Showing posts tagged “Ruben Medina”
Mike Potter ·
7 Sep 2009, 12:18 AM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats aren’t going to the Southern League playoffs, but they have a chance today to finish the season on fire.
Jerry Gil (pictured), Ruben Medina and Sean Watson put together a three-hit shutout on Sunday night as the Mudcats beat the visiting Mississippi Braves 1-0 to win their seventh straight game. The streak matches the fifth longest in club history.
Carolina got the run in the first when Zack Cozart’s sacrifice fly scored Kris Negron.
Gil (3-4) got through seven innings - his longest stint in Double-A - before Medina came on for the eighth to set up Watson for a perfect ninth inning and his eighth save.
Carolina’s season finale is today at 2 p.m. at Five County Stadium, with southpaw Jeremy Horst (1-3, 6.65) taking the hill against Mississippi.
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Jeremy Horst, Jerry Gil, Kris Negron, Mississippi Braves, Ruben Medina, Sean Watson, Southern League, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
25 Aug 2009, 11:56 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON The “death march” is on for the Carolina Mudcats.
They go into tonight’s game with the Tennessee Smokies, who are tied for first place in the Southern League’s North Division, with a “tragic number” of two for elimination from the playoff race.
Barring about the biggest miracle in the history of sports that’s inevitable before the end of the season, but it’s a fact that no matter what happens today the Mudcats will go into every game the rest of the year knowing tomorrow’s game could be just for pride.
The Mudcats have yet another transaction as Louisville’s roster gets set for the almost certain Governors’ Cup Playoff spot, as catcher Korey Feiner is now in Triple-A.
There’s not going to be much of a crowd in the house tonight, so let’s grab an Italian sausage and play.
It’s a welcome relief for the home fans, as Camilo Vazquez (pictured) is absolutely dealing to start the game and his teammates are scoring runs. And it all turns out happy this time as the Mudcats hang on for a 7-6 win.
Carolina gets to Hung-Wen Chen for a run in the first as Kris Negron leads off with an infield hit, followed by Jose Castro’s single to center and Yonder Alonzo’s sacrifice fly to left.
And the Mudcats pour on four more runs in the second. Shaun Cumberland leads off with a double to right and steals third. Sean Henry follows with a walk and a steal before Logan Parker’s RBI grounder to short. Jake Long hits an RBI single to left, then moves over on Vazquez’s bunt to third. Negron - an American who after the game tries a clubhouse prank of pretending to need a translator - then blasts the next pitch off the left-field scoreboard to make it 5-0.
The Smokies figure out Vazquez with one out in the sixth. Jim Adduci starts the rally with an infield hit to third, followed by Ty Wright’s RBI double to right. With two out, Tyler Colvin hits an RBI single to right, and after Marquez Smith walks Welington Castillo hits an RBI double to left to chase the starter and bring on Ruben Medina.
Tennessee adds another in the seventh, as pinch-hitter Doug Deeds singles and later scores on Blake Lalli’s two-out single to left.
But Negron and the Mudcats get some insurance in the seventh, as Long leads off with a double to left and scores when Negron blasts a 2-1 offering off the net protecting the numbers on the scoreboard in left.
Carolina turns out to need the insurance because of the Tennessee eighth. With one out, Castillo singles up the middle and then Tony Thomas hits a ball toward second baseman Negron who commits two errors on the play. With runners on second and third pinch hitter Russ Canzler reaches on another error by shortstop Cozart, with two runs scoring to make it 7-6.
And there’s some loud and celebrative - although not particularly tasteful - music in the home clubhouse after the win.
Here’s what they said …
Mudcats manager David Bell: “Negron is really athletic and exciting. Vazquez has been doing a great job, especially since he’s been starting. I think he’s opened some eyes. I like hearing that music. This game’s a lot more fun when you win.”
Negron: “I didn’t think either one of those balls was going to go out. I’m more of a little guy than a home-run hitter.”
Vazquez: “I thought it was a pretty good outing until the sixth. Guys were doing their jobs and making plays behind me. I wanted to finish the inning, but they made the right call in taking me out.”
What does it all mean?
That the Mudcats are still not mathematically eliminated from the race, and that Tennessee is tied for second a game back of division leader West Tenn.
