IL1 International League

International League News & Notes

Published on August 26, 2010 under International League (IL1) News Release


BUFFALO BISONS www.Bisons.com

UP AND ADAM!: As the Bisons continue to push to potential playoff position, INF Russ Adams has bolstered the Herd attack with some eye-popping numbers. So far in August, Adams is hitting .404 (19-47) with five doubles, a triple, six home runs, 17 RBI and 14 runs scored in just 15 games. All the extra-base hits have given Adams a .936 slugging percentage and a whopping 1.418 OPS. Among his great performances was a two-homer game on August 23 against Pawtucket. Traditionally an infielder, Adams has played significant time in the outfield to help out an injury-riddled Bisons team.

WOUNDED HERD: The Bisons now have nine players on their disabled list. The most recent is OF Fernando Martinez, who has missed this week with right knee soreness. Also on the team's DL is OF Jorge Padilla, who was struck in the face by a relay throw on a potential double play on August 19. RHP Tobi Stoner was put on the DL two weeks ago with a right shoulder strain and RHP Brian Bruney has been out since August 2 with the same injury. All told, the Bisons have lost 659-man/games due to injuries this season.

SOME LOVE FOR MIDDLE RELIEVERS: Middle relievers don't get much appreciation, especially when the League-leader in wins and strikeouts (RHP Dillon Gee, 13, 150) is on your staff. But LHP Mike O'Connor is having a dominating season for the Herd in 2010. In 45 relief outings, the southpaw is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA and three saves. He has 63 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 63 innings this year. Entering Thursday, O'Connor hasn't allowed a run in his last 15.0 innings of work (spanning eight games). During his most recent stretch, O'Connor has struck out 20 batters and allowed just 10 hits in 15.0 innings since August 6.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS www.CharlotteKnights.com

ROSTER MOVES: The Chicago White Sox have recalled Charlotte Knights right-hander Lucas Harrell from Charlotte and returned left-hander Erick Threets from his rehabilitation assignment at Charlotte and reinstated him from the 15-day disabled list.  Harrell, 25, is 10-10 with a 4.24 ERA (70 ER/137.2 IP) and 84 strikeouts in 26 starts with Charlotte in 2010.  Harrell was the winning pitcher in his major-league debut on July 30 vs. Oakland after being recalled from Charlotte prior to the game.  He allowed one run on four hits over 6.0 IP to become the first White Sox starting pitcher to win his major-league debut since Kip Wells on August 2, 1999 at Detroit.  Threets, 28, has been on the disabled list since August 3 (retroactive to July 31) with turf toe on his left great toe.  He made three relief appearances with Charlotte on a rehabilitation assignment, allowing one earned run in 4.0 IP.  Threets was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA (9.1 IP) in nine appearances with the White Sox after his contract was purchased from Charlotte on June 27.  RHP Kyle McCulloch was also added to the Knights roster and made his second start of the season last night.  McCulloch begins his third stint with the Knights this season and has gone 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA (22 ER/31.0 IP) in 21 games (one start) for Charlotte.

SOCOLOVICH OUT OF THE PEN: Knights RHP Miguel Socolovich pitched 1.0 scoreless inning last night and recorded one strikeout.  Socolovich has now pitched 9.0 consecutive scoreless innings and made five consecutive scoreless relief appearances. Over that span he has lowered his ERA from 5.68 to 3.27.

WALK THIS WAY: Knights C Tyler Flowers has walked six times in his last four games and had a season high three walks Tuesday night at Gwinnett.  He has 26 combined walks in July and August compared to 27 from April to June.

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS www.ClippersBaseball.com

IT'S WHERE YOU PLAY: Wes Hodges has been the biggest threat at the plate for opposing pitchers this season when he is in the field.  Hodges is hitting .310 (107-345) with 9 HR and 43 RBI in his 88 games at first base, as opposed to .144 (14-97) with 3 HR and 10 RBI in 24 games as the designated hitter.  Jordan Brown, on the other hand, is batting a paltry .188 (16-85) with 0 HR and 7 RBI when playing left field (his most played position).  At first base, in right field and as designated hitter, Brown is hitting a combined .347 (75-216) with 7 HR and 59 RBI.

