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IL1 International League

International League News & Notes

July 16, 2010 - International League (IL1) News Release


BUFFALO BISONS www.Bisons.com

FELICIANO RETURNS: The Bisons activated OF Jesus Feliciano yesterday. The 31-year old received the first big league promotion of his career on June 7 and hit .291 (16-55) with four doubles, two RBI and seven runs scored in 23 games with the Mets. For the first two months of the season, Feliciano was the best hitter in the International League. His .385 (72-187) batting average through 53 games was 57 points higher than any other batter in the League. Entering Friday, Feliciano was 34 plate appearances short of having his average 're-qualify' as the League's best.  Feliciano was also named IL Batter of the Week from May 17-23 and had a 12-game hit streak, May 12-23.

THE HOMERING HERD CONTINUES: The Bisons are the first club in the International League to reach 100+ home runs on the season. The homering Herd has 101 this year, four more than any other team in the League. Buffalo has hit 20 home runs in just 11 games this month. On Thursday night against Gwinnett, the Bisons got a two-homer game (OF Fernando Martinez), a pinch-hit home run (INF Valentino Pascucci) and back-to-back home runs (C J.R. House, Pascucci) all in the same game. Plus, OF Lucas Duda has clubbed eight home runs in his last 14 games. As a team, the Bisons already have 21 more home runs then they hit in all of 2009 (80).

THE DISH ON MISCH: Bisons LHP Pat Misch worked an inning of shutout relief in the International League's 2-1 victory over the Pacific Coast League in Wednesday's Triple-A All-Star game. Misch worked the game's fifth inning and recorded two strikeouts and one walk. It was the third straight season a Bisons pitcher has recorded an inning of shutout relief in the All-Star Game, following RHP Nelson Figueroa (2009) and LHP Rich Rundles (2008). On the year, Misch leads all IL pitchers in innings pitched (112.1 IP) and all lefties in wins (9). Misch's 3.12 ERA is the seventh lowest mark in the League.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS www.CharlotteKnights.com

THE HOT CORNER: INF Brent Morel has now hit safely in seven consecutive games and in 17 of his last 18 games going 28-68 (.411) with two home runs and 13 RBI.  With a double in last night's win over Durham he has an extra base hit in each of his last five games.  Over his last 18 games he has raised his batting average from .211 to .303.

BREAK UP THE KNIGHTS: The Charlotte Knights have won five straight games and six of their last seven.  Since June 1 the Knights have gone 27-14 and have put themselves back in the playoff picture in the International League.  The Knights enter tonight's matchup against Durham 8.0 games behind the Bulls in the IL South Division and 3.5 games behind Syracuse in the IL Wild Card race.  The Knights have also improved their road record to 26-23, a season best three games above .500.

KNIGHTS SET SALE: LHP Chris Sale makes his Triple-A debut with the Knights, in this his first professional season.  The White Sox selected Sale of Florida Gulf Coast University with the 13th pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.  Sale, 21, was named the 2010 National Player of the Year by Collegiate Baseball after going 11-0 with a 2.01 ERA (23 ER/103.0 IP), 14 walks and 146 strikeouts in 17 games (15 starts).  He led Division I pitchers in strikeouts, ranked fifth in wins and 10th in ERA.  He went 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA (1 ER/4.0 IP) for Winston-Salem.  Sale is the first member of the 2010 draft class to reach the Triple-A level.

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS www.ClippersBaseball.com

PEN IS A LOT MIGHTIER: The Clipper bullpen heads into tonight's game with an ERA nearly two runs better than the starters' (2.73 to 4.65).  On the year, the relievers have not allowed an earned run in 44 of 89 games (49%).  While backing the current rotation, they have posted an ERA of 2.06 (226.2 IP, 52 ER), while turning 36 performances of 0 ER in 69 games (52%).  Currently, Bryce Stowell has thrown 27.1 consecutive innings without allowing a run, dating back to 5/20 with Akron (5.0 IP with Columbus).  Earlier this season, Frank Herrmann also threw 27.1 straight innings without allowing a run (he was recalled to Cleveland with streak still active).

