Game 57- Charlotte Knights (25-32) @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (30-26) 6/8/2011
Hello Yankees Fans, this is Shawn Murnin for Above the Plate. Tonight the Yankees will be playing the second of four games against the Charlotte Knights. First pitch for tonight’s game is schedule for 7:05 PM here at PNC Field.
Game Notes brought to you by Mike Vander Woude
ON DECK…
The Yankees continue the second half of an eight game home stand with the second game of a four game series against the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. The Knights picked up an 8-2 win in the opening game of the series on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the season series. The Yankees and Knights split a four game series at Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, South Carolina from April 26th-30th, with SWB taking the first two games of the series and Charlotte winning the final two games. The Yankees are 10-14 at home on the season and are 5-11 at PNC Field since May 5th. Since the Yankees affiliation moved to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to the 2007 season, the Yankees and Charlotte have played 36 times with SWB holding the edge at 21-15, including an 11-5 mark at PNC Field. The Yankees swept the 2010 series over the Knights 4-0 and have won six of seven games dating back to 2009.
LAST TIME OUT…
Charlotte snapped a six game losing streak at PNC Field winning their first game in Moosic since May 13, 2009 with a mid inning eruption picking up four in the sixth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth to blow out the Yankees 8-2 in the opener. SWB took a 1-0 lead off Knights starter Matt Zaleski (W, 1-2) on Gustavo Molina’s first HR of the season in the bottom of the third. Yankees starter Andrew Brackman (L, 2-5) took a shutout into the sixth before allowing three walks and three separate RBI hits producing four runs. The Knights added three in the sixth inning off reliever Kanekoa Texeria and picked up a solo HR from Andrew Garcia in the eighth inning off Ryan Pope. The final Yankees run in the sixth inning came home on Kevin Russo’s RBI single.
NOW PITCHING FOR THE SWB YANKEES…
David Phelps looks for his fifth win of the season and his third straight as he faces the Knights for the first time in 2011 and for the first time in his career. The right hander’s turn in the rotation did not come up in the Yankees series at Charlotte in late April. Phelps earned no decision in his last start against Toledo on June 3rd as a pair of unearned runs did him in during the Mud Hens eighth. He went 7.2 innings allowing 7H, 3R, 1ER, with his team leading eighth HR allowed and 2BB with 7K’s. At home this season Phelps is 2-2 with a 2.39 ERA over six starts compared to a 2-2 record on the road with an ERA of 4.26. After a beginning the season with a 1-3 record and a 4.15 ERA in April, Phelps has turned things around over his last six starts with a record of 3-1 and a 2.54 ERA.
MISTAKE FREE EQUALS WINS…
The Yankees committed an error in the opening game loss to Charlotte on Tuesday night marking just the 26 time that Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has been guilty of a miscue. When the league’s top defensive team plays error free baseball in 2011 they are 23-13. When committing one error the Yankees are 7-9, when two errors are involved the team is 0-4.
RISP…
The Yankees have picked up their average with runners in scoring position on the season moving the average up to .233 (124-533). Through the opening month of the season the team was at .217 (46-212) with runners at second and third or some combination there of. Since May 1st SWB is hitting .243 (78-321) as a team with RISP, not record setting but a marked improvement. During the current home stand however the Yankees have resorted to their opening month form hitting just .205 (9-44) in those situations.
LAIRD KEEPS IT ROLLNG ALONG…
Brandon Laird picked up a single in his final at bat in Monday’s loss to Toledo to extend his current hit steak to five games and has now hit safely in 17 of his last 19. Although his four game run of consecutive multi-hit games came to an end, Laird is still swinging a hot bat hitting .336 (42-125) since the end of April raising his batting average 91 points since finishing the opening month of the season hitting .184. Laird is tied with Kevin Russo and Jorge Vazquez for the SWB lead in multi-hit games with 16.
COMINGS AND GOINGS…
The NY Yankees have recalled RH Amauri Sanit back to New York to give the bullpen a fresh arm, he had been on the DL with SWB since May 31st with a groin injury. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre placed RH Kanekoa Texeria on the DL after he left the game on Tuesday night with an injury. To fill Texeria’s spot the Yankees promoted RH Tim Norton from Double-A Trenton where he was 1-0 with 6 saves and a 1.55 ERA in 22 games.
