IL1 International League

International League News & Notes

Published on September 2, 2010 under International League (IL1) News Release


BUFFALO BISONS www.Bisons.com

DUDA DONE IN TRIPLE-A: OF Lucas Duda was promoted to the Mets on Wednesday for his first taste of the major leagues. The outfielder made himself a big-time prospect with an impressive 70-game stint with the Bisons. From the time he was promoted to the Herd on June 14, his 42 extra-base hits were six more than any other hitter in the International League. After hitting just six homers in two months with Double-A Binghamton, Duda hit 17 with the Bisons and posted a .610 slugging percentage and a .999 OPS. Duda splashed onto the scene when he tied a Bisons all-time record with home runs in five consecutive games, June 28 - July 2.

GOSH GOLLY GEE: RHP Dillon Gee has one more chance to add to his impressive strikeout total. The righty is scheduled to start tonight as the Bisons host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees in the final home game of the season. In 27 starts this year, Gee has 161 strikeouts, or 23 more than any other pitcher at the Triple-A level. He is already 24 ahead of the Bisons modern era single-season record that stood for two decades. Gee is also 2nd in the IL in wins (13) and 3rd in innings pitched (157.1). Gee's year should stand out even more as the righty missed the final 98 games of 2009 with a right shoulder injury that required more than 10 months of rehab.

MEJIA MAGICAL: RHP Jenrry Mejia will end up only pitching one game with the Bisons during the 2010 season, but it was an impressive performance. Mejia started for the Herd on Monday and allowed just one run on five hits in eight innings of work. He struck out nine batters, including seven of the first eight he saw. The 20-year old didn't earn a decision in a 4-1, 10-inning loss to the Chiefs, but he impressed enough to get promoted to the Mets on Wednesday.

CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS www.CharlotteKnights.com

ROSTER MOVES: Prior to Tuesday's game RHP Carlos Torres was optioned to Charlotte from Chicago.  Torres, 27, just completed his second stint with the White Sox this season as he pitched 3.1 innings of relief on 8/28 vs. the New York Yankees allowing two runs off of six hits.  With major league rosters expanding C Tyler Flowers and OF Alejandro De Aza were recalled to Chicago.  De Aza, 26, hit .302 (96-318) with 21 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 49 RBI, 53 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 79 games Charlotte this season.  The 6-foot, 175-pounder appeared in 67 major-league games with Florida in 2007 and 2009, hitting .232 (38-164).  Flowers, 24, batted .220 (76-346) with 16 home runs and 53 RBI in 100 games with the Knights this season.  He was selected to the International League midseason All-Star Team and entered the season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 Prospect in the White Sox organization.  Flowers, 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, appeared in 10 games with the Sox in 2009, going 3-16 (.188).  The White Sox also designated RHP Clevelan Santeliz for assignment, which means that Santeliz is no longer on the White Sox 40 man roster.  C Adam Ricks has been officially added to the Knights roster.  Ricks has appeared in eight games for Charlotte this season hitting .083 (2-24) with one double and one RBI.

SOCOLOVING IT: Knights RHP Miguel Socolovich made his seventh consecutive scoreless relief appearance Tuesday night.  He has now pitched 12.0 consecutive scoreless innings.  Socolovich has not allowed a run since 8/11 at Durham and has not allowed an earned run since 8/3 vs. Rochester.  Over the course of his scoreless innings streak opponents have gone 5-41 (.122) with 14 strikeouts and five walks.

WHERE WE STAND: The Knights enter the last five games of the season with a record of 65-74.  Charlotte was 66-73 after 138 games in 2009, the Knights finished the season at 67-76.  The Knights could still reach 70 wins for the first time since 2006.

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS www.ClippersBaseball.com

ONE DROUGHT DOWN, ONE TO GO: After having nailed down the first winning season since 2005, ending the longest stretch of losing seasons in franchise history, the Clippers are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004, which would end the longest playoff drought in team history (magic number to clinch a spot is down to one).  Should the Clippers make the post season, regardless of how they make it, Huntington Park will host games on 9/8 and 9/9 (both games will be Dime-A-Dog Night; average attendance on DAD in 2010- 10,892).

