SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Game Notes: Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Giants) -- August 1, 2014

Published on August 1, 2014 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS vs AUGUSTA GREENJACKETS

51-56, 22-18 (Chicago White Sox)

52-56, 18-22 (San Francisco Giants)

Friday Aug, 1 2014 - 7:05 p.m.

CMC-Northeast Stadium - Kannapolis, N.C.

2nd Half Game #41 (108 of 137)

RH Robinson Leyer (5-6, 3.40) vs. RH Chase Johnson (2-6, 4.97)

Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) continue their 4-game series against the GreenJackets (A, Giants) tonight at CMC-Northeast Stadium. Kannapolis took game one of the series, 4-3 win on Thursday. Today right hander Robinson Leyer makes his first career start against a Giants affiliate while Chase Johnson will start for the GreenJackets.

Sally League Standings: Kannapolis (22-18) maintained 4th place in the division standings with the win Thursday night. Hagerstown maintained first place (26-14) and Greensboro sits a half game back at (25-15). The Intimidators are still 4.0 games out of first, in fourth in the South Atlantic League Northern Division standings, also trailing Hickory (24-16). Augusta (18-22) sits in fourth place in the South Atlantic League Southern Division.

Intimidating Starter: Robinson Leyer, 21, makes his 21st start of the season. He has struggled to start the second half of the season going 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA, though he does have a complete game victory in the second half against Greensboro on July 8th. Leyer currently ranks 11th in the league in SAL in ERA, as well as ranking 11th in the SAL in IP. Leyer was signed as a free agent on November 6, 2011. Leyer spent 2013 with Advanced Rookie Bristol, going 2-7 with a 6.35 (40 ER/56.2 IP) in 13 games (13 starts). Leyer made his professional debut in 2012, going 1-4 with a 3.12 ERA (18 ER/52 IP) with 31 strikeouts and 17 walks with the DSL White Sox.

Augusta's Arm: Chase Johnson, 22, makes his 18th start of the season. Johnson, is coming off of a 7.0 IP start where gave up 2 ER while striking out five in getting the win vs Savannah on July 25. Johnson has never faced a White Sox affiliate in his career. Last year Johnson split time between Salem-Keizer in short season ball and the AZL Giants. Between the two Johnson went 4-2 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 starts. Johnson also struck out 44 batters in 46.1 IP. Johnson was selected in the third round of the 2013 first-year player draft out of Cal Poly-Luis Obispo.

About Last Night: Ryan Leonards came through with an eighth inning 2-out base hit to give the Intimidators their first lead of the game as Kannapolis edged the Augusta GreenJackets, 4-3, on a rainy Thursday night. Kannapolis scored three runs in the eighth to take the series opener. With the game tied, 1-1, since the first inning, Augusta pulled in front in the top of the eighth on a Tyler Ross groundout to score Chris Lofton for a 2-1 lead. Kannapolis responded in the home half of the eighth as Christian Stringer drew a leadoff walk. After Danny Hayes drew his league-leading 59th walk of the season to put two on with one out, Jacob Morris knotted the game, 2-2, with an RBI double down the line to score Stringer and move the go-ahead run into scoring position. Following a two-out intentional walk to T.J. Williams, Leonards stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and singled through the right side of the infield, scoring Hayes and Morris for a 4-2 lead.Matt Abramson, who took over in the seventh inning on the mound for Kannapolis, allowed a run in the top of the ninth but stranded the tying run on first to secure a win for the Intimidators and himself.

Cajun Heating Up: The hero in last night's game Ryan Leonards is starting to heat up here of late. He is hitting 4-10 (.400) in his last 3 games with 3 RBIs which includes the two that led to the win over Augusta on July 31.

Promoted : The Intimidators, have promoted left-handed pitcher Ben Brewster to the Class A-Advanced Winston-Salem Dash today. Brewster, whom the White Sox selected in the 15th round in the June 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Maryland, becomes the second member of his draft class to reach the Carolina League behind first round pick Carlos Rodon. The Intimidators received right-handed pitcher David Putman from the Dash and left-handed pitcher Chris Freudenberg from Advanced Rookie Great Falls. Brewster, 22, made eight relief appearances with Kannapolis, going 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA (3 ER15.2 IP) with 17 strikeouts, holding opposing hitters to a .164 average, since joining the team from the Arizona White Sox on June 26. Putman, 24, spent six games with Winston-Salem, posting a 3.68 ERA (3 ER/7.1 IP) with 11 strikeouts during his month-long stint in the Carolina League. The former Duke Blue Devil opened his season with Kannapolis, and he is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA (7 ER/16.1 IP 0 in 14 games in the South Atlantic League. Freudenberg, 21, went 3-3 with a 3.17 ERA (17 ER/481. IP) in nine games (nine starts) for the Great Falls Voyagers. He is in his second season with the White Sox after being drafted in the eighth round of the June 2013 First-Year Player Draft after graduating from South Mountain Community College in Phoenix. Last season with Advanced Rookie Bristol, Freudenberg went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in nine games (six starts) in the Appalachian League. This is his first promotion to Class A Kannapolis.

Drawing Walks: Danny Hayes drew a walk on Thursday night, he remains the SAL leader with 59 walks and he ranks third on the circuit in on-base percentage (.391). Jacob Morris is not far behind Hayes. He ranks 5th in the SAL with 49 walks.

Double Trouble: Jacob Morris had another double Thursday night and currently leads the Intimidators and ranks fourth in the SAL with 28 doubles. He has eight doubles in the last 12 games.

Getting on Base : Brett Austin had a 2-4 game on Thursday. With that hit he set a career high with reaching base in 12 straight games (July 11-31). During that stretch Austin is hitting 14-44 (.318) with three doubles and three RBIs. Adam Engel also has been reaching base at a high frequency, going 1-4 game on Thursday pushing his career-high on base streak to 18 straight games (July 11-31). During that stretch, Engel is hitting 25-76 (.328) with three doubles, two triples, three home runs and 11 RBI's.

Road Broadcasts: All games will be broadcast on the Kannapolis Intimidators Baseball Network available at IntimidatorsBaseball.com & on the TuneIn Radio App with Josh Feldman, now in his fourth season as the Voice of the Intimidators.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 1, 2014


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