Game Notes 7/28; Century Mark, A First, Morgan’s Big Night, & Mills Home Debut
Today’s Preview: The Clinton LumberKings (A, Mariners) meet the Quad Cities River Bandit (A, Astros) for the fourth and final time during the 2017 season. The LumberKings trail the all-time series 411–451, dating back to 1963, and trail against Quad Cities 69–71, since the LumberKings became a Seattle Mariners affiliate in 2009. The LumberKings spilt the first meeting of the season in Quad Cities April 20–23 and then traded a pair of blow out wins in a rained shortened two-game series in Clinton April 27–30. In the team’s last meeting the LumberKings dropped three of four to the River Bandits at Modern Woodmen Park.
LumberKings Starter: Steven Ridings, 23, makes his second appearance and start of the season for the Clinton LumberKings. The Maryland native took the loss in his season debut against the Fort Wayne TinCaps he went just 2.2 innings allowing five runs, all earned, on six hits while walking three and striking out none. Riding has pitched at most levels in the Mariners Farm System this season beginning the year with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers, making just one bullpen appearance, high-A Modesto Nuts, one relief appearances, Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, one relief appearance, Short-Season Everett Aquasox and then finally being assigned to Clinton on July 18. Ridings was selected by the Mariners in the 29th round of the 2016 MLB Draft and made just one professional appearance during 2016 earning the win while pitching for the Arizona League Mariners.
River Bandits Starter: Cristian Javier, 20, makes his second appearance and start of the season for the Quad Cities River Bandits. The Dominican native made his River Bandits debut his last time out with a five-inning outing against the Great Lakes Loons at Modern Woodman Park. Javier threw five innings allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five. After signing his first professional contract in 2015, Javier spent his first season of pro ball with the Dominican Summer League Astros. He made his United State debut in 2016 with the Gulf Coast League Astros on June 27 and earned the win against the GCL Marlins. Now with the River Bandits, this is the seventh different level he has pitched at in the Astros organization in just a three-year career. The highest level Javier has pitched at was in High-A with the Buies Creek Astros of the Carolina League.
Last Time Out: The Clinton LumberKings, in their first doubleheader of the season, split with the Quad Cities River Bandits, taking game one 4–3, and falling 6–1 in game two on Thursday night at Ashford University Field. The LuumberKings (13–20, 44–56) held on for the win in game one. Scoring a pair of runs in the second and third innings. Jhombeyker Morales doubled home the first run of the game and was followed five pitches later by a Johnny Slater RBI sacrifice fly to shallow center. Game two looked to be pitcher’s duel through the first six innings. Steven Moyers started for the LumberKings, just his second of the year, and turned in five strong innings in which he held Quad Cities to an Abraham Toro-Hernandez third inning solo home run. The long fly was Hernandez first of the year, but would be the only run allowed by Moyers. The LumberKings finally broke through against Abdeil Saldana in the bottom of the sixth inning. Bryson Brigman and Joe Rizzo led-off with singles that put runners at first and third. Yojhan Quevedo then lined a ball to right that brought home Brigman on a sacrifice fly that tied the game at one.
A First: The River Bandits in their trips to Clinton this season have been more like the Rain Makers as in the first five scheduled games at Ashford University Field were washed out. Baseball was finally played on Thursday night in the first doubleheader of the year for the LumberKings.
Doubleheaders Agree with Him: Gareth Morgan made the most the twin billing on Thursday night. The LumberKings outfielder appeared in both games and was not retired going 3-for-3 three walks, and two RBI. He was the only player to be retied in both games.
Home Debut: Wyatt Mills made his home debut for the LumberKings during game one of the doubleheader, his second appearance as a LumberKing. The Mariners third round pick in the 2017 draft earned his first save with Clinton and his third of his professional career.
Organizational Leader: Luis Rengifo ranks fourth in the Midwest League leader for stolen bases with 26. The LumberKings speedster ranks even higher in the Mariners farm system when he comes to stolen bases. Coming into Friday’s game he has the second most steals in the Mariners organization, trailing only Ian Miller of the Tacoma Rainiers who has 31.
Marlins Debut: Brandon Miller, who was traded to the Miami Marlins on July 20, made his debut in the Marlins organization on Thursday night for the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League. The LumberKings All-Star and staff ace received a no decision for his shortest outing of the year a 2.1 inning performance in which he allowed four runs on four hits while hitting a batter, walking three and striking out three.
The Century Mark: The completion of Thursday night’s doubleheader makes it 100 games played by the LumberKings this season. The teams 44–56 record through 100 games pales in comparison to the 61–39 mark the 2016 LumberKings had on their way to setting a franchise record for wins. The best record in club history 100 games through the season was 68–32 set by the 1963 team.
This date in baseball history: On this date in 1993, after a shaky one-inning relief performance, in which he gives up the go-ahead run, Anthony Young’s record-setting 27-game losing streak comes to an abrupt end when the Mets score twice in the ninth for a 5–4 walk-off victory over Florida at Shea Stadium. The infamous streak, which covered a span of 81 appearances over two seasons, included 14 losses as a starter and 13 as a reliever. “That wasn’t even a big monkey that was on my back. It was a zoo. The guys treated it like I had won a World Series game for them.” Anthony Young
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.”
