Monthly Archives: September, 2009

The Hillcats' win in Game 1 of the Carolina League Northern Division Championship Series broke a streak of 10 losses to the Wilmington Blue Rocks. �Tonight's win in Game 4 ends a streak of 7 straight losses by the Hillcats at the Blue Rocks' Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, Delaware. �It also keeps the Hillcats alive in the playoffs, as they tied up the 5-game series at 2 games each. �Matt McSwain earned the win with 4 shutout innings in relief, and Jamie Romak had 2 hits and scored 3 of the 'Cats' 5 runs. �

Hillcats' starter Nate Adcock�pitched 5 innings and gave up 2 runs (one earned) on 5 hits and 3 walks, with 4 strikeouts. �The Blue Rocks scored first, with a run in the bottom of the 1st inning. �2B Johnny Giavotella singled with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on 3B Mike Moustakas' RBI double. �The Hillcats came right back with a run of their own in the top of the 2nd inning. �RF�Jamie Romak�led off by being hit by a pitch. �After two outs, 1B�Matt Hague�walked, and Romak moved up to second base. �Romak scored when�LF�Alex Presley�reached on a fielding error by Rocks' 1B Eric Hosmer, and the score was tied at 1-1.

Wilmington answered back with another run in the next inning. �2B�Chase d'Arnaud's�fielding error put Johnny Giavotella on base to open the inning. �Giovatella stole second base, and when C�Tony Sanchez's�throw went wide for another error, he moved on to third base. �Mike Moutstakas' sacrifice fly scored Giavotella with an unearned run, and Wilmington had the lead again, 2-1.

Nate Adcock�pitched two more innings, and kept the Blue Rocks scoreless. �He gave up a walk in the 4th, and another single by Johnny Giavotella and a hit batter in the 5th. �Adcock was still the pitcher of record when the Hillcats' tied the score again in the top of the 6th, so he left the game unable to factor into the decision. �Jamie Romak singled to lead off the top of the 6th. �Both DH Kris Watts and Tony Sanchez lined out to the Wilmington 2B Giavotella. �Then Matt Hague lined a double into left field, and Romak advanced to third base. �Alex Presley picked up the RBI with an infield single to shortstop, scoring Romak. �Hague was caught in a run-down as he came around third base but went too far, and he was eventually tagged out to end the inning (6-2-5-1).

Adcock opened the bottom of the 6th by walking the first batter, RF Nick Van Stratten, and he was relieved by Matt McSwain. �McSwain got three ground outs, forcing out Van Stratten, and working around another walk. �He also worked around a lead-off single by Johnny Giavotella, who had 3 hits in the game, and made good use of an intentional walk, to end the inning with a double play. �

The Hillcats had not scored after the 6th inning in their last 10 games, and they picked an excellent time to break that streak too. �In the top of the 8th, Jamie Romak led off the inning for the third time in the game, and for the third time he reached base safely to ignite a rally. �Romak doubled into left field, and moved to third on Kris Watts' sacrifice bunt. �The Blue Rocks changed pitchers, and Tony Sanchez greeted the new reliever Zach Peterson by taking his first pitch over the left field wall for a 2-run homer. �Wilmington LF Ryan Stovall made a valiant effort, with a leap that almost took him over the wall and into the Hillcats' bullpen, but he could not make the catch. �

The Hillcats took the 4-2 lead into the top of the 9th, and picked up an insurance run when Chase d'Arnaud lifted another long fly ball into the Hillcats' bullpen for a solo home run. �A fielding error by the shortstop put Jordy Mercer on base after the homer, but he was erased in an inning-ending double play. �

Matt McSwain finished things up with two more scoreless innings. �He gave up another single and hit a batter in the 8th, and worked around another hit batter in the 9th, to earn the win. �

The Hillcats and the Blue Rocks will travel back to Lynchburg for Game 5, which will be played on Sunday evening (6 pm Eastern). �The winner of that game will go on to the Carolina League Championship series, to face the Salem Red Sox. �That 5-game series will begin on Monday. �Salem swept their series against the Winston-Salem Dash in 3 games to take the CL Southern Division title. �

The Wilmington Blue Rocks broke a 12-inning-long scoreless tie with a walk-off 2-run homer by top Royals' prospect Eric Hosmer, to take a 2 -1 game lead in the Carolina League Northern Division championship series. �

