Eastern League News
June 3, 2003 - Eastern League (EL1)
Shreveport-Bossier Bombers News Release
Lucky Senators Fan Wins $5,000
When the Harrisburg Senators battled the Erie SeaWolves on Saturday night, one of the 5,649 fans in attendance at RiverSide Stadium went home with an extra $5,000 in their pocket.
As fans entered the ballpark they filled out an entry form which entered them into the contest, which was sponsored by HealthAmerica. At the start of the game one contestant was chosen from all of the entries and that person and a guest were escorted to the "Money Chair", which is located over the third base dugout. The fan selected to sit in the money chair not only had the chance at winning $5,000, but also received complimentary food and drink service while in the "Money Chair".
Throughout the course of the game any time the Senators had a run scoring play a new name was selected to replace the previous contestant sitting in the "Money Chair". Whoever was in the "Money Chair" at the end of the game went home with the $5,000.
Contest winner Frank Pianto of Harrisburg, entered the "Money Chair" when Josh McKinley blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning which plated the Senators 5th and final run of the game.
The Senators won the game 5-2 as RHP Seung Song took a no-hitter into the eight inning to improve his record to 5-1 on the season and Glenn Davis launched a three-run triple.
Pair of Eastern Leaguers Among Old Navy Home Run Hero Leaders
Eastern League home run leader Juan Richardson of the Reading Phillies and Norwich Navigators slugger Alejandro Freire are both among the Double-A leaders in the Old Navy Home Run Hero Award Standings through June 1st.
Richardson, whose 10 homers during the month of May pushed his total to 13 on the season, trails Double-A leader Dan Johnson of Midland by only one homer and is six home runs behind the overall leader, Rob Stratton of the Albuquerque Isotopes, who has 19 on the season.
Former Rock Cats All-Star Justin Morneau, who opened the season in New Britain, trails Stratton by only two home runs for the overall lead. Six of Justin's 17 home runs this season came while he was in a Rock Cats uniform.
Philadelphia Phillies Hosting "Reading Phillies Night"
On June 5, the Philadelphia Phillies will be hosting "Reading Phillies Night" at Veterans Stadium when the Phils take on the Seattle Mariners in the final game of their first visit to Philadelphia in franchise history.
Former Reading Phillies now playing in Philadelphia, including Marlon Byrd, Mike Lieberthal, Pat Burrell, Jimmy Rollins, and Randy Wolf, will be recognized in the pre-game ceremonies and a special Phanavision video presentation is sure to delight all the fans in attendance.
The Sovereign Bank Reading Phillies Mascot Band will also be playing outside the Vet in front of the gate that R-Phils fans will be entering with their specially priced tickets prior to the game.
SeaWolves Hosting Bring Your Pet to the Ballpark Day
The Erie SeaWolves, in conjunction with the Camboro Veterinary Hospital, are sponsoring a Bring Your Pet to the Ballpark Day at Jerry Uht Park on June 8. With the purchase of a ticket SeaWolves fans will be able to enjoy the game with their pets.
Prior to the game a parade, featuring pets and their owners, will be held on the warning track of the field and prizes will be awarded for the "Best Dressed" pets. Both the Crawford County Humane Society and the Erie Animal Shelter will be at the game accepting donations.
Former Eastern League All-Star Promoted to Minnesota
Former New Britain outfielder Lew Ford was promoted to the Minnesota Twins on May 28. At the time of his promotion, Ford, who was a Double-A and Eastern League All-Star last season, was hitting .318 with 55 hits, two triples, three homers, 28 runs scored and 26 RBI in 43 games for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.
Line of the Week
May 31, 2003
IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
7 1 1 1 3 3 1 1.29
Seung Song,
Harrisburg Senators
Senators right-hander Seung Song took a no-hitter into the 8th inning as Harrisburg downed the SeaWolves 5-2 at RiverSide Stadium on Saturday night. Song's no-hit bid was broken up on a home run by Max St. Pierre to lead off the eight inning. With the win Song, who tossed a no-hitter against the SeaWolves on April 28, improved his record to 5-1 on the season.
Quote of the Week
"I talked to the ball a lot of times in my career. I yelled, 'Go foul. Go foul.'"
Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees
News and Notes From Around The League
Week Ending June 1, 2003
Akron Aeros
INF Luis Gonzalez currently has a seven game hitting streak. During the streak Gonzalez is hitting .333 (9-for-27) with six runs scored, one double and one RBI. Over his last three starts E.L. Pitcher of the Week Fernando Cabrera is 3-0 with 13 strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA in 15 innings of work. The Aeros, who have won 15 of their last 20 games, currently hold a five game lead over Reading in the Southern Division standings.
Altoona Curve
The Curve snapped a five-game winning streak by the Aeros at Blair County Ballpark with a 5-4, 13-inning win on Thursday. Despite the win Altoona has still dropped 12 of their last 15 home games against Akron. OF Shawn Garrett batted .339 during the month of May, raising his batting average from .200 to .290. LHP Mike Johnston had his streak of 19.2 consecutive scoreless innings snapped on Sunday at Trenton.
