Showing posts tagged “Tennessee Smokies”
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 ·
26 Aug 2009, 11:20 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s the finale of the Carolina Mudcats’ five-game homestand against the Tennessee Smokies and there’s no reason for the Mudcats not to relax.
Earlier today a West Tenn Diamond Jaxx victory made the inevitable official. The Mudcats, who came within one game of the first-half North Division title, are not going to be in the Southern League playoffs.
For Tennessee it’s a very big game, as there is still a three-way race among the Volunteer State teams for the division title.
Carolina continues to feed its best players to Triple-A Louisville, with veteran southpaw Tom Cochran the latest to head for a probable Governors’ Cup Playoff team.
There’s a college night promotion going on, and fans and Mudcats employees are wearing logo clothing for either their alma mater or the school they root for.
The players get in on the action, too, as the college alumni are greeted by their school’s fight songs when they come to bat and everybody who didn’t go to college gets assigned one.
Let’s get some chicken tenders and start this pitchers’ duel, which finishes in a 2-1 comeback victory for the visitors.
It’s a good one from the start, with the World Cup-bound Dutchman Alexander Smit (pictured) on the mound for Carolina against Casey Coleman. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Alexander Smit, Aneury Rodriguez, Blake Lalli, Bryan Augenstein, Casey Coleman, Chicago Cubs, Chris Carpenter, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, Greg Atencio, Logan Parker, Louisville Bats, Luis Montano, Mississippi Braves, Mobile Bay Bears, Montgomery Biscuits, Russ Canzler, Ryne Sandberg, Sean Henry, Southern League, Starlin Castro, Tennessee Smokies, Tom Cochran, Ty Wright
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 ·
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 ·
23 Aug 2009, 6:40 PM ·
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FIVE COUNTY STADIUM/ZEBULON It’s Game 2 of the Carolina Mudcats’ five-game homestand against the Tennessee Smokies, and it’s about getting to the point where the home team is playing for pride - and for job assignments heading into next season.
The Mudcats, who lost their chance for the Southern League’s first-half North Division title when they lost on the road to the Smokies on the final day of the half, are guaranteed a losing record in the second half and likely just a few days away from elimination from the race.
They do have that spoiler thing going, and probably wouldn’t mind throwing a monkey wrench into the Smokies’ playoff hopes. That doesn’t happen as Tennessee wins 3-2, taking a one-run victory for the second straight day.
Today is warm and cloudy, but with no threat of rain.
Umpires and managers are wearing light blue - some would say Carolina blue - sweatbands to promote awareness of prostate cancer.
And the Carolina Hurricanes’ “Storm Squad” is in the house.
Let’s consume mass quantities of chicken tenders and play ball.
The Smokies get their first run off Tom Cochran with a two-out rally in the third. Starlin Castro hits a double to right, followed by Blake Lalli’s RBI single to left.
Tennessee’s Jeremy Papelbon (pictured) allows just one baserunner until there are two out in the fifth, when Justin Tordi breaks up the no-hitter with a double to left center. Continue reading »
Baseball, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Mudcats Andrew Cashner, Blake Lalli, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, David Bell, David Cales, Doug Deeds, Jeremy Papelbon, Jerry Gil, Jonathan Papelbon, Justin Tordi, Kristopher Negron, Marcus Mateo, Ryne Sandberg, Sean Henry, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Starlin Castro, Tennessee Smokies, Tom Cochran, Tony Thomas, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, Zack Cozart
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 ·
22 Aug 2009, 12:10 AM ·
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The Carolina Mudcats might be returning home tonight, but they won’t be bringing any momentum with them.
A three-run homer from former Mudcat Bryan Petersen (pictured) in the fourth inning provided all the scoring the Jacksonville Suns needed to beat the visiting Mudcats 5-1 in the finale of their five-game series.
The loss, Carolina’s fourth in five games in the series, cut the Mudcats’ “tragic number” to seven for elimination from the playoff race in the Southern League’s North Division.
Jarrett Santos (4-2) was the winner while Alexander Smit (3-3) took the loss.
Carolina’s only run came in the third, as Stephen Chapman’s sacrifice fly scored Logan Parker.
The Mudcats will be back at Five County Stadium tonight at 6:15 against the Tennessee Smokies, with Luis Montano (0-4, 7.66) taking on Tennessee’s Chris Carpenter (0-2, 4.96).
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Alexander Smit, Bryan Petersen, Chris Carpenter, Cincinnati Reds, Florida Marlins, Jacksonville Suns, Jarrett Santos, Logan Parker, Luis Montano, Southern League, Stephen Chapman, Tennessee Smokies
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 ·
5 Aug 2009, 2:22 AM ·
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They nearly had to play all night to get it done, but the Carolina Mudcats ended a painful losing streak Tuesday night.
With two out in the ninth, Shaun Cumberland (pictured) scored the go-ahead on a Brian Schlitter wild pitch that barely got away from catcher Wellington Castillo, and the visiting Mudcats held on for a 9-8 win over the Tennessee Smokies.
The Mudcats, who broke a five-game losing streak while ending Tennessee’s eight-game winning streak, took a 5-0 lead in the first inning before the Smokies began clawing back.
The game started 72 minutes late because of rain, and also continued after a 20-minute power delay in the third.
Carolina batted around twice, accomplishing the feat in both the first inning and the three-run fourth.
Juan Francisco hit his 20th homer of the season for Carolina, while Major League rehab addition Geovany Soto homered for Tennessee.
Sean Watson (W, 4-4) worked 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief to get the victory, while Francisco and Logan Parker had three hits apiece for Carolina.
Jeremy Horst (0-1, 7.94) will start the series finale for the Mudcats tonight at 7:15.
Baseball, Carolina Mudcats Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Geovany Soto, Jeremy Horst, Juan Francisco, Logan Parker, Sean Watson, Shaun Cumberland, Southern League, Tennessee Smokies
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
