TRAVELERS NOTES
1B Casey Kotchman had a huge part in the Travelers 10-5 win over Wichita on April 19th, going 3-for-3 with one run, two doubles, a homerun and four RBI. C Jeff Mathis added a homerun and 2B Rudy Gomez chipped in with two doubles. In relief, pitchers Mark O'Sullivan and Jon Rouwenhorst combined for three innings of work, giving up one hit, no runs and striking out four...On April 20th, RF Nick Gorneault blasted a ninth inning, 430-foot homerun to deep center field. But, that's all the Travs had in a comeback effort that fell one run short in a 3-2 loss to Wichita. The loss spoiled P Tim Bittner's impressive performance of six innings, three hits and eight strikeouts...Anyone who came near Ray Winder Field on Wednesday April 21st, saw half the field practically underwater. A picture in Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette showed three Trav's interns up to their neck in water from a flooded drainage area just outside the ballpark. The rain fell so hard and so fast that day that the drains backed up into the park. That's when park superintendent Greg Johnston got to work. He knew if they could unclog the main drainage area, then his other drains would pump the water off the field. So, the grounds crew jumped into the flooded drainage pit and began digging a 10-foot ditch to divert the water to a sewer on the edge of I-630...After a day's rest because of rain, 1B Casey Kotchman continued to pound the ball, going 4-for-5 with a homerun and an RBI to lead the Travelers to a 7-3 victory over Tulsa on April 22nd. With the scored tied 3-3, Kotchman's at-bat continued after Driller's C Dan Conway dropped a popup in foul territory. One pitch later, Kotchman hit his mammoth homerun, which landed on Interstate 630 and led to a three-run inning for the Travs. As of Thursday the 22nd, he was 11-for-16 with two homeruns during the homestand. Kotchman has averaged only 52 games over his first three pro seasons, now healthy, he is on a tear. The Travs had 18 hits in the game, with 3B Dallas McPherson (4-for-4, double, triple, and just a homerun shy of the cycle) and LF Jason Aspito ( 3-for-4, double and triple) and six other starters getting at least one hit. P Mark O'Sullivan pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings in relief to pick up the victory...Arkansas defeated Tulsa by an incredible 20-2 score on April 23rd. The Trav's recorded Texas League highs with 20 runs, 21 hits, including three home runs and had a nine-run third inning. Some outstanding Trav's hitters included CF Tommy Murphy (4-for-5, three runs, one double, five RBI), 1B Casey Kotchman (1-for-4, two runs, one homerun, two RBI), 3B Dallas McPherson (4-for-5, two runs, three RBI), RF Nick Gorneault (2-for-5, three runs, one homerun, two RBI), and LF Jason Aspito (2-for-2, four runs, one homerun, one RBI). P Jake Woods had a quality start for Arkansas tossing six innings, allowing one run on eight hits and walking none to earn his third win of the year. Fan's who saw Aspito's homerun claimed that it cleared both the 55-foot right field wall and the top of the light tower which is another 35-feet above the fence...The Trav's dropped both games 7-4 and 5-4 of a doubleheader to Tulsa on April 25th to drop into a first place tie with the Drillers. CF Nick Gorneault was incredible in both games as he had two homeruns, and five RBI in the losing efforts. 1B Casey Kotchman went hitless in both games to end his eight game hitting streak.
