Tag Archives: pawsox

May 29, 2010 · 10:10

Tides Roll: Patton and Sarfate Combine to Shut Out Pawsox 3-0

Troy Patton dominated Pawtucket on Friday Night

Troy Patton showed what he is made of last night in Pawtucket and why he is on the Baltimore Orioles 40 man roster. After a catastrophic outing last week where he was bombarded for 8 runs and 13 hits Patton (3-6 5.70) came back and showed tremendous poise, confidence and control and pitched a beauty.  Troy faced 23 batters in 7 innings of shutout work allowing just three hits and no walks striking out 4 Pawtucket batters.  Patton showed great pitching economy and control using just 86 pitches to shut down the Sox.  It was by far Troy’s best outing of the year and should allay fears that without Chris Tillman who was called up this morning that the Tides rotation could be in for trouble.  If Troy continues like this he will become one of the leaders of this young and talented staff and put himself in contention for a spot on the Orioles roster.  I say this because it takes a lot of guts for any pitcher to leave behind an outing like last week and focus on the game at hand. Many pitchers lose their edge and confidence but instead of that it looks like Patton has resurrected his season in this fine effort.

Reliever Denis Sarfate (0-0 S@ 1.32) also shined in two innings of solid relief work.  Sarfate pitched to 7 batters allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out three to complete the shutout of the Pawsox and get the save. It is the first time and I believe it is the first time this season that Tides Pitchers have not walked a batter, even Chris Tillman in his no-hitter gave up one walk.

Tides hitters scattered 11 hits and cobbled enough of them together to score three runs which was more than enough to put away the Pawsox.  The first run came in the 2nd inning on a series of singles which began with Josh Bell singling to center, Nolan Reimold hitting one to left and Brandon Snyder doing the same. With the bases loaded and no outs Paco Figueroa singled to left to drive in Bell for the early lead.  In the top frame of the 6th inning Brandon Snyder singled and came home on Paco Figueroa’s first double since coming to the Tides last week.  The Tides got their final run of the night on Jeff Salazar’s 7th home run of the year.

For the Tides they had 3 runs on 11 hits with 2 errors while stranding 8 and Pawtucket no runs on 4 hits and 1 error with 3 men left on base.  The winning pitcher was Troy Patton who notched his third victory of the season while Denis Sarfate got the save.  The losing pitcher was Felix Doubront (0-1 1.50). Tonight the teams play again in Pawtucket with Brandon Erbe (0-8 6.80) still seeking his first win of the campaign up for the Tides and Adam Mills (1-3 4.15) on the hill for the Pawtucket.

After lots of talk and speculation in the media Chris Tillman was recalled to the Orioles today

One the personnel side of the house the Orioles moved David Hernandez to a relief role and recalled Chris Tillman as expected from Norfolk.  They also recalled Jim Johnson to the team from the Tides.

Up in Toronto the Orioles were blanked by the Blue Jays by a score of 5-0 in a game where everything went wrong for the O’s.  With a the worst record in the Major Leagues (15-34) one has to wonder if Manager Dave Tremblay will survive the weekend. The team has far too much talent despite the injuries that it has had to be doing this badly in a year that they expected to return to respectability.

Peace,

Padre Steve+

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May 28, 2010 · 16:32

Tides Fall to Pawtucket 5-4 on 2 out Walk-off Home Run

Adam Donachie had a 2 RBI double and scored a run

The Norfolk Tides travelled to Pawtucket for a four game series against the Pawtucket Red Sox.  As has been the case many times this season a strong starting pitching performance was negated by a bad 9th inning relief appearance.  Last night Chris George (1-1 3.96) pitched a strong six and two thirds innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with only 1 walk while striking out 3.  He was relieved by Ross Wolf (0-2 2.57) who pitched a scoreless one and a third innings allowing one hit.  With two out in the 9th Tides reliever Kam Mickolio (1-1 8.78) who has had a very rough season blew his second save when Dusty Brown hit a 3 run home run on a 2-1 count with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th.