Stars of the game
1. Negron, for his two homers and the infield hit.
2. Vazquez, for the solid start and the win.
3. Castillo, for his three hits including two doubles with an RBI.
Play of the game
Negron’s second homer that provided the game-winning run.
Season series
Tennessee leads 17-12.
Streaks
Carolina: Won 1.
Tennessee: Lost 1.
Transactions
Carolina: C Korey Feiner promoted to Louisville. C Jake Long promoted from Sarasota to Carolina.
Tennessee: none.
On deck
Tennessee at Carolina, Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.
Casey Coleman (R, 13-6, 3.83) vs. Alexander Smit (L, 3-3, 4.06)
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Alexander Smit, Camilo Vazquez, Casey Coleman, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Doug Deeds, Jake Long, Jose Castro, Korey Feiner, Kris Negron, Logan Parker, Louisville Bats, Marquez Smith, Ruben Medina, Russ Canzler, Sarasota Reds, Sean Henry, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies, Tony Thomas, Ty Wright, Tyler Colvin, Welington Castillo, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Yonder Alonzo
Mike Potter ·
19 Aug 2009, 11:13 PM ·
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Nic Ungs hasn’t been hospitable to his old team this season, and that continued the bad news for the Carolina Mudcats.
The former Mudcat fired seven shutout innings, beating Carolina for the fourth time this season as the homestanding Jacksonville Suns won 4-2.
The Mudcats’ “tragic number” for elimination from the playoff race fell to nine.
Ungs (9-2), who played for Carolina from 2003-05, lowered his ERA to 1.00 with a three-hit outing. He has pitched 27 innings against the Mudcats this season and allowed three runs.
Jerry Gill (2-2) took the loss in his first Double-A start.
Mike Stanton homered while Ungs helped his own cause with an RBI single for a 2-0 Jacksonville lead in the second inning.
The Suns doubled their lead in the seventh on Ryan Klosterman’s two-run homer off Ruben Medina.
The Mudcats broke up the shutout in the ninth, scoring their runs on an error and a Stephen Chapman single.
Game 4 of the five-game series is Thursday night at 7:05, with Camilo Vazquez (3-4, 5.89) going against the Suns’ Brad Stone (5-2, 2.25).
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Brad Stone, Camilo Vazquez, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Jacksonville Suns, Jerry Gil, Mike Stanton, Nic Ungs, Ruben Medina, Ryan Klosterman, Southern League, Stephen Chapman
Mike Potter ·
17 Aug 2009, 11:35 PM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats’ chances to make a long-shot comeback for a playoff berth got even longer.
Brad Davis’ two-run homer in the sixth inning was the killer blow as the Jacksonville Suns topped the visiting Mudcats 5-2 in the opener of their five-game series. Carolina’s “tragic number” is down to 12.
The homer came off losing pitcher Luis Montano (0-4), who has dropped all four of his Double-A starts.
Jacksonville led 2-0 through three innings before one blast scored Carolina’s runs.
Former Mudcats pitcher Anibal Sanchez, possibly making the final start of his current Major League rehab, had retired the first nine batters in order before walking Sean Henry to lead off the fourth. Shaun Cumberland (pictured) then followed by rocketing a 3-1 fastball into the right-field bleachers.
Jacksonville added an insurance run against Ruben Medina in the seventh on a Logan Morrison double.
The series continues Tuesday night at 7:05, with Carolina’s Tom Cochran (4-5, 3.27) starting against Graham Taylor (6-6, 4.09).
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Anibal Sanchez, Brad Davis, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Graham Taylor, Jacksonville Suns, Logan Morrison, Luis Montano, Ruben Medina, Sean Henry, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Tom Cochran
Mike Potter ·
29 Jul 2009, 11:15 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON Back for Game 3 of the Carolina Mudcats’ series with the first-place Chattanooga Lookouts, and as the action begins the series is all tied up.
The rains hit Zebulon in late afternoon, but the tarp comes off the field about 45 minutes before the game and everybody’s going to be ready to go on time.
Tonight we’ll go with barbecue sauce on the cheeseburger, remembering a commercial starring Michael Jordan who played here in a handful of games with the Birmingham Barons.
Chattanooga lefty James Adkins does get the first pitch off at precisely 7:15, and after last night’s 13-inning saga that makes everyone who pays attention to such things very happy. And the home fans aren’t disappointed tonight as the Mudcats eke out a 2-1 win.
