ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Burlington beat the Timber Rattlers 6-2. The Bees scored three times in the first, twice more in the second, and knocked Wisconsin starting pitcher Donnie Hume out of the game in the third inning. Eduardo Paulino pitched six scoreless innings for the victory.
NOT WITHOUT CHANCES: The first two Wisconsin batters of the game reached against Paulino. Calvin Beamon drew a walk and Juan Diaz singled. A sacrifice bunt by Edilio Colina moved both runners into scoring position. But, Paulino got a pop out and a ground out to end the threat.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Nick Van Stratten homered in the first inning off Hume for a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Kyle Martin tripled in two more runs. The Bees have outscored Wisconsin by a combined 7-0 score in the first inning of the first two games of the series.
*SECOND THAT EMOTION: The Bees added two more runs in the second inning on a fielder’s choice and an RBI double by Van Stratten to go up 5-0.
SPLITS: In the first two games of the series, Rattler starting pitchers have gone a total of 3-2/3 innings; allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 13 hits; walked four; and struck out three. The Rattler bullpen has worked 12-1/3 innings; allowed one run on five hits; walked five; and struck out 11.
OUT OF THE PEN (PT I): Travis Mortimore kept the Bees off the scoreboard with four innings of scoreless relief. He allowed one hit walked one and struck out four.
NOT SQUANDERING THE INHERITANCE: Mortimore entered the game with runners at second and third with no outs in the third. He did not allow either runner to score. This season, Mortimore has inherited 12 base runners. Only two have scored.
OUT OF THE PEN (PT II): Due to an abbreviated outing in Saturday’s rainout, Nathan Adcock came on in relief for the first time this season to pitch the seventh. He allowed a run on a hit and a walk with a strikeout. Last night was Adcock’s first relief appearance since his first game as a Rattler on April 10, 2007. He had made 32 straight starts before last night.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Burlington Bees are the Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are currently 27-38 and in eighth place in the Midwest League Western Division. The Bees have won two straight and are 18-15 in 33 home games this season.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .237 as a team and have scored 200 runs (3.4/game). Wisconsin has hit 15 home runs this season. The Timber Rattler pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.35. The Bees are hitting .231 as a team and have scored 236 runs (3.6/game). Burlington has hit 43 home runs this season. The Bees pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.58.
2008 SEASON SERIES: The season series is even at three wins a piece. The Rattlers took three out of four games from the Bees on Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium May 12-15. The Bees won the first game of the series 1-0 in ten innings. The Rattlers won the final three games of the series: 6-4, 3-1, and 7-2.
BURLINGTON STARTING PITCHER: Matt Mitchell was a 14th round pick of the Royals out of Barstow (CA) High School in the 2007 draft. Mitchell won the Arizona League ERA title in his first professional season as he went 5-1 with a 1.80ERA in 14 games (7 starts) with 72 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched. He faced the Arizona League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners three times (all starts) in 2007 and went 1-0 with a 1.32ERA. He allowed five runs (two earned) on 12 hits with six walks and 18 strikeouts over 13-2/3 innings vs. the Arizona League Mariners. In his start prior to this evening for the Bees, Mitchell allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits over 5-1/3 innings with a walk and four strikeouts. Tonight is Mitchell’s first appearance against the Timber Rattlers.
*-When Smokey Sings
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