May 2, 2009 Game Notes

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Timber Rattlers beat the Great lakes Loons 6-4. Jose Duran and Juan Sanchez both had three hits for the Rattler offense. Duran also drove in three runs. Wisconsin took two out of three from Great Lakes in the just completed series.

I CAN DODGE BULLETS, BABY: Rattler starting pitcher Cody Scarpetta walked three batters of the first four batters he faced in the top of the first inning last night. He got out of the inning with a pop out and a strikeout.

A VIEW TO A KILL: Duran, the sixth round pick of the Brewers in the 2008 draft, tripled in the third inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean McCraw to give the Rattlers a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, with the bases loaded, two outs, and the Rattlers leading 3-2, Duran smacked a two-run single and the Rattlers went up 5-2.

WEIRD PLAY OF THE NIGHT: The Rattlers collected five hits in the third inning, but only scored two runs. Wisconsin had a 2-0 lead with one out, Cutter Dykstra at second and Juan Sanchez at first. Brett Lawrie lined a pitch from Loons starter Nathan Eovaldi to the gap in right-center. Dykstra went back to tag in case of a catch, but Sanchez was about two steps from second when the ball dropped in for a hit. Dykstra rounded third and Sanchez was two steps behind him heading for the plate. The throw to the plate was perfect and got both runners to end the inning. The scoring on the play went 9-4-2 on Dykstra and 2 unassisted on Sanchez to complete the double play.

THREE DOUBLE PLAYS, NONE ROUTINE: The Loons lined into a trio of double plays last night. Lawrie turned an unassisted double play in the fourth inning. The second baseman snagged a liner and stepped on second to double off the runner. In the seventh, shortstop Michael Marseco caught a line drive and fired to Lawrie to double another runner off second. In the eighth, Dykstra caught a line drive in center and threw to first to double a runner off.

GIVE THE MAN A HAND: That outfield assist was Dykstra’s second of the season. Wisconsin outfielders have six assists this season. Erik Miller leads the team with three.

DON”T MESS AROUND WITH JIM: Rattler closer Jim Henderson earned his sixth save in six opportunities this season. He gave up a run in the ninth, the first time he has allowed a run in a save situation this season.

NINE WAS THE END OF THE LINE: Miller went 0-for-4 last night and his nine-game hitting streak ended. Miller was 12-for-34 (.353) during the streak, the longest streak of his professional career.

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: The Lansing Lugnuts are the Midwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Clayton McCullough is in his second season as the manager of the Lugnuts. Last season, the Lugnuts were 76-64. They made the playoffs as the first half Eastern Division Champions. The Lugnuts are off to a 5-15 start in their first 20 games. In their last series, Lansing split a four game series at Kane County. Last season, Wisconsin was 4-2 against the Lugnuts. The Rattlers took two out of three at Time Warner Cable Field July 29-31, 2008.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: The Timber Rattlers are hitting .235 as a team. They have scored 84 runs (4.2/game) and hit nine home runs. The Lugnuts are hitting .223 as a team. They have scored 59 runs (3.0/game) and hit 11 homers. Wisconsin pitchers have a team ERA of 4.49 while allowing a total of 102 runs (5.1/game). Lansing pitchers have a team ERA of 4.77 while allowing 101 runs (5.1/game). The Timber Rattler defense has committed 24 errors. The Lugnut defense has committed 26 errors. Wisconsin is 8-4 at Time Warner Cable Field this season. The Lugnuts are 3-7 away from Oldsmobile Park this season.

PROSPECTING: Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook listed five members of the current Lansing roster on their list of the top 30 prospects in the Blue Jay system before the start of the season. Infielder Mark Sobolewski is the highest rated Lugnut on the list at #19. Outfielder Kenny Wilson (#21), infielder Tyler Pastornicky (23), outfielder Markus Brisker (#26), and pitcher Henderson Alvarez (#29) are also on the list.

OUT OF THE DRAFT 2008: The Blue Jays have placed 13 players from their 2008 draft class on the current Lansing roster. Wilson (2nd round) is the highest pick on the team. Sobolewski (4th round), Pastornicky (5th), Brisker (6th), and catcher AJ Jimenez (9th) are all top ten picks. Pitchers John Anderson (28th), Matt Daly (13th), Chuck Huggins (23rd), Ryan Koch (36th), and Hunter Moody (35th) were also ’08 draft picks of the Jays. Bryan Kervin (27th, Justin McClanahan (33rd), and Brian Van Kirk (21st) were picked in ’08, too.

RETURNING ALUMNI: There are six players on the current Lugnuts roster that also spent at least some time with Lansing in 2008. Pitchers Mike Barbara, Frank Gailey, and Koch; catcher Jon Talley; outfielder Mike McDade; and outfielder Yohermyn Chavez were Lugnuts last year.

LANSING STARTING PITCHER: RHP Henderson Alvarez was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2006. In his first two seasons in the Blue Jay organization – with stops in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League – Alvarez went 2-6 with a 5.63ERA in 20 games (18 starts). He entered the 2009 season rated as the #29 prospect in the Toronto organization. In his stat prior to this evening, Alvarez took the loss at West Michigan on April 27. He gave up five runs on eight hits over six innings. Tonight is the first time Alvarez will face the Timber Rattlers. It is also the first time he will face an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.