Game Notes 7/10; Rizzo’s Power, Ojeda’s first, & Public Enemy #1

**COMPLETE GAME NOTES **

Today’s Preview: The Clinton LumberKings (A, Mariners) meet the Quad Cities River Bandits (A, Astros) for the third time this season. The LumberKings trail the all-time series 410–449, dating back to 1963, and trail against Quad Cities, 68–69, since the LumberKings became a Seattle Mariners affiliate in 2009. The LumberKings split a four-game series with the River Bandits April 20–23 by taking the final two-game of the series. In a scheduled four-game series in Clinton April 27–30 the team’s traded blow outs. The LumberKings won game one of the series 10–5 and then were handed their worst loss to Quad Cities in franchise history 19–2 allowing 10 runs in the third inning. The final game two games of the series were rained out.

LumberKings Starter: Brandon Miller, 22, makes his 17 appearance and start of the season for the Clinton LumberKings. The righty was one of the four all-stars for the LumberKings this season and has been one of the more consistent starters of the season. He is in his second professional season and has made an All-Star team in each start. In 2016 Miller made the all-star team with the Everett Aquasox of the Northwest League. Miller currently leads the team in strikeouts, innings pitched, wins, and games started. Only two of his starts have been less than five innings this season and Miller has not taken a loss since a June third start in Peoria against the Chiefs. In his most recent start he took a no decision against the Burlington Bees and worked 5.2 innings pitched while allowing two runs, one earned, and six hits while walking none and striking out three. This season he set a new professional career high for strike outs on June 30 with nine K’s against the Cedar Rapids Kernels in Clinton. Despite being in the LumberKings rotation since opening day this will be his first start against the Quad Cities River Bandits.

River Bandits Starter: Yohan Ramirez, 22, makes his eighth appearance and fifth start of the season for the Quad Cites River Bandits. The Dominican native is coming off a five inning outing in which he allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits while walking five and striking out four against the Kane County Cougars. He began the season with the High-A Buies Creek of the Carolina Mudcats and then made one appearance in Double-A in the Texas League with the Corpus Christi. His current stint with the River Bandits is his longest with a team this season. He has rotated between a starter and relief pitcher this year and today’s start will be just his second time that he has made back-to-back starts this season. His professional career began in 2016 with a season split between the Dominican Summer League and Gulf Coast League Astros.

Last Time Out: Early offense and three Quad Cities River Bandits home runs were enough to drop the Clinton LumberKings 9–3 on Sunday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Home runs from Joe Rizzo and Dimas Ojeda went to waste for Clinton (6–12, 37–48) in the third game of a four-game series. Lane Ratliff started for the LumberKings and was hit hard by the River Bandits (13–5, 50–39). The lefty lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits while striking out two and walking none. Quad Cities opened the scoring with two runs off Ratliff (1–2) in the bottom of the first inning and continued to pile one. In the bottom of the second inning, Quad Cities went back-to-back with home runs from Daz Cameron and Carmen Benedetti. Cameron continued to swing the bat well against the LumberKings and went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, four RBI, and a home run.

Two Straight: Joe Rizzo represented a good portion of the LumberKings offense on Sunday night with his fifth home run of the season. The ball was estimated to have traveled 408 feet to straight away center field and was the first time in Rizzo’s career in which he has homered in consecutive games.

Ojeda’s First: Dimas Ojeda slugged his first home run of the season of for the LumberKings during Sunday night’s loss to Quad Cities. In his first professional season, Ojeda hit six home runs but was homerless until his solo home run in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game.

Outhit: The River Bandits dropped the LumberKings with a barrage of hits on Sunday outing the LumberKings 14–7 in the 9–3 loss. All nine of the River Bandits nine starters collected a hit in the game with lots of power. Quad Cities slugged three home runs and added a triple, 10 of the 14 River Bandits hits were collected against the LumberKings starter Lane Ratliff.

Who Else But Cameron?: Daz Cameron comes into Monday’s game with a .234 batting average on the season. But against the LumberKings Cameron he has enjoyed some of his greatest success. In Sunday’s game he went 3-for-5 with four RBI and a home run and began the series 6-for-6. Cameron had a seven RBI game in Clinton during a 19–2 blow loss to Quad Cities on April 28. Altogether, he is batting .385 (10/26) with 10 runs scored, a triple, two home runs, 12 RBI, and two stolen bases in seven games against the LumberKings this season.

This date in baseball history: On this date in 1953, with Roy Campanella’s home run off Giants hurler Sal Maglie, the Dodgers establish a National League record, homering in their 24th consecutive game. Campy’s homer is the only run Brooklyn scores as the Giants extend their winning streak to seven with the 6–1 victory.

Broadcast Information: All games will be broadcast live on 100.3 FM WCCI and online at LumberKings.com via the TuneIn Radio App with the Erik Oas, in his first season as the “Voice of the LumberKings.”

Clinton LumberKings

Written by

Class-A Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners & Charter Member of the Midwest League

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade