Game Notes 8/30/15: Intimidators at Suns
Kannapolis Intimidators at Hagerstown Suns
Sunday, August 30, 2015–1:05 p.m.
Municipal Stadium (open 1930) — Hagerstown, Md.
Game #131 of 139
RHP Luis Martinez (4–13, 5.53) vs. RHP Justin Amlung (3–3, 3.63)
Intimidators: 26–34–1 Second Half, 61–68–1 (Chicago White Sox)
Suns: 29–32 Second Half, 64–65 (Washington Nationals)
Today’s Preview: The Intimidators (A, White Sox) take the field in pursuit of a third straight win for the first time since August 2 as they face the Suns (A, Nationals) in Game 2 of this 5-game series. Kannapolis earned a 9–4 win in Saturday’s series opener with an all-around effort of timely hitting and dominant pitching. Today the Intimidators send Luis Martinez to the mound as he tries to snap a skid of three straight losses and four losing decisions in a row. He faces Hagerstown’s reliever-turned-starter Justin Amlung, who moved into the Suns’ rotation in late July. Kannapolis leads the season-series over Hagerstown, 8–7.
Intimidating Starter: Luis Martinez, 20, makes his 23rd start of the year and his fourth against the Suns. He is coming off his third straight loss on Aug. 25 to Delmarva, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings. The right-hander has struggled in August, going 0–4 with a 9.15 ERA (20 ER/19.2 IP) in five starts after putting up a dominant month of July in which he went 2–2 with a 1.52 ERA (5 ER/29.2 IP) in five starts. Martinez ranks second in the South Atlantic League with 13 losses, which equals the franchise record (14, Justin Kamplain, CSC). Martinez started the Second Half of the season strong, going 2–3 with a 1.44 ERA (5 ER/31.1 IP) in six starts from June 27-July 27, including a career-long 8.0 scoreless innings on July 27 at Lakewood. MLB.com currently ranks Martinez as the №29 Prospect in the White Sox organization. He has started three of the Intimidators’ league-lead-tying 13 shutouts, the most in the rotation. Martinez was signed as a free agent on Dec. 16, 2011. In 2014, he went 5–3 with a 2.93 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 58.1 innings over 12 games (11 starts) between the AZL White Sox and Great Falls.
List of pitchers that have dropped 13 games for Piedmont/Kannapolis is as follows:
Pitcher (Year)
Ira Tilton (1997) — with Piedmont Boll Weevils
Darrio Ferrand (2001)
Tim Bittner (2002)
Ryan Rote (2006)
Euclides Leyer (2013)
Luis Martinez (2015)The franchise record for all-time losses of 21 is held by the franchise record holder for all-time wins. Brian Miller went 16–21 from 2003–04.
Suns Starter: Justin Amlung, 25, makes his seventh start and 18th appearance for Hagerstown. He has faced Kannapolis three times out of the Suns bullpen, going 0–0 with a 2.25 ERA (1 ER/4.0 IP). He has started his last six games for the Suns, going 1–3 with a 4.33 ERA (17 ER/35.1 IP). Amlung opened the year as a reliever for Hagerstown, going 2–0 with a 2.16 ERA (4 ER/16.2 IP) with three saves in three chances in 11 games. He earned a promotion to High-A Potomac, where he went 1–0 with a 1.84 ERA (3 ER/14 IP) in seven games. The Nationals moved him back to Hagerstown to give him an opportunity to start. Overall this season, he is 4–3 with a 3.24 ERA in 24 games (six starts) between Hagerstown and Potomac. This is Amlung’s first season in the Nationals organization following three years in the Cubs’ system. He split 2014 between Class A Kane County and High-A Daytona, going 8–4 with a 3.13 ERA in 27 games (13 starts) before being released by the Cubs prior to the 2015 season. The Nationals signed him on April 17.
About Last Night: Kannapolis used a four-run sixth inning to reclaim the lead in a 9–4 win over Hagerstown on Saturday. David Trexler spun four near-perfect frames to close the game for the save (7), preserving a win for Kelvis Valerio (2–2). Kannapolis trailed 4–3, having managed one hit over the first five innings before the offense came alive in the sixth. Toby Thomas followed base hits by Louie Lechich and Alexander Simon with a two-run double for a 5–4 lead. Mason Robbins followed by scorching a grounder at second baseman Dan Uggla, who booted the ball, and Thomas scored. Robbins later crossed the plate on a Daniel Gonzalez grounder for a 7–4 lead. The Intimidators took advantage of an error by Uggla, playing for the Suns on a Major League rehab assignment, in the third inning as well. Following a pair of one-out walks, Michael Suiter grounded a tailor-made double-play ball to Uggla, whose throw to second base sailed wide, allowing Daniel Gonzalez to score. Ethan Gross then scored on a wild pitch, and Hunter Jones drove in Suiter with a sac-fly for a 3–0 lead. Uggla redeemed himself to kick-start a four-run home half of the third inning, bashing a two-run double to deep left field to put the Suns on the board before scoring the tying run on a Matthew Page double. Raudy Read later scored on a Dale Carey fielder’s choice for a 4–3 lead. Suns starter Luis Reyes lasted 2 and 2/3 innings before leaving the game due to injury. He gave up three runs (one earned) without allowing a hit, walking two and striking out two in a no decision. Hagerstown reliever Kevin Perez (0–3) took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits over 2 and 1/3 innings.
