IL1 International League

Eastern League All-Star Game News and Notes

Published on June 29, 2006 under International League (IL1) News Release


BUFFALO BISONS
BISONS SLUG THEIR WAY TO THE ALL-STAR GAME: A pair of the Bisons top sluggers will be representing the Herd in the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game. Outfielder Jason Dubois and third baseman Andy Marte were named to International League All-Star Team yesterday. Dubois leads the Bisons with 20 doubles and is T-8th in the League with 46 RBI. Marte, meanwhile, has homered nine times in 22 June games and currently leads the Bisons with 11 home runs and is T-2nd with 16 doubles.

ALL'S FAIR WITH BISONS' INFIELDER: Bisons' infielder Jason Alfaro might have the hottest bat in Buffalo's lineup. He has four multi-hit performances in his last six games. During the stretch, he has averaged .478 (11-23) with a home run, six RBI and four runs scored. On Wednesday, his eighth-inning RBI-single was the game-winning hit in a 3-1 win in Syracuse. Since joining the team on June 9, Alfaro has hit .293 (17-58) with three home runs and 10 runs scored.

FAMILIAR FOES: The Herd is in a 17-game stretch against IL North opponents that will take the team right up to the All-Star Break. The Bisons have gone 4-1 so far in the stretch; at 18-13 they have the best divisional record in the IL North. After a Thursday doubleheader against Syracuse, the Herd will take on division-leading Rochester in a four-game home-and-home series.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS
IL SQUAD GETS KNIGHTED: Six members of the Charlotte Knights were named to the 2006 IL All-Star team. Josh Fields, Ernie Young, Jorge Velandia, Heath Phillips, Charlie Haeger and Jeff Farnsworth will all look to help lead the IL squad to victory. Young, who recently hit his 300th career MILB home run, will be making his third All-Star appearance. In 2005 the Knights sent only one member to Sacramento for the All-Star game, reliever Jeff Bajenaru who is now a member of Tucson in the PCL.

KNIGHTS OFFENSIVE SPARK: Josh Fields is proving himself around the International League as well as in all of baseball. Fields has turned into an offensive machine for the Knights in '06. He is currently leading the team with 12 home runs and 44 RBI. Along with leading the Knights in those two categories Fields currently finds himself in second place in the International League with a .331 average, a .413 on base percentage, a .562 slugging percentage and 48 runs scored. He is also tied for second with 86 hits and 34 extra base hits. Fields was recently named to the IL All-Star team as well as the U.S. Team at the 2006 XM Satellite Radio Futures Game...

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR CAN MAKE: You may look at the Knights record (52-26) and be able to tell what a great job Manager Razor Shines, his staff and the players have done thus far in 2006. One year ago today the Knights had a 24-56 record and were 19.5 games out of first place compared to the 15 game lead they currently have in '06. The Knights will look to end their 3 game slide tonight in Toledo and pick up their 53rd win on the season, a feat the '05 team didn't accomplish until August 25.

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS
WINNING THE CLOSE ONES: After a dreadful start in which the Clippers went 5-14 in one-run games, including losing six in a row from April 18-23, they have gone 8-3 since May 19. Columbus has won its last four one-run games including back-to-back games against IL leading Charlotte earlier this week. Columbus ranks first in the IL with 30 one-run games played.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Clippers have the League's fifth best home record at 23-16. At the Coop their winning percentage is .292 points higher than on the road this season, by far the biggest discrepancy between percentages in the League. After the conclusion of the current homestand Columbus goes on the road for 14 games sandwiched around the All-Star break.

DIVISION SHOWDOWN: The two hottest teams in the IL are set to square off for a weekend series in Columbus. The Clippers have gone 8-2 over the last 10 games, but have failed to make up any ground on division leading Louisville which has also gone 8-2 to shoot to the top of the West Division. Powering the Clipper attack are Mitch Jones, Wil Nieves and Erubiel Durazo. Jones has hit .355 with three home runs and 13 RBI over his last nine games while Nieves is hitting .387 with a homer and 5 RBI in his last eight. Durazo is hitting .333 with two home runs and 7 RBI over his last ten, including a go-ahead two-run shot in the 8th off of Charlotte's Jeff Farnsworth on Monday.

DURHAM BULLS
NOT A BAD RETURN: Delmon Young is now 12-31 (.387) since his return from a 50-game suspension. Young has five RBI since returning, but is still seeking his first homer of the season.

MAC ATTACK BACK: Outfielder Darnell McDonald was 4-39 before his last three games. During that stretch he's 8-11. He's now second in the IL in hits with 86, one behind Rochester's Jason Tyner.

