Omaha opened Werner Park on Saturday
Triple-A: Omaha 2, Nashville 1
W: Jesse Chavez (1-0, 0.00)
S: Louis Coleman (2)
HR: None
Comment: Offense was hard to come by in a torturously cold night in Omaha, but the Storm Chasers found just enough – along with some excellent pitching – to win the first-ever game at Werner Park. Danny Duffy started for the Chasers and was outstanding, limiting the Sounds to just one hit in 4.2 shutout innings while fanning seven.
Meanwhile, the Omaha offense struck for both of its runs in the third inning. Mike Moustakas drove in Eric Hosmer on an RBI double to left for the first run in the new ballpark’s history, and he then scored on Johnny Giavotella’s RBI triple to right.
After Duffy reached his pitch count with two outs in the fifth, the bullpen took over and performed masterfully. There was a tense moment in the eighth when reliever Blaine Hardy loaded the bases with nobody out, but Jesse Chavez entered and put out the fire by striking out the first batter he faced and coaxing the next into an inning-ending double play. Louis Coleman notched his second save of the season by striking out the side in order in the ninth.
Other Notes: Omaha announcer Mark Nasser mentioned during the game’s broadcast that Clint Robinson “took some swings prior to the game” and “looked good.” Robinson was hit in the elbow by a fastball on Thursday, and he hasn’t played in the two games since. However, Nasser’s report seems to indicate Robinson might not miss much time, which is a relief given his hot start…Danny Duffy was hitting 96 mph with his fastball on Saturday while mixing a plus curveball and changeup…Louis Coleman has made five one-inning appearances this season. In three of those outings, he has struck out the side in order. He now has 11 strikeouts in just 5.0 innings pitched…Everett Teaford made a curiously short relief appearance on Saturday, facing just two batters. However, he wasn’t injured, and he has not been moved to the bullpen. He was temporarily forced from the rotation by Sunday's doubleheader and the longer-than-expected Triple-A stay of Vin Mazzaro, so he just needed some work.
Next Game: Omaha and Nashville will match up for a doubleheader on Sunday. Vin Mazzaro (0-0, 19.29) will look to get back in Kansas City’s good graces in game 1 after a miserable 2011 debut. Mike Montgomery (0-1, 5.00) is scheduled to take the ball in game 2.
| Player |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
AVG |
Notes |
| Cain, CF |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.250 |
BB, 2 K |
| Lough, LF |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
.286 |
2B (2), K -- first Werner hit |
| Hosmer, 1B |
3 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
.368 |
2B (2), BB -- first Werner run |
| Moustakas, 3B |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
.194 |
2B (1), K -- first Werner RBI |
| Giavotella, 2B |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
.294 |
3B (1), BB |
| Zawadzki, SS |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.121 |
K |
| Pina, C |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.176 |
BB |
| -- Blanco, PR |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.120 |
|
| -- May, C |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.100 |
|
| Falu, DH |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.286 |
K |
| Orlando, RF |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.281 |
BB, SB (2), CS (1) |
| Pitcher |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
| Duffy |
4.2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
1.86 |
| Teaford |
0.1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7.20 |
| Mendoza (H, 1) |
2.0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3.68 |
| Hardy |
0.0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3.00 |
| Chavez (W, 1-0) |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
| Coleman (S, 2) |
1.0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
5.40 |
Double-A: San Antonio 8, NW Arkansas 3
L: Heath Rollins (0-1, 5.06)
HR: Nick Van Stratten (1)
Comment: The good news is that Saturday’s game was quite a bit closer than Friday’s. Of course, the Naturals still lost, and they were swept away in their three-game series with San Antonio. Nick Van Stratten got NW Arkansas on the board in the third inning with his first home run of the season. Jamie Romak went 2-for-3 with an RBI, raising his batting average to .300, while Jeff Bianchi extended his hitting streak to seven games with a double in a 1-for-3 effort.