This pitchers' duel went on and on, with few hits being recorded on either side. �1B Matt Hague�led the Hillcats with 3 hits, including his first triple of 2009. �SS Jordy Mercer singled twice, and C Tony Sanchez and DH Eric Fryer�each had one single. �

The Hillcats had two runners on base in the 1st inning, when 2B Chase d'Arnaud and RF Jamie Romak�both walked. �But three other batters struck out, and the Hillcats did not have a runner on base again until the 4th inning. �With one out in the 4th, Romak walked again, followed by singles by Tony Sanchez and Matt Hague. �Again, strikeouts ended the inning, this time leaving the bases loaded. �

Lynchburg threatened again in the 7th. �LF Jared Keel led off with a walk, and Eric Fryer singled into left field, moving Keel to second, where he was replaced by pinch-runner Alex Presley. �CF Jose De Los Santos dropped down a bunt, but instead of a sacrifice, it turned into a force out, erasing Presley at third base. �Two fly outs ended that inning. �

Hillcats' starter Jeff Locke pitched 5.2 innings. �He gave up a hit in each of the first three innings, plus a walk in the 2nd. �After the single in the 3rd, Locke retired the next 9 batters before hitting the next batter with a pitch. �He was relieved at that point by Noah Krol, who finished the 6th inning. �Krol pitched the next two innings, allowing only one base runner, when 1B Eric Hosmer reached base on a throwing error, stole second base, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. �

By the 9th inning, both teams were getting frustrated. �Matt Hague led off the top of the 9th with a triple into the right field corner. �Blue Rocks' RF Nick Van Stratten made a dive for the ball but came up empty. �His manager tried to argue that the ball would have landed in foul territory, not fair, if it had not hit Van Stratten in his attempt to make the catch. �The umpires were not impressed by that argument, though, and Hague was on third. �Unfortunately, he stayed on third, as two strikeout and a line out to first base ended the inning. �

Reliever Ramon Aguero came on to pitch the bottom of the 9th for the Hillcats and struck out the side. �He gave up a walk in the 10th, but again kept the Blue Rocks scoreless, and retired the side in order again in the 11th.

The Hillcats went down in order in the 10th, but threatened in the 11th. �Jamie Romak led off by being hit by a pitch, and Matt Hague collected his third hit of the game with a single up the middle. �But Alex Presley, who had remained in the game in left field, flied out, and pinch hitter Kris Watts�grounded out to end the threat. �In the 12th, with two outs, 3B Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch. �He moved to second base when the Wilmington pitcher's pickoff throw went wild. �Jordy Mercer lined a single into center field, and Harrison rounded third and headed for the plate -- where he was out on the throw in from center field. �

That set up the bottom of the 12th. �Ronald Uviedo came on to pitch for the Hillcats, and walked the first batter he faced. �That brought up Eric Hosmer, who ended the game with a big swing. �

Game 4 of the series will be played on Saturday, again in Wilmington.

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Starter Todd Redmond (Atlanta Braves) pitched 6.2 perfect innings before allowing Germany the first of only two hits in Pool E play. �That base runner was out at second base on a fielders' choice, and Redmond went on to allow one more single in the 8th inning. �Those two hits were all that Germany would get. �Redmond needed 82 pitches (65 strikes) to throw 8 scoreless innings. �He did not allow a walk or hit a batter, and he struck out 7 German batters. �

Team USA scored their first run in the 2nd inning, when RF Ike Davis homered over the center field wall. �They added three more runs in the 3rd. �CF Buck Coats led off with a walk, and he moved to third base on Trevor Plouffe's single. �A throwing error on 1B Justin Smoak's ball to second base allowed Coats to score, and left runners on first and second bases. �Plouffe stole third base, and then scored on a grounder to second base (unearned run). �Two more singles, by Ike Davis and 3B Pedro Alvarez,�brought in Tiffee (also unearned), with Alvarez picking up the RBI. �

Two more home runs gave Team USA three more runs in the 6th inning. �After C Jason Castro was hit by a pitch, Buck Coats slammed a 2-run homer. �Moments later, Justin Smoak contributed a solo blast, and the Americans had a 7-0 lead. �Trevor Plouffe hit the 4th home run of the game in the 8th inning, another solo shot. �Justin Smoak followed the homer with a walk, and he advanced to second base on a wild pitch. �A single by Terry Tiffee brought Smoak in, to give Team USA a 9-0 lead. �

One run was all the Hillcats needed, as they rallied behind starter Rudy Owens to tie the Carolina League Northern Division championship series at one game each. �

Owens shut down the Wilmington bats, limiting them to 4 hits and a walk over 6 innings, while he struck out 6. �The Blue Rocks might have thought they were going to get something started in the top of the 1st, when 2B Johnny Giavotella lifted a long fly ball into center field, but instead of stopping at second base, Giavotella tried for third, and was thrown out by CF Jose De Los Santos, with SS Jordy Mercer on the relay to 3B Josh Harrison. �Owns walked the next batter, then retired the next seven batters he faced. �

Wilmington threatened again in the 4th inning, when Giavotella led off with a single. �Two outs later, he stole second base, and moved to third on a passed ball. �But Owens struck out 1B Eric Hosmer to end the inning and leave Giavotella standing on third. �The Blue Rocks also had back-to-back singles with two outs in the 5th inning, but Owens again calmly struck out the next batter to get out of that little bit of a jam. �

The Hillcats did their scoring in the 2nd inning. �RF Jamie Romak led off with a line drive into left field. �C Tony Sanchez singled on a liner into right field, which let Romak advance to third base. �1B Matt Hague�grounded to second base, forcing Sanchez out at second, but it was enough to allow Romak to score. �A wild pitch moved Hague to second base, and LF Jared Keel walked, but they were both left on base when DH Kent Sakamoto struck out and Jose De Los Santos popped out to end the inning. �

Wilmington starter Danny Duffy kept the Hillcats quiet over the next four innings, allowing only a walk to Kent Sakamoto in the 5th, and a single by Jordy Mercer in the 6th. �Zach Peterson relieved Duffy to begin the bottom of the 7th, and Matt Hague greeted Peterson with a double into center field, but Peterson retired the next three Hillcats, leaving Hague on second. �The only other threat the Hillcats made came in the 8th, when 2B Chase d'Arnaud�led off with a single. �Josh Harrison bunted d'Arnaud to second base, and after a fly out, Jamie Romak was intentionally walked. �Tony Sanchez also flied out, ending the inning without a run scoring.

Three Lynchburg relievers wrapped up the game for Rudy Owens. �Matt McSwain pitched a perfect 7th inning. �Ramon Aguero gave up a single to CF Derrick Robinson in the 8th, and Robinson stole second base, then advanced to third when Tony Sanchez's throw to second hopped past second base and into the outfield. �But Aguero got Johnny Giavotella to fly out and end the threat. �Ronald Uviedo earned the save with a scoreless 9th, allowing a single and getting a game-ending strikeout. �

Games 3 and 4, and Game 5 if needed, will be played in Wilmington. �Jeff Locke will get the start for the Hillcats in Game 3 on Friday. �

In the Carolina League Southern Division championship, the Salem Red Sox have taken the first two games from the Winston-Salem Dash, 7-2 and 6-4. �They will also play Game 3 on Friday, in Salem.

Team USA starter Brad Lincoln pitched 5 solid innings, allowing only one run, but he did not factor into the decision as Venezuela tied the game and eventually won in 11 innings. �

Lincoln scattered 5 hits and 2 walks over his 5 innings. �He worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning when with two outs, he gave up a double, then a single. �The base runner from second was off and running and tried to score on the grounder to short, but was thrown out at the plate. �In the 4th inning, a lead-off homer by Venezuela's 3B Michael Sandoval was the only run Lincoln allowed. �Lincoln was relieved after his 5 innings, holding a 7-1 lead. �He threw 79 pitches (50 strikes).

Team USA started their scoring early. �SS Trevor Plouffe walked with one out in the 1st, and moved to third base on 1B Justin Smoak's double down the right field line. �Plouffe tried to make it home on the play, though, and was cut down on the relay throw. �With Smoak still on second base, RF Josh Kroeger doubled in to the left-center alley, and Smoak scored. �A throwing error put DH Terry Tiffee on base, and LF Jon Weber's singled scored Kroeger, to give Team USA a 2-0 lead. �3B Pedro Alvarez�singled, loading the bases, but a fly out ended the inning without further scoring.