NEWCOMERS: This past week the Bulls added two veterans who have IL experience. Rodney Nye was with Pawtucket this season and Norfolk the previous two years before joining Durham on Monday. Jason Romano spent parts of the last two seasons with Durham and Louisville before joining Durham on Thursday. Also Seth McClung was in Tampa Bay before being optioned to Durham this week to work out of the Bulls pen.
ALL-STARS: Three Bulls were named to the IL All-Star team. Kevin Witt, a former Toledo Mud Hen and the IL leader in homers, will join shortstop B.J. Upton and catcher Shawn Riggans. Upton is in the Triple-A All-Star game for a second straight year. This is Riggans' first year in Triple-A.

ROAD WOES: Since starting 10-2 on the road, the Bulls are 10-22, and haven't won a road series since late April against Pawtucket. The Bulls would have to sweep tonight's doubleheader with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to win the series with the Red Barons. The Bulls play 18 home games in July and August.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
SECOND-PLACE TRIBE?: Indianapolis has fallen to second place in the International League's West Division after establishing a new Victory Field Era record for consecutive days in first place (66 from April 23 - June 27).

THEY CAN'T KEEP HIM OFF BASE: Indianapolis INF Chris Richard has reached base safely in 38 consecutive games (.267, 35-131, 9 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 19 R, 24 RBI, 22 BB, 25 SO). Richard's streak is the longest by an IL batter in 2006. The 32-year-old is hitting .247 with seven long balls and 27 RBI in 50 games this season.

DAVIS GOES STREAKING: Indians OF Rajai Davis enters Thursday evening's affair with a season-best 13-game hitting streak (.304, 17-56, 7 R, 1 RBI). The 25-year-old is hitting .264 with two dingers and 13 RBI in 70 games this season.

BOEVE FINDS THE STROKE, TOO: Indianapolis OF Adam Boeve enters Thursday night's contest with a base knock in 10 of his last 11 games (.356, 16-45, 3 R, 11 RBI). The 26-year-old is hitting .274 with three long balls and 17 RBI in 34 Triple-A contests this season.

AMONG THE IL LEADERS: Tribe LHP Tom Gorzelanny leads the International League in strikeouts (94), ranks third in innings pitched (99.2) and fourth in ERA (2.35). OF Rajai Davis is tied for second in stolen bases (25), while OF Rich Thompson is tied for third in triples (5) and places fourth in on-base percentage (.407).

FLASHING THE LEATHER: Indianapolis is tied for first in the International League with a .983 fielding percentage (2,077 PO, 843 A, 51 E). The Indians have collected 41 errorless games this season, going 24-17 in those contests.

LOUISVILLE BATS
FIRST PLACE IS NICE: With Tuesday night's victory, the Bats took over first place in the West Division for the first time since April 22. Louisville has won six straight games, 15 of their last 17 and 18 of their last 21. One month ago, the Bats were 21-29 and 8.0 games out of first; they have gone 22-6 since May 29.

A PITCHER'S LEAGUE: The Bats current team ERA is 3.34, good for third best in the IL. In 2005, Louisville finished with a 4.54 ERA which ranked the team 11th in the League. This year's ERA would have been best in the IL at the end of the 2005 season.

SHOULD BE TWO: INF Ray Olmedo is 22 plate appearances shy of breaking into the League's top 10 in average. His current .335 batting average would rank him just behind teammate Chris Denorfia's League-leading .349 average. In 15 games and two different stints with the Reds this year, Olmedo batted .313 with two doubles and two RBI.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Beginning with the first game of the team's current eight-game homestand June 22, the Bats will play 23 home games in 29 days. The Bats are 24-16 at Louisville Slugger Field this season. Louisville has not had a winning record at home since the 2003 season when the team went 42-26 at LSF.

NORFOLK TIDES
ALL-STAR TEAM HAS NICE RING TO IT: Reliever Royce Ring has pitched exceptionally this season, and has been rewarded for his efforts with a spot on the International League All-Star Team, which was announced yesterday. The 25-year-old is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA and six saves for Norfolk this year, and the southpaw has not allowed a run in more than two months. Since April 19, Ring has gone 2-0 with six saves and a 0.00 ERA, turning in 20 consecutive scoreless outings. Ring has allowed just nine hits and eight walks while striking out 25 over the stretch, which has spanned 23.0 innings, the longest scoreless streak for any member of the Tides this season. The longest consecutive scoreless inning streak in Tides franchise history was turned in by Orber Moreno during the 2003 season, when Moreno did not allow a run over 24.1 consecutive innings.