THIS AND THAT…
The Yankees are 2-6 in the opening game of a series at PNC Field this season…SWB struck out 11 times in the opening game of the series with Charlotte marking the 26th time the team has struck out 10 or more times in a game…When posting double digit K’s in a ball game the Yankees are 15-11…The Yankees current deficit in the IL North of 5.0 games behind Lehigh Valley is the Yankees largest deficit since July 8, 2008 when the eventual Governors’ Cup Champions trail Pawtucket by the same margin.
Charlotte Knights
#7 Alejandro De Aza LF
#10 Jim Gallagher 1B
#24 Dayan Viciedo RF
#17 Tyler Flowers C
#8 Dallas McPherson 3B
#23 Lastings Milledge DH
#15 Jordan Danks CF
#6 Andrew Garcia 2B
#3 Eduardo Escobar SS
#25 Miguel Socolovich SP
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
#13 Austin Krum LF
#19 Ramiro Pena SS
#38 Jorge Vazquez 1B
#10 Brandon Laird 3B
#8 Jordan Parraz DH
#2 Greg Golson CF
#5 Kevin Russo 2B
#3 Dan Brewer RF
#48 Gustavo Molina C
#35 David Phelps SP
Update: 1st Inning
First Pitch: 7:06 Game Time Temperature: 88 Degrees
Top Half:
Alejandro De Aza and Jim Gallagher both single to lead off of the inning here at PNC Field. Dayan Viciedo swings through a 91 MPH heater for the first out of the inning. Phelps walks the bases loaded after Tyler Flowers worked the count full, but gets Dallas McPherson to strike out for the second out of the inning. Phelps gets Lastings Milledge to ground out to Ramiro Pena at short stop to end the inning. Phelps saw six batters, allowed two hits, walked one, but struck out two and allowed no runs. Austin Krum is due up to lead off the bottom of the First for the Yankees.
Bottom Half:
Miguel Socolovich gets the Yankees to go down in order with Krum ground out to second base, Pena hitting a line drive right at the left fielder for an out, and Jorge Vazquez Striking out to end the inning for the Yankees. Jordan Danks, Andrew Garcia, and Eduardo Escobar will come up in the second inning for the Knights.
Update: 2nd Inning
Top Half:
Jordan Danks leads off the inning by hitting a fly ball into foul territory, but Austin Krum is able to get under it to make the out. Andrew Garcia ground into a 3-1 out at first base, and Phelps catches Eduardo Escobar looking at a curveball for his third strikeout and final out of the inning. Laird, Parraz, and Golson are due up for the Yankees.
Bottom Half:
Brandon Laird chops a pitch off of home plate that ends up in the second baseman’s glove for the first out of the inning. Jordan Parraz flies out to second base, and Greg Golson smelled a base hit, but Eduardo Escobar ranged to his left to make a nice pick to throw Golson out at first. No runs, hits, or errors, and the score is still 0-0 here at PNC Field. Top of the order due up for the Knights.
Update: 3rd Inning
Top Half:
David Phelps retires the side in order again, as Alejandro De Aza Lines out to first, Jim Gallagher becomes Phelps’ 4th strikeout of the night, and Dayan Viciedo grounds out to short to end the inning. The Yankees will try and get something started here in the 3rd, with Kevin Russo, Dan Brewer, and Gustavo Molina due up in this inning.
Bottom Half:
Kevin Russo flies out to left field after a 9 pitch at-bat, but Dan Brewer breaks through and gets the Yankees first hit of the game with a single to right field. Gustavo Molina flies out to right field , and as the order turns over Austin Krum strikes out to end the third inning. Tyler Flowers will lead off the top of the 4th inning for the Knights here at PNC Field with Phelps back on the mound.
Update: 4th Inning
Top Half:
Tyler Flowers works a walk to lead off the inning, which leads to Dallas McPherson flying out to right field after Dan Brewer made a nice running catch to retire him. Lastings Milledge hit a ground ball to Ramiro Pena, which turned into an inning ending 6-4-3. Ramiro Pena, Jorge Vazquez, and Brandon Laird will all step into the batter’s box in the bottom half of the 4th, still tied here 0-0.
Bottom Half:
Ramiero Pena works a walk to lead off the inning, but Vazquez and Laird both follow up with strikeouts. Pena steals second base on the third strike that Laird saw, but Parraz makes the final out of the inning by striking out. So after a lead off walk, Socolovich strikes out three straight (5 for the game) and ends the inning. We’ll head into the 5th inning still knotted up here at o a piece.