Everything is sailing along fine until there’s a spontaneous blackout in the middle of the fourth, which only blips the press box but puts the stadium lights out for quite some time.
After a delay of 14 minutes that seems a lot longer, everything seems to be proceeding normally. Continue reading »
ACC, Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, N.C. State Alvis Whitted, Andrew Lambo, Birmingham Barons, Camilo Vazquez, Chattanooga Lookouts, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Emilio Del Rosario, Jake Kahaulelio, James Adkins, James Tomlin, Jason Bour, Justin Tordi, Kendy Batista, Los Angeles Dodgers, Michael Jordan, Ruben Medina, Sean Henry, Southern League, Tim Corcoran, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, Tom O'Brien, Zack Cozart
Mike Potter ·
4 Jul 2009, 12:27 AM ·
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Travis Wood (pictured) kept up his string of stellar starts for the Carolina Mudcats on Friday night, but after the Chattanooga Lookouts got to the Mudcats’ bullpen they found enough offense to win.
The Lookouts got to Ruben Medina (1-4) for two runs in the seventh, holding on for a 4-3 victory at sold-out AT&T Field to take the current series 4 games to 2.
Wood, who has eight victories and four no-decisions in his last 12 starts, pitched six innings and gave up one earned run with another unearned.
The Mudcats scored two early runs as Todd Frazier scored from third on a balk to tie the score in the second and Jose Castro smacked an RBI triple to knot it at 2-2 in the third.
Chattanooga scratched out two in the seventh off Medina, with a hit batsman and a run-scoring passed ball during the rally. Ramon Nivar’s infield hit to third put the Lookouts up 4-2.
In the ninth, Frazier reached on a bunt single and scored on Carson Kainer’s one-out single to left before Matthew Sartor ended the game by striking out the final two Mudcats batters.
Carolina had four transactions on Friday. Outfielder Michael Griffin was promoted to Louisville, while right-hander Matthew Klinker has come back from Sarasota and utility man Steven Chapman has been promoted from Sarasota. Right-hander Jordan Smith has been placed on the seven-day DL with a strained right elbow.
Carolina returns home tonight at 7:15 for the opener of a four-game series against the Tennessee Smokies, with southpaw Camilo Vazquez (2-1, 5.91) on the hill. A full house is expected for the game, which will followed by a big fireworks show.
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats AT&T Field, Carson Kainer, Chattanooga Lookouts, Cincinnati Reds, Jose Castro, Los Angeles Dodgers, Louisville Bats, Matthew Klinker, Matthew Sartor, Michael Griffin, Ruben Medina, Sarasota Reds, Steven Chapman, Tennessee Smokies, Todd Frazier, Travis Wood
Mike Potter ·
24 Jun 2009, 11:21 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON Back for Game 3 of the Mudcats’ first series of the second half, and it’s already been a very crazy day. And that’s just the baseball part.
I had already planned out the trip from USA Baseball’s National Training Complex to Zebulon, but in about the fourth inning of the game involving uberphenom Bryce Harper I get one of many, many unrelated cell phone calls during the game.
It’s Durham Bulls publicist Matt DeMargel, reminding me of a commitment to talk about my career with a group of students from a journalism class he teaches. At 4:30 p.m., with the Mudcats’ game at 7. Fortunately there are five and not 20, so everyone gets to ask questions. I hope they got an object lesson in what 31 years of this all means.
Anyway, it means I now need to do by best impersonation of a moonshine runner to get to the game in time. Not on time, but in time. That means about an hour before the game. I need to decompress.
Go get some more fried chicken and French fries, and it’s time to get it all started.
(Former Mudcat Scott Cousins, pictured, ends up having a great night in a 10-5 comeback victory.)
I promised another Theron Todd story, and that will come later this week. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats, Durham Bulls, USA Baseball Aaron Thompson, Brad Davis, Brandon Hyde, Bryan Petersen, Bryce Harper, Chris De La Cruz, Chris Hatcher, Chris Heisey, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Florida Marlins, Jacksonville Suns, Jose Castro, Kasey Olenberger, Kevin Randel, Kinston High School, Lee Mitchell, Logan Morrison, Logan Ondrusek, Mike Stanton, Ramon Geronimo, Ruben Medina, Scott Cousins, Sean Henry, Southern League, Theron Todd, Todd Frazier, Tom Cochran, UNC Wilmington, USA Baseball
