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GRIZZLIES’ BLACKLEY GETS BETTER OF AN ACE
Daniel Lyght, The Fresno Bee – 31 May
Round Rock pitcher Juan Gutierrez, the Houston Astros' fifth-rated prospect, had his worst outing of the season Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park.
Meanwhile, Travis Blackley (Cheltenham VIC), a lefty rebuilding his game after a torn left labrum during the 2004 season, had his best.
Blackley went seven innings, allowing two hits and no runs as the Fresno Grizzlies dominated on the mound and at the plate to beat the Round Rock Express 8-1.
"It's good to feel like a pitcher again," Blackley said, extremely pleased to have his top pitch, his changeup, working for him again.
After undergoing surgery and missing the entire '05 season, Blackley was told his changeup would be the pitch that took the longest to return.
"I just didn't realize that would be a year and a half," he said.
Blackley was in control for most of the night, mixing his pitches well, including his changeup.
Said Jackie Moore, Round Rock's manager: "I guess we did [see Blackley's changeup]. The nine players who ran up there saw it too. If tonight's the judge of whether he has it back or not, it's back."
While Blackley allowed two runners on base just once, Gutierrez was roughed up. Praised as having the "highest ceiling" among pitchers in the Astros organization because of his sinker, curveball and changeup, Gutierrez allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in five innings.
The Grizzlies' offense, which racked up 13 hits, awoke steadily in the early innings scoring runs in the second and fourth innings. Things really got going in the fifth.
Blackley began the inning with a single over former Grizzly Cody Ransom's head at shortstop, and was followed by a William Bergolla single and an error at first base, allowing Luis Figueroa to reach safely and load the bases.
Nate Schierholtz, the Grizzlies' RBI leader with 29, stroked home two runs on a double down the right field line to open the lead to 4-0.
Scott McClain, who entered the game with 27 RBIs, was intentionally walked to get to Leone. It was a mistake. Leone, who was batting .571 over his past 10 games coming into Wednesday night, hit a two-run single to left field that Raines couldn't rein in, upping the advantage to 6-0.
"You have [a] top RBI guy and the guy behind him is pretty hot too, you had to pick your poison," Fresno manager Dan Rohn said. "I think the choice was [Gutierrez] was behind 2-0, you might as well walk [McClain] there and get a fresh start on the next hitter."
SOUNDS BEAT LAS VEGAS ON VEGAS-THEME NIGHT
Oxspring Gets Win
Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper – 1 June
It was Vegas night at Greer Stadium on Thursday. But as irony would have it, Thursday was not Las Vegas’s night. Nashville downed the 51s 6-3 on a night where one lucky fan won a three-day trip to Sin City.
Sounds starter Chris Oxspring (Rouse Hill NSW) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the offense busted out with a four-spot in the fourth inning.
Las Vegas didn’t score until Sounds reliever Dennis Sarfate gave up a pair of homers in the ninth when the game was out of reach.
“You’ll always take those days where you can go out there and do that,†Oxspring said. “I had bits and pieces of everything working.â€
The Sounds’ offense stumbled out of the gate against hot 51s starter William Juarez. Nashville (29-25) didn’t collect its first hit until Laynce Nix singled with one out in the fourth. Nix’s hit ended 9.1 consecutive hitless innings by Juarez.
Once Nix broke the seal with that first hit, it opened the floodgates. Nashville scored four runs in the inning thanks to doubles by Joe Dillon, Brad Nelson and Ozzie Chavez and a two-run homer by Vinny Rottino.
The home run by Rottino earned him a guitar by Copley because it hit the scoreboard in left- center. Rottino is the third Sound to hit a home run off the guitar – Ryan Braun and Mike Rivera were the others.
Oxspring (4-3) had a no-hitter of his own going for 5.1 innings. The 51s loaded the bases in the sixth but Oxpring struck out Delwyn Young to end the threat.
The 51s would have scored in the first inning had Nix not made a home run-robbing catch over the wall in center on a ball hit by Matt Kemp.
“You would have had a home run in the first inning and it was such a great play,†Oxspring said. “You always appreciate plays like that.â€
In the ninth, Sarfate surrendered three hits and two home runs as the 51s put three runs on the board.
