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 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Intimidators vs. Braves - Game Notes - June 26, 2013

June 26, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) play for a second series sweep in their last three series when they wrap up a three-game set against the Rome Braves (A, Braves) today at State Mutual Stadium. The Intimidators swept the Braves in a four-game series in Kannapolis June 13-16, the team's first sweep of the season. Brandon Brennan takes the ball in search of a fourth straight win for himself and fourth straight win for Kannapolis. The Intimidators are on a three- game road winning streak, their longest of the season. As a result, Kannapolis has worked into a five-way tie for first place in the SAL Northern Division. While Brennan is looking to a fourth straight win, Rome's starter Frank Lafreniere is pitching to snap a streak of four straight losses.

Intimidating Starter: Brandon Brennan, 21, makes his league-lead-tying 15th start and his second against Rome. He entered this season rated by Baseball America as the No. 23 Prospect in the White Sox system. Brennan struggled early in the season, losing nine of his first 11 starts including seven straight before earning wins in his last three starts. He is coming off 7.0 strong innings at Augusta June 21, giving up two unearned runs on three hits to open the second half. He finished the first half of the season with back-to-back wins at Greensboro and against Rome. Against the Braves on June 13, he gave up a run in 6 2/3 innings. After allowing a leadoff double in the first, Brennan held the next 23 Braves batters hitless, not surrendering a second hit until there were two outs in the seventh inning. He struck out six batters, one shy of his career high and walked two. Brennan leads the SAL in hits allowed (94), at-bats against (310) and runs allowed (61) while also tying for the league-lead in losses (9) and earned runs allowed (50). The White Sox selected Brennan in the fourth round in June 2012 out of Orange Coast (Calif.) College where he was 11-1 with a 1.25 ERA.

Rome's Righty: Frank Lafreniere, 23, makes his 12th start of the season and his third against Kannapolis. He has taken losses in four straight outings since June 1, including starts in his last three games. His last win game May 7 against Hagerstown when he tossed 5.0 scoreless innings. Lafreniere's ERA has increased each month, from 4.70 in April to 5.40 in May to now 6.11 in June. In his 11 starts this season, he is 2-5 with a 5.37 ERA (35 ER/58.2 IP) compared to 1-1 with a 5.23 ERA with a save in four games out of the bullpen. The Braves drafted him in the 47th round of the June 2010 draft, and he spent his first two years of pro ball in the GCL before joining Advanced Rookie Danville in 2012, going 5-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 12 starts. Lefties are batting .302 against Lafreniere compared to .277 for righties.

Breezy Brase: Stew Brase (2-0) notched a relief win Tuesday, tossing three scoreless, hitless innings at Rome. He worked the 10th, 11th and 12th innings for Kannapolis, striking out four and walking three before the Intimidators pushed across three runs in the top of the 13th inning. Brase has flourished in his extra-inning appearances while with Kannapolis, including working 7.1 extra innings during his 2012 season with the Intimidators. In his career, Brase has an extra- inning ERA of 0.00 (0 ER/10.1 IP) while allowing an unearned run, five hits, six walks and eight strikeouts.

Running Wild: Micah Johnson swiped second base on Tuesday for his Minor League-leading 58th stolen base of the season. Johnson became the Intimidators franchise all-time stolen base leader on Monday, passing Chris Amador who swiped 56 in 2002.

Micah Makes It Home: With a run scored on Tuesday, Micah Johnson now leads the Minor Leagues with an even 70 runs scored. He has crossed the plate 11 times over his last nine games. Johnson has scored runs in 49 of 72 games played this season.

Triple the Triples: Kannapolis hit a season-high three triples on Tuesday in a 9-6 win over the Braves. Micah Johnson (10), Tim Anderson (2) and Michael Marjama (1) each recorded a triple, giving the Intimidators 26 on the season, most in the SAL. The only other multi-triple game for Kannapolis also came against Rome (June 14 in Kannapolis).

Micah On Base: SAL All-Star Game MVP Micah Johnson went 2-5 on Tuesday to reach base safely for the 20th straight game, the longest streak by an Intimidators player this season. Johnson has reached base safely every game since June 4, batting .397 (31-78) with five doubles, five triples, two homers, 12 RBI and 20 runs scored in that stretch. Johnson is batting .342 (97-284) on the season, tied for third-best in the SAL.

League Leader: In addition to leading the SAL in stolen bases, runs scored and triples, Micah Johnson ranks among league leaders in nine other offensive categories. He ranks second in hits (97) and at bats (284), tied for third in batting average (.342), fourth in total bases (151) and on-base percentage (.422), seventh in walks (37), tied for seventh in games played (72), eighth in slugging percentage (.532) and ninth in extra-base hits (32).

Leyer Leads the League: Intimidators pithcer Euclides Leyer took no decision in his Tuesday start, working 5.0 innings. He is now the SAL leader in innings pitched (78.1) as well as total batters faced (358) and hit batters (12). Leyer is tied with two others for the league lead with 15 games started and tied with two other pitchers for the SAL lead in losses (9).

Radio Broadcasts: Games in Rome will be carried through the Braves broadcast network, available at romebraves.com.


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