ALWAYS ON: Jared Goedert pushed his on-base streak to 24 games after last night's 1-3 performance, giving him the longest streak among Clippers this season and the 3rd longest in the IL (longest active streak).  Over the life of his streak, Goedert has hit .313 (30-96) with 12 HR, 25 RBI and a .391 OBP.  Including Michael Brantley's 18 game streak that was interrupted by his promotion to Cleveland on 7/4, the Clippers have four active on base streaks of at least 10 games (Wes Hodges, 13, 6/18 and Luis Valbuena, 11, 7/1).

HOMER HAPPY: Columbus has homered in each of the last 10 games (16 HR total), topping their season high of eight games (6/22-6/29, 12 HR total).  Last night, Wyatt Toregas kept the streak alive with his 2nd homer in as many games.  Jared Godert has been responsible for 5 HR on the current streak, including hammering one out in each of four games from 7/6-7/9.  During the Clippers' previous high homer streak, Goedert hit six of the team's 12 HR.

IT'S HOW YOU FINISH: Last night, the Clippers notched their 32nd come from behind victory on the season and their IL leading 24th win when the opposition scores first (Buffalo is 2nd with 18).  The Clippers have a winning percentage of .490 (best in the IL) when allowing their opponents to score first.

DURHAM BULLS www.DurhamBulls.com

DAN THE MAN: Mid-season All-Star Dan Johnson entered the All-Star break leading the IL in homers and RBI with 24 and 80 respectively.  To put that in perspective, the leader on last year's Triple-A National Championship club was Chris Richard with 24 homers and 75 RBI.

ELLIOT EXCELS: Dan isn't the only Bulls' Johnson who is excelling.  Elliot Johnson also is a mid-season All-Star, and drove in the winning run in the Triple-A All-Star Game.  It came in his only at-bat.  He went 11-for-17 in the team's four-game home-and-home series with Norfolk before the break, raising his average to a season-high of .303.

ALL GOOD STREAKS COME TO AN END: Joe Bateman allowed an inherited runner to score on Sunday, ending a streak of 19 inherited runners that failed to score against the Durham bullpen.  June 12th was the last date before Sunday that the Bulls allowed an inherited runner to score, and that came in an 11-4 home loss to Gwinnett.

FUTURE NOW PAST: Desmond Jennings went 0-for-3 in the Futures Game on Sunday in Anaheim, but scored three runs and stole a base. Jeremy Hellickson got the win, allowing a run in two innings.  Bulls Manager Charlie Montoyo coached for the World Team.  The US team won 9-1.

GWINNETT BRAVES www.GwinnettBraves.com

HEY NOW, YOU'RE AN ALL-STAR: Four G-Braves spent the extended All-Star Weekend getting to showcase their talents. DH Barbaro Canizares, RHP Michael Dunn and 3B Wes Timmons represented the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game in Allentown, PA. Timmons pinch ran and played 3rd base for the International League All-Stars. Canizares came in as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th and singled in his only at-bat. Dunn struck out a game-high 3 batters in a scoreless top of the 8th. LHP Mike Minor headed out to the site of the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim, CA, to partake in the 2010 Futures Game. He pitched a scoreless inning for the U.S. team.

KNOCKED AROUND: Since putting together the season's longest winning streak at 7 games (from 6/27-7/3), the G-Braves have gone 2-7 in their last 9 games - giving up 6 or more runs in every loss during the stretch. In that span, Gwinnett has been outscored 68-38 and had at least one pitcher give up 5 runs or more in every loss.

G-Braves pitching has yielded double-digit hits in 7 of the 9 games (and 6 in a row) - 106 total knocks.

