Double the Single A Fun at Wilmington, 6-4-2005

Gastric ReFlux · 06-05-2005, 11:09 AM

The rain that postponed the Phillies-Diamondbacks Friday night and resulted in a twilight doubleheader there, also produced a similar result in Wilmington, Delaware, and had me think, "Cool."

I got to the park about 4:00, when it was still somewhat overcast, but dry and comfortable. Batting practice was just finishing up at the time. One feature of Frawley Stadium is the big car-protecting shields just beyond the outfield walls. Basically, it's another raised fence just beyond the homerun fences, and as a result, I was walking in when I heard a bang against aluminum. I looked behind me to see a ball drop down in between the raised protecting fence and the outfield walls. I picked up the scruffy looking batting practice ball.

Turning towards getting to the ticket office, I saw a couple of kids streaming toward me, as they must have been scamming to get balls from batting practice. I tossed the ball off to the smaller one, and said, "Here ya go."

Even though it was overcast, I purchased a ticket on the thirdbase side, mindful of how on Thursday night the setting sun can make it difficult to see when I sat on the firstbase side. I went in, found my seat, and settled in to wait for the 5:05 start.

At some point, the PA announcer told how it was going to be a doubleheader, and because of that, there would be two 7-inning games. I had forgotten that minor league variation. No problem, I had a plan for both games. The first game, because of the daylight, was going to be the picture taking game, where I was hoping to get some shots of Scott Robinson, a player who board member SanDiegoPadres19 says is a buddy of his. The second game was going to be started by Anibal Sanchez, a top of the line pitching prospect for the Boston Red Sox, and I intended to score that game pitch-by-pitch.

Salem would win the first game of the doubleheader, 6-3, and Scott Robinson had a good game, going 2 for 3. He also drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 7th inning, putting the Avalanche up 4-3.

Here's Robinson on deck, swinging the bat to try to time Blue Rock's starting pitcher, Hottovy:

Robinson tries to beat out the throw to first on his first inning ground ball:

Robinson singled to right in the 7th inning, driving in the winning run. Maysonet gets ready to cross the plate as Robinson begins to round first base:

Still to come, pictures of Anibal Sanchez, and game 2 of the doubleheader.

Gastric ReFlux · 06-05-2005, 11:22 AM

bloody bleeping hell, I had typed up a good chunk of the second post, then made a weird error which lost all that I had typed! Hate that!

Mr.Opinion · 06-05-2005, 11:49 AM

It's cool. I'm awaiting the next post. I enjoyed yesterdays doubleheaders.

How about that NL East?

Gastric ReFlux · 06-05-2005, 12:36 PM

Game 2. Hopefully, this third attempt will be the charm, and I won't see another post disappear!

During the break between games, the sun would finally break through the overcast, and some point, I noticed that Anibal Sanchez was warming up in the bullpen area. Soxprospects lists him as one of the top prospects for the Red Sox, says he has a mid 90's fastball, a good curve and an excellent changeup. To start off 2005, he struck out 20 batters in the first 9 innings he pitched. The last five innnings of that stretch were against Salem when he struck out 12 in the first 5 innings against them. He ended up striking out 14 in 6 innings of work against Salem that day. Do you see why I wanted to see him pitch? On the season before the game, Sanchez had 67 K's in 48 innings and only 11 walks. Watching him warm up, the fastball would give off a loud pop when hitting the catcher's mitt, but Sanchez seemed to be bouncing his curve while getting ready. I wondered if it was just because he was just feeling it out.

Eventually, I went back to my seat, and grabbed my clipboard with a scoresheet. When they announced the starting lineups, I furiously scribbled in names and positions, and got my camera ready to take a few pictures while Sanchez warmed up before the first. After that, since I was going to score the game pitch by pitch, I wouldn't be taking any more pictures. Notes from what I saw and scored:

Shaky kind of start for Sanchez. The leadoff hitter, Osvaldo Fernando, squeaks a single up through the middle. The next batter bunts, as Salem seems to do every time the leadoff hitter gets on under manager Ivan DeJesus' leadership, and Sanchez flubs it trying to field the ball squirting down the thirdbase line. It's scored a single. Sanchez then jams Scott Robinson with a 3-1 fastball, and third baseman Chad Spann makes the step-on third, throw to first doubleplay. Sanchez then fans Mario Garza swinging to get out of the first inning.