MULTI-HIT MAN: With three hits in Norfolk's win on Wednesday night, Jeff Keppinger has now hit safely in 15 of his past 17 games. Over that stretch, Keppinger is hitting .429 (27-63) with 12 runs scored, and the 26-year-old has increased his batting average from .275 to .308, good for 6th in the International League. Keppinger has nine multiple-hit games over that stretch, and he leads the Tides with 22 multi-hit contests this season.

WACKY WEEK: The rain from this past week wreaked havoc with the Tides' schedule. The week started out with a rainout on Friday in Charlotte, and the Tides made up those games with a twinbill against the Knights on Saturday. Norfolk's game against Charlotte on Sunday afternoon was suspended due to heavy rain in the third inning, and will be made up on July 4th. The Tides then traveled to Toledo and played three games in 20 hours, making up a previous rainout with a doubleheader on Monday and then playing an afternoon game on Tuesday with the Mud Hens. Finally, the Tides traveled to Columbus on Wednesday, and suffered through two separate rain delays en route to an 8-6 win. Thursday night's forecast from Columbus - scattered clouds with isolated evening thunderstorms.

OTTAWA LYNX
BREAKING EVEN: With last night's loss, the Lynx are now at .500 with a 40-40 record. Of the 83 days in the season thus far, the Lynx have been at .500 or better for 24 of those days, being top of the .500 mark for 13 days. The Lynx best record above .500 this season was at three games over with 3-0 and 5-2 records. The Lynx worst record this season was at 20-26 on May 23. Ottawa is .500 pretty much everywhere on the year. The Cats are 16-16 vs. the North, 16-16 vs. the West and 8-8 vs. South Division opponents. Ottawa is also 20-20 in home games and 20-20 on the road. To complete the .500 circle, Ottawa is 10-10 in day games and 30-30 at night.

EVE OF ADAM: LHP Adam Loewen will be making his Triple-A debut tonight with the Lynx as he takes the mound in Pawtucket. Loewen is the 12th Canadian to suit up for the Lynx in franchise history and second this season. OF Josh McCurdy was on the roster earlier this season and played in 20 games with Ottawa. The last time at least two Canadians were on the roster in the same season is when Jeremy Ware and Mike Johnson were with the Lynx in 2001. The most Canadians to be on the Lynx roster in a season is four when Denis Boucher, Mike Gardiner, Joe Siddall and Matt Stairs played in Ottawa for the inaugural season in 1993. Loewen comes to the Lynx as the highest drafted Canadian in history (4th overall in 2002 draft) and only the fourth Canadian to be drafted in the first round of the MLB draft.

DOUBLE THE FUN: Lynx OF Keith Reed has been swinging well of late. Reed has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games (and six straight) going 17-39 (.436) with seven of the hits being doubles. The right-handed hitting Reed has doubled in three straight games and now has 25 two-base hits on the season, most in the IL. At this pace, Reed would hit 45 doubles on the year, which would smash the franchise record of 38 set by Luis Ortiz in 2002.

PAWTUCKET RED SOX
SIX FLAGS ROLLERCOASTER: The month of June has been one of streaks for the PawSox. It began with a season-high 6-game losing streak that actually started near the end of May (May 28 - June 3). The Sox recovered from that to put together a season-high 6-game winning streak from June 7-12. They later had a 4-game winning streak from June 17-20 leading up to their recent 4-game skid from June 22-28. In all of April and all of May the PawSox had nothing greater than a 3-game winning streak (twice) and a 3-game losing streak (three times). The PawSox are 13-11 in June as they bid for their first winning month of the season (they need just one win in their final three June games to clinch a winning month).

APPLYING MAKE-UP: The PawSox have already suffered nine postponements this season - the first five came at home, the next two on the road, and the last two at home (last Saturday & Sunday vs. Columbus). The seven home postponements are the most the PawSox have had in ten years since 8 home rainouts in 1996. Some rainouts still must be made-up. The May 12 rainout vs. Syracuse will be made-up as part of a day/night, separate admission doubleheader on Friday, August 4 at McCoy with Game 1 at 12:05 p.m. and Game 2 at 7:05 p.m. The May 13 rainout vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will be made-up as part of a single admission doubleheader on Sunday, July 2 beginning at 4:35 p.m. at McCoy. And the June 24 & 25 rainouts with Columbus will have to be made-up when the PawSox travel to Columbus on July 21 and July 22 (both at 6:05 p.m.).

