IL1 Syracuse Mets

SkyChiefs game notes

Published on August 22, 2006 under International League (IL1)
Syracuse Mets News Release


MOTTOLA WATCH

In Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader versus Buffalo SkyChiefs outfielder Chad Mottola belted his 112th double as a SkyChief moving him into a tie with Rick Bladt for third on the All-Time two-bag list. Mottola also stands third on the All-Time HR list with 83, thirteen behind second-place Hank Sauer. Mottola collected his 300th RBI in a Syracuse uniform with a 3rd inning HR off Dave Gassner Friday night versus Rochester. The HR was also Mottola's 50th career HR (for and against Syracuse) at Alliance Bank Stadium. He blasted his 175th career AAA long-ball at Rochester last Thursday night. The Central Florida product collected his 500th hit in a Syracuse uniform last Tuesday night at Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre. The 15-year professional is currently riding an 11 game hitting streak during which he is hitting .366 (15-41) with 4 HR and 8 RBI.

HOME WIN STREAK HALTED

Sunday's Game 2 loss to Buffalo snapped a 5 game home winning streak for Syracuse. The last 3 home victories had come in the last at-bat after winning Game 1 7-6 on a Buffalo throwing error in the eighth. Russ Adams walk-off single in the 9th Friday night gave the SkyChiefs their 2nd straight walk-off win at Alliance Bank after Triple- A Rookie Adam Lind hit a walk-off HR in the 9th inning versus Ottawa last Sunday giving Syracuse a 3-2 victory.

LIND'S HITTING STREAK SNAPPED

Rookie outfielder Adam Lind extended his hitting streak to 10 games going 2-3 in the first game but failed to collect a hit in Game 2 ending his streak. During the streak Lind hit .531 (17-32) with six multi-hit games and has reached base at least twice in nine of the ten. He also failed to reach base for the first time in 13 games. The Blue Jays third round pick in the '04 draft is hitting .372 with 4 HR and 8 RBI since being promoted from Double-A. The lefty-hitter is clobbering right-handed pitching at a rate of .434 (23-53) including all four of his homers and six of his right RBI.

TOP DOG

Kevin Barker collected his league leading 37th double in Game 2 Sunday and also drew his league leading 69th walk of the season in Game 1. The last Syracuse player to lead the IL in doubles was Robert Perez in 1995 and the last Syracuse player to lead the IL was Patrick Lennon with 87 in 1998. With 3 more home runs and 7 more RBI Barker would become the first player with at least 20 HR and 80 RBI in the same season in back-to-back years since Hank Sauer in 1946 and 1947.

OFF TO A GOOD START

SkyChiefs catcher Curtis Thigpen has doubled and drove home at least one run in each of his first two Triple-A games. At the plate he is 3-8 with 4 RBI and the team is 2-0 with him behind the plate. In his Triple-A debut Friday Thigpen went 1-4 with 3 RBI, including a two-run double in his first ever Triple-A at-bat. The last Syracuse played to collect three RBI in their Triple-A debut was Jayson Werth who knocked home three runs on Opening Day 2002, April 4th, against Rochester. Thigpen is the 15th player (7 position players, 8 pitchers) to make their Triple-A debut for Syracuse this season. The Blue Jays 2nd round pick in the 2004 draft hit .259 with 25 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs and 36 RBI in 87 games with the Fisher Cats this season. He is the 9th rated prospect of the Jays by Baseball America.

LOOKING TO HANG TEN

Triple-A Rookie Josh Banks heads to hill tonight looking for his 10th win of the season. The last Syracuse pitcher to collect 10 wins in a season was John Dillinger in 2001. In three August starts Banks is 3-1 striking out 19 while issuing just four walks. Over his last 13 starts the right-hander is 8-5. He is tied for 5th in the IL with 149 innings pitched and has walked just 25 batters this season.

A SOLID BACK-UP PLAN

The four SkyChiefs in the bullpen who have pitched in relief versus Rochester this year (Burnside, DeJong, Houston and Howard) are a combined 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 18.2 innings versus the Red Wings this season.

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International League Stories from August 22, 2006


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