Sanchez seems shaky fielding his position. Osvaldo Fernando would get a bunt single in the third inning that Sanchez didn't look sharp going after.

Sanchez did have two near pickoff throws, though. But that may be because of the inexperienced baserunning skills of Single A ballplayers.

Struck out 7, walked 3 batters in 8 innings of work. Game went extra innings as neither team could score. Sanchez would throw 104 pitches, 62 strikes, 42 balls. 16 were called strikes, 9 were swinging, 17 foul balls, 20 put in play. 4 strikeouts were called third strikes, 3 were swinging strikes. Surrendered 5 hits, 2 were bunt singles, 2 were ground balls up the middle, and one a line drive to center field.

Sanchez got some good defensive help from his outfield. Van Der Bosch tracked down a couple of hard line drives to center, and leftfielder Bryan Pritz made a diving catch on a sinking liner to left field in the 5th inning to save a run.

Sanchez in the bullpen:

Sanchez prior to the game:

Gastric ReFlux · 06-05-2005, 12:53 PM

In case you were wondering, the Avalanche would win the second game 4-2 in 10 innings. Salem scored 4 runnings in the top half of the 10th off a hit batsman, two singles and two doubles.

It didn't look good for the Rocks in their last AB when Zack Borowiak popped up to the catcher and Brian Prist flied to right field. Then Chad Spann worked a walk, Dirimo Chavez tripled and Chavez scored on a wild pitch. The inning stayed alive when Van Der Bosch's grounder to short was flubbed, Bryan Goelz walked on 4 pitches, then Jeff Ontiveros got hit by a pitch. Bases loaded, 2 outs, suddenly the Rocks have a chance to keep the game alive or win.

But the reliever struck out Brant Ust to finish the game. That was the 14th K of the game by Avalanche pitchers.

06-05-2005, 11:09 AM	#1
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	Double the Single A Fun at Wilmington, 6-4-2005 The rain that postponed the Phillies-Diamondbacks Friday night and resulted in a twilight doubleheader there, also produced a similar result in Wilmington, Delaware, and had me think, "Cool." I got to the park about 4:00, when it was still somewhat overcast, but dry and comfortable. Batting practice was just finishing up at the time. One feature of Frawley Stadium is the big car-protecting shields just beyond the outfield walls. Basically, it's another raised fence just beyond the homerun fences, and as a result, I was walking in when I heard a bang against aluminum. I looked behind me to see a ball drop down in between the raised protecting fence and the outfield walls. I picked up the scruffy looking batting practice ball. Turning towards getting to the ticket office, I saw a couple of kids streaming toward me, as they must have been scamming to get balls from batting practice. I tossed the ball off to the smaller one, and said, "Here ya go." Even though it was overcast, I purchased a ticket on the thirdbase side, mindful of how on Thursday night the setting sun can make it difficult to see when I sat on the firstbase side. I went in, found my seat, and settled in to wait for the 5:05 start. At some point, the PA announcer told how it was going to be a doubleheader, and because of that, there would be two 7-inning games. I had forgotten that minor league variation. No problem, I had a plan for both games. The first game, because of the daylight, was going to be the picture taking game, where I was hoping to get some shots of Scott Robinson, a player who board member SanDiegoPadres19 says is a buddy of his. The second game was going to be started by Anibal Sanchez, a top of the line pitching prospect for the Boston Red Sox, and I intended to score that game pitch-by-pitch. Salem would win the first game of the doubleheader, 6-3, and Scott Robinson had a good game, going 2 for 3. He also drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 7th inning, putting the Avalanche up 4-3. Here's Robinson on deck, swinging the bat to try to time Blue Rock's starting pitcher, Hottovy: Robinson tries to beat out the throw to first on his first inning ground ball: Robinson singled to right in the 7th inning, driving in the winning run. Maysonet gets ready to cross the plate as Robinson begins to round first base: Still to come, pictures of Anibal Sanchez, and game 2 of the doubleheader.