The bottom of the 2nd inning started with a solo home run by 2B Tug Hulett, increasing the lead to 3-0. �CF Buck Coats followed the homer with a double, and he scored on Justin Smoak's 2-run homer. �After a pitching change, Josh Kroeger was hit by the first pitch thrown by the new reliever. �He scored on Terry Tiffee's dobule down the left field line, and Team USA was up 6-0.

After the Venezuelan homer in the top of the 4th, Smoak answered with his second home run of the game, a solo blast to lead off the bottom of the frame, and the Americans were well on their way, 7-1. �

BJ Rosenberg relieved Brad Lincoln to begin the 6th inning. �He pitched that one inning, and gave up one run, on two doubles. �Still, Team USA was ahead, 7-2. �Former Indy Indian (2002-04) Jason Childers took the mound for the 7th inning, and that's when things fell apart. �CHilders got a fly out, then walked two batters. �Then a strikeout, and another walk loaded the bases. �Childers hit Michael Sandoval with a pitch, forcing in a run. �Four more runs scored when RF Rene Reyes (Colorado Rockies) lifted a long fly ball over the center field wall for a grand slam. �Childers was relieved by Cedrick Bowers, but the damage was done and the score was tied at 7-7.

The next 2.5 innings were scoreless on both sides. �Team USA put a runner on base in the 7th when Jon Weber singled, and in the 8th when Tug Hulett walked, but was caught stealing. �Trevor Plouffe walked and Josh Kroeger singled in the 9th, but a double play ended the threat.

Cedrick Bowers came back out to begin the 8th inning for Team USA, but after he walked the first batter, he was replaced by Ehren Wassermann. �Wassermann got a double play, then walked another batter, but got a line out to end the inning. �He then retired the side in order in the 9th. �

As the game went into extras, international baseball rules took over. �Under the International Tie Breaker rule, each team begins their inning at-bat with two runners on base (first and second). �The team chooses which batter they want to begin the inning at the plate, and the two batters immediately ahead of that batter in the order are the ones placed on base. �Then the chosen batter steps to the plate and the team proceeds to try to bring those runners in. �

Venezuela began the 10th with their two runners on base and 1B Lino Connell at the plate. �Connell bunted the runners to second and third, and was safe at first on a fielder's choice. �After a strike out, Geno Espineli relieved Ehren Wassermann on the mound. �Espineli walked Rene Reyes on 5 pitches, forcing in the tie-breaking run. �A ground out brought in another run, and Espineli was relieved by Nate Field. �Field got the final out of the inning, but Venezuela had taken a 9-7 lead.

Team USA began the bottom of the 10th with Tug Hulett placed on second base and Buck Coats placed on first. �That brought Trevor Plouffe to the plate. �Plouffe flied out, but Justin Smoak doubled, scoring both Hulett and Coats to tied the game again. �

CF Jonathan Sivira was chosen to bat first for Venezuela to start the 11th inning, with Field still on the mound for Team USA. �Field struck out Sivira and C Yosnel Garcia, then loaded the bases with a walk. �SS Dimiro Chavez blasted the second grand slam of the game, and Venezuela had a 13 - 9 lead. �Team USA placed Terry Tiffee on second base and Jon Weber on first for their turn in the bottom of the frame, bringing up Pedro Alvarez. �But Alvarez flied out, and a ground out and a strikeout ended the game, giving Venezuela the win. �

Justin Smoak went 4-for-6 in the game with 5 RBI. �Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. �

Team USA's next game will be on Friday against Germany, with Todd Redmond scheduled to pitch. �

More Day 2 action:

Pool A

Mexico 8, Taipei 0

Pool B

Cuba 10, Puerto Rico 0

This game lasted only 7 innings, as the Cuban pitcher Maikel Vera held Puerto Rico to 3 hits and a walk, while striking out 8. �RJ Rodriguez did not get into the game. �

Pool C

Canada 9, South Korea 1

Canada's LF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI to lead the offense. �Starter Nick Bucci (Brewers) pitched 5 scoreless innings and allowed 3 hits for Canada. �Dustin Molleken did not appear in the game. �

