SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Intimidators vs. GreenJackets - Game Notes - June 11, 2013

Published on June 11, 2013 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release


Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) and GreenJackets (A, Giants) will take the field twice Tuesday in a doubleheader at CMC- NorthEast Stadium after Monday's series opener was postponed due to unplayable field conditions. Kannapolis opens its final home stand of the first half with three games against Augusta before hosting Rome heading into the SAL All-Star Break. While the Intimidators have been eliminated from Northern Division first half title contention, Augusta is 4.5 games out of first in the Southern Division with a week to play, giving them an outside chance to win the first half. Today Kannapolis sends Braulio Ortiz to the mound in Game 1, his first appearance since working the first 4.0 innings of the Intimidators' no- hitter last Wednesday in Hagerstown. Game 2 of today's twin bill will feature a pair of arms coming off complete game outings as Jefferson Olacio faces Augusta's Kendry Flores. The Intimidators and GreenJackets split a series at Lake Olmstead Stadium in April.

Intimidating Starters: Braulio Ortiz, 21, makes his second start of the season and 11th of his career. In his first start of the season, Ortiz worked 4.0 innings and combined with Adam Lopez and Joe Dvorsky to no-hit Hagerstown on June 5. The right-hander currently ranks fourth in the SAL in highest strikeout/9 IP ratio (12.67) with 46 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. He is holding opposing hitters to a .170 average this season. Ortiz went 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA (22 ER/50.1 IP) in 16 games (eight starts) with the DSL White Sox last season. In eight starts last season, he was 1-3 with a 4.36 ERA. He is coming off a 3- inning save at Lexington on May 28, his third save in four chances.

The flame-throwing right-hander has struck out 38 batters over 27 innings this season. He equan led his career-high of five strikeouts on May 23 at Hickory, a mark he has now reached four times in his career, three times this year. Jefferson Olacio, 19, takes the ball for his 12th start of the season and sixth at home. He is coming off a career-long 7.0-inning outing and the second complete game of his career, earning a win in the first game of last Wednesday's doubleheader at Hagerstown. The win snapped a streak of six winless starts for Olacio, who earned his first win of the year on April 24 against Rome. He has done better at home, going 1-2 with a 5.09 ERA (13 ER/23 IP) compared to 1-5 and 8.13 ERA (25 ER/ 27.2 IP) in six road starts. He has struggled with walks, issuing at least two free passes in 10 of 11 starts. He is also tied for third in the SAL with seven losses, joining teammate Euclides Leyer (2-7). Olacio enters this season as the No. 30 Prospect in the White Sox system, according to Baseball America.

Augusta's Arms: Joan Gregorio, 21, makes his sixth start of the season and first against the Intimidators on the heels of six scoreless innings at Greensboro on June 4. He has not taken a decision in his last three outings after earning wins in his first two appearances this season. In three of his five starts this year, he has struck out eight or more batters, including a career high 10 against Lexington on April 17. He spent last season with Short-Season Salem-Kaizer, going 7-7 with a 5.54 ERA in 16 starts after a strong US-debut in 2011 with the AZL Giants, going 3-0 with a 2.32 ERA in 12 starts. He made his pro debut with the DSL Giants in 2010. Like Intimidators starter Jefferson Olacio, Kendry Flores is coming off a complete game outing. He worked 8.0 innings, striking out a season-high-tying seven, in a loss at Greensboro on June 5. He is tied for fourth in the SAL with 63.0 innings pitched and fifth in WHIP (0.97). Flores is also fifth in fewest walks/9 IP ratio at 1.57 (11 BB- IBB/63 IP) and fewest baserunners/9 IP ratio at 9.00 (63 H+BB+HBP/63 IP). He spent the last two seasons with Short-Season Salem-Kaizer, going 5-6 with a 4.78 ERA in 22 games (19 starts) from 2011-12. The Giants signed Flores as a UDFA in 2010.

Last Time Out: Kannapolis split a doubleheader at Greensboro on Sunday, winning the first game, 6-1, before dropping the second, 4-3. In Game 1, the Intimidators trailed 1-0 until the sixth inning when a six-run outburst put Kannapolis ahead for good. Brent Tanner led off the inning with a game-tying home run, and the Intimidators used two RBI-walks and two RBI-infield singles - including one off an umpire - to overtake the Hoppers. Greensboro broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning of Game 2 on a Yeison Hernanadez sac-fly for the 4-3 margin.

Fifty Nifty: Micah Johnson stole his Minor League-leading 50th base of the season Sunday in the second game of a doubleheader. He swiped third base to reach the half-century mark, his 20th time stealing third. He went 3-7 in both games Sunday, upping his average to .330 (76-230), tied for sixth-best in the SAL. In addition to leading the Minors in stolen bases, Johnson is tied for first with 59 runs scored, equaling Cedar Rapids' Byron Buxton. Baseball America's No. 25 Prospect in the White Sox system also paces the SAL with seven triples.

You Complete Me: Tony Bucciferro worked a complete game in the 4-3 loss to the Hoppers in Game 2 on Sunday, becoming only the 10th pitcher in the SAL to throw a complete game this season. He worked 6.0 innings, allowing four runs on 11 hits while striking out one. The right-hander joined Kannapolis from Extended Spring on May 31 when Jake Cose moved up to Winston-Salem. The White Sox drafted Bucciferro in the 14th round in June 2012.

Augusta's Agosta: GreenJackets pitcher Martin Agosta was named SAL Pitcher of the Week for June 3-9 after pitching Augusta past Lexington on June 7 with 7.0 shutout innings and 10 strikeouts - his second 10- strikeout game of the season. He allowed just four base runners in the game, two hits and two walks, and earned his sixth win of the season. The Intimidators are not scheduled to face Agosta - who ranks seventh in the SAL in ERA (2.19) and second in strikeouts (81) - during this series.

Round-Trip Tanner: Brent Tanner went yard in Game 1 of Sunday's twin bill, his second big fly in as many games for the Intimidators. Tanner is now tied with Micah Johnson and Kale Kiser for the team lead with four home runs each. He also became the second Intimidator to homer in consecutive games this season, joining Micah Johnson, who left the yard in three straight games May 26-28. Today Tanner was promoted to High-A Winston-Salem. Kannapolis received Jeremy Dowdy from Extended Spring in a corresponding move.

Six in the Sixth: Kannapolis scored six runs in the sixth inning in Game 1 Sunday against the Grasshoppers, one run shy of the most runs scored by the Intimidators in a single inning this season. Kannapolis has twice plated seven runs in an inning, most recently on May 28 at Lexington in a 13-1 win over the Legends.

Check out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



South Atlantic League Stories from June 11, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central