base line, with Sanchez firing the ball past first and down the right-field line. Mateo winds up at third with a hit, an error on Sanchez and a fielding error on right fielder Colin Curtis on the play.Dillon then singles to right to make it 2-0 and chase the starter.
Matt Joyce continues the rally with a double to right off Zach Kronke, followed by a one-out intentional walk to Justin Ruggiano. Then with two out, Michel Hernandez strokes a two-run single to center to make it 4-0.
John Rodriguez, who played in Durham last season, gets the Yankees on the board in the seventh by blasting Hellickson’s two-out, 1-1 offering over the wall at the 375 mark in left center. Julio DePaula replaces Hellickson.
And that’s where the score stays, as DePaula and Winston Abreu shut the door.
Wednesday’s Game 2 will be the last game of the season in Durham, with the remainder of the series at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa.
Here’s what they said …
Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo: “Hellickson has been outstanding all year long. We knew we didn’t have much room for error tonight. Michel got a big hit for us in the sixth. He’s been swinging the bat good. When Joe (Dillon) was on third base, I told him (Hernandez) was going to do something good.”
Hellickson: “We were in a few tough spots. … I just bear down in those situations - throw good strikes and make good pitches. I had a better fastball tonight. I don’t think I mixed it up as much. Everything felt good though, I just had a better command of my fastball tonight.”
Dillon: “This team is a great team and we have been all year long. We got another great pitching performance from Hellickson.”
What does it all mean?
That the Bulls are two wins away from their third Governors’ Cup.
Stars of the game
1. Hellickson, for allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings.
2. Hernandez, for the two-run single in the sixth.
3. Rodriguez, for his homer and a single.
Play of the game
Hernandez’s two-run single in the sixth.
On deck
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Durham, Wednesday, 7:05 p.m.
Ian Kennedy (R, 0-0, 0.00) vs. Mitch Talbot (R, 4-4, 4.47)
Baseball, Carolina Hurricanes, Durham Bulls Charlie Montoyo, Colin Curtis, Erik Cole, Henry Mateo, Ian Kennedy, International League, Jeremy Hellickson, Joe Dillon, Julio DePaula, Justin Ruggiano, Matt Joyce, Michel Hernandez, Mitch Talbot, Romulo Sanchez, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Winston Abreu, Zach Kronke
Mike Potter ·
7 Sep 2009, 5:52 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON One last trip across Wake County for the Carolina Mudcats’ rainy season finale.
And the team just got hot too late.
David Bell’s club comes into its 139th game on a seven-game winning streak, despite the depletion of the team for much of the second half. Early on in the half there were players who absolutely had to go to Triple-A after making mincemeat of the Southern League, while over the past couple of weeks the Cincinnati Reds have been bolstering their Louisville roster in preparation for the Governors’ Cup Playoffs.
Louisville is at Durham in the first round on Wednesday and Thursday, so if you’re going to be suffering from Mudcats withdrawal it’s a last chance to see a whole lot of Carolina’s best 2009 players this season. SL All-Stars Travis Wood, Todd Frazier and Juan Francisco are playing for the Bats as is Chris Heisey, who was simply the best player in the league this year.
In case you’re interested, I’m scheduled to cover those games for the Louisville Courier-Journal.
The game starts 36 minutes late because of rain. And they’ve shut down the Italian sausage, so I’ll be having chicken on the last getaway day. The Braves win 5-0 to make that long bus ride home seem a little shorter. Everybody is on fast forward today as game time is 2:01.
Mississippi doesn’t take long to get started, as Jon Owings launches Jeremy Horst’s first pitch of the game out of the yard about 20 feet inside the left-field foul pole.
The score stays right there until the seventh, when the visitors strike for two.
Brandon Hicks leads off with a double to right, scoring on Greg Creek’s one-out double to left. Creek then comes home on Travis Jones’ two-out single to right.
Mississippi scores another in the eighth, as Chris Anderson slaps a leadoff double to left, followed by pinch-hitter Stephen Marek’s single to left and a ground ball from Owings to score the run.
The Braves get their last one in the ninth off Josh Beal, as Hicks leads off with a homer to left.
After the game Mudcats slugger Yonder Alonzo (pictured) gets the call to Louisville for his Triple-A debut. That makes for 17 current Bats who played at least part of the season for Carolina. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls Arizona Fall League, Birmingham Barons, Brandon Hicks, Chris Anderson, Chris Heisey, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Greg Creek, International League, Jeremy Horst, Jon Owings, Josh Beal, Juan Francisco, Korey Feiner, Logan Ondrusek, Louisville Bats, Mississippi Braves, Peoria Saguaros, Phillippe Valiquette, Sean Watson, Southern League, Stephen Marek, Todd Frazier, Travis Jones, Travis Wood, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
3 Sep 2009, 11:32 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s the opener of the Carolina Mudcats’ final series of the season, a five-game set against the Mississippi Braves that will conclude with an afternoon game on Labor Day.
