5/09/2008

May 9 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 7-1. Donnie Hume (6IP) and Phillippe Aumont (3IP) combined to hold the Kernels to a pair of hits in the game. Alex Liddi and Juan Diaz each drove in three runs for the Rattlers, who won their second straight game.

OUT OF THE BLOCKS: Cedar Rapids starter Michael Davitt walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning. Liddi laced a double to left-center to drive in all three base runners and the Rattlers had a 3-0 lead.

HUME: The Rattler starting pitcher allowed only a one out double in the first and a lead off homer to Anel De Los Santos in the third. The only other base runners Cedar Rapids had were a hit batsman in the fourth and De Los Santos reached on wild pitch after striking out in the fifth. Hume set a new career high for innings pitched with six and struck out seven to pick up his fourth win in a row.

AUMONT: The #1 pick of the Seattle Mariners in the 2007 draft retired all nine batters he faced – striking out five – to pick up his second straight save. Aumont has not allowed an earned run in 17.2IP this season.

LONG ARM OF THE LAW: Blake Ochoa tossed out two would-be base stealers last night. The Rattler catcher is 6-for-10 in throwing out opponents trying to steal.

THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER: Rattler outfielder Maximo Mendez had three hits, stole three bases , and scored three runs last night.

OWIE! OWIE! OWIE!: Edilio Colina was hit by a pitch three different times in last night’s game. That ties a Midwest League record shared by several players. The last time a Midwest League batter was reported to have been hit by a pitch three times in a game was Eric Verbryke of the Battle Creek Yankees on May 24, 2003. Andy Augustine, a Timber Rattler, also shares the record as he was hit three times in a game against Quad City on July 25, 1995.

TYING THE HIGH: Wisconsin’s seven runs last night tied a season high for runs scored in a game.

KERNELS IN 2008: The Kernels are 16-16 and currently in fourth place in the Western Division. Cedar Rapids is 6.5 games behind division leading Clinton. Cedar Rapids just wrapped up a three game series at home with the Peoria Chiefs in which the Kernels went 1-2. Cedar Rapids is 8-9 in road games this season.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .238 as a team and have scored 89 runs (3.3/game). Wisconsin has hit eight home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.57. The Kernels are hitting .236 as a team and have scored 147 runs (4.6/game). Cedar Rapids has hit 16 home runs in 2008. The Kernel pitching staff has a team ERA of 3.93.

RUNNING MEN: Cedar Rapids leads the MWL in stolen bases with 57. They have been caught 25 times in 80 attempts.

CEDAR RAPIDS STARTING PITCHER: Michael Anton was the 12th round pick of the Angels in the 2007 draft out of Virginia Military Institute. Anton did not pitch at VMI in 2006 or 2007 after going 1-6 in 24 games (11 starts) over the 2004 and 2005 seasons. He signed right after the ’07 draft and started out in the Arizona League. He went 5-3 with a 3.21ERA in 13 games (12 starts) for the Angels affiliate before being promoted to Orem of the Pioneer League. Anton went 0-1 with a 3.86ERA in two starts for the Owlz. Tonight is his first appearance against the Rattlers and against an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. He has won his last four starts this season, including a victory at Fort Wayne on May 4. In that game at Memorial Stadium, Anton allowed one run on six hits over 6-2/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

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