ALWAYS ON: Jose Constanza had his 12 game hit streak snapped Saturday night (.490, 24-49), but still has a 20 game on-base streak dating back to 8/10 at Syracuse (new personal best).  During his stretch, Constanza has collected a hit in 17 games, batting .383 (31-81) with an OBP of .457.  Constanza owns the 2nd longest active on-base streak in the IL (one behind Desmond Jennings).

TEAM EFFORT: The Clippers are on pace to collect 1,409 hits this season, a number that would break the franchise record of 1,391 set in 1999.  On the mound, the pitching staff has tallied 1,020 strikeouts so far, becoming only the 3rd Clippers team to surpass 1,000 K in a season (1,039 K in 2001 and 1,089 K in 2008).

PAYING DIVIDENDS: Corey Kluber, whom the Indians received from San Diego on 7/31 as part of a three way deal that sent RHP Jake Westbrook to St. Louis and OF Ryan Ludwick from St. Louis to San Diego, made his Triple-A debut for the Clippers last night.  Kluber took the rotation spot of the Clippers' anchor, Carlos Carrasco (recalled on 9/1, 4th in IL with 133 K, 9th with 3.65 ERA), and responded with a win at Indianapolis (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 K).  Kluber is set to start the season finale for Columbus, in Toledo on 9/6.

DURHAM BULLS www.DurhamBulls.com

ONE RECORD DOWN, ONE TO GO: With a 4-3 come-from-behind victory yesterday over Charlotte, Durham is 86-52 with five games left.  The win total is the most for Durham since becoming a Triple-A team in 1998.  The 1999 and 2009 clubs each won 83 games.  The franchise's overall mark for victories in a regular season is 89, set in 1962.  Durham needs to go 4-1 the rest of the way to surpass that mark, 3-2 to equal it.  Durham plays all of its five remaining games at home, two against Gwinnett and three against Norfolk.  Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is the IL's last 90-game winner (2002 - 91-53).

COMEBACK KIDS: Durham scored four in the eighth inning yesterday, erasing a 3-0 deficit in a 4-3 victory over the Knights.  It was Durham's seventh win this year when trailing after seven innings, and all have come since the final week of June.  The Bulls now have won 13 games this year in the team's final at-bat.

MOVING ON UP: With roster expansion on September 1st, several players went to Tampa Bay to help the Rays in the competitive AL East.  Catchers Jose Lobaton and Dioner Navarro, outfielders Rocco Baldelli and Desmond Jennings along with 2010 International League Most Valuable Pitcher Jeremy Hellickson (who had recently been in Charlotte in the Florida State League to limit his innings) joined the major league club on Wednesday.  Lobaton was placed on the major league DL.

HAPPY TO BE HOME: The Bulls are finishing the regular season with eight straight home games, after a run of 16 of 18 games on the road.  The Bulls are a remarkable 45-22 at home this year after winning last night.  Durham is a League-best 41-30 on the road this season.  

GWINNETT BRAVES www.GwinnettBraves.com

DYNAMIC DUO: G-Braves 1B Freddie Freeman was voted as the 2010 International League Rookie of the Year. Freeman leads the League with 147 hits and 240 total bases, and is 2nd in the IL in average (.319), RBI (87), doubles (35), and extra-base hits (55). The last Braves player to win IL Rookie of the Year honors was Chipper Jones in 1993. Freeman and DH/1B Barbaro Canizares were also named to the 2010 International League Postseason All-Star Team. Canizares is the first player in International League history to be elected to the Postseason All-Star Team as the designated hitter in consecutive seasons. Canizares is chasing his first batting title in the IL, as he currently leads the circuit with a mark of .338 with less than a week to go.

DOWN & OUT: Monday night's 5-2 loss to Norfolk officially eliminated the G-Braves from the possibility of postseason play in the IL. It's the first time the team will miss the playoffs, as they clinched a Wild Card berth in their inaugural season last year. This will also be the first season in which the Atlanta Braves Triple-A franchise didn't either clinch a playoff berth or finish in last place in their division since 2002 when the Richmond Braves finished 77-65 and in 2nd place in the IL South - a move the team is on track for this season.