Frankly it doesn’t mean much except for individual statistics. The Mudcats are in last place in the Southern League’s North Division - although only a game and a half behind the fourth-place Huntsville Stars, who are playoff-bound after edging out Carolina by a single game to win the first half.
Mississippi will finish with a winning half unless the Mudcats really do some butt-kicking over the next five days, but the Braves are solidly in third place in the South and most of them will be headed back to their hometowns after a long bus ride following Monday’s contest.
But both teams have been playing out the string very well, as each comes in with a three-game winning streak.
With the Southern League’s wildly-unbalanced schedule, it’s Mississippi’s only visit to North Carolina this season - only the Tennessee Smokies, Jacksonville Suns and Huntsville visited Zebulon for more than a single five-game series.
That’s too bad for one particular reason, because colorful Mississippi manager Phillip Wellman, who played for the Durham Bulls in the late ’80s and coached there in the early ’90s, is in town just once.
Both rosters are pretty depleted as the Cincinnati Reds try to bolster Louisville and the Atlanta Braves do the same for Gwinnett in an attempt to win the International League’s Governors’ Cup.
The Mudcats will have a quality pitcher on the mound tonight in southpaw Matt Maloney (pictured), who was sent directly down from Cincinnati apparently for just this one outing to keep him fresh.
Fortunately it’s a beautiful night for, well, anything. And the Mudcats end up winning 6-5 with a bottom-of-the-ninth rally.
Let’s grab an Italian sausage - I’m going to be missing those things all winter but it’s not as if I need them - and play ball. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Atlanta Braves, Brandon Hicks, Cincinnati Reds, Cody Johnson, David Bell, Durham Bulls, Eric Eymann, Gwinnett Braves, Huntsville Stars, International League, Jacksonville Suns, Jason Bour, Jason Heyward, Jose Camarena, Jose Castro, Josh Beal, Kody Kirkland, Kris Negron, Kyle Cofield, Logan Parker, Louisville Bats, Luis Montano, Matt Maloney, Mississippi Braves, Phillip Wellman, Sean Henry, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Tim Gustafson, Zach Ward, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
2 Sep 2009, 9:55 PM ·
4 Comments
COLEMAN FIELD/CARY They’re coming together from 16 different major-league organizations, mostly from the Triple-A level and a few from Double-A.
But over the next few days, manager Eddie Rodriguez will have the job of molding them into a unit known as Team USA.
Twenty-three players gathered in Cary for media day this afternoon, as they begin getting ready to defend baseball’s World Cup in Germany, The Netherlands and Italy next month with a series of exhibition games against Canada from Thursday through Sunday.
And there are a few familiar faces on the roster.
Outfielder Jon Weber (pictured) and right-handed reliever Jason Childers have been with the Durham Bulls all season, while left-hander Cedrick Bowers, who had been playing for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, is a former Bull.
Infielder Pedro Alvarez, who was with the Altoona Curve in the Eastern League, is a former member of the college-level USA National Team from 2006 and ‘07 while fellow infielder Justin Smoak, most recently with the Pacific Coast League’s Oklahoma Redhawks, was also with that ‘07 club.
“We’re representing our country first, our national pastime and the professionalism we stand for within the game,” manager Eddie Rodriguez said during a lightly-attended media day event. “I’ve been associated with USA Baseball and I think that had a lot to do with (my selection as manager.) It’s always an honor.
“For us, this level of competition is close to if not the equivalent of the Olympics. There are 22 countries participating and that’s more than were in the last Olympics.” Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Alexander Smit, Altoona Curve, Canada, Cedrick Bowers, Charlie Montoyo, Eastern League, Eddie Rodriguez, Germany, International League, Italy, Jason Childers, Jon Weber, Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, Pacific Coast League, Philippe Valiquette, Southern League, The Netherlands, Vanderbilt
Mike Potter ·
22 Aug 2009, 11:37 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON The Carolina Mudcats return home for the opener of a five-game series against the Tennessee Smokies that will comprise the entire homestand.
It’s bordering on time for the end-of-season “death watch” for the Mudcats, as their tragic number for elimination from playoff contention is down to seven with 15 games left in the season. Carolina would just about have to run the table and get help from at least three teams.
The Cincinnati Reds’ organization is acutely aware of the situation, so any Mudcat who deserves promotion to Triple-A is headed for Louisville to help the Bats try to win a Governors’ Cup. Todd Frazier (pictured) is the latest to make the jump, making the number 11 of current Bats players I have covered as a home beat writer at some point.
The Bats really may have about 1/3 of this season’s Southern League post-season all-star team on their roster, since they already had SL home-run leader Juan Francisco, the SL’s best pitcher in Travis Wood and perhaps the SL’s best player in Chris Heisey in the clubhouse. If you think I don’t want Louisville to visit Durham in the playoffs this season, try again.
Anyway, it’s dark and rainy all the way over here from Brier Creek, but the game starts a reasonable 23 minutes late.
Grab an Italian sausage and let’s go.
