EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on June 5, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (28-27) VS. TRENTON THUDNER (31-23)

RHP MIKE MACDONALD (1-4, 3.99) VS. RHP DJ MITCHELL (4-3, 4.99)

June 5, 2010 -- 7:05 PM

Waterfront Park

Game #56/Road #28

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Trenton Thunder will meet in game two of a three-game series...Left-hander Clayton Tanner gave up just one run over 7 2/3 innings and the Flying Squirrels claimed the opener of the series against Thunder 2-1 on Friday night at Waterfront Park.

TONIGHT'S STARTER: Right-hander Mike MacDonald gets the start in game two of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision 5/31 against the Bowie Baysox...Allowed one run on four hits in six innings...Struck out four and walked one...Retired 10 straight batters after giving up back-to-back base hits in the top of the second inning...Lone run allowed came in the top of the sixth inning...Retired the leadoff man in five of his six innings on the mound...Recorded 10 ground outs and three fly outs...Threw 95 pitches, 62 strikes...Had allowed 13 runs, 10 earned, on 20 hits in eight-plus innings in his first three starts coming off of the Disabled List (11.25 ERA)...Had not throw more than four innings since coming off of the DL...Left-handed batters are hitting .424 (28-for-66) against him while right-handed batters are hitting .231 (27-for-117)...Richmond is 1-9 in his nine outings...Flying Squirrels have scored 12 runs during his 10 appearances (1.20)...Is 1-3 with a 3.55 ERA (17R/13ER in 33.0IP) in five career starts against the Trenton Thunder...Walked a career-high five batters 5/1/07 at Trenton...Tossed a complete-game, three-hitter 6/27/06 against the Thunder.

Right-hander D.J. Mitchell gets the nod in game two of the series for the Thunder...Suffered the loss in his last start 5/31 at New Hampshire...Gave up three runs on eight hits in five innings of work...Struck out one and walked two...Has allowed five hits or more in each of his last seven starts and eight of his 10 total...Has given up three runs or fewer in five of his last six starts...Has allowed 61 hits in 52 1/3 innings (.299)...Has struck out 37 batters and has walked 26...Four of his 10 outings have been quality starts...Gave up 11 runs and walked five batters in 4 1/3 innings 4/29 against New Hampshire...Struck out a season-high nine batters 5/26 against Erie...Appeared in 19 games including 18 starts with Advanced-A Tampa in 2009...Went 8-6 with a 2.87 ERA while striking out 83 batters and walking 38 in 103 1/3 innings...Began 2009 season with Low-A Charleston...Was 4-1 with a 1.95 ERA in six starts..Struck out 42 batters and walked six in 37 innings...Did not pitch professionally in 2008 due to a strained right oblique...Selected by the New York Yankees in the 10th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Clemson University...Teammate of Flying Squirrels' first baseman Andy D'Alessio at Clemson in 2007...Enters the 2010 season rated as the #17 prospect in the New York Yankees farm system according to Baseball America.

ONE LOVE: The Flying Squirrels improved to 8-8 in one-run games with last night's 2-1 win at Trenton...39 of Richmond's first 55 games have been decided by three runs or less (71%).

THE SAVE-IOR: Right-hander Rafael Cova earned his 10th save of the season in last night's victory...The 28-year-old ranks third in the Eastern League in saves and has converted all 10 save opportunities...It was his first save opportunity since 5/24 at Binghamton (10 games)...Cova has not allowed a run in 7 1/3 innings spanning his last five appearances...He had previously worked 10 1/3 innings consecutive scoreless innings spanning 10 outings 4/15-5/16...The minor league free agent signee has surrendered just two runs, one earned, in 21 1/3 innings this season.

DARREN HIM TO RUN: Outfielder Darren Ford stole a pair of bases in the top of the fourth inning last night...It was his third multi-stolen base game of the season...The 24-year-old is fourth in the Eastern League with 16 stolen bases and is second in the league with 24 attempts...He hit in the number nine spot in the order last night for the first time this season.

SOMETHING BRUIN: Shortstop Brandon Crawford has multi-hit games in each of his last three contests...The 23-year-old is 6-for-11 (.545) over that stretch...The UCLA product has seen his average rise from .234 to .254 in three games...Last night Crawford hit third for just the second time this season (4/12 at Altoona).

THOMAS THE TRAIN: Outfielder Thomas Neal recorded his team-leading 16th multi-hit game of the season last night, going 2-for-4 with a run scored...The 22-year-old batted seventh in the order last night for the first time this season.

HERE'S THE CATCH: Catcher Jackson Williams is 0-for-25 over his last eight games..His last hit was an infield single in his third at-bat at Binghamton on 5/24....The 24-year-old began the season with an 11-game hit streak (14-for-34) but is batting just .096 (9-for-94) over his last 30 games...His average has dropped from .412 to .176 over that span...Williams sat out the final two games of the series with Harrisburg, marking the first time this season he not appeared in consecutive games.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 68 double plays in 55 games including six on 5/7 in Harrisburg...The club leads the Eastern League in double plays turned and has not gone more than two games without turning a double play.

CFS STAT OF THE NIGHT: The Flying Squirrels improved to 7-0 when a starter goes seven-plus innings after left-hander Clayton Tanner went 7 2/3 innings in last night's 2-1 win...The last Flying Squirrels starter to throw at least seven innings was right-hander Daryl Maday 5/23 at Reading.

Check out the Richmond Flying Squirrels Statistics

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Eastern League Stories from June 5, 2010


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