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Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Intimidators vs. GreenJackets - Game Notes - July 3, 2013

July 3, 2013 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) wrap up this seven- game home stand by playing for a series win against the GreenJackets (A, Giants) tonight followed by the season's biggest fireworks display presented by the City of Kannapolis. Kannapolis will take the field without it's most consistent offensive weapon this season as the White Sox promoted second baseman Micah Johnson to High-A Winston-Salem this afternoon. The Intimidators send hard throwing right-hander Braulio Ortiz to the mound for his third start against the GreenJackets. He'll duel Augusta's righty Kendry Flores, who is making his fourth start against Kannapolis.

Intimidating Starter: Braulio Ortiz, 21, makes his sixth start of the season and his fourth at home. Ortiz started the season in the bullpen, going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA with three saves in four chances in 14 relief appearances. In his first five starts of the season, he is 0-1 with a 2.79 ERA (6 ER/19.1 IP) including 5.0 strong innings on June 23, a no decision at Augusta. In that outing, he gave up an unearned run while striking out a season-high six. His last start was cut short due to rain last Thursday after tossing two scoreless, hitless frames against Greenville. In his first start of the season, the right-hander worked the first 4.0 innings of a no-hitter at Hagerstown June 5, combining with Adam Lopez and Joe Dvorsky to pitch the gem. Ortiz has worked 5.0 innings in each of his last two starts. The White Sox signed Ortiz as an international free agent nearly two years ago exactly, on July 1, 2011. He spent his first two seasons in the Dominican Summer League, going 3-4 with a 4.58 ERA in 22 games (nine starts), including eight starts in 2012.

Augusta's Arm: Kendry Flores, 21, makes his 14th start of the season and fourth against Kannapolis. While he is coming off the roughest outing of his season - allowing eight runs on 12 hits over 4.0 innings at Asheville on June 27 - he won his two previous starts, both against the Intimidators. This season, Flores is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA (3 ER/ 19.2 IP) with 20 strikeouts and no walks against Kannapolis, holding the Intimidators to a .194 average. He ranks tied for third in the SAL in WHIP (1.03) and ranks third in fewest baserunners allowed/9 IP ratio (9.45). He spent the last two seasons with Short-Season Salem- Kaizer, going 5-6 with a 4.78 ERA in 22 games (19 starts) from 2011-12. The Giants signed Flores as a UDFA in 2010.

About Last Night: Justin Schumer, who graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte and pitched at UNC-Asheville in college, earned the win for Augusta, pitching the GreenJackets to a 3-1 win on Tuesday. Schumer (3-6) worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings, limiting Kannapolis to three hits, working around five walks. Augusta plated two in the fifth inning. Eric Sim drew a one-out walk after falling behind Kyle Hansen 1-2 in the count. Alberto Robles followed with a single, and Keon Barnum misplayed a Jesus Galindo hard ground ball at first base allowing a run to score. Robles scored on a Hansen balk for a 2-0 Augusta advantage. Tim Anderson put Kannapolis on the board in the home half of the seventh with a sac-fly to right field, bringing home Yoandy Barroso to Cut the GreenJackets lead in half, 2-1. Hansen (2-4) took the loss for Kannapolis, his second against Augusta, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits over 5.0 innings, striking out four and walking one.

Dashing to the Dash: Micah Johnson, who leads all Minor Leagues in stolen bases and runs scored, earned a promotion to Class A-Advanced Winston-Salem today. Johnson, 22, hit .342 (104-304) with 17 doubles, 11 triples, six home runs and 42 RBI while stealing 61 bases in 77 games with Kannapolis. The White Sox ninth round pick in the June 2012 draft, Johnson leads the SAL in stolen bases, runs scored (76) and triples, ranks second in hits, third in bating average, on-base percentage (.422) and total bases (351), tied for third in total bases (161), fourth in at-bats, tied for seventh in games played, extra-base hits (34), ninth in walks (40) and slugging percentage (.530). The SAL All-Star Game MVP becomes the 10th player to go from Kannapolis to Winston-Salem this season.

Roster Moves: The Intimidators received two new players today, including 2013 third round selection Jacob May, an outfielder who attended Coastal Carolina. May joins infielder Nick Basto, a fifth round pick in the June 2012 draft, as the newest Intimidators as the White Sox promoted both to Class A from Advanced Rookie Great Falls today. May hit .378 with seven RBI in 12 games while Basto, 19, hit . 309 with 11 RBI in 13 games for the Voyagers.

Coats vs. Jackets: Jason Coats is batting .417 (20-48) with two home runs, five RBI and six doubles in 13 games against the GreenJackets. He is slugging .667 against Augusta with an on-base percentage of . 472. Coats was selected as the starting left fielder for the Northern Division in the South Atlantic League's All-Star Game on June 18.

Sweet Relief: Reliever Adam Lopez leads Kannapolis with 67 strikeouts this season. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.97 ERA (20 ER/45.1 IP) with two saves in two chances in 21 relief appearances for the Intimidators. Lopez is coming off a 5-strikeout performance on June 30 against Greenville, and he has 21 over his last five appearances, spanning 14.0 innings. The White Sox drafted Lopez in the 21st round of the June 2012 draft out.

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