BEING A GOOD CRISTHIAN: Gwinnett RHP Cristhian Martinez has been lights out since returning from his stint with Atlanta on 6/30. Since being optioned back to GWN (he was on the roster originally from 4/11-5/19), Martinez has gone 7.1 IP in 4 appearances (from 7/2-7/8) without allowing a single run. He's yielded only 3 hits and struck out 8 during that span - 2 batters in each appearance. The Dominican native pitched 10.2 innings while striking out 10 in 7 appearances for ATL from 5/25-6/29, posting a 5.06 ERA.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS www.IndyIndians.com

WELL-DESERVED PROMOTION: After spending nearly nine years in the Minor Leagues, Indianapolis Indians' C Erik Kratz finally, and deservedly, received his first promotion to the Major Leagues. Kratz, who just turned 30-years-old on June 15, received word during the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game on July 14 that he was being called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates. In response to hearing the good news from Tribe field manager Frank Kremblas, who was a member of the International League's All-Star Game coaching staff, Kratz, who was visibly moved, said "I don't know what to say. It means the world to me and my family". Prior to his promotion to Pittsburgh, Kratz was hitting .296 (56-for-189) with nine homers and 37 RBI in 56 games for the Tribe. Coming into the 2010 campaign, Kratz was a veteran of 555 career Minor League contests, during which time he batted .250 (461-for-1847) with 242 runs scored, 119 doubles, 68 home runs and 258 RBI.

LOVIN' THE LONG BALL: With his solo home run against the Rochester Red Wings on Thursday, July 15, Tribe OF Jonathan Van Every has now hit a home run in three consecutive contests for the first time since he accomplished the feat from May 13-17, 2005 when he was with Double-A Akron. During his current home run tear, the only hits for Van Every have come via the long ball (3 HR, 3-for-13), but the outfielder has driven in six runs during that span. Interestingly, during his last three game, three home run stretch in 2005, Van Every's only hits were also his three homers (3 HR, 3-for-12) and he collected five total RBI in the process. The last Indians' batter to hit a home run in three consecutive contests was the recently re-acquired Brian Bixler, who completed the feat from July 5-7, 2009 (the July 5 contest was game two of a doubleheader).

LETS GO STREAKING: Indians' OFs Brandon Moss and Alex Presley are currently riding a six-game and a seven-game hitting streak, respectively. During Moss' six-game streak, the Georgia native is batting .346 (9-for-26) with five runs scored, two doubles, one home run, five RBI and one stolen base. Presley, who has eclipsed Moss' hitting streak by one game, has posted a .400 average (10-for-25) with three runs scored, three doubles, three walks and two stolen bases during his seven-game hitting streak.

WELCOME BACK, BIXLER: On January 18, 2010, Indianapolis Indians fan-favorite Brian Bixler was traded to the Cleveland Indians organization for INF/OF Jesus Brito. After being designated for assignment by Cleveland on March 17, Bixler was outrighted to Triple-A Columbus on March 19. In 64 games for the Clippers, Bixler batted .278 (64-for-230) with 32 runs scored, 13 doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI before he was re-acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization on July 12 for a player to be named later. In his Indianapolis career, Bixler ranks first in runs scored (192), second in games (323) and hits (331), fifth in RBI (130) and 16th in home runs (21) during the Victory Field era. Bixler was also named the Indianapolis Indians' MVP in 2007 after posting a .274 batting average (130-for-475) with 23 doubles, five home runs and 51 RBI in 129 games for the Tribe.

LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS www.IronPigsBaseball.com

BACON BITS: LHV leads the IL in games in which it scores first (53); but at 29-24, the Pigs have the 2nd worst winning PCT (.537) behind Rochester (.447)...... Following a terrific stretch, the LHV pen is 3-3, 5.22 (62.0/36) w/ a 5 SV, 3 BS, 8 H in the last 20 G...... LHV is 1st in the IL in one-run games (34; PAW has 33); but at 9-25, they have the lowest winning PCT (.265) in one-run games. The next worst team (LOU) is at .360.

  

THE MIGHTY TRACY: 2010 IL All-Star 1B Andy Tracy has hit safely in 23 of his last 28 G (35-96, .364-5-23, 11 2B, 20 R). Since his return from the DL on 5/27, Tracy is batting .354-10-38 in 45 G (51-144, 13 2B, 2 3B, 29 R, 32 BB, HBP) -- with a .480 OBA and a .671 SLG. Traditionally a slow starter, he has also hit .333-10-40 in his last 54 G (59-177, 16 2B, 3 3B, 35 BB) raising his average from .198 (5/4) to a season-high .293.