REDMOND WINS P.O.W.: Gwinnett Braves RHP Todd Redmond has been named the IL Pitcher of the Week for the span of 8/23-8/29. At home against Charlotte on 8/23, Redmond scattered 4 hits and 1 walk over 6.0 IP, striking out 6 Knights and leaving with a 1-0 lead. He was equally dominant on 8/28 when he took the hill against Norfolk. He again went 6.0 IP, this time surrendering 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 8. With 14 strikeouts this week, Redmond brought his season total to 138 and near the top of the IL leaderboard.

DIAMOND SHINES: LHP Scott Diamond made sure the final regular season game at Coolray Field this season would be memorable. In a 4-0 win over Norfolk, Diamond pitched his first complete game at the Triple-A level and did not allow a hit until the top of the 8th inning. Overall, he allowed only 2 hits while striking out 8 Tides players and having only 1 walk.

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS www.IndyIndians.com

SETTING A NEW STANDARD: As the 2010 Triple-A campaign comes to a close for the Indianapolis Indians, a number of Tribe players are within reach of or have already set new career highs in various statistical categories. That list of players includes:

OF Brandon Moss - The Indians' left-handed slugger has set a personal single-season career-high in home runs hit this season with 21, a mark which surpasses his previous high of 16, set in 2005 (Double-A Portland), 2007 (Triple-A Pawtucket and Boston) and 2008 (Triple-A Pawtucket, Boston and Pittsburgh). Moss' 89 RBI so far this season are also good for the second highest total of his career, only behind his impressive total of 111 RBI in 2004 (Single-A Augusta and Single-A Sarasota). His 21 home runs in an Indians' uniform are also the most for a Tribe player since Graham Koonce hit 23 for the Tribe in 2005, while his 89 RBI are the most since D.T. Cromer collected 107 for Indianapolis during the 1999 season.

OF Alex Presley - Presley's 2010 campaign has been one to remember for the young outfielder, as between his time with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, he has set single-season, career-highs in games played (131), runs scored (84), hits (159), doubles (26), triples (12), home runs (12) and RBI (82). Prior to this season, Presley's best season came in 2007 when he set his previous career highs in games played (121), runs scored (79), hits (145), doubles (22), home runs (11) and RBI (63). Presley also continues to lead all Pittsburgh Pirates' Minor Leaguers in hits (159), while ranking second in runs (84) and batting average (.320) as well as tied for third in RBI with 82 behind High-A Bradenton's Quincy Latimore (99) and current Indianapolis teammate Brandon Moss (89). Presley's 159 hits, which include 26 doubles, 12 triples and 12 home runs, also continue to rank among the top 15 in all of Minor League Baseball.

RHP Mike Crotta - The right-hander has split the 2010 campaign with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis and, in the process, has set single-season career highs in innings pitched (155.2, previous high was 146.1 IP in 2008), strikeouts (104, previous high was 97 in 2008 and 2009) and walks (38, previous high was 33 in 2009).

RHP Jean Machi - The Tribe's closer has set new career highs with his 20 saves and 55 appearances, surpassing his previous high of 16 saves and 49 appearances, both of which came in 2006 with the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits.

MOVIN' ON UP: When INF/OF John Bowker received the call to the big leagues on September 1, he became the 19th Tribe player to make the move to the Majors this season. After being acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the July 31st trade deadline, Bowker posted excellent numbers for the Indians in the month of August as he led the team in several categories, including batting average (.319), hits (29), doubles (7), home runs (4), on-base percentage (.367) and slugging percentage (.571). Bowker joins a long list of players to make the trip to Pittsburgh this season, several of which have made significant contributions at the Major League level. Leading the way for Indianapolis promotions have been OF Jose Tabata and INF Neil Walker. As of August 31st this season, Tabata became the first player since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 to not go hitless in back-to-back games through the first 54 games of his Major league career, while his 90 total hits since he made his debut on June 9 were tied for the second most in the Major Leagues. As for Walker, he just wrapped up a spectacular month of August, during which time he led all rookies with 22 RBI and as of August 31st continues to be one of the most clutch performers in baseball as his .377 average with runners on base ranked fourth in all of baseball, behind only MVP candidates Josh Hamilton (.388) and Joey Votto (.380) as well as fellow rookie phenom Buster Posey (.378).

LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS www.IronPigsBaseball.com

BATS COMING BACK TO LIFE?: The Pigs have 5 double-digit hit totals in their last 7 G, batting .314 (61-199) and scoring 41 R (5.9 R/G) in the span. This comes after a 30-G span in which LHV (8-22) averaged just 2.8 R/G (84) & batted .225 (219-973). LHV is still ranked T-last in the IL in AVG (.251) and last in runs (549) and is second to last with HR (101) ahead of ROC (99). After going 9 G and 71.2 innings w/o a HR, the LHV has hit a HR in each of its last 5 G (6 HR).

WHO'S HOT (BATTING): C Paul Hoover had a season-high 8-G hitting streak (12-28, .429-0-5, 4 2B, 3B, 3 R) and has hit in 11 of his last 12 (15-39, .385-0-5, 6 2B, 3B) before his September promotion...... 1B Andy Tracy has hit in his last 6 G (9-20, .450-3-11)...... 3B Greg Dobbs has hit in his last 5 G (9-20, .450-2-8)...... SS Brian Bocock has hit in 13 of his last 15 G (17- 42, .405-0-4) and reached base safely in 26 of 28 G...... INF Cody Ransom has hit in 17 of his last 20 G (24-70, .343-0-10,

9 2B)...... Since returning from the DL 7/28 (missed 13 G, wrist), INF Melvin Dorta has hit in 19 of his last 24 G (27-84, .321-2-11) -- including his first 4-hit G of '10 on 8/3 (4-5, 2 RBI)...... INF Matt Rizzotti -- who was placed on the DL 8/24 with a right thumb sprain -- is hitting a combined .345-17-75 (144-417) in '10...... INF Neil Sellers is 3-6, 2B with 4 BB in 10 PH appearances this season (.500 AVG; .700 OBP).

STAFF BLANKS YANKS: LHV turned in its 6th shutout of 2010 last night -- and its first 9-inning white-washing since 6/17 vs. SWB (started by Brian Mazone). With LHP Nate Robertson going 6 IP and RHP Mike Stutes the other 3 IP, it was the Pigs first 9-inning shutout this season with only 2 pitchers (last was on 7/5 @ SYR; Kendrick/Bowers). With 6 shutouts, the Pigs rank 12th in the IL in blankings (ROC, 5; CHA, 3). The Pigs recorded 10 shutouts in 2009 after finishing with just 6 in 2008.

ISN'T HE GRAND: 1B Andy Tracy hit his League-leading 3rd grand slam of 2010 in the 8th inning last night of RHP T.J. Large. He now has recorded 3 of the 30 (10%) grand slams hit in the IL in 2010. Tracy's also the first IL player to crank 3 bases-loaded jacks in a season in the IL since Durham's Justin Ruggiano recorded 3 in 2009 (4/28, 5/9, 6/19). Tracy has now hit 4 of the 10 (40%) grand slams in franchise history -- and the only 2 by a Pig at Coca-Cola Park (8/13/09 vs. LOU; 7/5/10 vs. PAW). The grand slam also marked the 5th for LHV this season -- a franchise record. LHV hit 4 in 2009; just 1 in 2008.

LOUISVILLE BATS www.BatsBaseball.com

DOWN THE STRETCH WE COME: With the Bats win and the Clippers win yesterday, LOU remains 0.5 games behind COL in the IL west. The Bats had been in sole possession of first place for 10 straight days and 12 overall this season, before losing the lead Tuesday night. Prior to 8/12, the last time the Bats had sole possession of the top spot was on 4/11 when they led the division by one game. LOU sits 4.0 games in front of SYR and 4.5 in front of BUF in the Wild Card race. Their magic number to clinch the Wild Card over both teams is 2. The Bats finish their season with a 5 game series against IND.  LOU has a combined record of 10-7 this year against the Tribe.

