SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Game Notes: Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox) vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins) - May 5, 2013

Published on May 5, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


KANNAPOLIS INTIMIDATORS (10-17) vs. GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS (13-16)

KIDS DAY SUNDAY PRESENTED BY DENTISTY OF THE CAROLINAS

Sunday, May 5, 2013 - 5:05 p.m.

CMC-NorthEast Stadium - Kanapolis, N.C.

Game #28 (10-17) - Home Game #12 (3-8)

RHP Jake Cose (2-2, 2.67) vs. RHP Brian Ellington (1-0, 5.59)

Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) try to snap a season-long seven-game losing streak when they face the Grasshoppers (A, Marlins) in Game 2 of this four-game set. Kannapolis is now 10-17, 6.0 games behind Northern Division leader Hagerstown (16-11) as Greensboro sits 4.0 games back at 13-16. Kannapolis has lost 13 of 16 games after starting the season 7-4. Jake Cose makes the start for the Intimidators after working 7.0 scoreless frames in his last start while the Hoppers counter with Brian Ellington.

Intimidating Starter: Jake Cose, 22, is coming off one of the best starts of his career after matching a career-long with 7.0 innings of work in a scoreless outing at Charleston. Cose now has a pair of scoreless outings for Kannapolis this season, including a 5-inning outing in his season debut at Lakewood April 8. In four of his five starts, Cose has allowed one earned run or less. He's been hit hard at home, where he is 1-2 with a 4.80 ERA in three starts, allowing opposing hitters to bat .318 while limiting opponents to a .100 average in two road starts. The Sox selected Cose in the 27th round of the June 2011 draft out of San Joaquin Delta J.C. where he served as a corner infielder until the 2011 season.

Hoppers Hurler: Brian Ellington, 22, makes his second start of the season for Greensboro after working his last three games out of the pen. He took no decision in his lone start, a 5-inning outing against Lakewood in which he gave up a run on five hits. Ellington earned a win in his season debut at Hickory despite allowing four runs on four hits over four innings. Miami drafted Ellington in the 16th round last June out of West Florida where he went 6-3 with a 4.08 ERA and ranked sixth in NCAA Division II with 11.93 strikeouts per game as a junior. At Oak Hall High School (Gainsville, Fla.), Ellington was coached by Roger Maris's son, Kevin.

Unlucky Seven: Kannapolis enters tonight's game on a 7-game losing streak, Kannapolis's third since the 2008 All-Star break. The team's last win came April 24 against Rome. The Intimidators lost seven straight last season from April 16-24 as well as from July 14-21, 2008. The seven-game slide matches the franchise longest since a 12-game slide Aug. 10-25, 2006.

Roster Moves: Catcher Brent Tanner transferred back to High-A Winston-Salem today after spending just two games with Kannapolis, going 3-8 with a home run and three RBI in the SAL. Catcher Angel Rosario joins the team from Extended Spring. He split 2012 between Bristol and Great Falls, batting .248 with a home run, 20 RBI and 10 doubles in 31 games. Saturday Kannapolis sent outfielder Yoandy Barroso and reliever Brandon Hardin to the Dash.

Kyle to K-town: Kyle Hansen, the White Sox sixth round pick in the June 2012 draft, joined the Intimidators from Extended Spring on Saturday. In his professional debut, he made six appearances in 2012 between Bristol and Great Falls, going 0-0 and posting a 6.75 ERA (4 ER/6.1 IP). Hansen entered this season rated by Baseball America as having the Best Fastball (along with Chris Beck) and having the Most Intriguing Background in the 2012 White Sox draft class as his brother Craig is a former first round pick who has pitched in the Majors.

About Last Night: All five Greensboro runs came with two outs as the Hoppers dropped the Intimidators, 5-4, Saturday. Kannapolis rallied with two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh but fell short when Brent Tanner grounded into a game-ending double play. Tanner went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Austin Brice earned the win, his third in three starts against the Intimidators dating back to last season, while Brandon Brennan took the loss after working 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits. Blake Logan earned the save.

Ruben Rocks: Outfielder Ruben Sierra Jr. has hit safely in five straight games, batting .350 (7-20) over that span. The White Sox signed Sierra in December 2012. The son of 20-year MLB veteran Ruben Sierra, Sierra Jr. spent three seasons with the Rangers (2009-11).

Micah Running Wild: Micah Johnson has stolen 21 bases this season, leading all Minor Leaguers, two ahead of San Antonio's Rico Noel, four in front of Louisville's Billy Hamilton. He leads the SAL with four triples and is tied with two others for second with 22 runs scored.

Hopping Hitter: Greensboro's Yeison Hernandez went 1-4 on Saturday and is batting .320 (24-75) on the season, ranking 10th in the SAL, to go along with nine RBI in 21 games.

Gone, but not forgotten: Adam Heisler earned a promotion from Kannapolis to Winston-Salem on April 25, but his .324 average (22-68) still qualifies as seventh-best in the SAL. He reached base safely in all 19 games played with Kannapolis, which is tied for the third-longest in the league this season. In 10 games with the Dash, he's batting .256 (10-39) with four RBI and four stolen bases. Jason Van Skike, who opened the season with Kannapolis, has also settled in with Winston-Salem. He is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1 ER/13 IP) in six games (1 start).

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