On April 19th, P Casey Fossum pitched 1.1 innings in a rehab start, giving up one hit, one run and three walks. P Lance Cormier followed with a solid effort, tossing 6.2 innings, giving up two earned runs, one walk and striking out eight. However, the bullpen couldn't hold on to the lead and the Diablos dropped the game 5-4...Eighteen-year-old P Adriano Rosario and his 97-mph fastball ended Round Rock's 10-game winning streak on April 20th with a 5-2 victory. The pitcher, two months away from his 19th birthday, tossed 7.1 innings, allowing five hits, two runs and one walk, while striking out eight batters, to earn his first win of the season. LF Noochie Varner (3-for-4, one run, two RBI and a homerun) and 2B Danny Richar (1-for-3, double and two RBI) provided the offense for the Diablos. Coincidentally, El Paso snapped Round Rock's only other 10-game winning streak, beating the Express 5-3 on April 19th, 2001...SS Sergio Santos had a three-hit, three-RBI performance against Round Rock on April 21st, but it wasn't enough as El Paso dropped the final game of the series to the Express 7-6. Santos also wrote his name into Dell Diamond history. Santos crushed a 2-0 pitch into the upper deck of the new "Home Run Porch" to bring the Diablos to within a run at 7-6. The blast was Sergio's second of the year and also marked the first-ever homerun into the new structure, built above the home clubhouse as part of stadium upgrades completed during the offseason...On April 23rd, former big-leaguer Casey Fossum, made his second and last rehab appearance for the Diablos, pitching three almost-perfect innings to start the game at San Antonio. P Matt Henrie then finished up in El Paso's 4-0 shutout of the Missions to earn his second win of the year. The two combined to allow just five hits, no runs, no walks and eight strikeouts. It was the first time this season the Missions were shut out. RF Josh Kroeger led off the fourth inning with a solo homerun to give the pitching duo all the scoring they would need...In one of the best pitching duels of the season El Paso lost 3-1 after a late inning rally by the Missions on April 25th. Young phenom Adriano Rosario out-pitched the Mission's Rafael Soriano, who was making a rehab start for the Seattle Mariners. In seven innings of work Rosario gave up two hits, allowed no runs, and struck out 12 Mission's batters. He has allowed just seven hits and two earned runs in his past two starts. The bullpen could not get the job done, however, giving up three runs in the eighth inning... Noochie Varner has been exceptional as of late, hitting .412, with a homerun and nine RBI. He has hit safely in seven of his last eight games.
P Edwin Moreno had a very impressive start for the RoughRiders on April 19th, tossing seven innings, giving up one run, striking out four, while surrendering no walks in the no-decision. Reliever Frank Francisco pitched 1.1 innings and struck five batters in the 4-2 loss to Tulsa...On April 20th Frisco found themselves down 5-0 early on against Tulsa after starting pitcher Sam Narron gave up five unearned runs, the result of three errors. But, the RoughRiders stormed back scoring three runs in the fifth and four runs in the seventh to win 7-5. C Josh McKinley hit a three-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning and LF Patrick Boyd went 2-for-4 with a two-run triple in the fourth. P Steven Rowe earned his first win of the year, pitching 2.1 innings allowing no hits and no runs and P Billy Sylvester earned his first save of the year tossing two shutou innings...Former major-league All-Star Brian Jordan made his Texas Rangers organization debut on April 20th going 0-3 with two strikeouts. Jordan was in Frisco to rehabilitate a lingering knee injury...1B Jason Botts hit his second home run of the year in a 5-2 loss to Tulsa on April 21st...On April 22nd, RF Will Smith went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI and P Gary Hogan pitched three innings of relief allowing no runs on one hit in their team's 7-4 loss to Wichita...Frisco and Wichita played to a rare 3-3 tie game on April 23rd, when rain washed away the rest of the game with Wichita at bat in the top of the sixth...On April 24th back-to-back homeruns from 1B Jason Botts and LF Will Smith weren't enough as the RoughRiders lost to the Wranglers 10-5...Frisco and Wichita split a doubleheader on April 25th, with the RoughRiders taking the first game 5-4 and losing the second 4-1. The victory, in game one gave the Riders their first win by a starter - and second overall - in the eight game series. P Sam Narron won both those games. In the 5-4 win, RF Will Smith and C Josh McKinley both had a homerun and two RBI... Will Smith has been on a tear through April 25th, hitting .375 with a .708 slugging percentage while hitting safely in eight consecutive at-bats. He completed the recent homestand with two homeruns, a double, and a triple...Brian Jordan finished his rehab stint with Frisco on a high note with a solid base hit in the second game on Sunday. He reported no knee pain after the game. In four games, Jordan hit .143 with two hits and four strikeouts.
