3 @ Atlanta 3 vs Phoenix 1 @ Jacksonville
RUNS SCORED: 678 (4th)
RUNS AGAINST: 719 (15th) first week of the year we have not been 16th
OBP: .323 (4th)
STARTERS ERA: 4.69 (16th)
RELIEVERS ERA: 4.10 (10th)
DEF EFFICIENCY: .683 (9th)
ZONE RATING: -4.3 (8th)
RESULTS (71-75 6 GB)
1-2 @ Atlanta 3-0 vs Phoenix 0-1 @ Jacksonville
9/4- ATL 5 CIP 4 Floyd 7 BB 5 ER 4 IP L 10-9 4.22
9/5- ATL 4 CIP 3 Hawkins (L) 6-14 5.12 4,2 IP 2 BB HR 5 H 4 ER
9/6- CIP 7 ATL 6 Pelletier (W) 5 IP 6 H 5 K 3 BB 2 ER (1-0) Robles 3 ER 1/3rd IP McKitrick SV (1) Garcia 2H HR (14) 3R 3 RBI Ayala 3-3 2 2B HR 4 RBI 5 for his last 11 2 2B 2 HR 9 RBI
Jeff Hicks (ATL) 8th inning Grand Slam 4 RBI
9/7- CIP 4 PHX 2 Guijosa (W) 12-11 4.55 6 IP 3 H 9 K 4 BB 0 R Anderson works out of bases loaded jam in the 8th Draper SV (4) Roberts HR (18) 2 RBI
9/8- CIP 7 PHX 3 Powers (W) 10-9 5.06 6 IP 4 H 2 ER 6 K 119 pitches Roberts 2H 2B 3 RBI
9/9- CIP 5 PHX 3 Joey Morris (W) 11-1 3.27 7.1 IP 5 H 8 K 2 R Artino SV (1) Krieg HR (15) 3 RBI (86) Jonathan Miller 3-3 2B
9/10- JAX 4 CIP 1 Floyd (L) 10-10 4.28 6 IP 8 H 8 K 4 ER
LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS
AL POTW- LF Jake Tillie (CLE) 10-21 HR 8 RBI
NL POTW- 1B Jesus Ruiz (SF) 9-18 3 HR 4 RBI Leading the IBL with 39 HR's and 109 RBI's. He's a 25 year old Int. FA signing from 2004.
- Brooklyn trails 1st place Boston by 3 games and were expecting 28 year old Mike Mitchell back this week. He apparently injured himself again after his May injury and will now be out at least another year, so likely to miss all of 2012 as well. Mitchell was 13-8 3.77 in 33 GS last year and 4-4 4.26 before going down in May.
- Portland Closer Jesus Diaz tore his labrum on Tuesday. The 37 year old 5-time all-star was in the midst of a career year at 2-3 33 Saves with a 1.89 ERA fanning 63 to 9 walks in 57 innings. He's out at least 10 months, likely more, and sadly was in the final year of his 5 year deal.
- On Thursday Pittsburgh dropped an 8-1 decision to Las Vegas to fall into a 1st place tie with New England at 78-65. Pittsburgh has ridden phenom Adam Sharpe (15-7 2.55) and Ricky Avendano (14-7 3.53) to a stunning season in their inaugural year. But word came down that 38 year old 'swing man' Tae-sang Jeon will undergo season ending, and possibly career-ending shoulder surgery. The 14 year vet signed this winter as a minor league free agent and was 7-6 3 saves with a 2.48 ERA in 41 games, 16 starts over 116 innings and a huge glue piece to that pitching staff. The 2008 all-star was non-committal when asked about his future plans.
- Fresno clinched the NL West about as early as anyone I can remember. With 17 games left their 92-53 record topped San Diego at 74-71. The Missions trail Pittsburgh by 5 for the 2nd wild-card spot. They lead the league in both runs scored and runs against, a pretty good combo. Former Iron Pig Closer Mario Mendoza has gone 3-1 with 19 Saves and a 2.52 ERA in 39 games, fanning 51 over 39.1 innings. No one on their offense jumps out with Ryan Ward and Adam Finch pacing the club at 24 HR apeiece and Ward and 2B Mark Drake leading with 83 RBI's. Finch is a 7-time all-star seeking his 3rd World Series title and the teams undisputed leader and captain. On the mound 24 year old Zach McMillion is the undisputed ace at 17-3 3.08 with 25 year old lefty Joe Bush following up at 14-6 3.47.
IRON PIG NEWS
- Class A Albuquerque clinched their division this week (83-53) and in surprising news short-season Nashville went 11-4 over their last 15 to clinch a post-season berth. This was El Paso native Jason Blakeman's 1st coaching job anywhere in baseball and he's signed to a 3 year deal. Things like this are what you have to demand from your minor league coaches, goal oriented and focused.