Robert Andino also had a 2 RBI double

The Pawsox struck first in the bottom of the 6th inning when Bubba Bell doubled and scored on an Angel Sanchez single.  The Tides hitters more than made up for this in the top frame of the 7th inning. Rhyne Hughes, Brandon Snyder and Blake Davis singled and loaded the bases.  Catcher Adam Donachie doubled to score Hughes and Snyder.  Dustin Richardson came into the game for Pawtucket and struck out Danny Figueroa and got Joey Gathright to fly out.  With two outs Robert Andino doubled to score Davis and Donachie to make the score 4-1.  In the bottom frame of the 7th the Pawsox scored another run when Aaron Bates doubled and two batters later scored on a Dusty Brown double.

Chris George pitched a strong game but had a no decision in the loss

The score remained 4-2 until the bottom of the 9th. Kam Mickolio who as I said at the beginning of this article has had a very rough year came into the game in a save situation.  He got Daniel Nava to ground out to first before walking Lars Anderson and giving up a base hit to Aaron Bates.  With these two on Mickolio got Josh Reddick to line out to Blake Davis at second.  Mickolio then faced Dustin Brown who had already driven in a run for the Pawsox and on a 2-1 count gave up a home run to Brown over the left field wall for the game ending walk off.

For the Tides 4 runs on 9 hits and 1 error with 5 men left on base while Pawtucket had 5 runs on 7 hits with no errors and three men left on base.  The winning pitcher was Terry Large (1-0 5.27) and the losing pitcher Kam Mickolio (1-1 8.78).   Tonight Troy Patton (2-6 6.56) who looks to get back on the win side of the house for the Tides will face Pawtucket’s Felix Doubront (0-0 0.00) who was recently called up from AA Portland where he was 4-0 with a 2.51 ERA in 8 appearances where he allowed 13 runs on 39 hits striking out 38.

On the personnel side of the house the Tides brought Ross Wolf back from Aberdeen and reactivated Nolan Reimold following the birth of his child.  Talk of a fast move up the chain by Chris Tillman was squelched on Thursday who said that David Hernandez would remain in the starting rotation for the time being. This is good news for the Tides as Tillman and Jake Arietta are the potent one two punch at the top of the Tides rotation having 10 of the Tides 21 wins.  These two pitchers command respect and I expect that when they reach the majors that the two could be as potent as Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were in the 1960s.

Peace,

Padre Steve+

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May 22, 2010 · 11:28

Tides Win in Walk Off take Three of Four from the Pawsox

Chris George came off the DL to pitch 6 strong innings against the Pawtucket Red Sox

The Norfolk Tides continue their climb back into competition in the International League South division at the expense of the Pawtucket Red Sox or as they either affectionately or derisively known as the Pawsox. On Friday night there was no blow out like Thursday but instead a nail biting walk off as the Tides defeated the Pawsox for the third straight time in their four game set in from of 6957 fans on a very comfortable night for baseball with temperatures in the 70s and 10 mile an hour win coming in from center.

Brandon Snyder Doubles to Score Josh Bell in the 6th Inning

The Tides started Chris George just coming off the 7 day DL and initially things did not look good for Chris. After getting the first two batters out George gave up three consecutive extra base hits.  Jorge Jimenez doubled to right and scored when Aaron Bates tripled to right.  Bates was doubled home by Dusty Brown who picked up his 9th double of the season.

Michel Hernandez Singles in the bottom of the 9th

Pawtucket kept the lead at 2-0 until the bottom of the third inning when the Tides got their first run. Jeff Salazar doubled and then advanced to third when Adam Mills made a wild pitch.  Andino stuck out but Rhyne Hughes hit a sacrifice grounder to score Salazar.  In the 4th inning with 2 outs and Nolan Reimold at second base Joey Gathright reach frst on a throwing error by Ryan Khoury. Reimold running with two outs attempted to score but was thrown out at the plate by Jorge Jimenez.