 

STREAKING TO DOUBLE DIGITS: Jose Constanza has hit .475 (19-40) over a 10 game hitting streak, raising his average 20 points to .315, from a season low of .295.    The Clippers have had 10 streaks of at least 10 games this year (two by Constanza), led by Matt McBride's 14 gamer (7/31-8/19).

 

RIGHTING THE SHIP: Heading into play on 7/20, the Clipper bullpen had posted a 2.87 ERA (310 IP, 99 ER) in 94 games, going 20-11 with 48 performances of 0 ER (51%).  Over the next 28 games, the bullpen went 4-9 with an 8.45 ERA (98.0 IP, 92 ER), collectively putting together just six games of 0 ER in 28 chances (21%).  In the last six games they are 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA (18.1 IP, 3 ER) and four scoreless appearances.

DURHAM BULLS www.DurhamBulls.com

SUPER STREAK: Durham had a nine-game win streak snapped last night in a 6-2 home loss to Gwinnett.  The win streak was Durham's second of the season of at least nine games.  The Bulls won 11 games in a row from July 22nd-August 1st, tying the team's Triple-A record, set originally in 2004.

SEEKING ANOTHER RECORD: If Durham wins tonight, the team will set a new franchise Triple-A record with 84 victories.  The 1999 and 2009 clubs each won 83 games.  The franchise's overall mark for victories in a regular season is 89, set in 1962.  Durham needs to go 7-5 the rest of the way to surpass that mark.

DE LOS SANTOS DEALING: Richard De Los Santos won a 1-0 game on Tuesday against Norfolk, setting a Bulls record in the process.  De Los Santos, who leads the IL in wins with 14, and has won seven straight starts, set a Bulls Triple-A single season mark.  Mitch Talbot (2007 and 2008) and Dave Eiland (1998) had won 13 games apiece. 

ABOUT THE TITLE: Durham is 4-1 now since clinching a fourth straight division title for the first time ever.  Only one other International League team has won four straight division championships.  Scranton/WB is poised to win a fifth consecutive North Division title.  Durham now has won the South Division in all four years that Charlie Montoyo has been the Bulls manager.  As a Triple-A franchise, Durham is going to the playoffs for the 10th time in 13 years (nine division titles).  The 2001, 2005 and 2006 seasons are the three years the Bulls did not make it to the playoffs.

GWINNETT BRAVES www.GwinnettBraves.com

MAKING MOVES: In just the three days on this homestand so far, the G-Braves have made multiple moves. RHP Vladimir Nunez made it one less injured G-Brave when he was activated. On Monday, Atlanta Brave Troy Glaus was transferred to GWN on an ML rehab assignment (on DL with left knee inflammation). The team also placed SS Brandon Hicks on the disabled list with a fractured right index finger, and INF Dan Nelson was promoted from MISS (Double-A) to fill his roster spot. Yesterday, due to an injury to another MISS infielder, Nelson was reassigned back to Jackson not even 24 hours after joining GWN.

BATTING CROWN CHASE: DH/1B Barbaro Canizares went 2-for-3 yesterday, raising his batting average to .337 and maintaining his lead for the IL batting crown. Canizares' mark is also good for 3rd place in all of Triple-A, and he's been in the top 10 of the leaderboard since 7/23.

HOW SWEEP IT IS: The Gwinnett Braves swept the Charlotte Knights in their three-game set this week at home. It completed what was already quite a turn of fortunes in the recent season series between the two teams. The G-Braves are currently on a four game winning streak against the Knights on the heels of seven straight losses to the team from Fort Mill, SC - the most consecutive games Gwinnett has dropped against a single opponent in its history. The two teams alternated wins and losses in the opening four game series of the season, but Gwinnett has either won or lost three straight in each series since then against the Knights. The sweep was the G-Braves' second series sweep in August, fourth of the season and first in a three game series in 2010.