Pool D

Nicaragua 10, Croatia 1

Japan 9, Great Britain 7

SS Brant Ust singled, scored, and had an RBI, while Tom Boleska�pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit and hitting one batter. �Japan had a 6-2 lead going into the 8th inning, then picked up 2 more insurance runs in the 8th, and one more in the 9th, for a 9-2 lead. �Great Britian made Team Japan worry, though, with a 5-run bottom of the 9th. �With one out, a dropped third strike (which landed in the Japanese dugout) put one runner on base. �Next came a single, then Ust's RBI single, and then a 3-run homer by RF Sam Wiley brought the score to 9-6. �More runners on base, and another dropped third strike allowed a runner from third to score, and Great Britain had made it 9-7. �Another single loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning and the game, with Great Britain's rally falling short. �

Team USA starter Brad Lincoln pitched 5 solid innings, allowing only one run, but he did not factor into the decision as Venezuela tied the game and eventually won in 11 innings. �

Lincoln scattered 5 hits and 2 walks over his 5 innings. �He worked out of a jam in the 2nd inning when with two outs, he gave up a double, then a single. �The base runner from second was off and running and tried to score on the grounder to short, but was thrown out at the plate. �In the 4th inning, a lead-off homer by Venezuela's 3B Michael Sandoval was the only run Lincoln allowed. �Lincoln was relieved after his 5 innings, holding a 7-1 lead. �He threw 79 pitches (50 strikes).

Team USA started their scoring early. �SS Trevor Plouffe walked with one out in the 1st, and moved to third base on 1B Justin Smoak's double down the right field line. �Plouffe tried to make it home on the play, though, and was cut down on the relay throw. �With Smoak still on second base, RF Josh Kroeger doubled in to the left-center alley, and Smoak scored. �A throwing error put DH Terry Tiffee on base, and LF Jon Weber's singled scored Kroeger, to give Team USA a 2-0 lead. �3B Pedro Alvarez�singled, loading the bases, but a fly out ended the inning without further scoring.

The bottom of the 2nd inning started with a solo home run by 2B Tug Hulett, increasing the lead to 3-0. �CF Buck Coats followed the homer with a double, and he scored on Justin Smoak's 2-run homer. �After a pitching change, Josh Kroeger was hit by the first pitch thrown by the new reliever. �He scored on Terry Tiffee's dobule down the left field line, and Team USA was up 6-0.

After the Venezuelan homer in the top of the 4th, Smoak answered with his second home run of the game, a solo blast to lead off the bottom of the frame, and the Americans were well on their way, 7-1. �

BJ Rosenberg relieved Brad Lincoln to begin the 6th inning. �He pitched that one inning, and gave up one run, on two doubles. �Still, Team USA was ahead, 7-2. �Former Indy Indian (2002-04) Jason Childers took the mound for the 7th inning, and that's when things fell apart. �CHilders got a fly out, then walked two batters. �Then a strikeout, and another walk loaded the bases. �Childers hit Michael Sandoval with a pitch, forcing in a run. �Four more runs scored when RF Rene Reyes (Colorado Rockies) lifted a long fly ball over the center field wall for a grand slam. �Childers was relieved by Cedrick Bowers, but the damage was done and the score was tied at 7-7.

The next 2.5 innings were scoreless on both sides. �Team USA put a runner on base in the 7th when Jon Weber singled, and in the 8th when Tug Hulett walked, but was caught stealing. �Trevor Plouffe walked and Josh Kroeger singled in the 9th, but a double play ended the threat.

Cedrick Bowers came back out to begin the 8th inning for Team USA, but after he walked the first batter, he was replaced by Ehren Wassermann. �Wassermann got a double play, then walked another batter, but got a line out to end the inning. �He then retired the side in order in the 9th. �

As the game went into extras, international baseball rules took over. �Under the International Tie Breaker rule, each team begins their inning at-bat with two runners on base (first and second). �The team chooses which batter they want to begin the inning at the plate, and the two batters immediately ahead of that batter in the order are the ones placed on base. �Then the chosen batter steps to the plate and the team proceeds to try to bring those runners in. �

Venezuela began the 10th with their two runners on base and 1B Lino Connell at the plate. �Connell bunted the runners to second and third, and was safe at first on a fielder's choice. �After a strike out, Geno Espineli relieved Ehren Wassermann on the mound. �Espineli walked Rene Reyes on 5 pitches, forcing in the tie-breaking run. �A ground out brought in another run, and Espineli was relieved by Nate Field. �Field got the final out of the inning, but Venezuela had taken a 9-7 lead.

