SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Game Notes: Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) at Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins) -- August 16, 2

Published on August 16, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS at GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS

56-65, 27-27 (Chicago White Sox) 78-46, 34-20 (Miami Marlins)

Saturday, August 16, 2014 - 7:00 p.m.

NewBridge Bank Park - Greensboro, N.C.

2nd Half Game #55 (122 of 137)

LH Andre Wheeler (2-3, 3.17) vs. RH Cody Crabaugh (4-2, 4.60)

Today's Preview: Andre Wheeler looks to keep his scoreless innings streak in tact as he toes the rubber for the Intimidators (A, White Sox) in the third game of this 4-game series against the Grasshoppers (A, Marlins) on Saturday at NewBridge Bank Park. Wheeler, who has not allowed a run since a July 25 loss in Hagerstown, has not allowed a run in 12.0 innings including a pair of 5-inning outings in his last two starts. The left-hander will dual Greensboro's Cody Crabaugh, who returns to a starting role for the first time since July 23. With this series tied 1-1, Kannapolis looks for a leg up after winning Friday, 6-3.

Intimidating Starter: Andre Wheeler, 22, makes his 14th start of the season and 26th appearance as he faces the Grasshoppers for just the second time in 2014. He has pitched three straight scoreless outings since giving up five runs over 4.1 innings in a July 25 loss in Hagerstown. Wheeler spun 2.0 hitless relief innings on July 31 against Augusta before his first of two straight 5.0-inning starts. The lefty is coming off a win over Lexington on Aug. 11. In his last six games (four starts), Wheeler is 1-1 with a 2.02 ERA. After trading starts with Jordan Guerrero since mid-June, Wheeler has assumed one of the Intimidators five starting spots. He is 2-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 13 starts compared to a 2.22 ERA in 12 games in relief. The White Sox selected Wheeler in the 15th round of the June 2013 Draft out of Texas Tech.

Hoppers Hurler: Cody Crabaugh, 23, makes his ninth start of the season and third against Kannapolis. This is Crabaugh's first start since July 23, making four relief appearances since. He's been relatively consistent between starting and relieving, going 3-1 with a 4.75 ERA in eight starts compared to going 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in nine games out of the bullpen. Crabaugh's two starts against Kannapolis have been at both ends of the spectrum. On June 13, he limited the Intimidators to a run on four hits over 6.1 innings in a no decision, but he took a loss on July 8, allowing season-highs with six runs and 10 hits over 4.0 innings. Crabaugh opened this season with Class A-Advanced Jupiter, making two relief appearances. The Marlins selected Crabaugh in the 32nd round of the June 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma City University. He graduated from Edmond North (Okla.) High School.

About Last Night: The Intimidators scored all six runs with two outs, using timely hits to squash the Grasshoppers, 6-3, on Friday. Christian Stringer launched a 2-run home run (8) with two outs in the sixth inning for a 6-2 lead. Eddy Alvarez finished 2-4 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. Dylan Chavez (4-4) worked 2 and 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits with two walks and a strikeout while earning the win. Tyler Barnette retired the final seven Greensboro batters of the game of the save (1). Greensboro starter Ryan Wertenberger (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits over 4.0 innings. The Intimidators pulled ahead in the third inning when Alvarez, who led off with a base hit, scored on a 2-out single by Jacob Morris. Morris later crossed the plate on a Greensboro error after a Jeremy Dowdy base-hit was misplayed in right field for a 3-1 lead. After the Hoppers got a run back in the bottom of the third on a Joel Jiminez 2-out single, Kannapolis returned fire in the top of the fourth. Stringer's 2-out base hit plated Mike Danner for a 4-2 lead. Down 1-0 in the second inning, Jeremy Dowdy led off with a base hit, and T.J. Williams came through with a 2-out game-tying single to score Dowdy.

Dinger for Stringer: Christian Stringer went 3-5 with a home run (8) and a team-leading 3 RBI on Friday - his eighth 3-hit game of the season and first since collecting three hits in three straight games Aug. 3-5. After batting .245 through July, the left-handed-hitting Texan is batting .355 (22-62) in 15 games in August, who has heated up August before. A year ago, Stringer hit .356 (26-73) in 21 games for the Voyagers during this month.

Don't Doubt Dowdy: Jeremy Dowdy has made great strides offensively in 2014, batting .308 (53-172) with an on-base percentage of .367 in 46 games as the Kannapolis catcher. The former Appalachian State Mountaineer is hitting .362 (17-47) against left-handed pitching. After batting .295 during the first half of the season, Dowdy upped his average to .333 (20-60) in 16 second-half games. Last season with the Intimidators, he hit .214 (21-98) in 31 games in the South Atlantic League.

Steady Eddy: Eddy Alvarez, who won a short-track speed-skating silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, continued his hot start since his promotion to Kannapolis on Monday. He went 2-4 on Friday, dropping his average to .571 (8-14) in four games. The switch-hitting infielder has now reached base in 10 of his 16 plate appearances for a .625 on-base percentage with Kannapolis.

No Broadcasts this weekend: Broadcasts on the Kannapolis Intimidators Baseball Network, which are available at IntimidatorsBaseball.com & on the TuneIn Radio App, will resume when the team returns to Kannapolis on Tuesday, Aug. 19. This season all 70 home games and select road games will be broadcast on the KIBN with Josh Feldman, now in his fourth season as the Voice of the Intimidators.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 16, 2014


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