SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Kannapolis Intimidators vs. West Virginia Power - Game Notes

Published on May 20, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (15-24) vs. WEST VIRGINIA POWER (21-22)

BELLY BUSTER MONDAY PRESENTED BY H.M.S. HOST

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 7:05 p.m.

CMC-NorthEast Stadium - Kannapolis, N.C.

Game #40 (15-24) - Home Game #17 (5-11)

LHP Jefferson Olacio (1-5, 6.75) vs. LHP Joely Rodriguez (2-3, 3.14)

Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) get back to action after a Sunday rainout as they open a three-game series against the Power (A, Pirates). Kannapolis was rained out in its series finale Sunday against first-place Hagerstown and is coming off a 5-0 shutout of the Suns on Saturday. The Intimidators (15-24) sit 10.0 games back, seventh in the Northern Division while the Power (21-22) are in third, 5.0 games back. West Virginia enters this series after splitting a four-game series at home against Lexington. Intimidating Starter: Jefferosn Olacio, 19, makes his eighth start of the season as he looks to avenge a 2012 home loss to the Suns. The 6'7" southpaw is 1-1 with a 5.54 ERA in three home starts this season with 12 strikeouts in 13 innings. He is coming off his fifth loss of the season, which ties him for third-most in the league. Olacio entered this season rated by Baseball America as the No. 30 Prospect in the White Sox organization. He split last season between Kannapolis and Advanced Rookie Bristol, going 3-11 with a 5.16 ERA in 27 appearances (17 starts), including 15 games (five starts) for the Intimidators. The White Sox signed Olacio as a Free Agent in October 2010, and he made his professional debut for the DSL Whit Sox in 2011, striking out 42 over 38 innings, going 3-5 with a 5.50 ERA in 11 starts.

Power Pitcher: LHP Joely Rodriguez, 21, makes his ninth start of the season and fourth on the road. After starting the year 0-2 with a 5.95 ERA (13 ER/19.2 IP) in his first four starts, Rodriguez is 2-1 with a 0.77 ERA (2 ER/23.1 IP) over his last four starts, including a hard- luck loss in his last outing, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits over 6.0 innings. He is tied for ninth in the SAL with 43 innings pitched and is 10th in total batters faced (180). He made his professional debut at 16 years old with the DSL Pirates in 2009. He spent the last three years with Short-Season State College and went 3-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 starts in 2012.

Last Time Out: Kannapolis shut out Hagerstown and snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-0 win Saturday in front of a season-high 4,075 fans at CMC-NorthEast Stadium. Jake Cose combined with relievers Stew Brase and Adam Lopez to strike out 14 batters, one shy of the team's season-high, as the trio limited the Suns to four hits. Michael Johnson went 3-3 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored, and Michael Marjama went 2-4 with two RBI and a double in his return from the DL. Micah Johnson added in MiLB-leading 39th stolen base in the game. Cose worked just 4.0 innings, as Stew Brase (1-0) notched the win and Lopez tossed the final 4.0 frames for the save (2). Micah on the Move: Leadoff man Micah Johnson stole second base after a first inning single on Saturday, his MiLB-leading 39th this year, 11 ahead of the next closest Minor Leaguer (San Antonio's Rico Noel, 28). He went on to score a run, his SAL-lead-tying 37th of the season. He has stolen 18 bases over his last 11 games. Johnson also leads the league with five triples. Baseball America rated Johnson as the White Sox No. 25 Prospect this season, naming him the Fastest Baserunner in the organization's 2012 draft class. Making his OWN name: Infielder Michael Johnson continued to produce at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored, reaching base safely in all four of his plate appearance on Saturday against the Suns. He raised his average to .308 on the season, tied for 12th in the SAL, and has now reached base safely in 13 straight games, the longest current streak by an Intimidator. His .420 on-base percentage is tied for seventh in the SAL. In May, Johnson is batting . 455 (17-39), the second-best average in the league, with hits in 11 of 13 games played this month. His .564 on-base percentage in May is second-best in the league and his 1.179 OPS is third. The Sox selected him in the 31st round in June 2011. Cose Lights Out: Jake Cose continued to lower his ERA with 4.0 scoreless frames Saturday and now ranks fourth in the SAL with a 1.61 ERA (8 ER/44.2 IP). He is tied for fifth in the SAL in innings pitched and is eighth in the SAL with 46 strikeouts. Cose has not allowed an earned run in his last four starts and only allowed three unearned runs in those outings, spanning 24.2 innings. Cose last allowed an earned run April 23 against Rome. Six of the eight earned runs he has allowed this year came in one start, a home loss to Delmarva o April 17. He has struck out at least six batters in five of his eight starts this season.

Swing And Miss: Three Intimidators pitchers combined to strike out 14 Suns on Saturday, the second-most strikeouts by Kannapolis arms this season (15 at Lexington, May 13). Jake Cose struck out seven over 4.0 innings, Stew Brase fanned one in a scoreless fifth, and Adam Lopez whiffed six over the final 4.0 innings, setting a new career high. Rain, Rain, Go Away: The Intimidators have had three home rain outs this month, adding the third Sunday in the would-be series finale vs. Hagerstown. The team franchise record for home rainouts in a season was set in 2010 when the team lost nine openings. Radio Broadcasts: Tonight's game and all 70 Intimidators home games plus select road games will be carried live on intimidatorsbaseball.com with Josh Feldman on the call.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 20, 2013


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