Complete Game Notes 7/21; The Miller Trade, The play of the year, & Newsome in the win column
Today’s Preview: The Clinton LumberKings (A, Mariners) meet the Fort Wayne TinCaps (A, Padres) for the first and only time during the 2017 season. The LumberKings trail the all-time series 73–76, dating back to 2010, and trail against Fort Wayne, 13–14, since the LumberKings became a Seattle Mariners affiliate in 2009. During the 2016 season, the LumberKings traveled to Fort Wayne and lost two out of the three games.
LumberKings Starter: Steven Ridings, 23, makes his first appearance and first start of the season for the Clinton LumberKings. The Virginia Beach, Virginia native is making his fifth stop at a different Seattle Mariners affiliate this season. He has pitched with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, Double-A Arkansas Travelers, High-A Modesto Nuts, and most recently with the Short-Season Everett Aquasox. In 2017, he has made just two starts for which included his most recent outing on July 15 against the Eugene Emeralds. He took the loss in the start working five innings allowing four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out six. The Seattle Mariners drafted Ridings out of Messiah College in the 29th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. While in College Ridings was the staff ace earning MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year honors for a stellar senior season that included four complete games including a shutout where he struck out a collegiate-high 14 batters.
TinCaps Starter: Reggie Lawson, 19, makes his 10 appearance and 10 start of the season for the Fort Wayne TinCaps. The Victorville California native turned in a strong seven inning outing his last time through the TinCaps rotation but was given a no decision for his time out. The righty allowed one run, a home run, on three hits while walking none and striking out seven. Lawson was drafted by the San Diego Padres out of the high school in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft and is listed as the 28th best prospect in their farm system by MLB.com. After being taken 71st overall, Lawson signed for $1.9 million, over the $905,900 of his pick slot, to forgo a commitment to Arizona State. His fastball is what grabbed the socuts attention with it hitting 94 MPH. While working out in the spring of 2016 before the draft he was shut down with a strained oblique which dropped him to the second round after he was thought of as a first round talent. Lawson was able to sign for nearly a million dollars more than his slot pick because of the Padres 24th overall pick in 2016 and current teammate Hudson Potts sign under his slot allotment.
Last Time Out: The Clinton LumberKings, after mustering just two runs over their last three games, exploded for 11 runs on 14 hits to drop the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Thursday night at Parkview Field. Johnny Slater slugged his first home run as a LumberKing (11–16, 42–52) in an offensive outburst. The TinCaps (17–10, 43–54) took an early lead against LumberKings starter Ljay Newsome in the bottom of the first inning. Fort Wayne began the night with three straight hits off Newsome (5–8), who then settled down to pick up his first win since April 27. In six innings of work Newsome allowed just one run on four hits while walking none and striking out five. Clinton struggled early on against Fort Wayne starter Jim McDade and were shutout for the first three innings before finally pushing a run across in the top of the fourth. The LumberKings took the lead for good in the top of the sixth on an unearned run that scored on a Fernando Tatis JR throwing error.
Medina Scoreless Streaking: Jeffeson Medina continued his dominance on the mound for Clinton on Wednesday night against the Fort Wayne Tin Caps. The right hander added three shutout innings to his scoreless inning streak giving him 24.1 innings without allowing a run, the longest by a LumberKings pitcher this season.
Miller Traded: LumberKings ace and one of the team’s four all-stars from this season Brandon Miller was traded in the morning hours on Thursday night. The right-hander was part of a five-player trade that sent big league reliever Dan Phelps to Seattle Mariners from the Miami Marlins in exchange for Miller, Bryan Hernandez, and former LumberKings pitchers Lukas Schiraldi and Pablo Lopez.
A National Audience: A play that had no real effect on the game was the Thursday night’s big take away. In the bottom of the eighth inning TinCaps catcher AJ Kennedy fouled a ball back that hit off the roof of the suites/press box and after bouncing into thr front row behind the plate landed in a women’s beer. She promptly chugged the beer and the play then appeared on ESPN’s top 10 that night.
First Time in a Long Time: Ljay Newsome earned the win for Clinton with six innings of work allowing just one run. Following three straight hits against him to start the game Newsome rebounded allow just one more hit. The win was the first for Newsome since April 27 which was the last of his four game winning streak.
Offensive Eruption: The LumberKings had been struggling to produce much at the plate over the past three games but had the bats wake up for 11 runs on 14 hits in Thursday night’s win. The 14 hits by Clinton was the first time since a 6–5 win in Kane County on June 28 in which Clinton tallied 10 hits or more in a game.
This date in baseball history: On this date in 1892, in a matchup of 300 game winners at the Philadelphia Baseball Grounds, Phillies’ submariner Tim Keefe sinks Jim “Pud” Galvin and the Browns, 2–0. The next time two National League pitchers with 300 or more victories will face each other will occur in 2005 when Greg Maddux of the Cubs beats Astros ace Roger Clemens at Minute Maid Park, 3–2.
Broadcast Information: All games will be broadcast live on 100.3 FM WCCI and online at LumberKings.com via the TuneIn Radio App with Erik Oas, in his first season as the “Voice of the LumberKings.”
