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© 2007 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved. |
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Pacific Coast League Notebook 04/30/2007 1:40 PM ETBy Edward de la Fuente / MLB.com
Albuquerque Isotopes (Florida Marlins) THE WEEK THAT WAS: With a 3-3 week, the Isotopes remained in last place in the American Conference Southern Division.
WHO'S HOT/NOT: RHP Nate Field had two victories in his last four relief appearances, giving up a total of one earned run and striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. ... SS Robert Andino was batting .310 (13-for-42) over his last 10 games, scoring seven runs. ... OF Val Pascucci had a .212 average (7-for-33) in a 10-game stretch, though five of those hits were home runs.
SCORING SPREE: Despite three losses in a five-game stretch, there appeared to be little wrong with the Isotopes' offense, as they produced an average of six runs a game in that span. They scored eight and seven runs in their two victories, and managed eight runs in a loss to New Orleans on Tuesday. The pitching staff, however, allowed an average of 8.4 runs in the same span. The Isotopes' 106 runs scored this season was tied for fifth in the league entering Saturday's games, but their staff ERA of 5.59 was second-worst.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Yes, I am." - Manager Dean Treanor, to the Albuquerque Tribune, when asked whether he was eager to talk to PCL officials about pitcher Ricardo Rodriguez's ejection from Tuesday's game against New Orleans
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Colorado Rockies)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Sean Barker has a .563 average (9-for-16) with three home runs and nine RBIs over his last five games. He also had a .462 average (12-for-26) in his last 10 games. ... 2B Jayson Nix collected eight hits in 21 at-bats (.381) and scored five runs in his last five games. ... LHP Eric DuBose gave up seven earned runs on eight hits in his last start, lasting only 3 1/3 innings in a 13-7 loss to Portland on Monday.
HOME SOUR HOME: Things appeared to be looking up for the Sky Sox at their home ballpark, Security Service Field. After an 0-4 record and four postponements because of snowy conditions during their season-opening homestand, the Sky Sox won their first home game on April 21, then beat Portland the following day for their first two-game winning streak of the season. However, they suffered a 13-7 loss to the Beavers on Monday and rain wiped out the team's scheduled 10:35 a.m. start on Tuesday, marking the fifth home postponement of the year. According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, it was the most April postponements since the team lost seven games in 1997.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It's been tough losing, but we all know what kind of team we have." - Nix, to the Colorado Springs Gazette, after the Sky Sox defeated Portland on Sunday for their first two-game winning streak of the season.
Fresno Grizzlies (San Francisco Giants)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: RHP Tim Lincecum threw 6 1/3 hitless innings in Monday's start against Tucson, though he walked six batters and gave up an earned run in the process. Lincecum is 3-0 with a 0.36 ERA in four starts this season. ... 2B Kevin Frandsen was batting .412 (14-for-34) with seven runs scored over his last 10 games. ... 3B Justin Leone had just four hits in his last 29 games, good for a .138 average in his last 10 games, though he had scored seven runs in that span.
FEW HITS ALL AROUND: Fans of solid pitching got what they wished in the Grizzlies' doubleheader against Tucson on Monday. In the first game, Lincecum came within two outs of completing a seven-inning no-hitter before being pulled because of his pitch count. RHP Billy Sadler entered the game and yielded Tucson's first hit before closing out the Grizzlies' 7-1 victory. The Sidewinders returned the favor in the nightcap, as the Grizzlies were held to a run on four hits in a 3-1 loss.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I like my job and I'm not going over the limit." - Manager Dan Rohn, to the Fresno Bee, on pulling Lincecum from Monday's game.
Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: C Koyie Hill batted .364 (8-for-22) with four runs scored in an eight-game span. ... LHP Ryan O'Malley had allowed just one earned run over 13 innings in his last two starts. He has a 1.25 ERA and an 0-1 record in four starts this season. ... After a hot start to the season, 1B Micah Hoffpauir had a .194 average (6-for-31) last week and hasn't hit a home run in his last nine games.
