At Home Before All-Star Break Vs. St. Paul Saints

Published on July 17, 2009 under American Association (AA)
Pensacola Pelicans News Release


SITE: Jim Spooner Field at Pelican Park in Pensacola, FL (July 17-19, 2009)

TIME: 6:35 p.m. Central Time on Friday, 6:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The Pelicans and Saints will meet for the first time this year on Friday. The teams have a connection through pitching, as Pelicans' pitching coach Justin Lord and LHP Adam Brandenburg pitched for St. Paul in 2007.

The Pelicans are currently on a three game losing streak after the Captains swept Pensacola in Shreveport. Friday's game was close, but the Captains took the opener 2-1. Saturday saw Pensacola score first, but dropped the game 4-1. Sunday was a nail-biter over the score and the weather: a 3-2 ballgame was called after five innings when a ferocious storm not only took the game, but also dislodged many ceiling tiles in the Fair Grounds Field press box.

The Saints took one of three games against the first half champion Fort Worth Cats. St. Paul won the first game 4-0, but lost the next two contests by two runs, respectively. The Saints carry a big name in closer Kerry Ligtenberg: the former Major-Leaguer toed the rubber for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.

WHO TO WATCH:

Pensacola: Kyle Middleton -RHP- The All-Star pitcher leads the league with a 1.57 ERA and 78 strikeouts. He was a hard luck loser last time out, taking the loss but putting up a dazzling seven innings pitched, one earned run and six strikeouts. He toes the rubber Sunday for the Pels.

Antoin Gray -2B- Gray, the starting second baseman for the South Division in the All-Star game, leads the team with nine homeruns including a whopping three round-trippers in the last five games. The recent surge has vaulted his average to .316.

St. Paul: Brent Krause -OF- This three-time All-Star leads all Saints regulars with a .300 batting average including seven homeruns. Krause can run too: he's swiped a team-best eight bases so far this year.

Tom Buske -RHP- The right-handed Buske has been lights out lately: in his last two starts he is 2-0 in thirteen innings pitched, allowing zero earned runs. He gets the ball Saturday for the Saints.

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American Association Stories from July 17, 2009


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