Florida Fire Frogs Game Notes: May 1, 2018
Published on May 1, 2018 under Florida State League (FSL1)
Florida Fire Frogs News Release
TODAY'S GAME: Game one of a three-game series against the Palm Beach Cardinals (StL) at Osceola County Stadium...Game one of a six-game homestand against Palm Beach and the Tampa Tarpons...Florida trails in the season series, 2-1, after dropping a three-game set at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadim April 13-15... The Fire Frogs finished 2017 with a 6-7 recorg against the Cardinals, including 2-4 at home.
TODAY'S STARTING PITCHER: 19-year-old Ian Anderson makes his fifth start of 2018 in the opener of the three-game series againt the Palm Beach Cardinals on Tuesday night...The 6'3" hurler came into the campaign as the Atlanta Braves fifth-ranked prospect in both Baseball America and MLB.com, and is the 42nd- (Baseball America) and 51st- (MLB.com) overall rated prospect in baseball...The native of Rexford, N.Y. allowed five runs on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts in a loss to the Daytona Tortugas on April 25...The right-hander tossed 71 pitches, with 41 going for strikes...Tuesday will be Anderson's second career start against the Cardinals...The product of Shenendehowa High School tossed five shutout innings against Palm Beach on April 14, giving up just one hit and walking three, while striking out five batters in the no-decision.
FLORIDA CLOSES OUT ROAD TRIP WITH VICTORY OVER LAKELAND: The Florida Fire Frogs earned the series split with a 4-3, game-four victory over the Lakeland Flying Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The win wrapped up the seven-game road trip with a 2-5 mark for Florida.
Florida's bullpen went the final 6.1 innings, allowing just two hits, walking two and striking out 10 men.
Crisitan Pache broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the ninth with his secone RBI groundout of the game, plating Lucas Herbert for the winning run.
BULLPEN DOMINATION: The combination of Troy Bacon, Thomas Burrows and Chad Sobotka worked the final 6.2 innings for the Fire Frogs, and blanked the Flying Tigers to close out the game...Bacon came on with the bases loaded and two outs in the third, striking out Anthony Pereira looking to escape the jam...Burrows punched out the first four men he faced before walking Cam Gibson, only to strike out Isaac Paredes and get a pop out off the bat of Blaise Salter to leave the runner stranded...Sobotka allowed a lead-off single to Andres Sthormes in the ninth to start his second inning of work, but a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play stomped the rally from the home team.
Florida's bullpen was put to work over the opening month of 2018, tossing 113 innings over the first 24 games...The relievers allowed 54 runs (43 earned) for a 3.42 ERA, collecting 107 strikeouts along the way...The punchouts account for more than half (57%) of the pitching staff's total for the first month.
YOU DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY: Despite earning the win, the Fire Frogs went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Sunday afternoon...The first run of the game scored in the first inning with Cristian Pache on first, and Braxton Davidson tripling off the wall in right...The next three runs came across on RBI groundouts...Florida also stranded nine men on base.
Lakeland finished 2-for-9 with RISP, and left seven men on and still suffered the loss on Sunday.
ROSTER MOVES: The Atlanta Braves made a couple of roster moves to Florida's roster on Monday...RHP Connor Johnstone returns to the Fire Frogs from the Mississippi Braves, and outfielder Garrison Schwartz joins the Florida from Rome...To make room for the two players, LHP Zach Rice was sent to Extended Spring and outfielder Justin Ellison was released.
Florida State League Stories from May 1, 2018
- Tarpons Squeak Past Miracle, 2-1 - Tampa Tarpons
- Listi Homers, Threshers Fall Short - Clearwater Threshers
- Sanchez Drives in Two in 4-2 Loss to Mets - Charlotte Stone Crabs
- Wennington Romer-0 Gives Daytona 3-0 Victory - Daytona Tortugas
- Late Rally Sparks Comeback over Palm Beach - Florida Fire Frogs
- Prevost Excels in Mets 4-2 Win at Stone Crabs - St. Lucie Mets
- Blankenhorn Homers, But Miracle Drop Opener - Fort Myers Mighty Mussels
- Florida Fire Frogs Game Notes: May 1, 2018 - Florida Fire Frogs
- Flying Tigers Return Home Thursday to Take on Threshers - Lakeland Flying Tigers
- Nate Lowe Wins FSL Player of the Week - Charlotte Stone Crabs
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