CHAPMAN'S HEAT REACHES 105!: In last Friday night's 2-1 win over Columbus, LHP Aroldis Chapman came on in the ninth and blew the Clippers hitters away to earn the win.  Chapman struck out the side in order and his fastball topped out at 105 MPH. It is the fastest recorded pitch in franchise history.  Chapman also consistently hit speeds of 104 and 103 on the gun.  On 12/20/08 he threw a pitch that reached 102 MPH which broke Maels Rodriguez's record for the fastest pitch in Cuban baseball history.  Last Friday he earned his 9th win and 8th consecutive scoreless appearance.  In his last 20 appearances with Louisville he was 4-0 with 8 saves and a 0.83 ERA in 21.2 innings of work.  During this period, he allowed just ten hits and 7 walks, while striking out 35. He has allowed just 4 hits in his last 13 appearances with the Bats. Prior to moving into the bullpen he made 13 starts, compiling a 5-5 record and a 4.11 ERA. He was 4-1 with 8 saves and a 2.48 ERA in 26 appearances out of the pen. Overall he was 9-6 with a 3.61 ERA and his 9 wins are tied for second on the team with Chad Reineke, one behind Matt Maloney (10). His 125 strikeouts on the season rank 5th in the IL.  On Tuesday, Chapman was recalled by the Cincinnati Reds and made his MLB debut against the Brewers.  Chapman threw a perfect inning in the 8-3 Reds win, and struck out the first batter he faced.  Last night, he earned his first Major League victory by throwing a perfect inning of relief and striking out two.  In his two games in the big leagues, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 2.0 innings of work.  He has yet to allow a base runner and has struck out three.  His fastball was clocked last night at 104 MPH.

BALENTIEN, VALAIKA ELECTED IL ALL-STARS: On Tuesday it was announced that OF Wladimir Balentien and IF Chris Valaika were named to the 2010 International League Postseason All-Star team. With 25 home runs on the season, Wladimir Balentien has tied his career high in home runs, which he has accomplished three times, in 2005, 2007 and 2008. He is the first Bat to hit 25 home runs since 2002, when Brandon Larson hit 25. Since Louisville moved downtown to Louisville Slugger Field in 2000, the most home runs hit by a Louisville player is 25 and that has been accomplished twice, Larson did it in 2002 and Brooks Kieschnick did it in LSF's inaugural season (2000). 26 home runs would tie him with Scott Krause (1998) for fifth all-time on the single season home run list since 1982. Balentien has had three two-home run games this year (5/30 vs. GWN, 7/23 at GWN, 8/24 vs. IND) and is the first to do so since Joey Votto did it during the 2007 campaign. Balentien batted just .118 (4-34) in April, but since then has hit .297 (109-367). He has recorded at least one hit in 23 of his last 28 games and during that stretch is batting .396 (42-106) with ten doubles, two triples, five home runs and 21 RBI. Since the All-Star break, he is first in total bases (111), first in slugging percentage (.730) and first in extra base hits (27). He is also tied for first with Norfolk's Michael Aubrey in home runs with 13, ranks fourth in the IL in batting average at .368 (56-152), second in RBI (38), tied for sixth in hits (56), and is tied for fourth in runs (32). Valaika played in 118 games with Louisville this season prior to being recalled by the Reds on 8/24. At the time of his promotion his .304 average ranked seventh in the IL in hitting. He has 28 doubles to go along with four home runs and 53 RBI and was Louisville's lone participant in the 2010 Triple-A All-Star Game. He has played in seven games with the Reds, batting .360 with a double and a home run.

STRIVING FOR 80: The Bats need three wins in their final five games to clinch an 80-win season, which would be their third consecutive. They won a franchise-high 88 games in 2008 and followed that with 84 last year, both of which ended with IL West Division Championships. The Bats have clinched their fifth consecutive winning season. It marks the first time since baseball returned in 1982 that Louisville has had five straight winning seasons. The Louisville Colonels had five straight winning seasons from 1913 to 1917.