WHERE ARE THE RUNS?: After scoring 21 runs over a three-game span, the Cubs' offense entered into a four-game drought in which it scored just one run in each game -- all losses. The dry spell began April 21 in a 6-1 loss to Nashville and continued throughout a four-game sweep by the Sounds. Once the Cubs left Nashville, though, the bats heated up again, as they scored seven runs in a victory over Memphis on Thursday. Disregarding the Nashville series, the Cubs entered Saturday having scored at least three runs in 14 consecutive games, and they managed at least four runs in 12 of those contests.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "He had a huge night for us and I'm glad for him because he's a good guy. He puts in his work every day and you like to see them rewarded by having good nights." - Manager Buddy Bailey, to the Des Moines Register, on RHP Angel Guzman's performance in a four-inning start in Thursday's win over Memphis.
Las Vegas 51s (Los Angeles Dodgers)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: 2B Tony Abreu continued his hot hitting to begin the season, batting .391 (9-for-23) with six runs scored and three RBIs in his last five games. ... OF Matt Kemp collected four hits in 11 at-bats, including two home runs, over three rehab games. ... OF Mitch Jones had a .229 average (8-for-35) in his last 10 games, though he had driven in seven runs in that span.
ERROR-FILLED: With a .977 fielding percentage entering Saturday, the 51s ranked ninth in the league in defense. They suffered through a particularly bad week in the field, though, as errors directly led to two losses during a three-game sweep at the hands of Sacramento. On Monday, Abreu mishandled a ground ball with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing the River Cats to score the winning run from second base in a 4-3 triumph. The following night, SS Sergio Garcia committed an eighth-inning throwing error that resulted in the tying runs scoring, and Sacramento went on to win 6-5.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I'm not mad that I'm here. Everybody wants to be in the big leagues." - Kemp, to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, after learning he had been optioned to Las Vegas following his rehab assignment.
Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Ryan Ludwick batted .447 (17-for-38) with five home runs and 17 RBIs over his last 10 games. ... OF Rick Ankiel had seven hits in 15 at-bats (.467) with two homers and six RBIs in his last five games. ... SS Brendan Ryan batted .143 (5-for-35) over his last six games, though he scored six runs in that stretch.
GOING THE DISTANCE: LHP Chris Narveson tossed the first complete game by a Memphis pitcher this season, allowing a run on five hits in the Redbirds' 7-1 victory over Omaha on Monday. Narveson had a 2-1 record and 3.67 ERA after his first four starts this season, but six of the 11 earned runs he has given up came in one outing, against New Orleans on April 18. Narveson, 25, has worked at least six innings in three of his four starts, and has also allowed two earned runs or less in three of four outings.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "That just shows what kind of team we have. This team, we don't quit." - IF Rico Washington, to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, on the Redbirds' rally from a 7-0 deficit to defeat Omaha on Tuesday.
Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: RHP Yovani Gallardo has 14 strikeouts in 12 innings over his last two starts, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in that span. ... RHP Chris Oxspring also won each of his last two starts, posting a 0.75 ERA and striking out 12 in 12 innings. ... OF Drew Anderson has a .216 average (8 for 37) with two runs scored in his last nine games.
STREAKING SOUNDS: The Sounds stretched their winning streak to seven games before finally suffering a loss Thursday at Omaha. Nashville's pitching staff laid the foundation for the streak, as it allowed just one run in five of the seven games. Starting pitchers Oxspring and Gallardo earned two victories apiece in the stretch. Meanwhile, the offense scored at least five runs on four separate occasions in support of the pitching staff. Overall, the Sounds outscored their opponents (Oklahoma and Iowa) 37-11 over the seven-game span.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The hit was probably more eventful than the actual game." - RHP R.A. Dickey, to the Tennessean, on getting an RBI single in last Saturday's victory over Iowa.
New Orleans Zephyrs (New York Mets)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: 2B Ruben Gotay had 10 hits in 21 at-bats (.476) over his last five games, driving in eight runs. He also had a .375 average (15-for-40) in his last 10 contests. ... LHP Willie Collazo has not given up an earned run in his last five appearances, totaling 4 2/3 innings. .... OF Carlos Gomez was batting .150 (6-for-40) over his last 10 games.
BIG DAY FOR LEDEE: Veteran OF Ricky Ledee led the Zephyrs' considerable offensive punch in a 17-8 victory over Albuquerque on Tuesday, hitting a grand slam and driving in seven runs. Ledee went 4-for-5 in the game, hitting three singles -- including an RBI hit in the fifth and a two-run single in the sixth -- before his seventh-inning slam. The 33-year-old enjoyed the largest single-game RBI output since Jason Lane's seven RBIs in 2002.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "We're not guaranteeing nothing with nobody." - Mets general manager Omar Minaya, to the Newark Star-Ledger, on whether a pitcher would be recalled from the Zephyrs to replace struggling fifth starter Mike Pelfrey.