HEY NOW YOU'RE AN ALL-STAR: Lefty reliever Craig Breslow will represent the PawSox at the 2006 Triple-A All-Star Game. Breslow is the lone PawSox player on the All-Star team but the PawSox will also be represented by manager Ron Johnson who was named as a coach on Toledo manager Larry Parrish's All-Star coaching staff. Breslow, 25, has been among the top relievers in the League for most of the season and heading into play on Thursday (June 29) he was 5-1 along with 5 SV and a 3.23 ERA in 23 relief appearances for the PawSox. In 39 innings he has allowed just 31 hits (opponents hitting only .214 against him) with 43 strikeouts (9.9 SO/9 IP). His ERA was as low as 2.15 on June 18 after he tossed 13.1 consecutive scoreless innings from May 27 - June 18 but in his last two outings he has given up 5 runs in 1.1 innings as his ERA has risen to 3.23. Breslow, a native of Trumbull, CT, was signed by the Red Sox as a Minor League free agent this past February 1. He was originally selected by Milwaukee in the 26th round of the 2002 draft and eventually signed with the Padres prior to the 2005 season. The 6'1", 180 lbs. lefty made his major league debut with San Diego in 2005 and had three separate stints with the Padres going 0-0, 2.20 in 14 RA. A molecular biophysics and biochemistry major at Yale University (2002 graduate), Craig became the first Yale Bulldog to reach the majors since Ron Darling in 1983. Some other notable PawSox players who have appeared in the Triple-A All-Star Game since the event began in 1988 include: INF Tim Naehring (1990), 3B Scott Cooper & OF Phil Plantier (1991), Brian Rose (1997), Trot Nixon (1998), Tomo Ohka (2000), RHP Bronson Arroyo (2003), and OF Chip Ambres (2005).

RICHMOND BRAVES
CAN'T TELL THE PLAYERS WITHOUT A PROGRAM: RHP Carlos Almanzar was placed on the disabled list Wednesday (elbow) after one outing with Richmond. The Braves have made 78 roster moves this season. The Braves have used 46 players this season (they used a club record 60 in 2005). At least three players have started at every position this season. Richmond has produced 15 different players called up to Atlanta thus far this season, one more than all of last year. Nine players, including eight pitchers, on Atlanta's current active roster, have been assigned to Richmond at some point this season. Four current R-Braves (Peter Moylan, Tony Pena, Brayan Pena, and Martin Prado) have seen action in Atlanta this season. Seven current Braves were promoted from Double-A.

LEADERS OF THE PACK: The Braves four wins when trailing after eight innings is tops in the International League. Richmond is second in extra inning games played with 14 (Rochester has 15). The Braves, 4-10 in bonus frames, have already played more extra inning games than all of last season (11). The Braves have been caught stealing 19 times, the fewest in the League. They are second in stolen base percentage (72.5) behind Charlotte (74.6).

THE SKID: The Braves have lost five straight games and 17 of their last 18. The Braves are a season low 24 games under .500 and the 25 games out of first equals a season low. The Braves opened June by winning four of their first five games. They are 0-7 vs. Louisville this season, with the three meetings left this season. They Braves had never been swept in a season series by an IL opponent in their 41 year history prior to going 0-8 vs. Pawtucket this season.
ROCHESTER RED WINGS
BREAK ME OFF A WINNING RECORD: Tuesday night's win guaranteed the Red Wings a winning record at the All-Star break for the third consecutive season. If Rochester can have a decent second half (.500 or better) they should have a good chance at breaking their longest playoff drought in franchise history (eight years). Rochester currently has the longest playoff drought of any team in the International League.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD AFTERNOON AND GOOD NIGHT!: Closer Pat Neshek has been very impressive in his first season at the Triple-A level, going 6-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 31 games. Neshek has not allowed a run in 19 of his last 23 appearances and opponents are batting just .187 against him this season. Neshek needs just 11 more saves to break the Red Wings record for saves in a season set last year by RHP Travis Bowyer (23).

ALL OR NOTHING: The Red Wings offense has been inconsistent the first seven games of their current eight-game road trip (2-5 record). In the Red Wings two wins, Rochester is batting .346 (27-78) as a team and has scored 21 runs (10.5 runs per game). In the Red Wings five losses, Rochester is batting .168 (25-149) as a team and has scored five runs (1.0 run per game).

KING OF THE HILL: The Red Wings enter today's game in first place in the IL North Division. Rochester has been in first place or had a share of first place in the IL North for 62 of the first 85 days this season. Rochester has been in first place for 38 straight days.