Thomas on a Tear: Infielder Toby Thomas has hit safely in nine straight games, his longest hitting streak of the year and third-longest of his career. He is batting .364 (12–33) with three doubles, a triple, and eight RBI in this nine-game span beginning on August 19. Thomas has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games, batting .340 (16–47) since August 14. He is batting .291 (25–86) in 24 games in August. Thomas opened his career with a hot bat by beginning a 16-game hitting streak in only his fifth professional game, hitting safely from June 27-July 18, 2013, with Advanced Rookie Bristol, batting .420 (29–69) in that span. He ended 2013 on a 10-game hitting for the Bristol White Sox from August 17–29, 2013, batting .366 (15–41) to wrap his professional debut season.
Terrific Trexler: Reliever David Trexler turned in the best outing of his career on Saturday, retiring 12 of 13 batters faced to close the game against Hagerstown for his seventh save. He spun a career-long 4.0 innings and struck out a career-high nine batters. His previous career-long outing came May 19 at Asheville when Trexler spun 3.1 innings while striking out a career-high five strikeouts.
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Don’t Mess With Trex: Reliever David Trexler spun a perfect sixth inning and struck out the side in the seventh, eighth, and ninth inning on Saturday in Hagerstown — including eight straight strikeouts from the seventh into the ninth inning. Trexler’s eight straight strikeouts are the most by an Intimidators arm this season, surpassing the seven consecutive strikeouts by Connor Walsh on Tuesday, August 26 against Delmarva. The nine strikeouts by Trexler are the most by a Kannapolis pitcher since May 11 when Jordan Guerrero struck out 10 at Lexington.
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Daniel’s Dandy Debut: Catcher Daniel Gonzalez made his Class A debut Saturday, going 1–3 with two RBI, a run scored, and a walk while also throwing out the lone base runner that tried to steal a base. In 26 games with the AZL White Sox, he hit .273 (21–77) with three doubles, a home run, and 15 RBI.
Lechich in the Lineup: Outfielder Louie Lechich played his 121st game of the season on Saturday and now ranks second in the SAL in games played behind Augusta’s Jonah Arenado (125). Lechich also ranks third in the league with 455 at-bats and tied for seventh with 65 RBI.
Big Bad Thad: Thaddius Lowry, the White Sox №16 prospect according to MLB.com, has won 16 games in two years with Kannapolis (2014–15), tying the franchise record for wins. Brian Miller won 16 games over two seasons from 2003–04. Lowry, now 12–7 in 2015, joins Miller as the only two pitchers to throw an individual no-hitter in Intimidators history. Miller accomplished the feat June 10, 2003, against the Greensboro Bats in a doubleheader. Lowry spun his gem June 3, 2014, in a rain-shortened 5-inning affair at West Virginia.
Here’s an update on a previous blog post of where Lowry’s ranks on the single-season and career wins list for Intimidators and Boll Weevils players.
Lowry is one of only 17 players to reach 10 wins. He is also one of only 28 players in Intimidators and Boll Weevils history to record double-digit wins and only the 11th since the Intimidators became a White Sox affiliate in 2001. (Italics = Piedmont Boll Weevils/Phillies)
Franchise Single-Season Wins Leaders
15 — Levi Maxwell (15–5) — 2008
14 — Frank Brooks (14–8) — 2000
14 — Ryan Madson (14–5) — 2000
13 — Brett Myers (13–7) — 2000
13 — Charlie Leesman (13–5) — 2009
12 — Derrick Turnbow (12–8) — 1999
12 — Ryan Wing (12–7) — 2002
12 — Cameron Bayne (12–9) — 2010
12 — Thad Lowry (12–7) — 2015
11 — Jason Kershner (11–9) — 1996
11 — Buck Allen (11–8) — 1997
11 — Greg Kubes (11–12) — 1999
11 — Carlos Silva (11–8) — 1999
11 — Corwin Malone (11–4) — 2001
10 — Len Manning (10–10) — 1995
10 — Lary Wimberly (10–3) — 1995
10 — Silvio Censale (10–6) — 1995
10 — Rich Hunter (10–2) — 1995
10 — Rob Burger (10–12) — 1996
10 — Randy Knoll (10–7) — 1996
10 — Kevin Shipp (10–11) — 1998
10 — Justin Fenus (10–8) — 1998
10 — Brad Baisley (10–7) — 1999
10 — Ryan Rodriguez (10–9) — 2004
10 — Daniel Haigwood (10–4) — 2004
10 — Jack Egbert (10–5) — 2005
10 — Spencer Arroyo (10–9) — 2011
10 — Matt Heidenreich (10–10) — 2011Franchise All-Time Wins Leaders
16 — Brian Miller — 2003–04
16 — Thad Lowry — 2014–15
15 — Adam Walker — 1998–2000
15 — Levi Maxwell — 2008
14 — Frank Brooks — 2000
14 — Ryan Madson — 2000
13 — Brett Myers — 2000
13 — Charlie Leesman — 2009
12 — Justin Fenus — 1998–99
12 — Derrick Turnbow — 1999
12 — Ryan Wing — 2002
12 — Ricky Brooks — 2005–07
12 — Jason Rice — 2006–08
12 — Cameron Bayne (12–9) — 2010
12 — Jordan Guerrero — 2014–15
Tough Thompson: Intimidators starter Zach Thompson worked a career-high 6 and 2/3 innings Thursday in a no decision. Thompson’s previous career-long outing was 6.0 innings, which he had reached four times previous. Thompson is 0–1 in the month of August with a 1.95 ERA (6 ER/27.2 IP) and 26 strikeouts.
Broadcast Information: All games will be broadcast live on the Kannapolis Intimidators Baseball Network at online at IntimidatorsBaseball.com and via TuneIn Radio App with the Josh Feldman, in his fifth season as the “Voice of the Intimidators.” Nick Nollenberger, in his first year with the team, will assist with play-by-play during weekend home games.