ROAD SHOW: The Pigs are in the midst of a span of 12 G and 15 days before returning home 7/23 vs. ROC; they started 2-3, but with two wins at SWB, LHV won back-to-back road games for the first time since 6/12-13 @ BUF (16 road games ago). Prior to their recent two-game winning "streak" at SWB, the Pigs were shutout 3 straight road games (20-0). At 16-31 (.340) away from Coca-Cola Park, the Pigs have the 2nd-worst road record in the IL (PAW, 14-30).

LOUISVILLE BATS www.BatsBaseball.com

JUAN FRANCISCO TREAT: Last night, Juan Francisco put on a show at the plate and helped the Bats comeback from a 7-0 deficit to defeat LHV 8-7.  Francisco went

2-4 on the night with a season high five RBI.  His seventh inning 3-run homer brought the Bats to within a run at 7-6, and in the bottom of the ninth, his 480-ft bomb gave the Bats a walk-off win 8-7.  The 480-ft blast ranks third on the all-time Louisville Slugger Field home run list behind Kevin Witt (483 ft) and Rob Stratton (490 ft).  The two home run performance was the fifth time a Bats player has had a multi-homer game this season.  Francisco is responsible for the last two, making him the only Bats player to accomplish this feat twice this year.  He had two homers vs. IND on 7/6. 

BATS AT THE BREAK: At 44-48 and 11.5 games out of first, the Bats find themselves in their second biggest deficit at the break since the team moved to Louisville Slugger Field in 2000. In 2005, the team entered the break with a 45-46 record, 13.0 games out of first. They finished with a 66-78 record, 23.0 games out of first place. The 44-48 mark is also the second-worst record that the Bats have gone to the break with since 2000. In 2004, they entered the break with a 43-48 clip. That season they finished with a 67-77 record.

VALAIKA DOUBLES, SCORES IN ALL-STAR GAME: Bats second basemen Chris Valaika got the start Wednesday night at second for the International League All-Stars. His double in the bottom of the sixth started an IL rally that led to two runs, which was all the IL pitching staff needed, as they downed the PCL, 2-1. Valaika finished the game 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Valaika has been the Bats' most consistent hitter all season long. His .289 batting average ranks 14th in the IL and he has been in the Top 10 the majority of the season. He also leads the Bats in hits with 92. He hit his first home run of the season in the first game of the doubleheader on 7/5 in Indy. The home run came in his 82nd game of the season. On 7/9 he hit his second home run of the year and has 2 in the last 8 games.

ALONSO & VALIQUETTE COMPETE IN FUTURES GAME: IF Yonder Alonso and LHP Phillippe Valiquette appeared for the World Team in the 2010 MLB Futures Game on Sunday (7/11). Alonso started the game at first base and batted third and played all nine innings, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout. Valiquette pitched 0.2 innings and walked one. Alonso was selected by the Reds in the first round (7th overall) of the June 2008 draft. He is batting .268 with six home runs and 34 RBI. Valiquette was selected by the Reds in the seventh round of the June 2004 draft. He pitched in 25 games with Carolina before being promoted to LOU on 6/17. In those 25 G he went 2-0 with four saves and a 3.99 ERA. He's made ten appearances with LOU, going 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA.

NORFOLK TIDES www.NorfolkTides.com

CHICKS DIG THE LONG BALL: Norfolk enters play tonight with 74 home runs, a total that ranks 8th in the International League. The Tides are just four homers shy of matching their entire season total from last season, when Norfolk ranked last in the IL with 78 homers for the year. The Tides have already hit more homers at Harbor Park this year (39) than they did all of last year (35), and Jeff Salazar's 14 home runs have already surpassed Norfolk's team leader from a year ago (Jeff Fiorentino, 12 HR).