TWO FOR YOUNG: Gwinnett's Matt Young won his second International League's Batter of the Week Award -  this time for the week of August 16-22. He hit .360 over the seven days with 2 doubles, a HR, and 4 RBI. He also scored 4 runs and stole 7 bases. The versatile Young played three different positions (2B, LF, and CF) for the Braves and batted in both the first and second slots in the batting order, doing a little bit of everything for his team. He scored at least 1 run in five of the six games, and stole at least 1 base in four of the six contests, including collecting 2 stolen bases Friday night and 3 more on Saturday.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS www.IndyIndians.com

THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD: Since August 10, the Indianapolis Indians' starting rotation has dominated the opposition as Tribe starters have posted a 6-2 record and 3.07 ERA (30 ER in 88.0 IP) in 15 games, while striking out 70 batters in 88 innings of work. In three starts during that time period, RHP Jeremy Powell has posted a 2-0 record and miniscule 1.35 ERA (3 ER in 20.0 IP) with 16 strikeouts and just six walks over 20 innings of work. Powell's miniscule ERA is bested on the Tribe by only RHP Brad Lincoln, who before going on the Indianapolis disabled list, posted a 1-0 record and 0.75 ERA (1 ER in 12.0 IP) with 11 strikeouts and just three walks over his two starts. However, Lincoln and Powell are not alone in their brilliant work since August 10 as since that time RHP Charlie Morton has posted a 1-0 record and 1.50 ERA (2 ER in 12.0 IP) with 10 strikeouts and just one walk over two starts and RHP Mike Crotta has received a tough luck 0-1 record over three starts despite posting a

2.84 ERA (6 ER in 19.0 IP) and 15 strikeouts in 19 innings of work.

PRESLEY CONTINUES TO PRODUCE: With his two-run home run on August 25, Indians' OF Alex Presley extended his current hitting streak to eight games, during which time he is hitting .265 (9-for-34) with five runs, two home runs, five RBI and two stolen bases. Presley's current hitting streak is his second longest stretch of consecutive games with a hit since he joined the Tribe on June 25 and only ranks behind the outfielder's 13-game hitting streak from July 5-21, during which time the Triple-A rookie hit .460 (23-for-50) with 10 runs scored, four RBI and two steals. The left handed slugger continues to lead all Pittsburgh Pirates' Minor Leaguers in batting average (.324), hits (152) and runs (83), while his 78 RBI rank third behind High-A Bradenton's Quincy Latimore (91) and current Indianapolis teammate Brandon Moss (84). Presley's 152 hits, which include 23 doubles, 12 triples and 12 home runs, also continue to rank among the top 15 in all of Minor League Baseball.

BIG LEAGUE SUCCESS: Former Indianapolis Indians Jose Tabata and Neil Walker have continued to have success at the Major League level with Pittsburgh this season. As of August 24, Tabata had collected the second highest total of hits (53) in the National League since the All-Star break and was batting .351 (60-for-171) with the fourth-most hits (60) since July 4th. Walker also continues to come through in the clutch at the big league level as his .379 average with runners on base (as of August 24) ranked third among all Major League players (minimum 120 AB) behind only Texas' Josh Hamilton (.385) and San Francisco's Buster Posey (.381).

YOU DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY: With his steal of second base on August 24, Tribe C Erik Kratz swiped his first bag since he earned his seventh stolen base of the 2009 campaign on September 3 last season. Prior to earning his first steal of the 2010 season, Kratz was one of only five Indians' position players to not have recorded a steal in their time with the Tribe this season. Of the 24 total position players to have suited up for Indianapolis this season, only four players (three active) - C Jason Jaramillo, INF Akinori Iwamura, C Ryan Doumit and INF/OF John Bowker - haven't stolen at least one bag this season. As a team, the Indians have stolen 123 bases on the season, which gives them the fourth-highest total in the International League.

LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS www.IronPigsBaseball.com

FOR STARTERS: Last night, LHV got another quality start from a starting pitcher, RHP Brian Mazone (7 IP, ER) -- giving the Pigs five consecutive QS for the first time this season. The previous high was four set 6/27-30. During that time, starters are just 1-2 but do boast a 2.01 ERA (31.1 IP, 7 ER). In fact, in the last 8 G, LHV starters are a combined 3-2, 2.31 (50.2, 13 ER).

TY-ING THE KNOT: In the rain-shortened game Monday, RHP Ty Taubenheim (6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, BB, 5 SO) became the first LHV pitcher to record a complete game -- as well as a shutout -- in 2010. The last 'Pig to record a SHO was RHP Justin Lehr in a 7-inning game 5/5/09 vs. BUF (G1). The only 'Pig to ever toss a 9-inning SHO was LHP Les Walrond, 7/6/08 vs. LOU. In his last 3 GS, Taubenheim has now gone 2-0, 1.08 (16.2 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 15 SO) and the 'Pigs have won all three games. In his last 12 G overall (Double-A and Triple-A), Taubenheim is 5-2, 2.11 ERA (47 IP, 11 ER). He became the first Pig to win back-to-back starts in over a month, since RHP Brandon Duckworth (7/17; 7/22).

