SAL1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

Intimidators vs. Suns - Game Notes - June 5, 2013

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


Today's Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) continue their final road trip of the season's first half with a doubleheader at Municipal Stadium against the Suns (A, Nationals). The Suns snapped a 4-game losing skid with Tuesday's 8-2 win over Kannapolis, maintaining a 1.0 game lead in the Northern Division over Hickory and West Virginia with less than two weeks left in the first half. Kannapolis sits 12.5 games back, seventh in the division. Today's doubleheader is the second for Kannapolis this season. The Intimidators are 2-2 in twin bill contests while the Suns are 5-4.

Intimidating Starters: Braulio Ortiz, 21, makes his first start of the season and 10th of his career in Game 1 of today's doubleheader against the Suns. He worked 2.1 scoreless innings of relief against Hagerstown on May 17, his only appearance against a Nationals affiliate in his career. 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 equaled 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, makes his 11th start of the season and his second career start against Hagerstown after giving up four runs in 3.0 innings to the Suns last June. He left his last start in line for a win but took no decision on May 30 against Savannah, giving up two runs (one earned) over 5.0 innings. Olacio's lone win came April 24 against Rome, and he ranks second in the SAL with seven losses (teammate Brandon Brennan leads the league with nine). His 7.63 ERA is the highest in the SAL and third-highest in the Minors among qualifying pitchers while his seven losses are tied for eighth in MiLB. Olacio entered this season rated by Baseball America as the No. 30 Prospect in the White Sox organization.

Hagerstown Hurlers: Dixon Anderson, 23, makes his SAL-leading 12th start for the Suns. He ranks fifth in the SAL in average (.198), tied for sixth in WHIP (1.04), tied for seventh in IP (57.2), 11th in ERA (2.50), and is tied for 13th in strikeouts (51). Anderson is still 2-0 with a 2.83 ERA in six away starts. Intimidators batters should be mindful when crowding the plate as Anderson is second in the SAL lead with nine hit batters. Anderson, like Suns second baseman Tony Renda and former Intimidators Marcus Semien and Erik Johnson, was a part of the California Golden Bears team that went to the College World Series in 2011. The Nationals selected him in the ninth round in the June 2011 draft and he made his professional debut in 2012, splitting the season between the GCL Nationals and Hagerstown. He faced Kannapolis in his Class A debut last season but failed to escape the first inning, allowing five runs (two earned) on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts over two-thirds of a frame.

Brett Mooneyham, 23, makes his fourth start of the season and first against Kannapolis after a six-week stint on the Disabled List. He last pitched April 17 against Lakewood, leaving the game after 4 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings. His win came April 12 against Delmarva, a game in which he worked 6.0 scoreless innings and limited the Shorebirds to one hit. Mooneyham entered this season as the Nationals No. 19 Prospect according to Baseball America. His father Bill reached the big leagues in 1986 with the Athletics. The Nationals selected him out of Stanford in the third round of the June 2012 draft. He went 2-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) with Short-Season Auburn in his pro debut.

About Last Night: Hagerstown pounded out 15 hits en route to a 8-2 win over Kannapolis on Tuesday, as second baseman Tony Renda went 4-5 with two doubles and three runs scored. Khayyan Norfork and Will Pwinica- Worns each drove in two runs for the Suns, who took an 8-0 lead after seven innings before the Intimidators plated a run in the eighth and ninth innings. Matt Purke took no decision for the Suns, matching a career-high with eight strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings - Purke's prevous career-high of eight strikeouts came June 5, 2012, also against the Intimidators. Tony Bucciferro took the loss for Kannapolis, allowing five runs (three earned) on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts in his season debut.

Quiet Bats: Kannapolis has scored just five runs total over its last four games. The Intimidators snapped a season-long 21-inning scoreless stretch in the eighth inning on Sunday when Kale Kiser doubled to score Eric Grabe. Kannapolis had last crossed the plate in the fourth inning on Friday against Savannah before coming up empty-handed over the final five frames in a 6-2 loss to the Sand Gnats.

Off On The Wrong Foot: The Intimidators dropped a season opener for the 14th time in 17 series, falling to 3-14 in series openers. Kannapolis is also 2-26 when its opponent scores first, with an 0-10 road mark.

Drop It Like It's Hot: Kannapolis committed three errors on Tuesday, the team's 10th game with at least three errors this season. The Intimidators are now 0-10 in 3+ error games. Kannapolis is now last in the SAL in fielding with a .958 fielding percentage, just behind Hickory (.959) and Asheville (.960). The Intimidators rank second with 87 errors on the season, just behind Hickory and Asheville, both tied at 89 this season.

Striking It Richmond: Josh Richmond, who joined Kannapolis May 24 after a brief stint in the independent Frontier League, went 2-4 on Tuesday, including his fifth double in his last five games. He has hit safely in seven straight games - batting .357 (10-28) - and 10 of 11 games with Kannapolis. Richmond is batting .341 (15-44) this season. The outfielder has eight extra-base hits, including six doubles and two triples and boasts a slash of .341/.383/.568. Richmond started his career with in the Rangers organization before being released by Texas this spring. Texas drafted him in the 12 round of the June 2010 draft out of Louisville.

Hey Now, You're An All-Star: Second baseman Micah Johnson and outfielder Jason Coats will represent the Intimidators as starters for the Northern Division in the 2013 SAL All-Star Game on June 18. Johnson is the Minor League leader with 47 stolen bases and, leads the SAL with 50 runs scored, and ranks 10th with a .316 (66-209) average. Coats leads Kannapolis with 32 RBI and 13 doubles, and is batting .282 (57-202).

Hammerin' Hawkins: Courtney Hawkins, the White Sox top pick in the June 2012 draft, has burst back onto the Carolina League scene since returning from a month-long stint on the Disabled List on June 2. The 19-year-old outfielder hit two home runs on Tuesday for High-A Winston- Salem and drove in a career-high five RBI. Hawkins has hit safely in all four games played since returning from the DL. He is tied for second in the Carolina League with 10 home runs and is slugging .537 in 27 games with the Dash.

Check out the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Statistics

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



South Atlantic League Stories from June 5, 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