BRAD THOMAS NAMED PCL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Evan Mohl, mlb.com – 4 June
Pacific Coast League
Brad Thomas, Tacoma
0-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
Brad Thomas (Kellyville NSW) may have found a home in the Tacoma starting rotation. After starting the year in the bullpen, Thomas has been great in his last two starts. The Australian and former Japanese League star pitched a shutout on May 28, scattering five hits over six innings. In his next start on June 2, Thomas threw seven innings of four-hit ball, allowing only one earned run.
CRAWFORD, PLOUFFE LEAD ROCK CATS PAST METS
Tom Puleo, Hartford Courant – 1 June
Starter Tristan Crawford (Browns Plaines QLD) shrugged off two rain delays Thursday to lead the Rock Cats to a 7-0 victory over the Binghamton Mets.
Crawford (5-3) pitched seven scoreless innings and held Binghamton hitless through the first 51/3. He had nine strikeouts and one walk.
"The key was [Crawford's] ability to get ahead of hitters," manager Riccardo Ingram said. "His control was the best I've seen it all year."
Shortstop Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-5 and with three RBI in the game that took a little more than five hours to play. Paid attendance was 4,196 at New Britain Stadium.
Crawford (4-3, 5.02 ERA) struck out four of the first six batters he faced, two in the first inning and two more in the second inning after a 1-hour, 26-minute rain delay.
Ingram was reluctant to send Crawford back out after the delay but he called the Twins to make sure it was all right. It was agreed that Crawford could go back to the mound because he only threw 10 pitches in the first inning.
"He said he as ready to go," Ingram said. "He said he wanted to pitch, so we sent him back out."
He faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings. Jose Coronado opened the sixth with a single to right field. But he missed the base and was called out on appeal, keeping the no-hitter alive.
Crawford then surrendered a ground-rule double to the next batter, Mike Nickeas, ending his no-hit bid at 10:40 p.m. before about 100 fans.
The Rock Cats went up 1-0 in the first when Felix Molina hit a leadoff triple and scored on Plouffe's groundout. Binghamton starter Michael Devaney did not return after the rain delay and was replaced by Ricardo Morales.
In the third, Plouffe doubled and scored on Brian Buscher's RBI single to make it 2-0. Brock Peterson's two-run homer made it 4-0.
Rain delayed the start from 6:35 until 7:50. After an inning, lightning forced the umpires to clear the field at 8:06 p.m. Play resumed at 9:32 p.m.
AUSSIE UMPIRE PROMOTED TO AA TEXAS LEAGUE
Australian Baseball Federation
Australia’s first umpire to work in the MLB farm system, Brett Robson, has been promoted to the AA Texas League. Robson began his career in 2003 working in the Rookie level Gulf Coast League. The Australian players in the Texas League Robson may find himself on the field with are: Michael Collins, Adam Morrissey and Rich Thompson (LA Angels), Adam Bright (Colorado) and Adrian Burnside (San Diego).
AT A GLANCE
· In a recent double-header Scott Campbell (Auckland NZ) reached base in 7 of his 8 plate appearances walking four times and hitting three singles. Campbell’s A+ Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto) beat the West Michigan White caps in both games.
· The Minnesota Twins’ Low A Beloit affiliate has placed Allan de San Miguel (Bentley WA) on the DL from 29 May with a right ankle sprain.
· Justin Huber (Emerald VIC) has been reinstated from the DL and is back playing with his AAA Omaha side.
· Tim Kennelly (Palmyra WA) has been brought up to Low A Lakewood (Philadelphia) from extended spring training.
· From The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: “Wings right fielder Trent Oeltjen (Baulkham Hills NSW) was hit by a pitch for the ninth time on Thursday night. He leads the International League in that department and is six away from minor-league leader Brian Barton of Double-A Akron.â€
· Brett Roneberg (Trinity Beach QLD) came off the disabled list with immediate impact – on Saturday batting for the first time since 18 May he came in as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded in game two of a double header between his Altoona Curve and the Reading Phillies. He delivered a two-run single to even the score 4-all. The Curve went on to win the game.
· Chris Snelling (Gorokan NSW) has begun a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento he’s likely to remain there for 10-12 days before being re-evaluated.
· Last Tuesday Glenn Williams (Cronulla NSW) demonstrated his versatility catching six inning for his Rochester Redwings.
· The Hanshin Tigers have deactivated Jeff Williams (Page ACT) because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder.
· The independent Aikin Foxhounds placed Andy Utting (QLD) on the inactive list from 16 May.