Tennessee, which eventually wins this one 5-4, takes the early lead with a two-run second inning off Luis Montano. Tyler Colvin leads off with a double to left, moving to third on Ty Wright’s sacrifice bunt to third. Tony Thomas scores Colvin on a two-out double off the wall in left, followed by pitcher Chris Carpenter’s RBI double to right.
Carolina goes ahead with a three-run rally in the fourth.
Jose Castro leads off with a single to left, and after a Shaun Cumberland single to left and a walk to Zack Cozart the bases are literally full of “Cs.” With one out, Logan Parker hits a two-run single to right, and then Carson Kainer puts the home team ahead with another single to right.
Tennessee takes the lead again with a two-out rally in the sixth. Wright doubles to left, followed by Welington Castillo’s RBI single to left. Thomas then smacks an RBI single to left.
The Mudcats tie it in the bottom, as Cozart walks, steals second, advances on Alex Maestri’s wild pitch and scores on Kainer’s one-out sac fly to center.
But Tennessee takes the lead again in the seventh, as Jim Adduci reaches on a fielder’s choice following Jonathan Mota’s single, followed by Starlin Castro’s RBI double to right for the game-winning run.
Here’s what they said …
Mudcats manager David Bell: “Montano was good. In several of his outings he’s struggled for the first couple of innings and then settled down and gotten the job done. It was a good game, but we just didn’t win. There should always be enough motivation to go out and try to win every game, no matter what the standings say.”
Parker: “When you’re in this position (in the standings), you just have to forget about how the team’s doing and motivate yourself every day. We had a great team in the first half and didn’t make the playoffs because we lost the last series to Tennessee. That’s something we need to be thinking about when we play them.”
Cozart: “It’s always important to finish the season strong, even if the team hasn’t been winning. And if you go out and play a good game yourself, that’s going to give the team a better chance to win.”
What does it all mean?
That the tragic number is now five, while Tennessee is a game behind West Tenn for the division lead.
Stars of the game
1. Thomas, with three hits including a double for two RBI.
2. Parker, for two hits and two RBI.
3. Carpenter, for a respectable start and a clutch hit.
Play of the game
Starlin Castro’s game-winning double.
Season series
Tennessee leads 15-11.
Streaks
Carolina: Lost 2.
Tennessee: Won 1.
Transactions
Carolina: Outfielder Todd Frazier promoted to Louisville. Infielder Kristopher Negron promoted to Carolina from Sarasota.
Tennessee: none.
On deck
Tennessee at Carolina, Sunday, 2 p.m.
Jeremy Papelbon (L, 4-5, 3.26) vs. Tom Cochran (L, 4-5, 3.29)
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Alex Maestri, Carson Kainer, Chicago Cubs, Chris Carpenter, Chris Heisey, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, International League, Jeremy Papelbon, Jim Adduci, Jonathan Mota, Jose Castro, Juan Francisco, Kristopher Negron, Logan Parker, Louisville Bats, Luis Montano, Sarasota Reds, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Starlin Castro, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, Tony Thomas, Travis Wood, Ty Wright, Tyler Colvin, Welington Castillo, Zack Cozart
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
Mike Potter ·
25 Jul 2009, 3:48 PM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats’ ace pitcher finally got his promotion.
Southpaw Travis Wood has been promoted to Triple-A Louisville, and scheduled to make his International League debut at Syracuse tonight at 7.
Wood is currently leading the Southern League in ERA (1.21) and strikeouts (103), and is on a nine-game winning streak. The win streak is the longest in Mudcats history, while the ERA is by far the best for any Mudcats pitcher throwing over 90 innings. Ryan Tucker had a 1.58 ERA last season.
Southpaw Lee Tabor has been reinstated from the temporary inactive list and is scheduled to start Monday’s series opener against Chattanooga at Five County Stadium.
Catcher Chris Denove has also been actvated, with catcher Korey Feiner going onto the disabled list.
Also, infielder Jose Castro has been placed on the seven-day DL after straining his right calf muscle on Friday night at Huntsville.
Baseball, Carolina Hurricanes, Uncategorized Chattanooga Lookouts, Chris Denove, Huntsville Stars, International League, Jose Castro, Korey Feiner, Lee Tabor, Louisville Bats, Ryan Tucker, Southern League, Syracuse Chiefs, Travis Wood
Mike Potter ·
18 Jul 2009, 12:10 AM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats’ game with the Chattanooga Lookouts was rained out Friday night at Five County Stadium and will be played tonight as part of a 6:15 p.m. doubleheader.
The Mudcats will be attempting to break a three-game losing streak during tonight’s twin bill.
Carolina will have a new player for tonight’s action in infielder Justin Tordi, who has been promoted from Sarasota after hitting .172 with a homer and 15 RBI.
Tordi will replace Eric Eymann (pictured), who has been promoted to Louisville of the International League. Eymann was hitting .233 with a homer and 20 RBI at the time of his promotion.
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Chattanooga Lookouts, Cincinnati Reds, Eric Eymann, Florida State League, International League, Justin Tordi, Los Angeles Dodgers, Louisville Bats, Sarasota Reds
