Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes
July 19, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (44-50) VS. TRENTON THUNDER (56-38)
RHP MICHAEL MAIN (0-1, 9.00) VS. RHP LANCE PENDLETON (7-4, 3.97)
July 19, 2010 -- 7:05 PM
The Diamond
Game #95/Home #49
Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL
Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com
TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Trenton Thunder will meet in the opener of a three-game series...The Flying Squirrels earned a series-split with the Bowie Baysox, taking the series finale 4-2 on Sunday night at The Diamond.
TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Right-hander Michael Main gets the start in the series opener for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision in his last outing at Harrisburg 7/8...Allowed six runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings...Walked three batters and did not strike out any...Two of the three walks issued scored (1st & 3rd innings)...Retired the leadoff batter in four of his five innings on the mound...Threw 78 pitches, 45 strikes...Went three balls in the count to seven of the 21 batters he faced...Recorded seven fly outs and five ground outs...Six runs allowed matched a season high...Six earned runs allowed were a season high...Three walks issued were a season high...Has failed to go at least five innings in his first two starts with Richmond...Went at least five innings in all 15 of his outings with Advanced-A Bakersfield...Acquired from Texas along with right-hander Chris Ray 7/1 in exchange for catcher Bengie Molina...Was promoted to Double-A Frisco 6/30, but did not appear in a game...Began season with Advanced-A Bakersfield... Went 5-3 with a 3.45 ERA in 15 starts including one seven-inning complete game...Struck out 72 batters and walked 21 in 91 1/3 innings...Allowed a California League-high 14 home runs...Ranked 5th in the league in innings-pitched and 9th in ERA...Was the DH in eight games with AZL Rangers in 2007 and went 8-for-30 (.267) at the plate with a double and six RBI... Originally selected by the Texas Rangers in the fi rst round (#24 overall) of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft...Entered the 2010 season rated as the #21 prospect in the Texas Rangers farm system according to Baseball America.
Right-hander Lance Pendleton gets the nod in the opener of the series for the Thunder...Received a no-decision in his last outing 7/12 at Bowie...Allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits in six innings...Struck out seven batters and walked none...Has made one start against Richmond 6/4...Allowed two runs on five hits in four innings...Struck out three batters and walked three...Went 4-0 over his next five starts with a 3.41 ERA...Allowed 12 runs, 11 earned, on 27 hits in 29 innings over the stretch...Struck out 32 batters and walked six...Is 2-2 with a 6.55 ERA in seven starts on the road...Is 5-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 12 games, 11 starts, at home...Named an Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star but was unable to pitch in the game...Made eight starts with Double-A Trenton in 2009...Went 1-3 with a 4.47 ERA...Struck out 43 and walked 15 in 44 1/3 innings...Began 2009 season with Advanced-A Tampa and went 11-5 with a 2.58 ERA...Struck out 87 batters and walked 31 in 104 2/3 innings of work...Pitched a career-high 149 innings in 2009...Missed all of 2006 with a right elbow injury...Selected by the New York Yankees in the 4th round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft...Attended Rice University...Went to the College World Series with Rice in 2004.
REDEMPTION: Right-hander Rafael Cova worked two scoreless innings to record his 16th save of the season...After going 15-for-16 in save opportunities to open the season, the 28-year-old blew each of his next two save opportunities...Cova ranks second in the Eastern League in saves...He also inherited one base runner last night and left him stranded...Cova has inherited 10 runners this season and has not allowed any of them to score.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: The Flying Squirrels hit .310 (44-for-142) over the four-game series with the Baysox...The club has registered 10-plus hits in all four games...Richmond went just 8-for-36 (.222) with runners in scoring position over the four-game set and has stranded 30 runners on base (7.5RS/G)...Overall on the season, the club is hitting .209 with runners in scoring position.
TAKING THE BELT-WAY: First baseman Brandon Belt has hits in each of his last 12 games, one game shy of matching Clay Timpner's season-long hit streak of 13 games...Over the last 12 contests, the 22-year-old is 21-for-49 (.429) with two doubles, a triple, five home runs, eight RBI, and nine runs scored...In 90 games combined between Advanced-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond, Belt leads all of minor league baseball in batting average (.386) and on-base percentage (.486) and is third in slugging percentage (.651) and is tied for third in hits (124).
CLAY-MATION: Outfielder Clay Timper has hits in each of his last five games including three straight multi-hit games...The 27-year-old is hitting .421 (8-for-19) over his last five games with a double, four RBI, and two runs scored...He is also 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position over that stretch with three RBI...Overall on the season, Timpner leads the club hitting .313 (21-for-67) with runners in scoring position.
THE WEATHER MAN: Third baseman Conor Gillaspie is hitting .395 (17-for-43) in 14 games this month...Only three of his 17 hits have gone for extra bases (a double and two triples)...He has walked six times and has struck out five times so far this month...Gillaspie is hitting .308 (49-for-159) in 42 games on the road while batting just .239 (39-for-163) in 46 games at home.
ERROR REPORT: The Flying Squirrels string of errorless games ended a seven on Craig Westcott's throwing error in last night's win over Bowie...It was the longest error-free stretch of games for the club this season...Richmond is still tied for the Eastern League lead in fielding percentage (.983) and the club has committed the second-fewest errors (62).
DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 123 double plays in 94 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: Right-hander Craig Westcott set a new career-high with nine strikeouts last night against Bowie...He also matched a career-long for a start, going seven innings...The three hits allowed by Richmond pitching were the fewest given up by the staff since allowing three hits 7/1 against Erie.
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