Though he got no decision for his efforts, P Shane Komine had a solid outing against San Antonio on April 19th, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up six hits and just one earned run. The bullpen couldn't hold the lead, however, surrendering four runs in the eighth inning as the RockHounds lost 5-2...The RockHounds seven game losing streak came to an end on April 20th with a 6-2 win over San Antonio. P Brad Weis earned the win after pitching 5.2 innings, giving up four hits, no earned runs and recording five strikeouts. Weiss held the Missions hitless until the fifth inning. 3B Mark Teahan (2-for-3, double, and four RBI) provided the offensive punch in the win, as he belted a two-run double in the fourth inning to help Midland score four runs in the inning. The relief work by pitchers Marcus Gwyn and Chris Mabeus was lights out, as they didn't allow the Missions a single base runner in the final three innings...On April 22nd, in a 10-7 victory over Round Rock, Midland put up nine runs in the fourth inning, with six different hitters driving home at least a run with seven different players crossing the plate in the inning. In the inning, 3B Mark Teahan and DH Jason Perry had two RBI apiece. SS Mark Kiger had three RBI in the game...On April 23rd, C Jeremy Brown (3-for-5, two doubles) and 3B Mark Teahen (1-for-2, homerun, RBI) led the RockHounds to a 3-2 victory over Round Rock. The most important play of the game, however, didn't come from the plate but in the field. CF Jon Weber robbed Round Rock's 2B Brooks Conrad of what might have been a momentum changing three-run homerun in the sixth inning. Teahen then hit his homerun in the eighth to tie the game. Then, in the ninth inning, pinch-runner John McCurdy scored on a double by 2B Freddy Bynum for the go ahead run...P Shane Komine, who had shoulder surgery two years ago, didn't allow a hit through 4.1 innings of work in his April 24th start against Round Rock. He finished with six innings under his belt, surrendering two hits and one run. Unfortunately, for the second time in two starts this week, the bullpen couldn't hold the lead, as the RockHounds lost 5-4...In a 6-4 loss to Round Rock on April 25th CF Freddie Bynum had two RBI and 2B John McCurdy had a homerun and two RBI.
On April 19th, 1B Todd Self's single capped a two-run rally in the ninth that gave the Express a 5-4 win over El Paso and extended their winning streak to 10 games tying a 3-year old franchise record. The ninth inning comeback began when LF Mike Rodriguez hit a solo homerun off of reliever Doug Slaten to tie the game at 4-4. CF Willy Taveras reached base on a bunt single, then promptly stole second for his third stolen base of the night. Self, last week's Texas League Player of the Week, then ripped a line drive single to win the game. Reliever Jesse Carlson (2-0) picked up the win with three innings of shutout work...The Diablos ended the streak the next nightbeating the Express 5-2. The 10-game streak was the longest in the Texas League since San Antonio won 18 in a row last season...P Jesse Carlson made the most of his 1.2 innings of relief work in the 7-6 Express win on April 21st. The left-hander wiggled out of a bases-loaded, no out, jam in the sixth inning after P Greg Powell had loaded the bases. In the win on the 21st, CF Willy Taveras was, again, strong on offense as he went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI, while 1B Todd Self continued to roll, going 2-for-3, with walk, RBI and home run...In their teams 10-7 loss on April 22nd, CF Mike Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with three runs and a double and 1B Todd Self had two sacrifice flies and four RBI...Outfielder Anthony Acevedo, a 2003 midseason Texas League All-Star, arrived in Round Rock from extended spring training prior to the April 22nd game. He suited up for the next day, taking a vacant spot on the 24-man roster created when reliever Miguel Saladin was transferred to Triple-A New Orleans on April 20th...Through April 23rd, P DJ Houlton hadn't allowed an earned run in 18 innings over his last three starts, dating back to the third inning of an April 13 win against El Paso. His 0.86 ERA was one of the best in the league. Also, as of April 23rd, the Express had been successful on 24 of 28 stolen base attempts, best in the Texas League this season...Down 4-1 to Midland in the seventh inning on April 24th, the Express charged back and scored three runs in the seventh and then took a 5-4 lead in the next inning on 2B Brooks Conrad's first homer of the season. The bullpen hung on to the narrow lead, as Santiago Ramirez picked up the save...P Ezequiel Astacio was dominant on April 25th, leading the Express to a 6-4 win over the RockHounds. Astacio, who was acquired by Houston as part of the winter trade that shipped Billy Wagner to Philadelphia, tossed six innings, allowing only three hits, no runs while striking out seven. Astacio has allowed just four walks in 24 innings, while he has struck out 24. In the win, C Dax Norris provided the offensive punch going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