NORFOLK TIDES www.NorfolkTides.com

WHAT A RELIEF: Over his last 18 outings, Dennis Sarfate has gone 1-0 with nine saves, a 0.84 ERA (2-ER, 22.1-IP), 10 hits and 30 strikeouts. For the season, the

29-year-old has allowed one run or less in 41 of his 44 outings, and he's held opposing batters to a .161 batting average (29-for-180) while registering 68 strikeouts in 52.0 innings pitched. Sarfate's 19 saves are tied for 8th in the IL, and he's just one save shy of moving into a tie for 5th on the Tides single season record list, where he would tie Wes Gardner (20 saves in 1984) and Mike Welch (20 saves in 1997).

THIS IS BIRDLAND: With the promotion of Robert Andino, Nolan Reimold and Brandon Snyder to Baltimore Wednesday, there have now been 24 different players who have played for both the Tides and a major league club this season (23 have played with the Tides and Orioles, while Ross Wolf has played with the Tides and the Oakland Athletics). Of the 30 players on the Orioles current roster, 17 have appeared with the Tides over the past two years: Pitchers Matt Albers, Jake Arrieta, Brad Bergesen, Jason Berken (DL), Michael Gonzalez, Dave Hernandez (DL), Jim Johnson, Alfredo Simon, Koji Uehara and Rick VandenHurk, catchers Craig Tatum and Matt Wieters, infielders Robert Andino, Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder, and outfielders Corey Patterson and Nolan Reimold.

GREAT BRITTONS: On Wednesday, infielder Buck Britton, catcher Phillip Britton and infielder Miguel Abreu were all promoted to Norfolk. Buck Britton, who is the older brother of Tides pitcher Zach Britton, had appeared in 99 games with Class-A Frederick, hitting .260 with five home runs and 48 RBI while playing games at first base (32), second base (18) and third base (31). Phillip Britton played 10 games with Double-A Bowie to start the season before joining Frederick, where he hit .229 with a home run and 11 RBI in 26 games with the Keys. Abreu appeared in 115 games between Bowie and Frederick, combining to hit .252 with 10 home runs and 64 RBI while playing games at first base (1), shortstop (1), third base (14), second base (44) and in the outfield (34).

PAWTUCKET RED SOX www.PawSox.com

EIGHT WAS ENOUGH: The Pawtucket Red Sox had their season-high 8-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night by a 9-3 loss at home to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The 8-game streak equaled Pawtucket's longest winning streak in more than two years (since an 8-game winning streak from June 20-27 of the 2008 season) but fell one shy of tying the all-time club record for longest winning streak. The PawSox have had five different 9-game winning streaks in franchise history - the last came ten years ago (August 8-17, 2000). The other 9-game winning streaks for the PawSox have occurred in 1984 (twice), 1991, and 1996.

ANATOMY OF A WINNING STREAK: Pawtucket's 8-game winning streak began on Tuesday, August 24 before ending on Wednesday, September 1. The Sox won the final two games of their series in Buffalo (Aug. 24 & 25), swept a 4-game series in Rochester later last week and this past weekend (Aug. 26-29), and then polished off another sweep of the Red Wings (2 games) at home on Monday & Tuesday nights. The streak ended on Wednesday with the loss to the IronPigs. The PawSox outscored the opposition, 40-21 during their 8-game winning streak as Sox pitchers were 8-0 with a 2.59 ERA during that stretch while PawSox batters hit .278 with 7 HR during the winning streak.

SERIES BUSINESS: The Sox - who won the last two series on their past roadtrip (in Buffalo, 4-2 and in Rochester, 4-0) - made it three straight series victories when they swept a 2-game set at home vs. Rochester earlier this week. It marked the first time Pawtucket has won three series in a row since they won five consecutive series from June 16 - July 1 of the 2008 season (in Lehigh Valley, vs. Columbus, vs. Richmond, in Rochester, and in Syracuse).