06-05-2005, 11:49 AM	#3
Mr.Opinion All Star Reserve Join Date: May 2003 Location: SkiFree Lodge Posts: 883	It's cool. I'm awaiting the next post. I enjoyed yesterdays doubleheaders. How about that NL East? __________________

06-05-2005, 11:22 AM	#2
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	bloody bleeping hell, I had typed up a good chunk of the second post, then made a weird error which lost all that I had typed! Hate that!

06-05-2005, 12:36 PM	#4
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	Game 2. Hopefully, this third attempt will be the charm, and I won't see another post disappear! During the break between games, the sun would finally break through the overcast, and some point, I noticed that Anibal Sanchez was warming up in the bullpen area. Soxprospects lists him as one of the top prospects for the Red Sox, says he has a mid 90's fastball, a good curve and an excellent changeup. To start off 2005, he struck out 20 batters in the first 9 innings he pitched. The last five innnings of that stretch were against Salem when he struck out 12 in the first 5 innings against them. He ended up striking out 14 in 6 innings of work against Salem that day. Do you see why I wanted to see him pitch? On the season before the game, Sanchez had 67 K's in 48 innings and only 11 walks. Watching him warm up, the fastball would give off a loud pop when hitting the catcher's mitt, but Sanchez seemed to be bouncing his curve while getting ready. I wondered if it was just because he was just feeling it out. Eventually, I went back to my seat, and grabbed my clipboard with a scoresheet. When they announced the starting lineups, I furiously scribbled in names and positions, and got my camera ready to take a few pictures while Sanchez warmed up before the first. After that, since I was going to score the game pitch by pitch, I wouldn't be taking any more pictures. Notes from what I saw and scored: Shaky kind of start for Sanchez. The leadoff hitter, Osvaldo Fernando, squeaks a single up through the middle. The next batter bunts, as Salem seems to do every time the leadoff hitter gets on under manager Ivan DeJesus' leadership, and Sanchez flubs it trying to field the ball squirting down the thirdbase line. It's scored a single. Sanchez then jams Scott Robinson with a 3-1 fastball, and third baseman Chad Spann makes the step-on third, throw to first doubleplay. Sanchez then fans Mario Garza swinging to get out of the first inning. Sanchez seems shaky fielding his position. Osvaldo Fernando would get a bunt single in the third inning that Sanchez didn't look sharp going after. Sanchez did have two near pickoff throws, though. But that may be because of the inexperienced baserunning skills of Single A ballplayers. Struck out 7, walked 3 batters in 8 innings of work. Game went extra innings as neither team could score. Sanchez would throw 104 pitches, 62 strikes, 42 balls. 16 were called strikes, 9 were swinging, 17 foul balls, 20 put in play. 4 strikeouts were called third strikes, 3 were swinging strikes. Surrendered 5 hits, 2 were bunt singles, 2 were ground balls up the middle, and one a line drive to center field. Sanchez got some good defensive help from his outfield. Van Der Bosch tracked down a couple of hard line drives to center, and leftfielder Bryan Pritz made a diving catch on a sinking liner to left field in the 5th inning to save a run. Sanchez in the bullpen: Sanchez prior to the game:

06-05-2005, 12:53 PM	#5
Gastric ReFlux Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Member #3409 Posts: 8,350	In case you were wondering, the Avalanche would win the second game 4-2 in 10 innings. Salem scored 4 runnings in the top half of the 10th off a hit batsman, two singles and two doubles. It didn't look good for the Rocks in their last AB when Zack Borowiak popped up to the catcher and Brian Prist flied to right field. Then Chad Spann worked a walk, Dirimo Chavez tripled and Chavez scored on a wild pitch. The inning stayed alive when Van Der Bosch's grounder to short was flubbed, Bryan Goelz walked on 4 pitches, then Jeff Ontiveros got hit by a pitch. Bases loaded, 2 outs, suddenly the Rocks have a chance to keep the game alive or win. But the reliever struck out Brant Ust to finish the game. That was the 14th K of the game by Avalanche pitchers.