EL1 Richmond Flying Squirrels

Richmond Flying Squirrels Game Notes

Published on August 28, 2010 under Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release


RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS (63-68) VS. ALTOONA CURVE (78-54)

RHP MIKE MACDONALD (4-8, 4.21) VS. LHP JEFF LOCKE (3-1, 2.89)

August 28, 2010 -- 7:00 PM

Blair County Ballpark

Game #132/Road #66

Radio Broadcast -- Sports Radio 910 WRNL

Internet Webcast -- www.sportsradio910.com

TONIGHT: The Richmond Flying Squirrels and Altoona Curve will meet in game three of a four-game series...The Curve tossed their seventh shutout of the season as Tony Watson and Tom Boleska limited the Flying Squirrels to just three hits in a 5-0 win in game two of the series on Friday night at Blair County Ballpark.

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: Right-hander Mike MacDonald gets the start in game three of the series for the Flying Squirrels...Received a no-decision in his last start against Reading 8/23...Allowed four runs on nine hits in six innings...Struck out one batter and walked one...All four runs and eight of the nine hits he allowed came in the first and third innings...Retired 10 of the final 12 batters he faced...Recorded eight ground outs and eight fly outs...Threw 87 pitches, 54 strikes...Nine hits allowed were the most given up since allowing 10 hits against Binghamton 6/16...Opponents were hitting .246 (52-for-211) against him over his previous 11 outings, including seven starts...Is 2-2 with a 3.58 ERA (15 er/37.2 ip) in six outings since rejoining the starting rotation 7/25...Has struck out 20 batters and walked three over his last 37 2/3 innings (six starts)...Is fourth among Eastern League starters in fewest walks per nine innings at 1.83 (23 bb/113.1 ip)...Is 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA (6 er/19.2 ip) in five games, four starts, this season against Altoona allowing 23 hits while striking out 14 and walking five...Overall in his career against the Curve is 2-0 with a 3.90 ERA (12 er/27.2 ip) in eight appearances including five starts.

Left-hander Jeff Locke gets the nod in game three of the series for the Curve...Has won each of his last two starts, allowing just one run on eight hits in 12 2/3 innings while striking out 15 batters and walking three...Received a no-decision in his lone start at Richmond 7/31, allowing two runs on six hits in six innings with five strikeouts and two walks...Has struck out 47 batters in 46 2/3 innings of work with the Curve...Promoted from Advanced-A Bradenton 7/12...Went 9-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 17 starts with the Marauders...Struck out 83 batters and walked 14 in 86 1/3 innings...Was named a Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star...Went 4-4 with a 4.08 ERA in 17 starts with Advanced-A Lynchburg following the trade from the Braves to the Pirates...Struck out 56 batters and walked 18 in 81 2/3 innings...Won the Carolina League Championship with the Hillcats...Began the 2009 season with Advanced-A Myrtle Beach and went 1-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 starts...Struck out 43 batters and walked 26 in 45 2/3 innings...Went 5-12 with a 4.06 ERA in 25 games, 24 starts, in his first full season with Low-A Rome in 2008...Struck out 113 and walked 38 batters in 139 2/3 innings...Acquired along with outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-hander Charlie Morton in exchange for outfielder Nate McLouth 6/3/09...Originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft.

TRAGIC NUMBER: The Flying Squirrels number to be eliminated from playoff contention is three...Any combination of Harrisburg wins and Richmond losses that equal three will eliminate the club from the playoff race...The best possible record for the Flying Squirrels with 10 games remaining entering play tonight is 73-68...The Senators need three wins, the Bowie Baysox need four wins, and the Akron Aeroes need six wins to reach 74 victories, which would be an unobtainable number for the Flying Squirrels...Any additional losses by Richmond decreases the number of wins the three teams ahead of them in the Wild Card race need to eliminate the Squirrels.

TOUGH NUT TO CRACK: The Flying Squirrels were shutout of the 10th time this season in yesterday's 5-0 loss to the Curve...

The 10 shutouts are second-most in the Eastern League trailing the Bowie Baysox who have been shutout 12 times...It was the second time Richmond has been blanked by Altoona as the club lost 1-0 in 14 innings 4/13 at Blair County Ballpark.

THE BELT EFFECT: The Flying Squirrels have scored three runs and have hit .129 (11-for-85) in three games since Brandon Belt was promoted to Triple-A Fresno...In 46 games with Belt in the lineup, Richmond hit .274 (441-for-1610) and averaged 4.85 runs per game (223 r/46 g)...In 85 games without Belt in the order, the Flying Squirrels are batting .240 (684-for-2850) and have averaged 3.36 runs per game (286 r/85 g)...Belt hit .337 (59-for-175) with 26 extra-base hits including nine home runs, 40 RBI, and 26 runs in 46 games with Richmond...The 22-year-old also hit .442 (23-for-52) with runners in scoring position.

THOMAS THE TRAIN: Outfielder Thomas Neal is third in the Eastern League in hits (145) and in doubles (38) and is fourth in total bases (218)...Since 6/1, Neal is batting .312 (93-for-298) in 78 games with 27 doubles, eight home runs, 41 RBI, and 49 runs scored...He has raised his batting average from .255 to .291 over that span.

DOWN AND OUT: Since shifting to center field from his usual position at shortstop, Ryan Lormand is 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts over his last four games...The 24-year-old has appeared in the outfield in seven games with Richmond including making four starts in center field and one in left...In those seven contests Lormand is 1-for-22 (.045) with 10 strikeouts...In his other 61 games with the Flying Squirrels, he is batting .248 (51-for-206) with 41 strikeouts.

HERE'S THE CATCH: Catcher Tyler La Torre has seen his average dip from .270 to .198 since taking over as the Flying Squirrels everyday catcher following the promotion of Jackson Williams to Triple-A Fresno 7/1...Over his last 40 games since 7/1, La Torre is batting .138 (18-for-130) with 41 strikeouts and 17 walks...Defensively, the 27-year-old is 10-for-35 (.286) in throwing out base runners since 7/1...He had previously thrown out just two of 20 attempted (.100) base stealers in his first 33 games.

RAY OF SUNSHINE: Right-hander Ronnie Ray has fired 12 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, his longest scoreless streak of the season, with 12 strikeouts and four walks spanning his last 10 outings, and opposing hitters are just 4-for-41 (.098) against him over that stretch...Since 6/20, the 26-year-old is 2-0 with three saves and has allowed just four runs, two earned in 31 1/3 innings (0.57 ERA) while striking out 34 batters and walking eight spanning his last 26 outings...Opposing hitters are batting .132 (14-for-106) against him over that stretch.

DOUBLETREE DOWNTOWN DOUBLE PLAYS: The Richmond Flying Squirrels have turned 157 double plays in 131 games including six on 5/7 in Harrisburg...The Flying Squirrels have not gone more than three games without a double play this season...The club leads the Eastern League in double plays turned.

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Eastern League Stories from August 28, 2010


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