ANGLE IN THE OUTFIELD: With two hits Thursday night, outfielder Matt Angle has now reached base safely in 22 of his last 24 games, and he's batted .319 (30-for-94) with 17 runs and 11 stolen bases over that stretch. Angle has hit .308 between Norfolk and Bowie this season, ranking him first among full-season Orioles minor leaguers. He's also 4th among O's farmhands with 19 stolen bases, and he's yet to commit an error in 160 total chances in the outfield (41 at Bowie, 119 with Norfolk).

ROUGH TIDES: The Tides are currently in game six of a stretch that will see them play 12 straight games against three of the four best clubs in the International League. Prior to the All-Star break, Norfolk went 1-3 in a four-game span against Durham (55-36) and the Tides are currently in a four-game series against Columbus (56-36). Norfolk will follow up the current series with a four-game set against Syracuse (51-41). Those three opponents are a combined 49 games over .500.

PAWTUCKET RED SOX www.PawSox.com

REHAB CENTRAL: Boston Red Sox All-Star RHP Clay Buchholz will make a rehab start for the PawSox tonight (Friday) night in Syracuse while Red Sox RHP Josh Beckett will make his second rehab start for the PawSox on Saturday night in Syracuse. The PawSox also have Red Sox INF Jed Lowrie on rehab assignment. Lowrie has been on Boston's 60-day disabled list since March 26 with mononucleosis. He played in 4 games for the Red Sox during spring training going 2-for-9 with a double before battling mono. The switch-hitting 26 year-old infielder has played for the PawSox during parts of 2007-09 (hitting .265 in 115 games) and in 113 Major League games with the Red Sox he has a .235 career average with 4 HR & 57 RBI. He is best known for his walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 9th-inning to give the Red Sox a 3-2 series clinching win over Anaheim in the 2008 ALDS at Fenway Park. Buchholz, 25, is 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 15 starts for the Red Sox this season. He last pitched on June 26 in San Francisco (1 inning) before suffering a left hamstring strain while running from 1st to 2nd-base after singling in the 2nd-inning. He was removed from the game and eventually placed on the disabled list on July 5 (retroactive to June 27). Clay went to Anaheim this week as a member of the American League All-Star team although he did not appear in the game. One year ago at this time he was voted as the starting pitcher for the International League All-Star team but he did not attend the game as he was promoted to Boston that week. Buchholz was 7-2 with a 2.36 ERA in 17 games for the PawSox last season and is 22-18 in parts of four seasons with the Red Sox. On September 1, 2007 he pitched a no-hitter in just his second big league appearance as he blanked Baltimore, 10-0 at Fenway Park. Beckett. 30, has been on Boston's disabled list since May 19 with a lower back strain. He is 1-1 with a 7.29 ERA in 8 GS for the Red Sox this season. Sunday afternoon at McCoy Stadium he made his first minor league appearance since June of 2003 when he made a rehab start for Carolina (Double-A, Florida) and his first ever outing in Triple-A as he started vs. Syracuse. His final line was - 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO - with 1 HRA (Jason Botts) as he threw 68 pitches (42 strikes) in a game the PawSox won, 2-1. Beckett was the 2003 World Series MVP for the Florida Marlins and is a two-time American League All-Star (2007 & 2009) with the Red Sox. He has a 7-3 mark with a 3.07 ERA in 14 career postseason games including 3 CG shutouts in the playoffs.

A HALL OF FAME LIST OF REHABBERS: Clay Buchholz will join an illustrious group of Major League stars who have spent time with the PawSox on an injury rehab assignment over the years. The impressive list includes (in part): Rocco Baldelli (2009), Marty Barrett (1989), Josh Beckett (2010), Ellis Burks (1989), Mike Cameron (2010), Jose Canseco (1995 & '96), Sean Casey (2008), Roger Clemens (1993 & '95), Dennis Eckersley (1998), Jacoby Ellsbury (2010), Nomar Garciaparra (2001), Mike Greenwell (1995 & '96), Mark Kotsay (2009), Mike Lowell (2008), Ramon Martinez (1999), Daisuke Matsuzaka (2008, 2009, 2010), Willie McGee (1995), Kevin Mitchell (1996), Trot Nixon (2004), David Ortiz (2008), Manny Ramirez (2002), Bret Saberhagen (1997 & 2000), Curt Schilling (2005 & '07), John Smoltz (2009), Bob Stanley (1988), Mike Timlin (2007 & '08), John Valentin (2001), Tim Wakefield (2009), and Kevin Youkilis (2009).