3B Greg Dobbs phenomial at bat sparked a four-run rally in the eighth inning of San Antonio's April 19th's game against Midland, which led to a 5-2 victory. Dobbs' at bat, lasted 11-pitches as he fouled off a number of two-strike pitches, finally connecting for a base hit. P Troy Cate started for the Missions and tossed six innings surrendering only two runs, while P Jared Hoerman picked up his fourth save of the year. Oddly, hot hitting LF Greg Jacobs, who went 2-for-4 with a run in the game lowered his average from .600 to .579...On April 20th, CF Dustin Delucchi beat out an infield hit in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games...On April 21st, the Missions ended their four game series with Midland by defeating the RockHounds 8-1. P Gustavo Martinez picked up his first victory of the season for the Missions by giving up only four hits and striking out four in seven innings. The Missions went up 3-0 in the first inning, pounding former major league pitcher Mike Oquist. A two-run homerun by John Lindsey was the big hit of the inning...The Mission's defense led them to a 4-2 victory over El Paso on April 22nd, as San Antonio turned double plays in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings.Their pitching was outstanding, too. Starter Elvis Perez tossed five innings, allowing seven hits and just two runs. Relievers Rick Guttormson and Jared Hoerman combined to pitch the final four innings, allowing just two hits and no runs. Hoerman picked up his fifth save of the season and moved to 11th on the all time save list with 40. Bert Snow of Midland currently holds the record with 61. At the plate, LF Greg Jacobs led the way for the Missions going 3-for-4 with a run raising his batting average to .548...The Missions defeated El Paso 3-2 on April 24th, with Gregg Dobbs and Dustin Delucchi both hitting their first home runs of the season. Delucchi also had a clutch single in the seventh inning which brought in the winning run of the game. P Troy Cate got the win with six innings of work, allowing five hits, one run, one walk, while striking out four. P Jared Hoerman picked up another save, his sixth of the season...Rafael Soriano started the game for the Missions on April 25th on an injury rehab assignment. He tossed six innings, giving up three hits and one run while striking out eight. Though he left the game down 1-0, the Missions rallied and won the game 3-1. Soriano was 3-0 in 40 appearances for the Mariners last season. He strained an oblique muscle this spring and was sent to San Antonio to help regain his strength before returning to Seattle.
Manager Tom Runnell's aggressive base running philosophy paid off as the Drillers' rallied for a run in the eighth and two in the 10th inning to edge Frisco 4-2 on April 19th. Stolen bases set up all three late inning runs. P Zach McClellan matched Frisco's P Edwin Moreno, with a strong start of his own, pitching six innings, giving up three hits, no walks, one run and amassing five strikeouts. At the plate, DH Juan Pineilla recorded a double and a triple, while knocking in a run and 1B Ryan Shealy went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI...Pineilla was impressive in the 7-5 loss to Frisco on April 20th, as he went 2-for-4 with a double, homerun and RBI...3B Corey Slavik hit a key two-run triple in the seventh inning against Frisco to lead the Drillers to 5-2 win on April 21st. Slavik had only four RBI going into the game. P Ryan Speier, earned his third save of the series and sixth of the season...On April 22nd, DH Mike Rosamond was 2-for-4, with a homerun, double, run and RBI in the 7-3 loss to Arkansas... The Drillers won both games of a doubleheader against Arkansas on April 25th. In the first game, a 7-4 victory, the big blow was a three-run homerun by LF Mike Rosamond which made the score 5-0 in the second inning. RF Shawn Garrett was also impressive, going 3-for-4, with three runs, a triple and homerun. In the second game, a 5-4 victory, DH Willie Morales hit his first homer of the year, a three-run shot in the sixth inning immediately after Arkansas had taken a 4-2 lead with a pair of home runs. The teams combined to hit nine homeruns in the two games. P Ryan Speier finsihed both games picking up his seventh and eighth saves of the season. P Jeff Francis earned his third win of the season in the second game, tossing five innings while surrendering two hits, four runs, two homeruns, three walks, and striking out six...1B Ryan Shealy has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games with four doubles and six RBI during that stretch.
DH Brandon Berger hit his first homerun of the season on April 19th. He hit 40 for Wichita in 2001...1B Chad Santos hit the go-ahead homerun in the seventh inning in The Wrangler's 3-2 win over Arkansas. P Billy Keppinger killed a rally by the Trav's in the ninth earning his first save of the year...The Wranglers defeated Frisco 7-4 on April 22nd, thanks to a timely homerun by Mike Tonis. With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, Tonis hit his first homer of the season's a three run blast that lead to a six run inning for Wichita. P JJ Trujillo earned his first save of the season after pitching 1.1 innings of relief, surrendering no runs and getting out of a no out, bases loaded situation in the ninth inning. Trujillo hasn't given up a run in 8 2/3 innings this season. LF Dee Brown hit his fourth homerun of the season in the third inning. P Eric Thompson made his first start after joining the team out of extended spring training. He allowed one run, struck out three and walked none. He was on a pitch count and didn't figure in the decision...Wichita and Frisco played a rare tie game on April 23rd. With the score knotted 3-3 rain ended the contest with Wichita batting in the top of the sixth inning. The next night, April 24th, Wichita defeated Frisco 10-5. LF Dee Brown led the offense going 2-for-3, stroking two homeruns and driving in five runs...On April 25th the Wranglers split a doubleheader with the RoughRiders, losing the first game 5-4, then winning the second game 4-1. On offense, 2B Ruben Gotay hit a bases loaded triple and Dee Brown, once again left his mark, hitting his fourth homer of the season in the win. P Ryan Baerlocher earned his first save of the season tossing two innings giving up one hit, no runs, and striking out three.
