SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Almonte Named SAL Pitcher of the Week

Published on July 6, 2015 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


AUGUSTA, Ga. (July 6, 2015) - Kannapolis Intimidators starting pitcher Yency Almonte has been named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for June 29-July 5 following his near no-hitter on Independence Day. Almonte held Augusta hitless two outs into the ninth inning on July 4 at Lake Olmstead Stadium, finishing his outing after a career-long 8 and 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and one walk while matching his career-high of six strikeouts to earn a win in the Intimidators' 1-0 shutout of the GreenJackets.

Almonte, 21, retired 18 straight batters from the third inning into the ninth before Augusta's Jeremy Sy broke up the gem with a two-out base hit up the middle in the home half of the final frame. The right-hander pitcher improved to 6-4 with a 4.19 ERA (32 ER/68.2 IP) in 13 games (12 starts) for Kannapolis this season. The Miami native has also earned a win with High-A Winston-Salem in one out in the Carolina League. The weekly plaudit is the first for Almonte this season and the third by an Intimidators pitcher in 2015. Almonte joins former Intimidator Jordan Guerrero who twice earned SAL Pitcher of the Week honors (April 9-19 and May 11-18) before the White Sox promoted Guerrero to Winston-Salem.

Behind Almonte's 8 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, Kannapolis won its league-leading 10th shutout of 2015, tied for fifth-most in all of full-season Minor League Baseball. Almonte also set a franchise record for the longest no-hit outing in Intimidators history, coming one out shy of the team's first ever 9-inning no-hitter. Three of the four Kannapolis gems since 2001 have been 7-inning contests as part of doubleheaders, and last season Thad Lowry spun a rain-shortened 5-inning no-hitter at the West Virginia Power.

Kannapolis continues this season-long nine-game road trip with game three of four against the GreenJackets on Monday at 7:05 p.m. as RHP Spencer Adams (4-4, 3.90 ERA) takes the mound for the Intimidators against Augusta's RHP Sam Coonrod (5-2, 2.63 ERA). The Intimidators return home on Tuesday, July 14, for a seven-game home stand against Hagerstown and Lakewood. For ticket and promotional information, call the F&M Bank Box Office at (704) 932-3267 or visit IntimidatorsBaseball.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 6, 2015


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