WHO'S HOT: INF Cody Ransom has hit in 11 of his last 12 G (13-43, .302-0-8, 5 2B)...... SS Brian Bocock has hit in 6 of his last 7 G (9-19, .474-0-3) and reached base safely in 18 of 20 G (16 H, 17 BB)...... C Paul Hoover has hit in 7 of his last 8 G (9-25, .360-0-3, 5 2B)...... Since returning from the DL 7/28 (missed 13 G, wrist),

INF Melvin Dorta has hit in 16 of 20 G (24-70, .343-2-8) -- including his first 4-hit G of '10 on 8/3 (4-5, 2 RBI)...... INF Matt Rizzotti -- who is day-to-day with a thumb injury -- is hitting a combined .345-17-75 (144-417) in '10...... INF Neil Sellers is 3-6, 2B with 4 BB in 10 PH appearances this season (.500 AVG; .700 OBP).

SAY IT IS SO, JOE!: Monday night, LHP Joe Savery got his first start at DH this season -- and he went 1-4 with an RBI. It was the first time the former two-way All-American at Rice University was in the lineup as a batter since he was the DH in 4 G for Advanced-A Clearwater in 2008 (7/11, 7/14, 7/23, 7/29 -- going 3-13, 2 2B, RBI). The former 1st rounder (2005) hit his first pro HR earlier this season on 7/17 @ LOU (as a PH) -- becoming the first Pigs pitcher to ever hit a HR. For the season, Savery is batting .269-1-3 (7-26, 2B) and for his career, he's batting .241-1-5 (19-79, 5 2B).

LOUISVILLE BATS www.BatsBaseball.com

ON TOP: On Tuesday the Bats moved their lead in the IL West Division to a season-high 1.5 games with their win and Columbus' loss.  They also sat a season-high 18 games over .500, at 74-56. Last night the Bats maintained their 1.5 game lead despite a loss to Indianapolis because the Clippers were downed at Toledo.  The Bats have now been in sole possession of first place just seven days this season. Prior to 8/12, the last time the Bats had sole possession of the top spot was on 4/11 when they led the division by one game. Louisville and Columbus open a huge two game series starting tonight at Louisville Slugger Field.

ALL WE DO IS WIN, WIN, WIN: At 74-57, with 12 games remaining, the Bats have clinched their fifth consecutive winning season. It marks the first time since baseball returned in 1982 that Louisville has had five straight winning seasons. The Louisville Colonels had five straight winning seasons from 1913 to 1917. The Bats need six wins in their final 12 games to clinch an 80-win season, which would be their third consecutive. They won a franchise-high 88 games in 2008 and followed that with 84 last year, both of which ended with IL West Division Championships.

BALENTIEN BARRELIN' UP: Tuesday night OF Wladimir Balentien went 3-for-4 with two home runs and 4 RBI. The home runs were his 23rd and 24th of the season. He is now one home run shy of tying his career high in home runs (25), which he has accomplished three times, in 2005, 2007 and 2008. He is the first Bat to hit 24 home runs since 2002, when Kevin Witt hit 24 and Brandon Larson hit 25. Since Louisville moved downtown to Louisville Slugger Field in 2000, the most home runs hit by a Louisville player is 25 and that has been accomplished twice. Larson did it in 2002 and Brooks Kieschnick did it in LSF's inaugural season (2000). 26 home runs would tie him with Scott Krause (1998) for fifth all-time on the single season home run list since 1982. Balentien has had three two-home run games this year (5/30 vs. GWN, 7/23 at GWN, 8/24 vs. IND) and is the first to do so since Joey Votto did it during the 2007 campaign. The last Bat to have four two-home run games in a season was Brandon Cromer in 1999. Balentien batted just .118 (4-34) in April, but since then has hit .303 (104-343). His average currently sits at .286 and following Tuesday's game (8/24) it reached a season-high .289. He has recorded at least one hit in 19 of his last 21 games and during that stretch is batting .451 (37-82) with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs and 18 RBI. During that same 21-game stretch he has 12 multi-hit nights, including six three-hit games and one four-hit game. His eight-game hitting streak came to an end last night with an 0-for-3 clip.