ROCHESTER RED WINGS www.RedWingsBaseball.com

SLAMA TIME: Closer Anthony Slama had a very busy All-Star break playing in both the MLB Futures Game in Anaheim, CA on Sunday and the Triple-A All-Star Game in Lehigh Valley, PA Wednesday night.  Slama allowed no runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of work at the Futures Game while allowing just one walk in 1.0 scoreless inning of work in the Triple-A All-Star Game.  Slama picked up the win for the International League in the Triple-A All-Star Game.  He becomes the first Rochester pitcher to win an All-Star Game since 1998 when RHP Joel Bennett was the winning pitcher in an IL 8-4 victory in Norfolk, VA.

AT THE BREAK: The Red Wings 33-59 record at the All-Star break was just the third time in the last eight years Rochester has had a non-winning record at the break. Rochester now looks to post their fifth winning second half in the last six years.  Since 2005, the Wings have a 140-122 record after the All-Star break.

CARDIAC KIDS: Sunday afternoon was the third time this season that Rochester has captured a win in their final at-bat (3-4 record in last at-bat games this season).  Going into the 2010 season, Rochester has seven consecutive seasons (2009 14-10 record, 2008 15-10 record, 2007 11-10 record, 2006 201-12 record, 2005 11-6 record, 2004 11-6 record & 2003 10-7 record) with a winning record in games decided in last at-bats.  Since 2003, the Red Wings have 95-67 record in games decided in last at-bats.

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES www.SWBYankees.com

THE FIRST WAS HUGE: The Yankees did not cool off over the three day All-Star break as the first inning back to action on Thursday night hosting Toledo, SWB exploded for a season high nine runs and eight hits in the first inning off Mud Hen starter Billy Buckner all with two outs in the inning.  The Yankees sent 13 men to the plate with all nine players in the lineup scoring a run. It was the second time an SWB Yankee team picked up nine runs in an inning. The first was August 1, 2008 vs. Syracuse.  

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE: The Yankees have had their issues on the road in 2010 but on the most recent trip to Rochester and Buffalo, SWB began to turn things around winning all five games played including a four game sweep of the Red Wings, the Yankees first four game sweep on the road since winning the first eight on the road to open 2009.  The Yankees have improved to 22-23 away from home with the current success but the home numbers in July have taken a bit of a dip.  SWB went 11-4 at home in June to run their mark to an IL best 29-13 but are just above .500 at 3-2 in five games at PNC Field in July, most recently losing two of three to Lehigh Valley who was 14-29 on the road heading into the three game set prior to the All-Star Break.

SAVING ONE FOR THE LEAGUE: Jonathan Albaladejo unofficially notched his 30th save of the season in 31 chances with a one, two, three ninth inning in Wednesday night's Triple-A All-Star game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown.  The right-hander got a pop up, a strikeout and a fly out in his lone inning of work.  Albaladejo threw 11 pitches, 10 for strikes, as he preserved the 2-1 lead giving the IL their second consecutive win over the PCL in the annual event.  Prior to the game on Wednesday, Albaladejo was named IL Pitcher of the Week, becoming the first Yankees player to get pitcher or player of the week honors.

