Results tagged ‘ Brian Wolfe ’
Fall Sale items still available
Robinzon Diaz Traded
Before tonight’s game against the Red Wings, the Blue Jays dealt catcher Robinzon Diaz to the Pirates as the player to be named later in the Jose Bautista trade completed a few days ago. So the Chiefs will be with just ten position players as they take the field against Rochester tonight. Full game notes are available here.
If you can’t make it to the ballpark, you can watch the game on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 26 or listen on Nova 105.1 FM at 7:00. Anthony Swarzak (4-0) takes on the Chiefs’ Brian Wolfe. Also Shaun Marcum’s first start has been scheduled for Wednesday in Rochester so if you want to see the former Chief back in a Syracuse uniform, you should take the short drive to Frontier Field or you can also watch that game on Time Warner 26 live from Rochester.
See you at the ballpark!
What a Pitching Performance
After some sloppy defense in the first inning, Brian Wolfe, Mike MacDonald and Davis Romero teamed up to do as good as you could possibly do – retiring the last 26 batters of the game in a 5-3 win at Dunn Tire Park. 26 consecutive outs! One short of a perfect game except there were those pesky three runs beforehand. The Chiefs go for the sweep of the short two game set in Buffalo and head home to start a four game series with Charlotte tomorrow. Full game notes are available here.
Today’s game will air starting at 1:10 on NOVA 105.1 FM with first pitch pushed back 20 minutes due to the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame pregame ceremonies.
Chiefs Chatter
SERIES HISTORY
The Chiefs and Bisons meet for their fourth series of the year. Syracuse swept a four game series in Buffalo April 15-18, Buffalo won two of three in Syracuse May 5th-8th and the Bisons won three of five in a home and home series July 6th-9th. The Chiefs lead the season series 8-5 while Buffalo leads the all-time series 464-395 (Chiefs have .460 winning percentage). In this year’s head to head matchups, Hector Luna has crushed Bisons pitching, going 23-52 with a homer and 9 RBI. Among active Bisons, Jason Cooper leads Buffalo with 2 HR and 9 RBI against Syracuse.
LYDON ONE AWAY
Wayne Lydon needs one more steal to tie Alex Infante for the second most career steals with the Chiefs. Infante stole 92 bases in his Syracuse career from 1984-1989. Lydon would also be the first Chief to steal 40 bases in one season since Eric Yelding swiped 59 bases in 1988. Lydon has been the leading base stealer for the Chiefs each of the last three seasons.. Lydon is the first Chiefs player to have stolen 20 bases three consecutive years.
TWO HITS ALLOWED
Chiefs pitchers had a very strong month of April, holding opponents to only two hits in three separate games, but hadn’t duplicated the feat since until yesterday. The last time Chiefs pitchers allowed just two base knocks was April 29th @ Lehigh Valley.
MOST STRIKEOUTS
Brian Wolfe (4), Mike MacDonald (2) and Davis Romero (11) combined for 17 strikeouts in just nine innings–the most by Chiefs pitchers this year passing the previous high of 16 May 25th at Norfolk. The Chiefs did not have any games with more than 15 strikeouts pitching last season. The last time the Chiefs struck out 17 was June 16, 2006 at Toledo in a 16 inning game against the Mud Hens. Syracuse lost the game 2-0 at Fifth Third Field.
ROMERO PERFECT THRU FIVE
The five perfect innings by the Chiefs reliever are the most in the International League since JA Happ fired seven perfect innings against Scranton Wilkes Barre in a continuation of a game July 17th. Romero’s 11 strikeouts tied a career high that he had accomplished twice before–most recently on August 10th, 2005 against Sarasota in six innings of work (allowed four runs, no decision). Romero struck out eight consecutive batters at one point before a Jorge Velandia flyout. Chiefs pitchers retired 26 batters in a row from the first inning through the end of the game.
Saturday June 14th @ Toledo
Maybe we’ll get some baseball in today: Davis Romero is set to face Toledo’s Lauren Gagnier who started the season in single A. You can catch the game at 6:45 on Nova 105.1 FM or at nova1051.com. Full game notes are available here. A sampling:
SERIES HISTORY
The Chiefs and Mud Hens meet for the first of eight games to be played over the next 13 days. The Chiefs lead the all-time series 349-342 (.505 winning percentage). Toledo has won each of the last three season series including six wins last year. The Chiefs are only 8-16 all time at Fifth Third Field. Last year Mike Hessman hit three homers for Toledo to pace the Mud Hens to 58 runs over eight games against the Chiefs.
ISNT’ THIS GAME PLAYED EVERY DAY?
For the first time this season, the Chiefs have not played on consecutive days because of back to back rain outs at Cooper Stadium in Columbus. Syracuse and Columbus finish their season series tied at three and will not make up the two games rained out. The last time the Chiefs didn’t play for two or more days in a row (excluding the all-star break) was April 25-27th, 2007 with a rainout at Buffalo, an off day and rainout against Louisville.
PLAYOFF BOUND
The Blue Jays single A affiliate in Lansing (Midwest League) locked up a playoff berth yesterday with an extra inning win over Great Lakes. The Lugnuts have been paced by excellent relief pitching. Edgar Estanga is 6-1 with a 0.88 ERA, Tim Collins is 1-0 with 0.32 ERA and Cody Crowell is 0-2 with a 1.29 ERA and 9 saves. Lansing has a team ERA of 2.80 and 38-30 record.
