[Questdog]

Thursday, May 6, 2004

The Hartford Whalers are here to play a 4 game series through the weekend. They just split a pair of games at home with Rochester. We were 5-3 against them last year when they finished 69-93 in 7th place in the North. We have never lost a season series to them. They are 6th in scoring with 4.00 runs per game (Jacksonville is #8 with 3.89). The Whalers are 15th in fewest runs allowed with 4.56 per game (Jacksonville is still #1 with 2.81). Their run differential is -14 and ours is +29, still 2nd to Buffalo's +55.

Hartford Whalers (12-13 .480 5 GB in 5th place in the Northern Division) at
Jacksonville Jays (17-10 .630 1 GA in 1st place in the Southern Division)

HART: Jimmy Thompson (27-R) (0-2 8.03 ERA 24.2 IP, 31 H, 3 HR, 14 BB, 9 SO)
JAX: Dale Gilchrist (25-R) (1-1 1.63 ERA 27.2 IP, 23 H, 3 HR, 11 BB, 18 SO)

Thompson was 5-12 with a 6.59 ERA in 113.1 IP last year. We have only faced him once before and only scored 2 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks with 5 strikeouts in 6.1 innings in a no decision.

Gilchrist gave up 4 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits, 1 home run and 2 walks with 5 strikeouts in 5 innings last time out in a no decision that we lost.

Lineups: Pos Name (Age-Bats BA-AB-HR-RBI-OPS-SB DEF)
HARTFORD
1: CF Mike Fox (25-L .301-103-1-9-.741-6 B) Silver Slugger/All-Star
2: 2B Charlie Mackey (29-R .241-79-2-6-.713-1 B)
3: LF Joel Yost (24-L .243-74-3-12-.764-2 B)
4: RF Robbie McFarland (26-L .267-75-3-12-.731-0 B) All-Star
5: C Mike Moen (33-R .267-75-0-6-.665-0 D) Silver Slugger/All-Star(3: 01-03)
6: 3B Roberto Lopez (27-L .282-85-5-18-.850-1 C+)
7: 1B Tom Barker (31-L .220-41-1-6-.681-0 C) Trade from Charlotte
8: SS Dana Wagner (25-R .269-78-0-6-.613-0 A) Rookie #43 prospect Trade from Charlotte on April 11
9: P Jimmy Thompson (27-L .000-8-0-0-.111-0 D)

JACKSONVILLE
1: 2B Charlie Faber (33-R .292-96-0-11-.725-1 B+)
2: LF Danny Stewart (33-L .346-26-0-1-.885-0 B+)
3: RF Ray McDonald (23-L .303-109-4-20-.891-3 B+)
4: 3B Tom McDowell (26-R .257-105-5-17-.714-2 C+)
5: 1B Jack Washburn (22-L .225-102-5-11-.688-6 B)
6: C Bert Swope (32-S .213-61-0-5-.529-1 B)
7: SS Bart Daw (32-S .293-41-1-6-.892-3 B+)
8: CF Gary McKellar (34-R .154-13-0-0-.421-0 B)
9: P Dale Gilchrist (25-R .333-9-0-0-.667-0 D)

Game Start: 7:05 PM
Ballpark: Connie Mack Stadium
Weather: 77 F, Clear Skies, with a 7 MPH wind blowing out to center
Attendance: 7,277

Top of the First
Mike Fox swings at a 3-2 pitch and grounds out to short. Charlie Mackey swings at a 3-2 pitch and flies out to deep right. Joel Yost swings at the first pitch and grounds out to short! 1-2-3!

Bottom of the First
Charlie Faber grounds an 0-2 pitch up the middle for a hit! He steals 2nd. We can run on this battery, but it seems that means we will try to steal 3rd more often and get thrown out there... Danny Stewart beats out an infield hit! Ray McDonald grounds into a force at 2nd, 6-4, and Faber scores. 1 to 0, Jays! McDonald steals 2nd. Tom McDowell grounds a hit up the middle and McDonald scores! 2 to 0, Jays! Jack Washburn flies out to deep center. Bert Swope grounds out to 1st, unassisted.

Top of the Second
With 1 out, Mike Moen takes a 3-2 pitch for ball 4... Roberto Lopez doubles to right center and Moen scores and Lopez ends up an 3rd... 2 to 1, Jays. Tom Barker lines out to deep right and Lopez tags up and scores... Tie Game: 2 to 2.

Bottom of the Second
Bart Daw draws a walk, steals 2nd and goes to 3rd on a ground out. With the infield in, P Dale Gilchrist grounds a hit up the middle and Daw scores! 3 to 2, Jays! Charlie Faber grounds into a 4-6-3 double play....

Top of the Fourth
Roberto Lopez doubles to left... Tom Barker grounds one to 2nd, but Charlie Faber throws the ball away for a 2 base error and Lopez scores... Tie Game: 3 to 3. Dana Wagner lines one to center and Gary McKellar makes a diving catch and then throws to 2nd to double off Barker!!

Bottom of the Seventh
Jack Washburn lines a hit to center and steals 2nd. Bert Swope bunts him to 3rd.... They walk Bart Daw intentionally. Gary McKellar is not pinch-hit for because I like his glove in center and I expect Daw to steal 2nd and then they will walk McKellar. But Daw does not steal 2nd and McKellar swings at the first pitch and grounds hit to left and Washburn scores and Daw beats the throw to 3rd! 4 to 3, Jays! PH Cal Doty (27-L) grounds into a 6-4-3 double play....

Top of the Ninth
On the Hill: Robbie Hopley (30-R), after a perfect 8th. The Bullpen is ready. 7-8-9 up for the Whalers. Tom Barker swings at the first pitch and grounds out to the pitcher! PH Rod Spencer (23-R), a rookie who is 1 for 9 on the season, but is the #1 prospect in the MLB, according to Baseball America, grounds out to short! PH Kim Scarbrough (37-R), batting .304 with 2 RBI in 23 AB, swings at a 3-2 pitch and grounds out to short and THIS Ball Game Belongs to the Jays!

Won - 4 to 3

We had 9 hits (all singles) and made 1 error
Hartford had 7 hits and made no errors

We stole 4 bases, but got caught 3 times....
We also grounded into 4 double plays....

Dale Gilchrist went 5 innings, allowed 3 runs (2 earned), 6 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3. 94 pitches. At bat, he had a hit and an RBI.
LHP Albert Davies (W 2-2) went 2 scoreless innings, allowed 1 hit, 1 walk and struck out 1.
RHP Robbie Hopley (SV 2) pitched 2 perfect innings and struck out 1.

Jimmy Thompson (L 0-3) went 7.1 innings, gave us 4 runs, 9 hits, 6 walks (1 INT) and struck out 1.

2B Charlie Faber had a hit and a walk, stole a base and scored a run. LF Danny Stewart had a hit and a walk. RF Ray McDonald had 2 hits and a walk, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI. SS Bart Daw drew 2 walks (1 INT), sole a base and scored a run.