Next Game: The Naturals (5-4) are still in first place by one game over the rest of their division, and they’ll now travel to Corpus Christi for a three-game series against the Hooks (3-6). Edgar Osuna (1-0, 0.00) takes the mound for NW Arkansas, looking to beat Corpus Christi for the second time in a week.
| Player |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
AVG |
Notes |
| Robinson, CF |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.243 |
K |
| Colon, SS |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
.242 |
BB, K |
| Bianchi, DH |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
.353 |
2B (3), BB, 2 K |
| Romak, 1B |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
.300 |
BB |
| Smith, LF |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.364 |
2 K |
| Perez, C |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.188 |
K |
| Mertins, 2B |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.261 |
K |
| Lisson, 3B |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.333 |
2B (2), K |
| Van Stratten, RF |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
.241 |
HR (1), BB, K |
| Pitcher |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
| Rollins (L, 0-1) |
4.2 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
5.06 |
| Santiago |
3.1 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
2.45 |
High-A: Wilmington vs. Potomac – Postponed
Comment: Rain in Wilmington postponed Saturday’s game between the Blue Rocks and Nationals.
Next Game: The two clubs will play a doubleheader on Sunday. Jake Odorizzi (0-0, 2.25) will start the first game for the Blue Rocks, and Noel Arguelles (0-0, 0.00) will take the mound in the second, looking to build upon his impressive professional debut. Arguelles will face former Royals farmhand Alex Caldera.
Carolina League Northern Division Standings
| CLUB |
W |
L |
PCT |
GB |
| Wilmington |
5 |
2 |
.714 |
-- |
| Frederick |
4 |
2 |
.667 |
0.5 |
| Potomac |
2 |
4 |
.333 |
2.5 |
| Lynchburg |
1 |
6 |
.143 |
4.0 |
Low-A: Clinton 6, Kane County 4 (7 innings – Game 1)
L: Dusty Odenbach (0-1, 1.93)
HR: Brian Fletcher (1), Alex Llanos (2)
Low-A: Clinton 2, Kane County 1 (7 innings – Game 2)
L: Crawford Simmons (0-2, 6.75)
HR: None
Comment: The weather in Clinton was miserable, and so was the result. The Cougars were swept in their first doubleheader of the year, falling to the LumberKings in a pair of close games. Alex Llanos had a nice day at the plate for Kane County, going a combined 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs. Brian Fletcher launched his first homer of the year, and Lane Adams was 3-for-6 with a double. Crawford Simmons was tagged with his second loss of the season in the nightcap, despite allowing just one run over 2.2 innings while fanning five batters.
Next Game: The Cougars (3-7) will look to salvage the series finale on Sunday against the LumberKings (4-6). Leonel Santiago (0-2, 10.57) is slated to toe the rubber for Kane County.
Game 1
| Player |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
AVG |
Notes |
| Llanos, CF |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
.371 |
HR (2), SF |
| Espinal, 2B |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.192 |
K |
| Fletcher, LF |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
.265 |
HR (1), BB, K, E (2) |
| Watts, 1B |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.231 |
2 K |
| Adams, DH |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
.200 |
BB |
| Beltre, RF |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.219 |
|
| Jenkins, C |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
.375 |
2B (1), K, E (2) |
| Franco, 3B |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.154 |
SAC |
| Hall, SS |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.208 |
BB, 2 K, E (2) |
| Pitcher |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
| Hayenga |
4.0 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
4.00 |
| Odenbach (L, 0-1) |
2.0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1.93 |
Game 2
| Player |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
AVG |
Notes |
| Llanos, CF |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.378 |
BB, K |
| Espinal, 2B |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
.207 |
2 K |
| Fletcher, DH |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.243 |
|
| Watts, 1B |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.207 |
K |
| Adams, LF |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
.278 |
2B (2) |
| Beltre, RF |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.200 |
|
| Stovall, 3B |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
.357 |
2B (1), K, CS (1) |
| Jones, C |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
.000 |
E (2); Now 0-for-17 |
| Pitcher |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
ERA |
| Billo |
3.2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
2.45 |
| Simmons (L, 0-2) |
2.2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
6.75 |
|