April 16, 2009 Game Notes

ABOUT WEDNESDAY: The Timber Rattlers lost 6-0 to the Fort Wayne TinCaps to be swept in the just completed three-game series. Fort Wayne scored three runs in the seventh and three in the ninth inning for the offense. Four Fort Wayne pitchers held Rattler hitters to three hits. The TinCaps are 6-0 to start the 2009 season.

FOURTEEN: Timber Rattler starting pitcher Efrain Nieves retired the first 14 batters he faced in Wednesday’s game. A two-out single by Matt Clark in the fifth inning was the first Fort Wayne hit.

MATCH GAME: Fort Wayne starter Anthony Bass allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.

AND A WALK WOULD START IT: Nieves retired the first two batters of the seventh inning, but walked James Darnell to extend the inning. Allan Dykstra was next and he lined a double to left field to score Darnell. Clark was next and he doubled on a fly ball to left that was lost in the sun. Angel Mercado singled off reliever Brandon Ritchie to score the third run of the inning.

AN ERROR WOULD FINISH IT: A two out error in the top of the ninth inning allowed the TinCaps to continue batting and they would take advantage. Robert Lara doubled in a pair of runs and Drew Cumberland followed with a double to drive in the final run of the game.

AFTER TWO THEY WENT: Fort Wayne scored 11 runs in the three-game series with the Rattlers. Nine of those 11 runs came after there were two outs.

RARE ERROR: The Timber Rattlers committed two errors in Wednesday’s game. Through the first six games of the season, Wisconsin has committed just four errors.

STILL TURNING THEM: Wisconsin turned two more double plays on Wednesday. The Rattler defense has converted 12 on the season. Yesterday’s double plays included a 1-5-3 double play on a grounder back to the mound

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Clinton LumberKings are the Midwest League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. This is the first season for Seattle to be the parent club of the LumberKings. They are off to a 4-2 start on the 2009 season. After sweeping the Burlington Bees in the opening three game set, the LumberKings went 1-2 against the Cedar Rapids Kernels in a just completed series.

DIDN’T YOU USED TO BE? Seattle had been the affiliate of Appleton’s entry in the Midwest League from 1993-2008. This is the first time a Seattle team has been affiliated with Clinton since the Seattle Pilots were the parent club of the Clinton Pilots in 1969.

FAMILIAR FACES: LumberKing manager Scott Steinmann is very familiar with Timber Rattler fans. Steinmann was a Rattler catcher in 1997; the hitting coach of the Rattlers in 2000 and 2001; and the manager of the 2005 team that made it to the Midwest League Championship Series. LumberKing pitching coach Lance Painter was Wisconsin’s pitching coach fin 2006 and 2007.

FAMILIAR FACES CONTINUED: There are 13 players on the active Clinton roster that played – at one time or another – for the Timber Rattlers. Pitchers Ruben Flores (’06), Cheyne Hahn (’08), Jose Jimenez (’08), Brett Lorin (’08), Keith Meyer (’08), Ryan Moorer (’08), and Walter Suriel (’08); infielders Luis Nunez (’07) and Terry Serrano (’08); and outfielders Denny Almonte (’08), Gavin Dickey (’07, ’08), Maximo Mendez (’08), and Kalian Sams (’07).

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed four members of the current LumberKing roster as a Top 30 prospect in the Seattle system. Infielder Mario Martinez (#7) is the highest rated on the list. Outfielder Denny Almonte (#22) is the only other Clinton position player on the list. Pitchers Aaron Pribanic (#27) and Brett Lorin (#28) are also on the list.

OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: The Mariners have placed 10 members of their 2008 draft class on the current LumberKing roster. Pitchers Steven Hensley (4th), Kenn Kasparek (12th), Bobby LaFromboise (8th), Brett Lorin (5th), Blake Nation (22nd), and Aaron Pribanic (3rd); catcher Travis Howell (18th); and infielders Ben Billingsley (16th), Scott Savastano (28th), and Nate Tenbrink (7th) were all selected by Seattle in 2008.

CLINTON STARTING PITCHER: RH Steven Hensley was the 4th round pick of the Mariners in 2008 out of Elon University. Hensley was 10-2 with a 3.59 ERA, walked 38 and struck out 99 in 92-2/3 innings in his final season with the Phoenix. He also won Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year, too. Hensley pitched for Everett on his first stop in pro ball and went 2-1 in eight games (six starts) with 32 strikeouts and nine walks over 29-1/3 innings. In his Clinton debut, Hensley picked up the win at Burlington on April 9. He allowed three runs (none earned) on five hits over five innings.