Oklahoma RedHawks (Texas Rangers)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Marlon Byrd batted .378 (14 for 37) with five runs scored and three RBIs over a 10-game span. ... OF Victor Diaz collected 10 hits in 21 at-bats (.476), hitting two home runs and driving in 12 runs over his last five games. ... SS Desi Relaford batted .182 (6 for 33) over his last nine games, though he scored six runs and had six RBIs in that stretch.
HOT BAT: Diaz entered Saturday with a six-game hitting streak, as well as a five-game streak of multiple-hit games, after pounding out two more hits on Friday against New Orleans. The 25-year-old Dominican Republic native raised his average to .366, and 15 of his league-leading 26 RBIs have come during that stretch. In all, Diaz has 10 multiple-hit games on the season, including two games with at least three hits.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "People obviously are calling it a slump because it's not very typical of me, but I haven't had many frustrating moments." - DH Jason Botts, to the Oklahoman, on his slow start at the plate this season.
Omaha Royals (Kansas City Royals)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Shane Costa hit .436 (17-for-39) and scored nine runs in his last 10 games. ... SS Mike Aviles has eight hits in his last 17 at-bats (.471), with three runs and three RBIs, over his last five games. ... RHP Dewon Brazelton allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in five innings of a 12-7 loss to Memphis on Monday.
ONE PITCHER FOR ANOTHER: The Royals released Brazelton on Thursday, cutting ties with the former top prospect after he compiled an 0-4 record and 7.11 ERA in his four starts with Omaha. To take Brazelton's place, the Royals promoted RHP Billy Buckner from Double-A Wichita. Buckner, 23, was 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA in four appearances, including three starts, for the Wranglers. He is expected to pitch out of the bullpen with Omaha.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It's different if the guy is throwing 95, like he did when he was younger. You want to see if a guy is improving, or if he's come up with a different pitch. If we saw some light at the end of the tunnel it would be a different story." - Pitching coach Tom Burgmeier, to the Omaha World-Herald, on Brazelton's release.
Portland Beavers (San Diego Padres)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF/DH Jack Cust continued his hot power hitting, slugging two home runs in his last four games to increase his league-leading total to eight. He also has five hits in 11 at-bats (.455) in that span. ... 1B Vince Sinisi collected 10 hits in 22 at-bats (.409) over his last five games. ... RHP Mike Thompson gave up six runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings against Tucson on Friday. He has a 27.00 ERA after two appearances with the Beavers.
STEADILY RISING: After collecting three hits in 12 at-bats to begin the season, 2B Craig Stansberry has slowly raised his average. He went 4-for-5 with three doubles on Friday against Tucson, bringing it up to .402, second-highest in the league. Stansberry, 25, has eight multiple-hit games in his last 13 contests, and had two four-hit games in his last three. Stansberry's 33 hits and 11 doubles also led the league entering Saturday.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I'm definitely in a zone and I don't want to get out of it." - Cust, to the Vancouver (Wash.) Columbian, on his recent home run tear
Round Rock Express (Houston Astros)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Hunter Pence batted .381 (8-for-21) over his last five games, scoring five runs and driving in four before being called up to Houston. ... LHP Philip Barzilla allowed one earned run on four hits over six innings, earning the victory ... 2B Brooks Conrad had seven hits in 40 at-bats (.175) over his last 10 games, though two of those hits were home runs.
HEADED TO THE BIGS: Pence's hot streak, combined with the struggling offense at the Major-League level, led to the Astros promoting the top prospect after Friday's loss to Milwaukee. Pence, who was expected to start in center field for the Astros on Saturday, batted .341 in 22 games for the Express, slugging three home runs and driving in 19 runs. He also thrived tight situations, batting .423 with runners in scoring position and collecting five hits in seven at-bats (.714) with runners in scoring position and two outs.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It was our turn." - Manager Jackie Moore, to the Austin American-Statesman, after the Express broke a five-game skid and an offensive slump in a 14-7 victory over Oklahoma on Tuesday.