THE REHABBING ZAUN
Toronto catcher Gregg Zaun joined the Chiefs for a rehab assignment Wednesday and homered in his first at-bat off Mike O’Connor. It’s Zaun’s third stint with Syracuse over the last five seasons–the homer was his first when playing at AAA for the Jays. The other rehabbing player that has suited up for the Chiefs in ’08 is Brian Wolfe, who made three appearances before being optioned to Syracuse and soon after recalled to Toronto to take Armando Benitez’ spot in the bullpen.
2008 IL HIGHS
The Chiefs have set several season team highs in the league this year with 18 runs (May 14 @ Charlotte), 12 walks while batting (May 26 @ Richmond) and six errors (May 22 @ Norfolk). The Mud Hens hit the most homers in a game with seven.
CHIEFS CRUSH DURHAM 18-4
The Syracuse Chiefs crushed the Durham Bulls today 18-4 behind a 24 hit attack that saw seven players record two or more hits.
The Chiefs line-up today consisted of Joe Inglett 2B, Wayne Lydon CF, Russ Adams LF, Curtis Thigpen 1B, Adam Lind DH, Sergio Santos 3B, Robinzon Diaz C, Marcus Cabral, Fortier RF.
Three Chiefs players slugged home runs, Santos, Cabral, and Lind, while Russ Adams had three doubles among his 4-hits. Robinzon Diaz went 5 for 6 with a double and three RBI and scored 4-runs. Joe Inglett had two hits including a double and 4 RBI, while Wayne Lydon had four hits.
On the pitching mound, Armando Benitez pitched one scoreless inning with 2-K’s, Shawn Camp tossed a scoreless inning before Brian Wolfe surrendered 2-runs in one inning of work. Kane Davis pitched 4-innings and gave up 1-run on 4-hits and struck out 4. Bubba Nelson pitched a scoreless inning with 2-K’s and Tracy Thorpe pitched 2-innings giving up 1-run, but struck out 4 of the seven batters he faced.
At the AA-game, more big league pitchers needing innings work as Randy Wells pitched 2-innings giving up 2-runs, but struck out 4, Josh Banks went 4-innings giving up 10-hits, 5-runs with 6-strikeouts. Lefties Mike Gallo and John Parrish both pitched two scoreless innings to finish the game.
The Chiefs are now 6-5-1 and take on the Lehigh Valley iron Pigs on Wednesday in Dunedin
DUNEDIN NOTEBOOK
The Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies tonight in Dunedin, 10-6, on a beautiful 70 degree night at Knology Park. Righthander Josh Towers took the loss, allowing 5-runs in 4 2/3 innings. Towers, who is battling for the 5th spot in the Jays rotation, actually pitched better than his line would indicate. With John Thomson now out of the mix with tightness in his shoulder, Towers could claim that spot behind Halladay, Burnett, Chacin and Ohka.
Ryan Roberts launched a 400 foot double off the center field wall and was robbed of a base hit in the 9th. Rob Cosby, Justin Singleton and Jeff Duncan all saw action in tonight’s game.
Righty Jeremy Accardo was touched for a two-run shot by Chase Utley, while Blaine Neal also gave up 2 runs in the ninth on 4 hits. Brian Wolfe pitched another scoreless inning and remains in the mix as a non-roster invitee. Wolfe was acquired from Milwaukee last season in the Corey Koskie trade. Last season he began the year in Dunedin and finished up with New Hampshire.
Chiefs season ticket holder Peter White and his lovely wife attended tonight’s game in Dunedin – his second contest of the day. Peter tells us that he will be at tomorrow’s game,Pirates vs Blue Jays, before his return to Syracuse for the Home Opener on April 14.
JAYS BEGIN TO DELETE ROSTER
The Toronto Blue Jays minor league camp opened last week and games for their four affiliates will begin on Wednesday vs the Philadelphia Phillies organization. At the major league level, the parent club has begun sending down players including seven pitchers. Lefty Jo Matumoto joins righthanders Beau Kemp, Josh Banks, Ismael Ramirez, and yesterday Ryan Houston, Jean Machi and Tracy Thorpe found their way back to the Englebert Complex.
Only shortstop Sergio Santos and catcher Erik Kratz have been assigned from the group of non-pitchers.
First glance at the Jays pitching staff only Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Gustavo Chacin, B.J. Ryan, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Brian Tallet seem to be locks. That leaves probably five spots available and righthanders Jeremy Accardo and Brandon League if healthy will take up two of those. The other three spots, two are starting pitchers and one long reliever.
The candidates, Tomo Ohka, John Thomson, Josh Towers and Shaun Marcum are leading contenders with Victor Zambrano, Pete Walker and Geremi Gonzalez also in the mix. Francisco Rosario is out of options and can’t return to Syracuse.
Pitchers most likely left out and headed back to Syracuse include Dustin McGowan, Davis Romero, who was injured early in camp, Matt Roney, Ty Taubenheim, Lee Gronkiewicz, Blaine Neal, and Brian Wolfe.
