SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Cose Strikes out Career-High 13

Published on May 24, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


HICKORY, N.C. (May 24, 2013) -- Starting pitcher Jake Cose struck out a career-high 13 batters as the Kannapolis Intimidators halted the Hickory Crawdads, 7-5, Friday at L.P. Frans Stadium. Cose (3-3) earned the win as the Intimidators (16-28) avenged an extra-inning loss to the Crawdads (26-20) the night before.

The right-hander limited Hickory to three runs on five hits over 6.0 innings. Cose walked three batters but kept the free-swinging Crawdads off balance all night. After fanning seven over the first three innings, he got into trouble in the fourth, giving up a two-run base hit to Joe Maloney, tying the game 3-3. The 'Dads had two on and one out, but Cose got out of the jam without allowing further damage. He bounced back to strike out the side in the fifth and sixth innings, mixing in a hit batter over two otherwise perfect frames.

Hickory brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Stew Brase struck out Nomar Mazara to end the game and record the save (1).

Kannapolis methodically recorded 13 hits -- all singles -- while scoring in five of the first seven innings. Eight of nine Intimidators batters recorded a hit in the game, paced by Micah Johnson's 4-hit performance.

Micah and Michael Johnson helped provide Cose with the necessary run support to secure the victory. With the game tied heading into the fifth, Micah Johnson led off by drawing a walk and stole second base -- his Minor League leading 44th -- and Michael Johnson dropped a bunt- single. Micah Johnson scored on a wild pitch, his second run of the night and South Atlantic League-leading 43rd of the season. Jason Coats singled to cash Michael Johnson.

Micah Johnson finished 4-for-4 with an RBI-single in the sixth to put Kannapolis ahead 6-3. Michael Johnson extended his on-base streak to 18 games with a 2-for-4 night, drawing a walk and scoring a run.

Juan Ramirez also aided the Intimidators offense, going 2-for-3 with a team-best two RBI.

Todd Kibby worked 1 2/3 relief innings, allowing a run on three hits, and Brase tossed the final 1 1/3 frames for Kannapolis.

Hickory starter C.J. Edwards, Baseball America's No. 15 Prospect in the Rangers system, left after 4.0 innings of work, allowing five runs (three earned) on seven hits. Edwards (5-2) struck out five and walked two in a losing effort.

Cose's 13 strikeouts are the most by an Intimidators pitcher since Terry Doyle fanned 14 batters at West Virginia on May 7, 2010. As a staff, Kannapolis fanned a season-high 17 batters for the second- straight night against the league's most strikeout-prone squad. Hickory now has struck out 501 times this season.

The Intimidators and Crawdads play Game 3 of this 4-game series on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at L.P. Frans Stadium. The game can be heard live through intimidatorsbaseball.com with Josh Feldman on the call. The team returns home to CMC-NorthEast Stadium on Thursday, May 30, for a five-games-in-four-days series against the Savannah Sand Gnats. For ticket information, please call the F&M Bank Box Office at (704) 932-3267 or visit intimidatorsbaseball.com.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 24, 2013


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