Sacramento River Cats (Oakland Athletics)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: C Kurt Suzuki hit .303 (10-for-33) and scored six runs over a 10-game stretch. ... RHP Connor Robertson has not been scored upon in four innings of relief, earning a victory in a span of four appearances. ... 1B Daric Barton batted .175 (7-for-40) over his last 10 games, and in his last five had just two hits in 20 at-bats (.100).
ONE RUN OF SEPARATION: Three of the River Cats' five games this week were decided by one run, two of which were victories. Their one-run luck finally ran out on Thursday, as their 6-5 loss at Salt Lake on Thursday was just their second one-run defeat of the season. The River Cats entered Saturday with a 6-2 record in one-run games, the best winning percentage of any PCL team. RHP Marcus McBeth, the team's closer, played a large factor in Sacramento's success in close shaves -- three of his five saves on the season preserved one-run victories. McBeth was traded to Cincinnati on Saturday.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I just wanted to re-prove myself. I guess it's working so far, huh?" -- LHP Dallas Braden, to the Sacramento Bee, on being promoted to the A's after missing most of last season following shoulder surgery.
Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: C Jeff Mathis had a .412 average (14-for-34) in a 10-game span, driving in five runs and scoring eight. ... RHP Henry Bonilla won each of his last two starts, giving up one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings and earning the victory in his last outing Sunday against Tacoma. ... OF Nick Gorneault hit .194 (6-for-31) over his last nine games.
MILESTONE WIN: The Bees celebrated the franchise's 1,000th career victory with a 7-5 decision over Sacramento on Friday. The team is in its 14th season of existence, having begun play in the 1994 season. According to the team, it ranks first in victories by a PCL team that has stayed in the same city during that 14-season span, more than 100 wins ahead of second-place Las Vegas. The Bees have finished better than .500 in 12 of their 14 completed seasons.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "He actually surprised me. ... I didn't realize what a good athlete he was, a big guy who can run. He blows me away." - Manager Brian Harper, to the Salt Lake Tribune, on the prowess of OF Terry Evans.
Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: OF Wladimir Balentien boasted a .421 average (16-for-38) with three home runs and 10 RBIs over his last 10 games. Two of those home runs and six of those RBIs came in Balentien's last five games. ... SS Mike Morse collected nine hits in 19 at-bats, good for a .474 average, and four RBIs in his last five games. ... LHP Jake Woods has a 12.00 ERA after his first two appearances for the Rainiers, including a start Thursday against Las Vegas in which he allowed seven earned runs in five innings.
NECESSARY OFFENSE: The Rainiers' offense broke out on Tuesday against Salt Lake, scoring 12 runs on 19 hits. The outburst broke their four-game losing streak, but just barely, as they held on for a 12-11 victory over the Bees. In a back-and-forth game, Tacoma took leads of 6-2 and 12-8 only to see Salt Lake surge both times. In the bottom of the ninth, the Bees scored three runs and stranded the winning run on first base. Balentien hit two home runs in the game, while C Rob Johnson and 2B Gookie Dawkins had three hits apiece.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Every pitch looks delicious to him right now." - OF Adam Jones, to the Tacoma News Tribune, on Balentien, who extended his hitting streak to 17 games in Tuesday's win.
Tucson Sidewinders (Arizona Diamondbacks)
WHO'S HOT/NOT: C Mark Johnson has eight hits in 19 at-bats (.421) over a six-game stretch. ... OF Rich Thompson batted .375 (6-for-16) with three runs scored in his last four games. ... RHP Casey Daigle has given up at least one run in four of his last five appearances, including one start. He has a 9.00 ERA after nine games this season.
STILL SLUGGING: 3B Jamie D'Antona went 3-for-4 Friday against Portland, boosting his PCL-leading season average to .443 in what is shaping up to be a remarkable season. When the 24-year-old native of Greenwich, Conn., went 0-for-3 on Thursday, his average dropped to .424 -- the lowest it has been at any point this season. D'Antona started the year batting .750 after four multiple-hit games, and Friday's game was his fifth with at least three hits.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "It was obviously shorter than I would have liked, but it was definitely encouraging." - RHP Mike Schultz, to the Arizona Daily Star, on pitching one inning for the Diamondbacks in his Major League debut before being sent back to the Sidewinders.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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