Frank Mata fans Lars Anderson for the second out in the top of the 9th

George put down the Pawsox in order in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings to keep the Tides down by only one and in the bottom of the 6th the Tides got their second run.  Josh Bell doubled to lead off the 6th and then Nolan Reimold flied out to center. With one out and Bell at second Brandon Snyder doubled to left to score Bell and tie the game.

Jeff Salazar Singles to advance pinch runner Paco Figueroa

Armando Gabino came in to relieve George in the top of the 7th and got into a bit of trouble. He hit Dusty Brown with a pitch and then struck out Lars “Why didn’t I make the Norwegian Biathlon team” Anderson before getting behind Tug Hulett 3-0 and then giving up a double to Hulett on a 3-1 count placing Brown on third and Hulett at second with one out. The Tides had Gabino intentionally walk Bubba Bell to load the bases.  At this point it looked like the game was in a precarious state and the members of the Red Sox Nation in attendance began to get noisy, rude and obnoxious. I’m sorry having seen fans of about every Major League team either in Major League parks or their minor league farm teams the travelling members of the Red Sox Nation are the most crude, rude and obnoxious that I have ever come across.  Now this is not an indictment of every Red Sox fans I know plenty of friends that are perfect gentleman and ladies but as a whole when the Red Sox nation travels they are the worst. Even Elliott the Usher a Red Sox fan himself from Massachusetts says that he and the other ushers agree that they are the most ill-behaved fans in baseball.  But I digress….With the bases now loaded Mike Griffin paid a strategy visit to the mount.  Gabino worked into a 2-2 count on Ryan Khoury before getting him to pop up to end the inning.

Game winner. Robert Andino blasts a single past the head of Chad Peranto

With the obnoxious Red Sox nation fans getting louder and more obnoxious by the moment, especially the one behind me and to my right in row “C” who apparently was trying to ensure that his four year old son learns how to be rude and obnoxious early in life closer Frank Mata came into the game in the 9th inning.  Mata got Dusty Brown to pop up to catcher Michel Hernandez in foul territory behind the plate and struck out Lars Anderson.  Tug Hulett then singled to right and Bubba Bell walked on 4 pitches. This brought up Ryan Khoury who Mata got to pop out to second baseman Robert Andino to end the Pawsox frame of the 9th inning.

The Tides came to the plate in the bottom of the 9th to face reliever Chad Peranto. At this point I had reached my limit with the Red Sox Nation numbskull behind me and began to shoot back at him.  Blake Davis flied out to deep left to begin the inning and Michel Hernandez singled.  Hernandez was pulled for a pinch runner in the form of newly called up Paco Figueroa. Joey Gathright popped up for the second out bringing up Jeff Salazar who singled off of Peranto sending Figueroa to second.  Now with two on and two out Robert Andino came to the plate. Andino who had a home run in Thursday night’s game hit a laser almost taking Peranto’s head off to center field for a single and Paco Figueroa hustling in from second scored to end the game and silence the Red Sox Nation.

The Tides had 3 runs on 9 hits with no errors and left 9 runners on base.  The Pawsox had 2 runs on 6 hits and one error and left 7 men on base.  Frank Mata (2-1 S8 1.86) got the win and Chad Peranto (1-2 4.63) got the loss. With the win the Tides move into second place in the International League South 4.5 games back of the Durham Bulls.  Tonight the Tides will face the Rochester Red Wings who are the AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.  Troy Patton (2-5 5.53) will get the start for the Tides and will face Rochester’s Matt Fox (3-2 3.06).

See you at Harbor Park where it is Military Appreciation night with special discounted tickets $6.50 for a reserved seat to active duty, reserve and retired military members. There will be a pre-game ceremony to honor the armed forces and post game fireworks.