Binghamton Mets
E.L. Player of the Week Mike Jacobs hit .500 (8-for-16) with two doubles and two home runs last week, raising his batting average from .298 to .324, which ranks 10th in the Eastern League. 1B Josh Pressley joined the B-Mets from Norfolk and Friday night and hit a home run to help the B-Mets edge Portland 6-4 in the second game of a doubleheader at NYSEG Stadium.
Bowie Baysox
RHP Matt Riley allowed eight hits and two runs in 6.2 innings of work to lead the Baysox to a 5-2 win over Akron in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday. The Baysox lost the nightcap 4-2. Bowie has split all five of their doubleheaders this season.
Erie SeaWolves
The SeaWolves currently have a six-game losing streak, their longest of the season. RHP Pat Ahearne has surrendered more than two earned runs only once over his last 11 starts. Ahearne has a record of 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA is 74 innings of work this season.
Harrisburg Senators
RHP Seung Song has made four starts against Erie this season and has allowed just one earned run over those four games. Song no-hit the SeaWolves in April and on Saturday night carried a no-hitter against Erie into the eight inning before a solo home run ended his night. 2B Josh McKinley has homered in three straight games. Harrisburg followed their recent four game losing streak with a four game winning streak.
New Britain Rock Cats
OF Josh Rabe hit .412 with one double, one triple and two home runs last week. Rabe, who is among the league leaders in RBI (45), batting average (.337) and runs scored (39), hit .355 with 30 RBI and 28 runs scored during the month of May. RHP Brian Wolfe gave up one run in seven innings against Harrisburg on Tuesday to pick up his second consecutive win, improving his record to 2-2.
New Haven Ravens
OF John-Ford Griffin hit .320 with a team-best five home runs in the month of May after hitting just .217 in April. After losing eight of nine games from May 20-28, the Ravens put together their first four-game winning streak of the season, starting with a 12-9 win at Binghamton on Thursday. The Ravens scored 10 runs or more in each of the four wins.
Norwich Navigators
1B Alejandro Freire hit .319 with four doubles and seven RBI in May and is leading the league with a .607 slugging percentage and is ranked third in the league in batting with a .350 average and second in the league in home runs with 10. Matt Montgomery went 1-0 with five saves and a 1.35 ERA in May to remain in first place in the Rolaids Relief Man standings with a total of 37 points. Brian Schmack of Erie is in second place with 33 points.
Portland Sea Dogs
RHP Josh Stevens struck out a career-high 11 batters over seven scoreless innings of work in a 2-1 win over Trenton on Tuesday. Stevens, who fanned four batters in a row between the third and the fourth innings, allowed three hits and a walk to to earn his sixth win of the year, which is tied for the league lead, and lowered his ERA to 2.25, which currently ranks fourth in the league.
Reading Phillies
2B Buzz Hannahan has an 11-game hitting streak, which is tied for the team's longest of the season. During the streak Hannahan is 15-for-44 (.341) with 12 runs scored and nine RBI. LHP Frank Brooks was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in four relief appearances last week. Frank has not given up a run in his last 9.2 innings of work.
Trenton Thunder
Trenton had three "walk-off" wins during their six home games last week and now has a total of eight on the season. Teuris Olivares won Sunday's game with a RBI single in the 10th inning, giving him three "walk-off" hits this season. Trenton's bullpen has allowed just seven earned runs in their last 38.2 innings pitched. News and Notes From Around The League Week Ending June 1, 2003
Chevrolet Player of the Week
MIKE JACOBS, a catcher for the Binghamton Mets, is the Eastern League's Chevrolet Player of the Week for the week ending June 1st. Jacobs, a native of San Diego, California, had an excellent week, going 8-for-16 (.500) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, five runs scored and one walk in six games. On Tuesday night, the 6'2", 200 pound slugger went 3-for-4 with pair of doubles and a home run. During the month of May, the 22-year old hit .372 (.32-for-86) with five doubles and four home runs, raising his batting average 90 points, from .234 to .324, which currently ranks 10th in the Eastern League. The 5'11", 185 lb. slugger was selected by the Minnesota Twins out of the University of Minnesota in the eight round of the June 1999 draft.
Chevrolet Pitcher of the Week
FERNANDO CABRERA, a right-handed pitcher for the Akron Aeros, is the Eastern League's Chevrolet Pitcher of the Week for the week ending June 1st. The Toa Baja, Peurto Rico native went 2-0 with seven strikeouts and a 1.80 ERA in starts against the Altoona Curve and Bowie Baysox last week. In his first start of the week the 21-year old gave up one run on four hits and struck out four batters to earn his fourth win of the season. In his second start of the week, the 6'4", 170 lb. hurler struck out three batters and surrendered two runs, one earned, on six hits in five innings of work to improve his record to 5-2 on the season and lower his ERA to 2.53, which ranks seventh in the Eastern League. Cabrera, who is 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA over his last three starts, was selected in the 10th round of the June 1999 draft by the Cleveland Indians.
Eastern League Stories from June 3, 2003
- Rock Cats Bring Rain - Harrisburg Senators
- Curve and Sea Dogs Washed Out Tuesday Night - Altoona Curve
- Eastern League News - Shreveport-Bossier Bombers
- June 3 Game Washed Out - Reading Fightin Phils
- Easter Seals Office Olympix Set for June 12 - Reading Fightin Phils
- Aeros Dynamics - Akron RubberDucks
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