SAPPELT GETTING COMFORTABLE: In last Saturday's 10-6 win at IND, Bats center fielder Dave Sappelt put on a show at the plate.  He ended the night 5-6 at the plate with two singles, two doubles, and a triple.  He was a home run short of the cycle after his third at-bat.  Sappelt becomes just the second Bat, and 16th player in the League, to have a five hit game this season (Luis Terrero 5/11 vs. BUF).   Since joining the Bats on 8/12, Sappelt is hitting .316 (18-57) with five doubles, two triples, and three RBI in 13 games.  Prior to joining the Bats, he led the Southern league in batting average at .361 as a member of Double-A Carolina.  Last year, Sappelt led the entire Reds minor league system in stolen bases (47) and was 8th in batting average (.281).

NORFOLK TIDES www.NorfolkTides.com

HIT MAN: Infielder Robert Andino enters play tonight with 138 hits, a total that is one behind Gwinnett's Freddie Freeman for the International League lead. Andino ranks among IL leaders in at-bats (1st, 521), games (2nd, 126), runs (5th, 69), total bases (T-4th, 214) and RBI (6th, 74), and if he were to finish the season as the League leader in hits he would be just the third Tides player to accomplish the feat since the Tides moved into Harbor Park in 1993. Matt Franco led the IL with 164 hits in 1996 and Mike Cervenak led the League with 157 hits in 2007.

REIMOLD ROLLING: With a hit in yesterday's contest, Nolan Reimold continued a strong stretch at the plate that has seen him post a .455 on-base percentage in 37 games since July 17. Reimold has reached base safely in 35 of those 37 games, and his .455 on-base % over that span is the 4th-best in the IL (former Tide Justin Turner leads the League over that span with a .474 OBP). Reimold has hit .308 (40-for-130) with four home runs, 17 RBI and 32 walks over that stretch to up his average from .205 to .247. The 26-year-old also leads the IL with 20 walks during the month of August.

CATCHING FIRE: Since rejoining Norfolk from Double-A Bowie on August 9, catcher Adam Donachie has hit .375 (15-for-40) with a home run, two doubles, three runs scored and three RBI. Over that span Donachie has raised his average from .190 to .223, and for the year Donachie ranks 5th among qualifying IL catchers by throwing out 24.5 % of attempted basestealers (25 of 102).

PAWTUCKET RED SOX www.PawSox.com

RED HOT REDDICK AND RAMIREZ: After going all season without garnering an International League Batter or Pitcher of the Week Award, the PawSox have had two winners in the past three weeks. First was OF Josh Reddick who was the IL Batter of the Week for the week of August 2-8. Reddick, 23, hit .464 that week (13-for-28) with 5 2B, 3 HR & 10 RBI. He is making an early bid to be considered for another award this week as he began this current week by putting together three straight tremendous games in Buffalo. Josh went 3-for-4 with 2 HR on Monday in Buffalo, then 5-for-5 with another homer on Tuesday in a victory over the Bisons, and followed that up with 2 more hits including a grand-slam HR in the 10th-inning to cap an 8-3 PawSox win over Buffalo. The 23 year-old who has played all three outfield positions this year has raised his season average from .207 at the All-Star break to his current season-high of .261 and now leads the PawSox in both HR (15) and RBI (58). Pawtucket's RHP Ramon A. Ramirez, not to be confused with former Boston reliever Ramon Ramirez who was dealt to SF at the trading deadline on July 31, became the first PawSox pitcher to be recognized with an IL weekly award on Monday for his efforts during the week of August 16-22. Ramirez went 5 shutout innings (allowing just 1 hit) to blank Lehigh Valley, 2-0 in G2 of a doubleheader on August 18. He followed that up by going the distance to beat Buffalo on August 22 in G1 of a twinbill, 9-2. Before signing with the Red Sox this off-season, the 27 year-old Ramirez had spent the better part of the last two seasons with Louisville while also making his major league debut with Cincinnati in both 2008 & 2009.