Team USA began the bottom of the 10th with Tug Hulett placed on second base and Buck Coats placed on first. �That brought Trevor Plouffe to the plate. �Plouffe flied out, but Justin Smoak doubled, scoring both Hulett and Coats to tied the game again. �

CF Jonathan Sivira was chosen to bat first for Venezuela to start the 11th inning, with Field still on the mound for Team USA. �Field struck out Sivira and C Yosnel Garcia, then loaded the bases with a walk. �SS Dimiro Chavez blasted the second grand slam of the game, and Venezuela had a 13 - 9 lead. �Team USA placed Terry Tiffee on second base and Jon Weber on first for their turn in the bottom of the frame, bringing up Pedro Alvarez. �But Alvarez flied out, and a ground out and a strikeout ended the game, giving Venezuela the win. �

Justin Smoak went 4-for-6 in the game with 5 RBI. �Pedro Alvarez went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. �

Team USA's next game will be on Friday against Germany, with Todd Redmond scheduled to pitch. �

More Day 2 action:

Pool A

Mexico 8, Taipei 0

Pool B

Cuba 10, Puerto Rico 0

This game lasted only 7 innings, as the Cuban pitcher Maikel Vera held Puerto Rico to 3 hits and a walk, while striking out 8. �RJ Rodriguez did not get into the game. �

Pool C

Canada 9, South Korea 1

Canada's LF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI to lead the offense. �Starter Nick Bucci (Brewers) pitched 5 scoreless innings and allowed 3 hits for Canada. �Dustin Molleken did not appear in the game. �

Pool D

Nicaragua 10, Croatia 1

Japan 9, Great Britain 7

SS Brant Ust singled, scored, and had an RBI, while Tom Boleska�pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, allowing a hit and hitting one batter. �Japan had a 6-2 lead going into the 8th inning, then picked up 2 more insurance runs in the 8th, and one more in the 9th, for a 9-2 lead. �Great Britian made Team Japan worry, though, with a 5-run bottom of the 9th. �With one out, a dropped third strike (which landed in the Japanese dugout) put one runner on base. �Next came a single, then Ust's RBI single, and then a 3-run homer by RF Sam Wiley brought the score to 9-6. �More runners on base, and another dropped third strike allowed a runner from third to score, and Great Britain had made it 9-7. �Another single loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout ended the inning and the game, with Great Britain's rally falling short. �

Pool A:

Australia 17, Czech Republic 4

Former Indy Indian Chris Snelling went 1-for-3, with a walk and an RBI, and he scored one of the 17 runs. �

The Australians got the scoring started in the 2nd inning with a solo homer by LF Tim Kennelly and a 2-run homer by DH Andrew Graham. � �They added another 3 runs in the 3rd inning, on a single, a walk by Snelling, and Tim Kennelly's second homer (3 runs) in the game. �Kennelly led off the 5th inning with a single, and scored on 1B Stefan Welch's home run. �Brother Matthew Kennelly came on to pinch-hit, and doubled, then went to third on a throwing error on the next play. �He scored on an RBI single. �RF Chris Snelling also singled, bringing in the 4th run of the inning. �That gave the Australians a 10-0 lead.

The Czech team got onto the scoreboard with a solo home run in the bottom of the 5th, and they added an unearned run in the 6th on a double, two wild pitches, and a throwing error. �The Czechs scored 2 runs in the 7th, on a single, a triple, and another single.

Two singles gave the Australians another run in the 7th inning, but their biggest inning was yet to come. �In the top of the 9th, they scored 6 runs -- a walk, a single, a double (RBI), an error (another run in), and three more doubles, by Welch, Graham, and Matthew Kennelly. �

Pool B:

Spain 15, South Africa 0

This game ended after 6 innings, due to the rule that they don't want us to call "the Mercy Rule". � The South Africans were held to just 2 hits, one of which was by SS Gift Ngoepe.

