Colorado Springs 3 @ Tucson 2
Chris Michalak had lost three of his last four starts coming into Tueday's
game, but in his lone win he pitched 6.1 innings, giving up eight hits, three
runs, while walking two and striking out two. Tuesday Michalak was right
on those numbers, again going 6.1 innings, again giving up three runs, but this
time the bats couldn't help him out and he dropped to 2-6 on the season.
Still, it was a major improvement over his last two outings, where he had given
up a combined 11 earned runs in 11 innings, with six home runs allowed.
Michalak did not allow a home run on Tuesday.
The problem was the Sidewinders couldn't string together any runs either.
After a horrific slump that saw right fielder Carlos Quentin get just one hit in
nine games he seems to be coming out of it. Quentin has hit in his last
three and Tuesday night quite literally provided all the offense, going 2-4 with
a solo home run and both RBI for the Sidewinders.
Scott Hairston was once again patrolling center field in Tucson, and extended
his hitting streak to nine games with a 1-3 day. Hairston also stole his
third base of the season and is hitting .424 when he plays center.
Birmingham 14 @ Tennessee 3/ Birmingham 6 @ Tennessee 5
After completing a game halted by rain on Monday the Smokies dropped game two
of their double header as well. Enrique Gonzalez had his worst start of
the year, allowing six earned in four innings, and a late game rally came up
just a run short of evening the score.
Gonzalez hadn't given up a home run in his last six starts coming in, but one
of the eight hits he allowed would leave the ballpark, and despite striking out
seven (tied for his second most in a game this season) and walking only one he
wouldn't come out for the fifth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth the Smokies collected two walks and five hits to
draw within one run but with Jarred Ball on second base Colorado Springs made
their second pitching change of the inning after which Matt Morgan would strike
out swinging to end the inning.
The Smokies sent 35 men to the plate on Tuesday and ended the game without
even one extra base hit. However four different players, including Ball,
Jesus Cota, Dan Uggla, and Jerry Gil collected two hits on the night.
It took Cota exactly four games to get his timing back. After being
held out of the starting lineup for nearly a week with a strained muscle Cota
was just 2-16 in his first four games back in the starting lineup. In the
four since then he's gone 6-15 with three runs scored.
Lancaster 6 @ Bakersfield 5
It took six different pitchers for the JetHawks to finish off the Bakersfield
Blaze Tuesday and Chris Carter hit his 14th homer of the season, but there was a
buzz at the former Hangar on Tuesday, and it Drew people's attention.
Just days after he signed at the last minute, Stephen Drew finally made his
debut in Lancaster and while it seemed almost impossible for the young shortstop
to live up to the expectations his long holdout, and sudden signing, have
hoisted on him, he did his best to show he was worth the wait.
Drew was 2-3 with two singles, two runs scored, two walks, and a strikeout
hitting clean up for the JetHawks, but it was the same old story, as Miguel Montero's ninth inning sacrifice fly brought home Brandon Simon with the lead
run in the JetHawks win.
Chad Scarberry got the start, striking out seven and walking four in 5.1
innings of two run baseball, but perhaps the man getting the hardest workout
Tuesday was the bullpen catcher. After Scarberry Ryan Coffin came on to
finish the sixth, giving up one run on two hits. Jesus Silva got the next
five outs, but in the process allowed two hits and a walk to plate another run
for Bakersfield. Reuben Kerbs came on and walked the only hitter he would
face and then Billy Biggs allowed that run to score on a hit before recording
the final out of the eighth. After the Montero sac fly Dustin Glant
finally nailed the door shut giving up just one hit in the ninth to earn his
13th save of the season.
Cedar Rapids 11 @ South Bend 8 in 11 innings
The Silverhawk bullpen has been one of the strengths of the team this year,
but Tuesday it proved to be their undoing as Steven Jackson pitched well enough
to win, but seven Cedar Rapids players would cross the plate after Jackson's
departure on their way to the 11 inning win.
Jackson went 6.0 innings, giving up nine hits and two homers, but just four
earned runs. Jackson has at times been impressive, but opponents are
hitting .300 off him on the year.
Josh Perrault, normally stellar, gave up only two hits and one walk in his
1.2 innings pitched, but the problem was that both hits were home runs. On
the season Perrault had made 18 appearances without giving up a long ball, and
had walked only one batter in his last 12 outings.
Adam Howard, who hadn't allowed a run out of the bullpen in his last nine
appearances, gave up four hits including a two run homer in the 11th to take his
second loss of the season.
Two costly Silverhawk errors allowed runs to score, and one came off the
glove of Javier Brito. Coming into the game Brito was hitting .326, and
it's obvious manager Mark Haley would like to keep his bat in the lineup, but
since the return of Cesar Nicolas from the DL, Brito's natural position, first
base, is taken. Tuesday he would start in left, making one error, but his
bat certainly justified taking the chance. He was 2-4 with two doubles,
two walks, three RBI, and a run scored.
Every Silverhawk in the lineup reached base, and only shortstop Mark Reynolds
failed to record a hit, though he did draw two walks.