Daniel Lyght, The Fresno Bee – 31 May
Round Rock pitcher Juan Gutierrez, the Houston Astros' fifth-rated prospect, had his worst outing of the season Wednesday night at Chukchansi Park.
Meanwhile, Travis Blackley (Cheltenham VIC), a lefty rebuilding his game after a torn left labrum during the 2004 season, had his best.
Blackley went seven innings, allowing two hits and no runs as the Fresno Grizzlies dominated on the mound and at the plate to beat the Round Rock Express 8-1.
"It's good to feel like a pitcher again," Blackley said, extremely pleased to have his top pitch, his changeup, working for him again.
After undergoing surgery and missing the entire '05 season, Blackley was told his changeup would be the pitch that took the longest to return.
"I just didn't realize that would be a year and a half," he said.
Blackley was in control for most of the night, mixing his pitches well, including his changeup.
Said Jackie Moore, Round Rock's manager: "I guess we did [see Blackley's changeup]. The nine players who ran up there saw it too. If tonight's the judge of whether he has it back or not, it's back."
While Blackley allowed two runners on base just once, Gutierrez was roughed up. Praised as having the "highest ceiling" among pitchers in the Astros organization because of his sinker, curveball and changeup, Gutierrez allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in five innings.
The Grizzlies' offense, which racked up 13 hits, awoke steadily in the early innings scoring runs in the second and fourth innings. Things really got going in the fifth.
Blackley began the inning with a single over former Grizzly Cody Ransom's head at shortstop, and was followed by a William Bergolla single and an error at first base, allowing Luis Figueroa to reach safely and load the bases.
Nate Schierholtz, the Grizzlies' RBI leader with 29, stroked home two runs on a double down the right field line to open the lead to 4-0.
Scott McClain, who entered the game with 27 RBIs, was intentionally walked to get to Leone. It was a mistake. Leone, who was batting .571 over his past 10 games coming into Wednesday night, hit a two-run single to left field that Raines couldn't rein in, upping the advantage to 6-0.
"You have [a] top RBI guy and the guy behind him is pretty hot too, you had to pick your poison," Fresno manager Dan Rohn said. "I think the choice was [Gutierrez] was behind 2-0, you might as well walk [McClain] there and get a fresh start on the next hitter."
SOUNDS BEAT LAS VEGAS ON VEGAS-THEME NIGHT
Oxspring Gets Win
Nate Rau, Nashville City Paper – 1 June
It was Vegas night at Greer Stadium on Thursday. But as irony would have it, Thursday was not Las Vegas’s night. Nashville downed the 51s 6-3 on a night where one lucky fan won a three-day trip to Sin City.
Sounds starter Chris Oxspring (Rouse Hill NSW) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the offense busted out with a four-spot in the fourth inning.
Las Vegas didn’t score until Sounds reliever Dennis Sarfate gave up a pair of homers in the ninth when the game was out of reach.
“You’ll always take those days where you can go out there and do that,†Oxspring said. “I had bits and pieces of everything working.â€
The Sounds’ offense stumbled out of the gate against hot 51s starter William Juarez. Nashville (29-25) didn’t collect its first hit until Laynce Nix singled with one out in the fourth. Nix’s hit ended 9.1 consecutive hitless innings by Juarez.
Once Nix broke the seal with that first hit, it opened the floodgates. Nashville scored four runs in the inning thanks to doubles by Joe Dillon, Brad Nelson and Ozzie Chavez and a two-run homer by Vinny Rottino.
The home run by Rottino earned him a guitar by Copley because it hit the scoreboard in left- center. Rottino is the third Sound to hit a home run off the guitar – Ryan Braun and Mike Rivera were the others.
Oxspring (4-3) had a no-hitter of his own going for 5.1 innings. The 51s loaded the bases in the sixth but Oxpring struck out Delwyn Young to end the threat.
The 51s would have scored in the first inning had Nix not made a home run-robbing catch over the wall in center on a ball hit by Matt Kemp.
“You would have had a home run in the first inning and it was such a great play,†Oxspring said. “You always appreciate plays like that.â€
In the ninth, Sarfate surrendered three hits and two home runs as the 51s put three runs on the board.