Alfredo Amezaga ('01) has 14 hits and seven runs in 17 games with Salt Lake...Robb Quinlan ('01) is batting .328 with 12 RBI for Salt Lake...Steve Andrade ('03) leads Salt Lake in saves. He had eight saves last season seven in 36 games with the Travs...Mike Brunet ('04) lost his first start after being promoted to Salt Lake from Arkansas, a 5-0 decision to Portland on April 24th. He gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings, while walking two batters and striking out five.
P Phil Stockman ('03) was touched for five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work on April 25th, but OF Luis Terrero's ('02) two home run, four RBI game helped the Tucson Sidewinders post an 8-7 come-from-behind victory...OF Jack Cust ('00) led Ottawa in four games through April 25th, batting .533 with four RBI and five walks...3B Brian Dallimore ('01) went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI in a losing effort for Fresno on April 25th.
Kurt Airoso ('03) is perhaps the only offensive threat for the Erie Seawolves at the moment.He has three home runs and 10 RBI through April 25th.
John Rheinecker ('03) pitched a strong game for Sacramento and got his first win of the year, giving up just two hits in his six shutout innings of work...C Robinson Cancel ('02)has driven in six runs through April 25th and hit two home runs for Montgomery...IF Caonabo Cosme ('01) was Columbus' most productive player in a four-game stretch ending April 25th. He batted a stellar .533 with eight hits and four RBI in 15 at-bats...Esteban German ('01) had three hits in Sacramento's win on April 25th.
Royce Huffman ('02) continues to swing a hot bat for New Orleans, hitting safely in 11 of his last 12 games, including his current six-game hitting streak through the 25th.
Clint Nageotte ('03) suffered his first loss of the season on April 25th for Tacoma. He lasted just two innings allowing four runs on one hit and seven walks. 3B Jose Lopez ('03), 1B A.J. Zapp ('03), and OF Elpidio Guzman ('03) each had a pair of hits in the loss, including a home run by Guzman. In Tacoma's 10-5 win on April 24th Guzman was 3-for-5 with a double and a triple. Starting pitcher Bobby Madritsch ('03) was roughed up for five runs on eight hits in that game, but the bullpen did the job with Randy Williams ('03) picking up his second win of the season...P Pat Ahearne ('97) is 2-0 with a 2.54 ERA for Toledo and has a team-high 22 strikeouts in 28.1 innings of work...Luke Allen ('00) was 4-for-11 over the weekend, April 23-25, with four runs scored, two homers, and two RBI raising his average to .328 for Nashville.
Through April 25th, three members of the 2003 Tulsa Drillers are off to a quick start for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Catcher J.D. Closser is hitting .417 with five doubles, outfielder Brad Hawpe has seven home runs and 18 RBI, while DH Andy Tracy has seven extra-base hits, 12 RBI and is hitting .396...Mark Little ('96) had three RBI in a Buffalo loss on April 24th...RHP Rob Bell ('02) continues to look sharp for Durham improving to 2-0 with a 6-1 victory on April 23rd...Ruben Mateo ('98) was just 1-for-9 over the weekend, however his lone hit was his sixth home run of the season for Nashville...OF Jason Conti ('98) had two hits in both games on April 23rd and 25th for Oklahoma.
A pair of former stand outs at Wichita are off to a rough start at Omaha. Byron Gettis ('03) a post-season all-star in 2003 is hitting just .200 in 14 games while Alexis Gomez ('02)is hitting a paltry .145 in 15 games...Ryan Bukvich ('02) who split last seson between Omaha and Kansas City, has allowed just one run in 8.1 innings over six apperances. He has no saves but is 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA...Jed Hansen ('01) went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and P Kris Wilson ('02) worked seven strong innings to lead Omaha to a 6-2 victory over Albuquerque on April 25th.
Rosario was born in San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic in May of
1985. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Diamondbacks in
June of 2002. This is his third year in minor league baseball.
Gorneault was born in Springfield Mass. in April of 1979. He was selected
by the Anaheim Angels in the 19th round of the 2001 draft. This is his
fourth season of minor league baseball.
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