SIX PACK: The PawSox took 4 of 6 in Buffalo this weekend and week in a rare 6-game series. Already scheduled for 5-games, the series got longer with the addition of a make-up doubleheader. That was supposed to begin things on Saturday but only the first game was played (a 5-4 Buffalo victory). The PawSox swept a doubleheader on Sunday by scores of 9-2 and 7-5. On Monday the Bisons evened the series at 2 wins apiece with a 12-4 triumph. However, Pawtucket won 7-3 on Tuesday night and then captured the series outright with an 8-3, 10-inning victory on Wednesday night. By taking 4 of 6 the PawSox won a series for the first time this month and for just the 8th time this season (Sox are 8-13-16 in their 37 series this season).

GOTTA GO TO REHAB: Boston Red Sox LHP Hideki Okajima became the 59th different player used by the PawSox this season (33 position players and 26 pitchers) when he made 3 relief appearances in Buffalo this week while on rehab assignment (right hamstring strain). The Pawtucket franchise-record is 70 different players in both 1995 (when replacement players were used for the first month) and in 2006. The 12 rehabbing players from Boston to play for the PawSox this season include: Josh Beckett, Boof Bonser, Clay Buchholz, Mike Cameron, Jacoby Ellsbury (twice), Jeremy Hermida, Jed Lowrie, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Cash, and Hideki Okajima. Two more will be added to this list in the next day or so as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (right lower leg infection) and OF Eric Patterson (neck strain) will join the PawSox as early as today and play in Rochester this week.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS www.RedWingsBaseball.com

COUGHING IT UP: Last night's loss was the sixth time in the last eight games that Rochester's opponent has won the game in their final at-bat (4-11 record in last at-bat games this season).  Going into the 2010 season, Rochester has seven consecutive seasons (2009 14-10 record, 2008 15-10 record, 2007 11-10 record, 2006 20-12 record, 2005 11-6 record, 2004 11-6 record & 2003 10-7 record) with a winning record in games decided in last at-bats.

HISTORY THAT WE DON'T WANT: The Red Wings need to win seven of their last 12 games to avoid becoming only the third International League team to lose 90 games in a season since 1979 (2000 Richmond Braves 51-92 record and 1985 Pawtucket Red Sox 48-91 record).  The last time a Rochester team lost 90 games in a season was 1945 when manager Burleigh Grimes led the Red Wings to a 64-90 record.

50 BONES: The Red Wings need two more wins to reach the 50-win mark for the season.  The 2010 Red Wings look to avoid being the first Rochester team to not reach the 50-win mark in a season since 1920 when the Rochester Tribe finished 45-106 in 1920.  Since 1885 only four Rochester teams that have played more than 120 games in a season has finished with less than 50 wins (1895 47-82 record, 1903 34-96 record, 1904 28-105 record and 1920 45-106 record).

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES www.SWBYankees.com

A HALF DOZEN TO GO: With Wednesday's Yankees win over Rochester and Buffalo's loss to Pawtucket, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's "Magic Number" has been reduced to six. The Yankees have 14 games remaining and based on the "Magic Number" formula; add one to the total number of games SWB has remaining (15). Subtract the difference in the number of losses between BUF (60) and SWB (51) and the result is nine. Subtract the difference between those two numbers (15-9) and the difference is six. Any combination of SWB wins and BUF losses that equal six and the Yankees will capture their fourth consecutive IL North Division title and the fifth consecutive for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise.

GOING WITH THE YOUNG GUNS: The Yankees starting rotation has gotten significantly younger, not by the age of the pitchers but by experience above Double-A. Due to the events of the last week, SWB has added right hander D.J. Mitchell (who has pitched in Trenton all season) and right hander Hector Noesi (who began the season with Single-A Tampa before getting promoted to Trenton) to a rotation whose most seasoned starter (in terms of 2010 starts with SWB) is David Phelps with 10. Phelps joined the SWB rotation on July 2nd, while Lance Pendleton (also promoted from Trenton) has appeared in three games for the Yankees with two starts. Mitchell made his

Triple-A debut Tuesday against Rochester while Noesi will make his Triple-A debut on Friday vs. Lehigh Valley. Veteran lefty Kei Igawa who fills out the Yankees rotation has as many Major League starts (13) as the other four pitchers have triple-A starts combined. Former starter Romulo Sanchez went 3-7 with a 4.98 ERA in 14 starts. Since moving to the pen he has appeared in 17 games and is 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA. He has tossed 36.0 IP, allowing 30 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 14 BB, 37 SO and a .184 average against.