AUGUST MOON RISING: The PawSox finished off a winning month of August going 17-13 to post their most wins in a single month since June of 2008 when they went 20-9. The Sox batted .268 in August which is by far their best offensive month of the season. Pitchers were 17-13 with a 4.30 ERA. Pawtucket's top hitters in August included: OF Josh Reddick (.350/8/23), OF Bubba Bell (.329), and 1B Lars Anderson (.305) while standout pitchers during the month were: LHP Rich Hill (2-0, 2.93), RHP Michael Bowden (0-0, 2.25), LHP Dustin Richardson (0-0, 0.00 in 6 RA), RHP Robert Manuel (3-1, 2.76 with 4 SV), and RHP Fernando Cabrera (7 SV).

ROCHESTER RED WINGS www.RedWingsBaseball.com

WE MADE HISTORY: Tuesday night's loss was Rochester's 90th loss of the season.  It's only the third time an International League team has lost 90 games in a season since 1979 (2000 Richmond Braves 51-92 record and 1985 Pawtucket Red Sox 48-91 record).  It's also the first time a Rochester team has lost 90 games in a season since 1945 when manager Burleigh Grimes led the Red Wings to a 64-90 record.

STOP THE BLEEDING: The Red Wings are currently on a 10-game losing streak, which is their longest losing streak since July 24-August 5, 2002 when Rochester tied a franchise record with 12 consecutive losses.  This is just the third losing streak of 10 or more games since 1984.  Here's a look at those seven losing streaks:

DATES                                   # OF GAMES                                    OVERALL RECORD

July 24-August 5, 2002                 12-games                                                    55-89

June 12-22, 1984                          11-games                                                    52-88

August 23-present, 2010               10-games                            48-91 (projected record 50-94)

50 BONES: The Red Wings need two more wins to reach the 50-win mark for the season.  The 2010 Red Wings look to avoid being the first Rochester team to not reach the 50-win mark in a season since 1920 when the Rochester Colts finished 45-106 in 1920.  Since 1885 only four Rochester teams that have played more than 120 games in a season has finished with less than 50 wins (1895 47-82 record, 1903 34-96 record, 1904 28-105 record and 1920 45-106 record).

THIS IS NOT GOOD!: Last night's loss dropped the Red Wings record to 48-91, 43 games under .500.  It's the first time a Rochester baseball team has been 43 games under .500 since the 1920 season when the Rochester Colts finished that season with a 45-106 record (61 games under .500).

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE YANKEES www.SWBYankees.com

STREAKING ALONG: Colin Curtis picked up hits in both ends of the Yankees doubleheader on Wednesday night against Buffalo to extend his current hit streak to 14 games entering play on Thursday night against the Bisons. Curtis' current run surpasses the previous SWB long streak of the season at 12 shared by Kevin Russo (April 28th-May 16th) and Jorge Vazquez (June 19th-July 1st) at 12. Curtis is hitting .354 over his last 14 games dating back to August 17th. The outfielder is 17-48 with 5 R, 7 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K, SF, SAC and 2 HBP. He has hit safely in 18 of 19 raising his average from .259 to .290.

WHERE EXACTLY ARE WE GOING?: The Yankees know where they will be for the next five days. One more game in Buffalo, two games at PNC Field on Friday and Saturday vs. Pawtucket and then two days in Allentown wrapping up the season against the 'Pigs on Sunday and Monday. After that is the hard part. The Yankees could open up the Governors' Cup Playoffs on Wednesday in Buffalo, Syracuse, Louisville or Columbus. The most likely scenario will have the Yankees heading west as one Buffalo loss or a Louisville win eliminates the Herd. Syracuse is done with a combination of two losses or Bats wins. With five to play the first place Clippers lead Louisville by just one half game so this could come down to the final day of the regular season. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as a franchise has now won five consecutive North Division crowns, unmatched in the 127 year history of the League. As a Yankees affiliate SWB is 336-230 (.594) and has the best record in the League since 2007.

BIG LEAGUERS: With the Major League clubs expanding their rosters to 40 men, the New York Yankees have added Jonathan Albaladejo, Greg Golson and Chad Moeller to the squad as the team continues to battle with the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League East title. Albaladejo and Golson were all ready on the 40 man roster, while Moeller needed to be added. All three players have played for the NY Yankees at some point during the 2010 season.