Update: 5th Inning
Top Half:
After retiring Jordan Danks and Andrew Garcia, Phelps hits a rough spot by giving up a double to Eduardo Escobar and walking Alejandro De Aza. Jim Gallagher strikes out to end the inning, and afterwards throws his bat and helmat to the ground resulting in his ejection from the game. Knights manager Joe McEwing is also ejected after arguing in Gallagher’s case.
Bottom Half:
Knights move Dallas McPherson to first base, and substitute Gookie Dawkins to third base.
Pitching Change: #21 Brandon Kloess for #25 Miguel Socolovich
Socolovich’s Stats: 4.0IP, 5K, 1BB, 1H, 0R, 0ER
Kloess gets Golson to ground out to third baseman Gookie Dawkins, and then strikes out Kevin Russo and Dan Brewer in order to retire the side. We’ll head into the troublesome 6th for the Yankees, with the game tied 0-0.
Update: 6th Inning
Top Half:
Phelps is able to come in and get a 1-2-3 inning, striking out Viciedo for his sixth of the game. Gustavo Molina who hit his first home run of the season last night is set to lead off the bottom of the 6th inning against Brandon Kloess.
Bottom Half:
Gustavo Molina leads off with a solid single down the left field line. With Molina on first, Austin Krum steps in and strikes out for the second time tonight. Ramiro Pena hits a shot into left field, but the speedy Jordan Danks chases the ball down. Gustavo Molina was caught off of second base, and due to his lack of speed was thrown out back at first base while he was attempting to retreat. It goes down as a 7-6-3 double play off of Pena’s bat. Lastings Milledge will lead off for the Knights in the top of the 7th as this ball game remains scoreless.
Update: 7th Inning
Top Half:
Dan Brewer runs down a fly ball in foul territory right in front of the Knight’s bullpen to retire Lastings Milledge. Jordan Danks blisters the second pitch he sees into right center field for a base hit, but Phelps responds by striking out Andrew Garcia for his 7th strikeout of the night, and second out of the inning. Eduardo Escobar gets his second hit of the night as he punches one through the left side of the field, moving Danks to second base. Alejandro De Aza strikes out to make himself the last batter of the inning. The Yankees will send the heart of the order up in Vazquez, Laird, and Parraz to lead off the bottom of the 7th for the Yanks in a tie game at PNC Field.
Bottom Half:
Pitching Change: #33 Tyson Corley for #21 Brandon Kloess
Kloess’ Stats: 2IP, 3K, 0BB, 1H, 0R, 0ER
The Yankees go down in order to end the 7th inning, with Vazquez flying out to right, Laird flying out to center, and Parraz striking out to end the inning. Gookie Dawkins will be up for the Knights to lead off the inning.
Update: 8th Inning
Top Half:
Pitching Change: #37 Tim Norton for #35 David Phelps
Phelp’s Stats: 7IP, 8K, 3BB, 5H, 0R, 0ER 103 Pitches thrown
Norton K’s Gookie Dawkins, but Daylan Viciedo tears into a pitch that is sent into center field for a single. Tyler Flowers also strikes out, and Norton gets Dallas McPherson to hit into a fielder’s choice at short stop, where Pena keeps it himself to end the inning. Greg Golson will try to get something going here for the Yankees in the bottom of the 8th inning.
Bottom Half:
Golson reaches on an infield single. Kevin Russo tries to move Golson over to second base, but Greg Golson is thrown out trying to go into second standing up. Russo reaches on the fielder’s choice with Dan Brewer next in the lineup. Brewer hits into a 4-3 ground out, advancing Kevin Russo to second base. Gustavo Molina lines the fifth pitch of his at-bat, bringing Kevin Russo home. Austin Krum grounds out to the first baseman to end the inning, but not before the Yankees take the lead 1-0 going into the top of the 9th inning.
Update: 9th Inning
Top Half:
Pitching Change: #23 Kevin Whelan for #37 Jim Norton
Kevin Whelan gets Lastings Milledge to strike out, and Jordan Danks bounces out to Vazquez at first base for the second out of the 9th. With the Knights down to their last out of the game, Andrew Garcia steps in against Whelan and strikes out swinging to end the game.
Yankees win this one 1-0.
WP- Jim Norton (1-0)
LP- Tyson Corley (0-1)
SV- Kevin Whelan (18)
Mike Vander Woude