BRAD THOMAS NAMED PCL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Evan Mohl, mlb.com – 4 June
Pacific Coast League
Brad Thomas, Tacoma
0-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO
Brad Thomas (Kellyville NSW) may have found a home in the Tacoma starting rotation. After starting the year in the bullpen, Thomas has been great in his last two starts. The Australian and former Japanese League star pitched a shutout on May 28, scattering five hits over six innings. In his next start on June 2, Thomas threw seven innings of four-hit ball, allowing only one earned run.
CRAWFORD, PLOUFFE LEAD ROCK CATS PAST METS
Tom Puleo, Hartford Courant – 1 June
Starter Tristan Crawford (Browns Plaines QLD) shrugged off two rain delays Thursday to lead the Rock Cats to a 7-0 victory over the Binghamton Mets.
Crawford (5-3) pitched seven scoreless innings and held Binghamton hitless through the first 51/3. He had nine strikeouts and one walk.
"The key was [Crawford's] ability to get ahead of hitters," manager Riccardo Ingram said. "His control was the best I've seen it all year."
Shortstop Trevor Plouffe went 3-for-5 and with three RBI in the game that took a little more than five hours to play. Paid attendance was 4,196 at New Britain Stadium.
Crawford (4-3, 5.02 ERA) struck out four of the first six batters he faced, two in the first inning and two more in the second inning after a 1-hour, 26-minute rain delay.
Ingram was reluctant to send Crawford back out after the delay but he called the Twins to make sure it was all right. It was agreed that Crawford could go back to the mound because he only threw 10 pitches in the first inning.
"He said he as ready to go," Ingram said. "He said he wanted to pitch, so we sent him back out."
He faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings. Jose Coronado opened the sixth with a single to right field. But he missed the base and was called out on appeal, keeping the no-hitter alive.
Crawford then surrendered a ground-rule double to the next batter, Mike Nickeas, ending his no-hit bid at 10:40 p.m. before about 100 fans.
The Rock Cats went up 1-0 in the first when Felix Molina hit a leadoff triple and scored on Plouffe's groundout. Binghamton starter Michael Devaney did not return after the rain delay and was replaced by Ricardo Morales.
In the third, Plouffe doubled and scored on Brian Buscher's RBI single to make it 2-0. Brock Peterson's two-run homer made it 4-0.
Rain delayed the start from 6:35 until 7:50. After an inning, lightning forced the umpires to clear the field at 8:06 p.m. Play resumed at 9:32 p.m.
AUSSIE UMPIRE PROMOTED TO AA TEXAS LEAGUE
Australian Baseball Federation
Australia’s first umpire to work in the MLB farm system, Brett Robson, has been promoted to the AA Texas League. Robson began his career in 2003 working in the Rookie level Gulf Coast League. The Australian players in the Texas League Robson may find himself on the field with are: Michael Collins, Adam Morrissey and Rich Thompson (LA Angels), Adam Bright (Colorado) and Adrian Burnside (San Diego).
AT A GLANCE
· In a recent double-header Scott Campbell (Auckland NZ) reached base in 7 of his 8 plate appearances walking four times and hitting three singles. Campbell’s A+ Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto) beat the West Michigan White caps in both games.
· The Minnesota Twins’ Low A Beloit affiliate has placed Allan de San Miguel (Bentley WA) on the DL from 29 May with a right ankle sprain.
· Justin Huber (Emerald VIC) has been reinstated from the DL and is back playing with his AAA Omaha side.
· Tim Kennelly (Palmyra WA) has been brought up to Low A Lakewood (Philadelphia) from extended spring training.
· From The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: “Wings right fielder Trent Oeltjen (Baulkham Hills NSW) was hit by a pitch for the ninth time on Thursday night. He leads the International League in that department and is six away from minor-league leader Brian Barton of Double-A Akron.â€
· Brett Roneberg (Trinity Beach QLD) came off the disabled list with immediate impact – on Saturday batting for the first time since 18 May he came in as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded in game two of a double header between his Altoona Curve and the Reading Phillies. He delivered a two-run single to even the score 4-all. The Curve went on to win the game.
· Chris Snelling (Gorokan NSW) has begun a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento he’s likely to remain there for 10-12 days before being re-evaluated.
· Last Tuesday Glenn Williams (Cronulla NSW) demonstrated his versatility catching six inning for his Rochester Redwings.
· The Hanshin Tigers have deactivated Jeff Williams (Page ACT) because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder.
· The independent Aikin Foxhounds placed Andy Utting (QLD) on the inactive list from 16 May.