Blessings and Peace

Padre Steve+

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May 21, 2010 · 15:41

Moore, Snyder and Andino Light Up Pawsox Pitchers while Jake Arietta Dominates, Tides Win 8-1 at Harbor Park

Brandon Snyder rips a bases load double in the 5th inning for his 3 RBIs

The Norfolk Tides are beginning to play team that I predicted at the beginning of the season. The hitting after some very dismal performances of latest has began to come around in the past two games where after a dismal 9 game stretch where they only scored 21 games with only two home runs have scored have scored 13 runs in the past two games and hit four home runs.  Likewise Chris Tillman and Jake Arietta (4-2 1.93) simply dominated the Pawsox hitters pitching a combined 14 innings allowing no runs and 7 hits. Arietta who had struggled with control his last couple of outings struck out 10 Pawsox hitters and walked only two allowing only four hits.  The one-two punch of Tillman and Arietta is beginning to mature and these two young pitchers have a great chance to do some great things when they eventually enter the Orioles’ starting rotation.

On Thursday night in even more ideal conditions than Wednesday the teams met for the third time. The temperature at game time was 80 degrees with winds 8 miles an hour blowing from right to left. There were two stories on Thursday night the biggest being the domination of the Pawsox by Jake Arietta.  However Jake would not have won had Tides hitters not fulfilled their part of the bargain which they did tonight.  It was the bottom of the 3rd inning when Michel Hernandez doubled to lead off the inning.  Joey Gathright bunted to advance Hernandez to third with one out.  Jeff Salazar then grounded out to second allowing Hernandez to score.  With two outs and no one on base Robert Andino on a one ball two strike count hit a deep drive to left field which bounced off the wall and the throw from left was so good that Andino appeared to have been held to a long single.  However the umpires had a brief conference at the behest of Gary Allenson and ruled that the ball had bounced on or above the white line at the top of the wall for a home run.  The inning ended with a 2-0 Tides lead.

Robert Andino Homers in the Third inning

The Pawsox then made things interesting in the top of the 4th with a walk, single and a throwing error to load the bases with two outs but Arietta got Tug Hulett to ground out softly to Scott Moore at second base to end the inning and the threat.  The Tides came out in the 5th inning with bats blazing.  Michel Hernandez singled sharply to center and was followed by Joey Gathright who ran out a bunt to second. Jeff Salazar came up and beat out a ground ball to second to load the bases with no outs.  Robert Andino struck out and was followed by Scott Moore who singled sharply to right scoring both Hernandez and Gathright.  Josh Bell grounded out to move Salazar to third and Moore to second.  Brandon Snyder came to the plate and on a 3 and 1 count smashed a double to the right center gap which reached the wall driving in all three Tides base runners to give the Tides a seven to nothing lead.

Arietta continued to dominate and struck out the side in the 7th on 11 pitches.  In the bottom of the 7th inning the Tides scored again as Robert Andino singled to lead off the inning and Scott Moore doubled to right to score Andino.  Ross Wolf came into the game in the 8th and pitched a scoreless inning despite surrendering a walk to Aaron Bates.  In the 9th Kam Mickolio came into the game and was tagged by Lars Anderson for a home run to right to lead off the inning.  He then stuck out Tug Hulett but gave up consecutive singles to Bubba Bell and Ryan Khoury.  Pitching Coach Mike Griffin then went to the mound to chat with the big right hander who was throwing in the mid to high 90s.  Mickolio responded by striking out Josh Reddick and then getting Niuman Romero to pop up softly to Robert Andino to end the game.

Jake Arietta struck out 10 on his way to his 4th victory

The Tides had 8 runs on 11 hits with one error and left 4 men on base.  The Red Sox had 1 run on 7 hits and no errors while stranding 10 runners.  Jake Arietta got the win allowing no runs on 4 hits striking out 10 and walking just two in 7 innings work.  Pawsox started Fabio Castro got the loss going 4 and two thirds innings giving up 6 runs on 8 hits striking out 3 and walking one batter.

Thursday was a boon for Tides hitters especially Scott Moore and Brandon Snyder who each drove in three runs.  Andino had the one home run for the Tides while Hernandez, Snyder and Moore each had two-baggers.  4205 fans saw the game which lasted two hours and forty-four minutes.

The teams will play the final game of this series tonight at Harbor Park  with Adam Mills (1-3 4.25) pitching for Pawtucket and Chris George (1-1 4.50) coming off the 7 day FL taking the hill for the Tides.

See you there.

Peace

Padre Steve+

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