Northwoods Green Bay Rockers

Bullfrogs Hope to Greet Growlers with Improved Starting Pitching

Published on July 9, 2015 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Green Bay Rockers News Release


Mikey Duarte of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
Mikey Duarte of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
(Green Bay Rockers)

Green Bay, WI.- Two ninth-inning comebacks put the final stamp on another sweep of the Battle Creek Bombers, leading a clutch Bullfrogs team (27-16/5-3) back to the friendly confines of Joannes Stadium to take on the road win- deficient Kalamazoo Growlers (11-32/3-7).

Bombers Balk Finishes Season Sweep

Like the day before, the final game at C.O. Brown Stadium started in a first inning slew of runs for the Bombers. They plated four in the first (five day before), knocking out Luke Syens (LHP/Valparaiso) after just 1/3 inning, four earned, and five walks.

The Bombers held a lead just until the top of the fourth inning, when the Bullfrogs scored a total of 7 runs. 12 batters went up, with five walks, three hits, and one error, and starter Alden Cartwright (RHP/LSU) was taken out of the game in favor of Nick Mederios (RHP/Santa Clara).

Thereafter, Green Bay held an 8-6 lead after the fourth inning, and relinquished the advantage in the sixth inning when Matt McCarthy yielded three runs on RBI to Brennon Lund (BYU), Blake Swann (Florida Southern), and Cayce Bredlau (Austin Peay).

With a tie ball game starting the ninth inning, reliever Evan Dunn (Pepperdine) recorded the first two outs and then walked Matt De La Rosa (Lenoir Rhyne) setting up a pinch running option in Caleb Ratzman (Illnois State). The high-flying Redbird stole second, then third for his league leading 28th and 29th swiped bags.

Dunn then walked Mason Geroge (UTSA) to put runners on the corners and committed a controversial balk to plate Ratzman, the go-ahead 10-9 advantage the Bullfrogs needed for their sixth sweep this season.

Green Bay has won three in a row, and has not lost to the Bombers since July 29, 2014.

Growlers Operating At A Very Low Roar

Kalamazoo has a road record of 3-17, with their last win away from Homer Stryker on July 1st against the Madison Mallards.

Despite sporting the worst record in the league, and statistically being at the very bottom in fielding percentage, team batting and pitching, the Growlers have a 2-2 record against Green Bay.

They have received stellar starting pitching performances in both of their wins against the Bullfrogs from starting hurlers Keegan Baar (LHPMichigan State) and Ryan May (RHP/LSU) going a total of 16 1/3IP/15H/4ER/14K.

As a team through four contests with the Bullfrogs, the Growlers ERA stands at just 4.11, a far cry of their overall season ERA that sits at 5.66.

The Growlers got pounded by the Loggers yesterday, 11-6, and allowed 14 hits. 17 times Kalamazoo has given up eight runs or more in a game.

Kalamazoo has benefited from the entrance of Alex Gosser (Arkansas) as a catcher to the starting lineup. In eight games, Gosser is 9-for-29 with a .375 OBP. Kory Brown (BGSU) has also injected stability toward the upper-third of the lineup with a .272 AVG and 1HR/12RBI.

Brown also had the decisive throw home from right field to out Mikey Duarte (UC-Irvine) in the top of the ninth in what would have been the game-tying run in a 7-6 Bullfrogs loss on July 5th. Brown finished 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and run scored.

Kalamazoo will not put either of their top line starters (Baar and Bryant) on the mound in game one, instead turning to Cole Schaefer (RHP/Coastal Carolina) (1-1/4.15ERA/17 1/3IP/7K-9BB). Schaefer has the potential to be a front end rotation guy, if he can extend his innings load via walk reduction moving forward.

Schaefer's last start was 4 2/3IP/1ER/5H/1K-4BB in a 2-1 win over Lakeshore. Runners are getting on base against him at a .351 clip, around the same rate the Bullfrogs offense has projected through the whole season (.349 OBP).

Winning Is Everything; Bullfrogs Getting Job Done Despite Inconsistent Starting Pitching

If you look at this current three-game win streak for the Bullfrogs, these are not the most fluid on-field displays. Nor are the wins collections of dazzling pitching performances that have marked the Bullfrogs entire season.

In the three-games the Bullfrogs have surrendered 14 total runs, and won two games by just one run. The games lasted a total of 9 hours 43 minutes and the Bullfrogs walked a total of 14 in the last two contests.

The starting pitching over the last pair has only lasted 3 1/3IP on nine earned runs and seven walks. Thankfully the bullpen has picked up the slack. Over the last four games, the opposition has not scored a run in innings 7-9.

And when it always seems like the offense will come up short, they pick their moments at the right time to win games. Brian Celsi (California) has added character to the clubhouse, and professional at-bats. He is on a five-game hit streak (10-for-21) with nine RBI in seven games since his first game on July 1st.

Another Californian, Mikey Duarte, has provided pop to the top of the order amid Logan Taylor's absence. Moving up from six to one in the order, Duarte compiled seven hits in three games (July 5-7) and has scored at least one run in each of his past 11 games played.

Over the past five games, the Bullfrogs are hitting .272 (47-for-173) with a HR (Duarte on July 4th) and 27 RBI.

Fans can also enjoy a Wisconsin Special for Thursday, July 9th & Friday, July 10th. You get two tickets, two brats, two beverages, two ears of corn & one basket of cheese curds for $26. Visit our website at www.greenbaybullfrogs.com, click buy tickets, enter promotion code: WISCO, or call 920-497-7225 or stop by our office at 315 South Baird Street to take advantage of this offer.

WWE legend, Jerry "The King" Lawler, will also be making a guest appearance. Another exciting opportunity for fans in attendance is the Diamonds & Gold Diamond Dig. The first ladies through the gate will receive an ice cream scoop to use post game to dig for a diamond.

Single game tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbaybullfrogs.com to purchase tickets. The Bullfrogs' business hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Mikey Duarte of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
Mikey Duarte of the Green Bay Bullfrogs
   



Northwoods League Stories from July 9, 2015


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