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE
LONG TIME SINCE A LONGBALL: The Red Barons have had a tough time scoring runs this season and one reason has been the lack of power. On the season they have clubbed just 38 home runs, the second fewest in the IL behind Richmond's 37. More recently they have gone 10 straight games without a long ball. The last home run was on June 15 vs. Charlotte by Danny Sandoval. In 38 home games the offense has just 17 home runs and is on pace for 32, which would challenge the record of 30 set in 2004.

BARONS BITS: Batavia RHP Alex Concepcion (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Reading's Matt Padgett (.458, HR, 3 RBI) have been named the most recent Phillies Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Week......The Red Barons are closing in on 700 career home wins. As of today they are 697-554 in the regular season......Adam Bernero had his contract purchased by Philadelphia replacing Brett Myers who was placed on the temporary inactive list.

SCALES GETTING CLOSER: Bobby Scales is getting closer to joining the ranks of the International League leader boards. Scales is currently batting .341 which would be good for 2nd best in the IL if he had enough plate appearances. A stint on the DL with a strained oblique from April 24-May 18, however, left him in a game of catch up. The INF/OF is now just 8 plate appearances short of qualifying.

SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS
DOUBLE DOWN: The SkyChiefs eked out just a pair of hits against the Bisons Wednesday afternoon, one of which was a Mike Mahoney RBI double. The SkyChiefs have now accumulated 170 doubles for the season to lead the International League. They've also recorded at least one two-bagger in 25 consecutive contests. During that streak, they've smacked 58 doubles, 34% of their output in that category for the year. Syracuse has the top doubles pair in the IL as Kevin Barker and Chad Mottola have combined for 45 two-baggers this season. Including John Hattig and Ryan Roberts, the SkyChiefs have 4 of the top 7 double-makers in the IL. 7 SkyChiefs have at least 10 doubles.

BACK-TO-BACK REDUX: After completing 75 games without consecutive home runs, the SkyChiefs did so twice in two days. Monday night's Rob Cosby and Justin Singleton homers came in the 5th while Chad Mottola and John-Ford Griffin went back-to-back in the 4th Sunday night. Including Luis Figueroa's solo shot, the SkyChiefs totaled three homers for just the second time this season. The first came May 17 in Ottawa. It was the first time that three different players homered in a game.

LONE-STAR: SkyChiefs first-baseman Kevin Barker was the lone Syracuse player selected to this year's Triple-A All-Star game in Toledo. Barker leads the International League with 35 extra base hits, is 2nd with 23 doubles and fourth with 44 runs scored. The last time that more than one Syracuse player was selected to the Mid-Season Classic was 2002 when Gary Burnham and Orlando Hudson both represented the IL.

TOLEDO MUD HENS
ROAD WARRIORS: The Hens completed their first winning road trip, going 5-3, for the period of June 17- June 25. The Hens took three out of four at Rochester; beating the Red Wings in the first three contests before losing in the finale. The team then traveled to Syracuse to take on the SkyChiefs, splitting the series two games apiece. RHP Chad Durbin led the Hens to two victories, pitching 12.2 innings, allowing four earned runs, and striking out nine.

EASY AS 1-2-3: The Hens hosted the Norfolk Tides for a doubleheader on June 25, with the Hens taking both of the seven-inning contests. The fans at Fifth Third Field were treated to a rare triple play in the fifth inning of Game 2. The Tides put runners on first and second with no outs. Hens RHP Steve Green fielded a soft liner, for out one, threw to SS Don Kelly at second base for the second out, and Kelly relayed the ball to 1B Josh Phelps at first for the third out, completing the 1-6-3 triple play. It was the first triple for the Hens since May 24, 1999 versus the Richmond Braves and the first for the Hens in Fifth Third Field.

TRIPLES GALORE: Hens OF David Espinosa carved his name into the Hens' record book in Game 2 of the doubleheader versus Norfolk on June 24. Espinosa recorded three triples in his four at-bats, becoming the first Hen to ever record three triples in one game. The speedy Mud Hen finished the night 3-4, with one RBI, and one run. David recorded triples in the first, third, and sixth innings. Espinosa added one more triple the next day versus Norfolk, to make it four triples in two days. Only Jason Tyner (7) of Syracuse has more triples than Espinosa (6) in the IL this season.

CONGRATS HENS ALL-STARS: Four members of the 2006 Mud Hens will represent the International League for the 19th annual Triple-A All-Star Game. OF Ryan Ludwick, OF Ryan Raburn, RHP Lee Gardner, and RHP Chad Durbin were selected to play by the fans, media, and coaches. This is the most number of players to represent the Hens since 1983 when five players were chosen. The All-Star game will take place in Toledo from July 10-12. This is the first time Toledo has ever hosted the event.

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International League Stories from June 29, 2006


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