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Intimidators vs. Grasshoppers - Game Notes - August 19, 2013

August 19, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1) - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) play for their second straight sweep and a chance to match the team's longest winning streak since last June when they wrap up this four-game series against the Grasshoppers (A, Marlins). Kannapolis has won six games in a row, the longest winning streak of the season, dating back to Aug. 13. The Intimidators send Francellis (Frank) Montas to the mound in his third start as a member of the White Sox while the Hoppers counter with Austin Brice, who faces the Intimidators for the fifth time over the last two seasons. Montas, who joined the Intimidators as part of the Jake Peavy deal, gets his first look at the Grasshoppers after not facing them while with Greenville this season.

Intimidating Starter: Francellis (Frank) Montas, 20, makes his 21st start of the season and his third with the Intimidators after joining the White Sox as part of the July 31 trade that sent Jake Peavy to Boston. The right-hander is coming off his first win as a member of the White Sox despite walking a career-high seven batters over 5.0 innings against Lakewood on Aug. 14. In two starts with Kannapois, Montas is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA with seven strikeouts and 10 walks in 10 IP. He opened this season with the South Atlantic League's Greenville and went 2-9 with a 5.70 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) for the Drive. He struck out 96 batters over 85.1 innings with the Drive. While Montas is coming off three consecutive losses, including allowing a loss at Lakewood, he posted his best monthly ERA of the season in July (3.96). He entered the season rated by Baseball America as the No. 22 Prospect in the Red Sox organization. In two starts against the BlueClaws, Montas is 0-2 with a 10.13 ERA (9 ER/8 IP) with 10 strikeouts and four walks. In his most recent outing, he took a home loss to Delmarva in his White Sox debut, allowing four runs over 5.0 innings on Aug. 8.

Hoppers Hurler: Austin Brice, 22, makes his 21st start of the season and his fifth start over two seasons against Kannapolis. He ended the first half working out of the bullpen in three of his last four games, but has been on a roll in the second half, going 5-2 with a 4.63 ERA. He is coming off a rough loss at West Virginia on Aug. 14 in which he failed to get out of the first inning, allowing nine runs (one earned) over 2/3 innings. Prior to that, he enjoyed back to back quality starts. In 20 starts, Brice is 7-8 with a 5.20 ERA (252ER/90 IP). He ranks second in the SAL with 73 walks compared to 98 strikeouts. Brice is in his second year with the Grasshoppers, after going 8-6 with a 4.35 ERA in 25 games (19 starts) in the SAL in 2012. In two starts against Kannapolis last season, he went 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA (3 ER/10 IP). Baseball America rates him the No. 16 Prospect in the Marlins system. Miami drafted him out of high school in the ninth round in June 2010. The Pittsboro, NC, native was the top-rated high school arm in the Tar Heel state in the 2010 draft, and he led the Hoppers with 122 strikeouts last season. He beat Kannapolis on May 4, tossing 5.0 shutout innings. In four starts against the Intimidators between 2012-13, Brice is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA (3 ER/20 IP).

We're Going Streaking: The Intimidators have won six straight games, the longest winning streak of the season. Kannapolis previously enjoyed a five-game winning streak from July 13-17 which also included three wins over Greensboro. This streak is the longest for the Intimidators since a seven-game winning streak in June 2012 that saw Kannapolis win three straight games at Delmarva heading into the All-Star Break and sweep the Shorebirds in a four-game series to open the second half of the season.

Better Late Than Never: For the second straight game, Kannapolis earned a win in its final at-bats on Sunday in the make-up of Saturday's suspended game. Tied 0-0 in the top of the ninth, Jacob May laced a two-out triple to right field, scoring two runs as the Intimidators held on to beat the Grasshoppers, 2-0. Kannapolis opened this series with a ninth inning comeback win on Friday, overcoming a deficit with a three-run ninth, highlighted by a Jason Coats two-run double to take the lead en route to a 5-3 win in the series opener. It was the second win for Kannapolis this season when trailing after 8 innings, improving to 2-51 in such games.

Wheeler and Dealer: Andre Wheeler recorded the final five outs of Sunday's game for his third save since joining Kannapolis from Bristol on July 27. The left-handed allowed a home run to Greensboro's Colin Moran on his first pitch, cutting the Intimidators lead to 3-2, but the left-handed settled down to finish the game for Kannapolis.

More on Moran: Greensboro 3B Colin Moran, the Marlins first round pick (sixth overall) in the June 2013 draft, continued his hot-hitting in this series on Sunday, going 2-4 with an RBI, two runs scored, a home run and a double. His is now batting .600 (6-10) in this series.

Hansen's Hat Trick: Kyle Hansen earned his third straight win in Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Grasshoppers, becoming the third Intimidators pitcher to record wins in three consecutive starts this season. Hansen's streak started with a win at Greenville on Aug. 6 and included a win over Lakewood on Aug. 13. Opening Day starter Myles Jaye won his first three starts of the season (April 4-14) and eventually earned a promotion to Winston-Salem in early May. Brandon Brennan also won three straight starts, June 8-21.

Barnum's Back: First baseman Keon Barnum has made his presence felt since returning from a two-week stint on the disabled list over the weekend. The power-hitting lefty is 4-8 with a double and a run scored in his first two games back. Barnum was removed from the Intimidators' Aug. 1 game at Hagerstown after a second inning collision at home plate.

Radio Broadcasts: Today's game can be heard at IntimidatorsBaseball.com. All 70 Intimidators home games and select road games are broadcast live with the Voice of the Intimidators, Josh Feldman.


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South Atlantic League Stories from August 19, 2013


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