NEXT ON THE LIST: The next mark on the single season saves list for Jonathan Albaladejo is Jamie Cochran who saved 46 games in 1993 for the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League. The Yankees closer is within seven of tying and eight of establishing a new Minor League record. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (the official statistician of MiLB) has stats for the Minor Leagues back to 1980 but does not have data from 1969 (when saves became an official stat) to 1979. Cochran's 46 saves in '93 is credited by Baseball Reference as the minor league record. Cochran pitched in the Cardinals system from 1991-1994 going 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA and 48 career saves. After getting 46 in '93, he did not record another in his pro career.

IGAWA BIG AMONG LITTLE LEAGUERS: For the second consecutive season, the Japanese entry at the Little League World Series in nearby Williamsport, Pennsylvania will make a visit to PNC Field to meet with SWB Yankees pitcher Kei Igawa. The little leaguers from Japan will stop by the home of the SWB Yankees on Thursday afternoon to meet up with the Ibaraki, Japan native. Japan will play on Saturday in Williamsport in the International Finals against Chinese Taipei for the chance to meet the US winner in the championship game.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS www.SyracuseChiefs.com

WINNING WAYS: Sitting at 67-63, the Chiefs will have to win all of their last 13 games to earn their first 80-win season since 1998 (they finished 80-62 that year).  If Syracuse wins just five of those games though, it will have its second consecutive winning season.  The last time the Chiefs did that was between 1998-2000 when they pulled together three straight seasons of winning baseball.  The Chiefs finished 76-68 in '09, good for second in the IL North.  Syracuse has not made the IL Playoffs since its 80-win team in 1998.

BIXLER'S BURNING HOT: Brian Bixler is batting .462 over his last 10 games with a homer and nine RBI.  The third baseman/outfielder has collected a hit in eight of those games, including six multi-hit performances.  Bixler is batting .390 in his 15 games with the Chiefs, the third IL team he's suited up for this season.  The 27-year-old hit .278 with three homers and 27 RBI in 64 games in Columbus to begin the year and he hit .171 with no long-balls and an RBI during an 11-game stint with Indianapolis before joining Syracuse on August 8th.

FINALLY DONE WITH THE YANKEES: Sunday afternoon's rainout at Alliance Bank Stadium concluded the season series between Syracuse and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  The Chiefs were just 5-10 (.333 winning percentage) in 15 games against the Yankees in 2010.  The Chiefs dropped five out of their last six games with the first-place Yankees dating back to July 3rd including three losses in a row to end the season series.  The only team the Chiefs have had a lower winning percentage against this season is Durham.  Syracuse went 1-7 in their eight games with the Bulls (.125 winning percentage). 

NATS, CHIEFS AGREE: On Sunday the Chiefs and the Washington Nationals extended their Player-Development agreement for two more seasons.  Syracuse has been Washington's Triple-A affiliate since 2009.  In their two-seasons with Washington, the Chiefs have compiled a 143-131 record.  Before the 2009 season, the Chiefs had been affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays from 1978 to 2008.  Prior to '09, Washington's top farm team had been the Columbus Clippers (2007-2008).  The Clippers became the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A team in 2009. 

TOLEDO MUD HENS www.MudHens.com

ANOTHER MILESTON FOR PARRISH: Manager Larry Parrish is eight games shy of setting another Toledo managerial record this season. He already became the winningest manager in Toledo history in July. Next week, Parrish will manage his 1,116th game as the helm of the Mud Hens to establish a new standard. Once again, he will be surpassing Cal Ermer.

ROSTER TURNOVER: The Mud Hens have had 131 transactions this season and just 10 players from their Opening Day roster remain on the team. Tuesday night against Columbus, zero Opening Day starters were in the starting lineup for the Hens. Scot Drucker, Robinzon Diaz, Brent Dlugach, Max Leon and Ryan Strieby are the only players that have been with the club all season.

EXTRA, EXTRA: After not winning an extra-inning game over the first four months of the season, the Mud Hens have won two in the past week. The Hens defeated Indianapolis, 3-2, in 10 innings Aug. 19 and the Clippers, 5-4, Wednesday night.

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International League Stories from August 26, 2010


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