Pool C

Netherlands Antilles 10, Sweden 8

Pool D

Germany 14, China 1

The Blue Rocks (affiliate of the Kansas City Royals) scored early and late, as they recorded 11 hits and took advantage of two Hillcats' errors to win Game 1 of the Carolina League Northern Division Championship Series in Lynchburg, Virginia tonight. �

Justin Wilson got the start for the Hillcats, and pitched 5 innings. �The good news was that he struck out 9 batters and allowed 6 hits, no walks. �Wilson opened the game with two strikeouts, then was charged with a hit batter (though the ball clearly sailed way over the batters' head, and protests by manager PJ Forbes went unheeded), then struck out a third batter to retire the side. �Wilson also struck out three batters in the 3rd inning, working around a 2-out single, and he retired the side in the 4th and 5th innings, including two more strikeouts. �

The bad news was the second inning, when the Blue Rocks batted around and scored 4 runs. �The inning began with a line drive through the hole by top Royals' prospect 1B Eric Hosmer. �RF Nick Van Stratten skipped a grounder to shortstop, which looked like a tailor-made double play ball. �But the ball bounced right on the lip of the grass and took a high hop to SS Jordy Mercer. �Mercer got his glove on the ball, but lost it in the transfer to his throwing hand, ruled an error, and everyone was safe. �LF Jamar Walton singled through the hole into left field, scoring Hosmer from second base. �The throw in from LF Alex Presley bounced away from C Tony Sanchez, and when the base runners advanced to second and third bases, Presley was charged with an error. �After a strikeout, singles by SS Anthony Seratelli and CF Derrick Robinson brought in Van Stratten and Walton. �Wilson got a pop out in foul territory for the second out, but one more single, by 3B Mike Moustakas scored Robinson, and the Blue Rocks had a 4-0 lead, with 3 unearned runs. �

The Hillcats were putting runners on base, but could not get them around to score. �After a 1-2-3 bottom of the 1st, RF Jamie Romak walked to lead off the 2nd inning, and DH Kris Watts singled, to put two runners on base with no outs. �But Tony Sanchez and 1B Matt Hague grounded into a double play, erasing the threat. �CF Jose De Los Santos doubled in the 3rd, and Hague singled in the 5th, and both were left on base, as was Watts after a walk in the 4th. �

Jordy Mercer finally put the Hillcats onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6th inning. �He blasted a long fly ball over the left field wall for a solo home run. �That was the only run the 'Cats would manage, though. �They threatened in the 7th inning, when with two outs, Alex Presley doubled and Jose De Los Santos singled, sending Presley to third base. �A strikeout ended the threat. �Two errors by the Blue Rocks put a base runner on in each of the 8th and 9th innings, but both were left stranded. �

Noah Krol relieved Justin Wilson to begin the 6th inning. �Krol pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing only a single and a walk in the 6th, and a double in the 7th. �Harrison Bishop pitched an easy scoreless 8th inning, but got into trouble when he came back out for the top of the 9th. �The first three batters in the 9th recorded hits: a triple, a single, and a double, bringing in 2 runs and sending Bishop to the showers. �Chris Cullen relieved Bishop, and he got Mike Moustakas to ground out for the first out of the inning. �After an intentional walk, Eric Hosmer reached on a fielder's choice, batting in the runner from third base. �A double play ended the inning, but the Blue Rocks had a 7-1 lead. �They held off the Hillcats in the bottom of the inning, to take a 1-game lead in the 5-game series. �

The Salem Red Sox beat the Winston-Salem Dash by a score of 7-2 in the Carolina League's Southern Division Championship Series. �

NOTES:

Weird stat: �The Hillcats were hit by pitches 97 times this season -- that's 25 times more than any other team in the Carolina League. �

Reliever Ramon Aguero has been reassigned from the Altoona Curve back to the Hillcats so that he can participate in the playoffs. �

OF Starling Marte has been placed on the Disabled List, and will not be able to participate in the playoffs with the Hillcats. �He will be reporting to Bradenton for Fall Instructional League. �

The Indianapolis Indians are auctioning off their black (alternate) game worn jerseys, with one day left to go. �Here's the site -- lots of jerseys with no bids yet, and the auction ends tomorrow. �

1B Jeff Clement will also be reporting to Bradenton to do more rehab work on his strained oblique, with the hopes that he will be able to join the Pirates later in the month.

Neil Walker started at third base for the Pirates in this afternoon's 8-5 loss to the Cubs. �Walker singled to lead off the 4th inning, and came around to score on Andrew McCutchen's 2-RBI double. �Walker also grounded into a force out in the 8th inning, and scored on Ronny Cedeno's home run. �Jeff Karstens, fresh off the Disabled List, pitched 2 innings of relief. �He retired the side in order in the 6th, but gave up 2 runs in the 7th. �Denny Bautista pitched the 8th inning and also gave up 2 runs. �