SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Bayne Pitches Intimidators to Opener Win, 7-4

Published on August 2, 2010 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


For the fifth straight game, the team that has scored the first run has lost. The Kannapolis Intimidators trailed 2-0 early, but stormed back to win the ballgame 7-4 in game one of a four game series against the Greensboro Grasshoppers in Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium.

Off starter Cameron Bayne in the first, the Grasshoppers (20-17) got a leadoff single from Jose Duarte followed by a walk and an RBI-double from Kyle Jensen to take a 1-0 lead. A sacrifice fly scored Jensen, but that would be it in terms of scoring off Bayne (8-9) in the game for the Grasshoppers. Bayne allowed just one more hit in the game and retired his final 13 batters with seven strikeouts and two walks.

Trailing 2-0 against Robert Morey in the second, Ian Gac led the inning off with a single and Nick Ciolli sent a two-run blast over the wall in right-center to even the score at 2-2. Tyler Saladino in the third singled with one out and he was brought home with a two-out single by Ciolli to take a 3-2 advantage. Morey went a total of four innings and allowed seven hits and three runs.

Leading 3-2, Curtis Petersen was summoned from the bullpen and struggled with his control. After a groundout in the fifth, both Saladino and Kyle Colligan walked in front of an RBI-single from Gac and another RBI, a sac fly, from Ciolli to extend the advantage to 5-2. Ciolli had two hits and four RBIs on the day.

Rob Rasumssen, the Florida Marlins second round pick in the 2010 draft, pitched the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff double to Saladino and an RBI-single from Colligan to make it six straight runs and a 6-2 lead for the Intimidators (16-21).

Taylor Thompson relieved Bayne and allowed back-to-back singles to start the eighth before getting two straight strikeouts. However, back-to-back hitters singled with two strikes, scoring two runs and prompting a pitching change with two outs in the inning. Orlando Santos was brought in for a four out save and that's exactly what he did. Santos got an easy one-hopper to Daniel Wagner to end the threat in the eighth, and after allowing a leadoff single in the ninth, struck out a batter and worked a game-ending double play. The Intimidators seventh run in the eighth was scored on an error to provide more of a cushion that eventually was unnecessary.

The win starts the Intimidators season-long nine game homestand on a strong note and snaps a three-game losing streak. Each batter from two-through-six had two hits each and Saladino scored three runs in the game. Santos is now a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities and is now tied for the team lead in that category.

The Intimidators look to make it two in a row on Tuesday at 7:05 pm as one of the team's hottest pitchers, Justin Collop will start for Kannapolis and he will be opposed by 2009 first round selection Chad James.

Note: RHP John Petricka has been added to the Intimidators roster. Petricka is the second round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2010 and the 63rd overall selection.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 2, 2010


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