SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Game Notes: Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) at Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies) - May 8, 2014

Published on May 8, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS at LAKEWOOD BLUECLAWS

17-15 (Chicago White Sox) 12-19 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Thursday, May 8, 2014 - 6:35 p.m.

FirstEnergy Park - Lakewood, N.J.

Game #33

RH Tyler Barnette (0-1, 2.75) vs. RH Ranfi Casimiro (1-3, 9.00)

Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) can clinch a series win by taking Game 2 of this series in Lakewood against the BlueClaws (A, Phillies) on Thursday. Kannapolis has won three straight games, including Wednesday's series opener, and today turns to former Charlotte 49ers pitcher Tyler Barnette to make his second start of the season. The right-hander has been lights out in relief this season, with a 0.57 ERA in his six relief appearances for the Intimidators.

Intimidating Starter: Tyler Barnette, 21, makes his second start of the season and eight of his career. In his first start in the second game of an April 29 doubleheader, he surrendered five runs on eight hits over 4.0 innings, suffering a loss to West Virginia. The former 49ers is now 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA (5 ER/4 IP) as a starter compared to 0-0 with a 0.57 ERA (1 ER/15.2 IP) out of the bullpen. The righty spun 5.0 scoreless relief innings on April 13 at Greenville, the longest relief out by an Intimidators pitcher since 2012. Barnette was 1-4 with a 5.73 ERA in 13 games (six starts) during his professional debut with Advanced Rookie Bristol in 2013, including going 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA as a starter. The White Sox selected Barnette in the 14th round of the June 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of nearby UNC Charlotte where he earned Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year in 2011.

BlueClaw on the Bump: Ranfi Casimiro, 21, makes his sixth start of the season and third at home. He has given up 26 runs (20 earned) over his 20 innings on the mound this season, striking out 11 and walking 10. Opposing hitters are batting .318 (28-88) against Casimiro, who has allowed one home run in each of his last four outings. Casimiro made his domestic debut in 2012 with the GCL Phillies, going 3-2 with a 3.49 ERA in 10 games (seven starts), however his numbers dipped in his second tour in the GCL in 2013, going 2-6 with a 5.21 ERA in 11 starts.

About Last Night:Jake Sanchez struck out eight batters over 6.0 strong innings as the Intimidators rolled to a 10-2 win over the BlueClaws at FirstEnergy Park on Wednesday. The Kannapolis offense provided plenty of support, including a 5-run fourth inning highlighted by Trey Michalczewski's bases-clearing double. Michalczewski finished with a career-high 4 RBI, including an run-scoring groundout in the third inning while first baseman Danny Hayes went 3-for-4 with first inning solo HR (2). Sanchez kept the BlueClaws off the scoreboard over the first four frames, allowing Kannapolis to build an 8-0 lead before finally surrendering a run. Drew Anderson (1-2) suffered the loss for Lakewood, allowing eight runs (five earned) on seven hits over just 3 and 2/3 innings. The BlueClaws defense made four errors on the night, including two by third baseman Mitch Walding.

Super Sanchez: Jake Sanchez improved to 4-0 on the year with Wednesday's win over Lakewood. His 8-strikeout performance gives his 39 strikeouts on the season, the most in the South Atlantic League. He also ranks third in opponent average (.146) and WHIP (0.81) while ranking fourth with a 1.27 ERA (4 ER/28.1 IP). He finished Wednesday's outing by allowing a run on five hits and no walks over 6.0 innings to pick up his second win as a starter.

Trey plates Quatro: Third baseman Trey Michalczewski drove in a career-high four runs Wednesday to pace the Intimidators offense. Three of his 4 RBI came home on a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning, on which he was thrown out at third base trying to stretch for a triple. Michalczewski currently is tied for the SAL lead in games played (32) with teammate Cleuluis Rondon and West Virginia's Erich Weiss. Michalczewski's 17 walks are tied for fifth-most on the circuit.

On Base Again: Danny Hayes went 3-4 with a home run, a walk and 3 runs scored on Wednesday to extend his on-base streak to 23 straight games since April 11, the longest active streak in the SAL. He is now one game shy of the longest on-base streak in the SAL this year (Asheville's Michale Benjamin reached base safely in 24 straight games from April 5 to May 4). Hayes is batting .346 (27-78) with an on-base percentage of .454 during this streak. It's the longest on-base streak by an Intimidators player since Adam Heisler reached base in 28 straight Sally League games (April 4 to Aug. 19, 2013) during a season in which he also spent time with the High-A Winston Salem Dash and AAA Charlotte Knights.

Walk This Way: With his walk on Wednesday, Danny Hayes is currently tied with Savannah's Jared King for the most walks in the SAL this season with 21.

Long time since going long:The first inning home run by Danny Hayes was the first by an Intimidators player since Tyler Williams took Andry Ubiera long at Rome on April 24, a span of 391 at-bats without a home run. During that stretch, Kannapolis played 12 games without leaving the yard. Kannapolis has not hit a home run at home since April 6 when three players cleared the wall against Greenville.

Broadcast: Today's game will not be broadcast live on IntimidatorsBaseball.com. Games this week in Lakewood and Hagerstown can be heard through the respective websites of both home clubs. Josh Feldman will broadcast all 70 home games and select road games for the Intimidators in 2014.

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South Atlantic League Stories from May 8, 2014


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