 

OUTSCORING THE OPPOSITION: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre may have their run differential for the 2010 in the black for good.  During the Yankees recent winning streak SWB outscored the opposition 47-20 to being the run differential to +8, the highest it had been all season, until the Yankees dropped a 12 spot on Toledo thanks in part to a nine run first inning pushing the run differential to +11 at 391-380. A big reason for the recent surge in runs is power. Eric Bruntlett became the first Yankee to hit multiple homers in a game this season July 8th at Buffalo taking Ramon Ortiz over the wall in left with one out in the second inning for his fourth homer of the season and then coming back in the seventh inning off Jose De La Torre with a leadoff homer.  The two homers for Bruntlett mark the 81st time in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre history that it has happened.  Three days later Chad Tracy turned the feat again homering twice against Lehigh Valley going deep against former Red Baron Brandon Duckworth and Mike Zagurski.   Former Red Baron Bobby Estalella homered twice on six different occasions making him the franchise leader.  Shelley Duncan is tops among SWB Yankees having hit two homers in a game five different times.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS www.SyracuseChiefs.com

A LOOK AHEAD: The Chiefs play 24 out of their remaining 52 games against teams with a record better than .500. Syracuse's next series with a winning team will begin on July 23rd when the Chiefs head to Durham for four games. Right now, the Chiefs sit 3 ½ games ahead of Charlotte and Indianapolis for the Wild Card. Syracuse hasn't made the playoffs since 1998.

SWITCHING PLACES: Chiefs center fielder Justin Maxwell was recalled by the Nationals on July 10th. Right-handed starting pitcher Luis Atilano was sent to Syracuse the following day to make room for Maxwell. The 6'5 center fielder hit .296 with six homers and 18 RBI in 55 games with the Chiefs. He also had 11 stolen bases in eighteen attempts with Syracuse. Atilano was 6-6 with a 4.85 ERA in 15 starts with Washington before being sent down to Triple-A. Atilano started the year with the Chiefs, winning his first two starts and compiling a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings pitched.

LAMBIN TOP STAR IN ALLENTOWN: Syracuse infielder Chase Lambin, the Chiefs' lone representative on the 2010 IL All-Star squad, was named the MiLB.com Top Star in Wednesday night's Triple-A All Star Game held in Allentown, PA. Lambin, who started at third base and batted second for the IL, went one for three and had the game-tying double in the sixth inning. The IL won the game 2-1 to secure home field advantage for the Triple-A National Championship later this season. Lambin is hitting .284 with 11 home runs and 45 RBI in 89 games with the Chiefs.

SHAIRON WORKHORSE: After failing to make it out of the fifth inning in three out of his first four starts, Chiefs starter Shairon Martis has now pitched at least five innings in thirteen straight starts. In that span, Martis has gone 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA. His 96 innings pitched are the most on the team and 32 more than the next highest innings total (Matt Chico with 64 IP).

TOLEDO MUD HENS www.MudHens.com

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The Mud Hens have lost a Fifth Third Field record nine straight games. Prior to the skid, Toledo was 20-16 at home, including a stretch from May 15-June 1 when the Hens set a Fifth Third Field record for consecutive wins, with eight.

BEAT THE STREAK: 1B/3B Jeff Larish is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, second only to Scott Sizemore's 2010 team-high streak of 13, set back in May-June. Larish still has a ways to go to break the longest streak by a Mud Hen since the opening of Fifth Third Field (18, by Timo Perez in 2007).

HEN EGGS: INF Will Rhymes is batting .385 (30-for-78) with eight doubles, three triples, two home runs and 11 RBI over his last 19 games. Rhymes, who began the week without a home run all season, has gone deep in each of the last two games...... C Robinzon Diaz is batting .296 (21-for-71) over his last 22 games...... 1B/OF Ryan Strieby has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games, batting .347 (17-for-49) with five doubles, a home run and six RBI...... SS Brent Dlugach is hitting .295 (13-for-44) with four doubles and three RBI over his last 12 games...... RHP Casey Fien has compiled a 1.50 ERA (12.0 IP/2 ER) and nine strikeouts over his last eight outings.

SO LONG, FAREWELL: OF Jon Weber announced his retirement on Thursday. The 32-year-old began the season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but spent the last four weeks with Toledo. As a Mud Hen, Weber hit .256 with one home run and five RBI in 78 at-bats.

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