Tucson 2 @ Memphis 5
Josh Kroeger got the start in center field Tuesday and was the only
Sidewinder to record two hits on the day. Kroeger, who went through a
horrific 1-27 slump that saw his average drop to .206 as recently as May 11th
has bounced back in the last week, notching five hits in his last five games.
It's been a tough season for Kelly Stinnett. He came into spring
training thinking he'd be the Diamondback's backup backstop, but then found
himself cut after great springs by both Koyie Hill and Chris Snyder. He
went to the Mets organization and was cut again, only to be resigned by the
Diamondbacks and assigned to Triple-A Tucson. Tuesday didn't turn things
around, as Stinnett was 0-3 with two strikeouts. Since being resigned by
the Diamondbacks Stinnett has appeared in four games for Tucson, going 1-13 with
five Ks.
Conor Jackson's 0-3 day ended his hitting streak at 10 games.
Getting the start at second base, Andy Green was 1-4 on the day, hitting his
second home run in three games, his sixth on the season. Brian Barden
meanwhile manned the hot corner and hit his third home run of the season, the
two solo shots accounted for all of the Sidewinders scoring on the day.
Chattanooga 0 @ Tennessee 4
Enrique Gonzalez is flat out getting it done. The young right hander
was bidding for his third straight complete game shutout, but gave way to the
Smokies bullpen after 7.2 innings of shutout ball. Bill White came on to
get the final out of the eighth innings and Pete Sikaras pitched a perfect ninth
to preserve the shutout.
Gonzalez ran his streak of scoreless innings to 23.2, winning his third
straight start. During the steak Gonzalez has allowed only 11 hits, walked
just six and struck out 20 hitters. On the season Gonzalez has 46
strikeouts in 50.1 innings pitched.
Sikaras has a scoreless streak of his own, and while it spans only 7.2
innings, it also spans seven appearances.
Jarred Ball started in center field Tuesday and came to the plate three
times, walking once, getting hit by a pitch, and cracking a ball down the right
field line that would result in the Smokies first inside the park home run of
the season. Ball has tallied a hit in his last five straight games, and
nine of his last 11.
Lancaster 5 @ Rancho Cucamonga 2
Not a single JetHawk hitter recorded more than one hit, but three of the
seven hits Lancaster had on the day left the ballpark as the JetHawks rode right
hander Sam Smith's best start of the season to the win.
Smith went 5.1 innings of shutout ball giving up six hits, walking only one,
and striking out six. Smith moved to 3-5 on the season, and has earned a
decision in every start he's made in 2005. It was only the second start
Smith has made where he has held the opponent without a home run.
Four other JetHawk pitchers came on to help Smith to the win including
Michael Watson, who made his debut in Lancaster by pitching 1.2 innings, giving
up one earned run on a walk and a hit. Watson struck out three of the
seven hitters he faced.
Closer Dustin Glant gave up five runs in just one-third of an inning on
Monday, but came back for a 1-2-3 ninth Tuesday to record his ninth save of the
season.
Five of the JetHawks seven hits went for extra bases. Right fielder
Jeff Cook hit his fourth, DH Chris Carter his seventh, and third baseman Edgar Varela hit his first of the season, while catcher Miguel Montero extended his
hitting streak to 12 games with his 11th double and first baseman Jay Garthwaite
doubled and drove in his 15th run of the season.
South Bend 9 @ Southwest Michigan 3
Starter Steven Jackson gave up his first home run in his last five starts,
but it wasn't nearly enough as the Silverhawks broke out the bats once again
against Southwest Michigan. Jackson allowed three runs on five hits in
seven innings to pick up his third win of the season (3-2).
Allen Mottram started behind the plate for the third straight game and came
up big again, hitting his second home run in as many days. Mottram has
five hits, six runs scored and six RBI in his last two games and while he's
hitting a healthy .329 for the season the Silverhawks may want to leave him
behind the dish, especially when facing a southpaw. He's hitting .370 when
he's catching and an incredible .542 against left handed pitching.
Just another day for right fielder Carlos Gonzales, who went 2-5 with a run
scored. As an extra added bonus Gonzales also broke his streak of striking
out in seven straight games by making contact all five trips to the plate.
Esmerling Vasquez continued his solid work out of the Silverhawk bullpen.
He came on for Jackson in the eighth inning and gave up only one hit, and no
runs, in two innings to finish out the game. On the season opponents are
hitting just .188 off the 22 year old righty.