PERFROMANCES WORTHY OF RECOGNITION: Jonathan Albaladejo, Jesus Montero and Eduardo Nunez were all named to the International League Postseason All-Star Team on Tuesday afternoon. The trio of Yankees garnering post season honors ties the Durham Bulls who also landed three players on the squad. Albaladejo leads all of Minor League Baseball with 43 saves, establishing a new IL record. He leads the League in games finished (54), lowest batting average against for a reliever (.178), highest K/9.0IP ratio (11.65) and fewest base runners/9.0IP for relievers (8.24). Montero leads the Yankees in HR (19 - setting a new career high), RBI (69), doubles (31) and runs (62). Nunez leads the club in hits (134), stolen bases (23), games played (118), and at-bats (464). He made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees on August 19 and hit his first career big league home run this past Sunday at Chicago.

SYRACUSE CHIEFS www.SyracuseChiefs.com

AMPING IT UP IN AUGUST: The Chiefs went 17-12 (winning percentage of .586) in the month of August, their first month of winning baseball since May (16-13). Syracuse was only 10-17 (.370 winning percentage) in July, the second worst winning percentage in the League that month behind Rochester (9-19 .321). The only month that the Chiefs had a higher winning percentage in was April (14-8 record, .636 winning percentage). The Chiefs hit .266 in August, their highest batting average since hitting .268 in the season's first month. The .266 mark was a 29 point improvement from their .237 average for the month of July (2nd worst in the League). Syracuse finished August with the lowest team ERA in the League (3.36 in August) after posting a 5.14 ERA in July (only Pawtucket at 5.40 was worse).

THE ORR & MARTINEZ SHOW: After hitting just .235 in 315 at bats before the All-Star Break, Pete Orr has hit .323 since, with 50 hits in 155 at bats. The 31-year-old put up a .344 average in 27 games in August, his best hitting month of the season. His season average now sits at .264. Michael Martinez has also turned it on after a slow start. In his first 10 games with the Chiefs, Martinez hit only .143 (6-42) with no homers and two RBI. In 18 games since he's gone 27-64 (.422) to raise his average all the way to .311. He's also smacked three homers and knocked in 15 runs in that 18 game-span.

SEE YOU IN WASHINGTON: Danny Espinosa, Wilson Ramos and Collin Balester all got the call to Washington on Wednesday when major league rosters expanded from 25 players to 40. It's Ramos's second stint with the Nationals since being traded from Minnesota for closer Matt Capps back on July 29th. Ramos hit .316 with three homers and eight RBI in his 20 games with the Chiefs this season. Balester was just 3-3 with a 6.14 ERA in 33 games for Syracuse but he owns an impressive 2.89 ERA over his last 10 appearances, all coming out of the bullpen. The 6-5 right-hander is 0-1 with a 4.50 in six games for the Nationals already this season. Espinosa collected a .295 batting average in 24 games for the Chiefs before being called to the big leagues. He started the season in Double-A Harrisburg where he hit .262 with 18 homers and 54 RBI in 99 games before being promoted to Syracuse in early August. The 23-year-old shortstop went 1-2 with an RBI double in his major league debut Wednesday, a 16-10 loss to Florida.

TOLEDO MUD HENS www.MudHens.com

IL HONOR: Outfielder Jeff Frazier was named to the International League Postseason All-Star Team this week, capping an exciting season for the 28-year-old from Toms River, New Jersey. In the last two months, Frazier was named to the Midseason All-Star team, participated in the Triple-A Home Run Derby, and made his Major League debut with the Tigers. Despite missing three weeks of the Mud Hens' season, Frazier is tied for third in the IL with 25 home runs, is fourth with 32 doubles, and leads the League with 59 extra-base hits.

A JUST REWARD: Fourteen years in the minors have finally paid off for catcher Max St-Pierre, whose contract was purchased by Detroit on Wednesday. St-Pierre debuted in 1997 with the Gulf Coast League Tigers and has spent all but one season as a professional in the Tigers organization.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END: Wednesday's loss to Louisville guaranteed that Toledo's streak of winning seasons will come to an end. The Mud Hens' five consecutive winning seasons had been the longest active streak in the International League.

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International League Stories from September 2, 2010


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