Category: Dailies
Quirky new rule helps Cuba
Playing for the first time under the new extra-innings rule for Olympic competition, Cuba scored twice in the top of the 11-inning giving Cuba a tough 5-4 victory over the U.S. Friday in Beijing, China.
The Olympic Games have been just as frustrating for Bisons pitcher, Jeff Stevens. The hard throwing right hander was saddled with his second loss of the games after allowing two unearned runs during the extra frames.
The loss drops the U.S. to 1-2 after the first three days. The U.S. continues competition against Canada with first pitch set for 10:30 p.m. EDT on Friday night.
The New Rule: The rule states that the teams must place runners on first and second base with no outs, and the runners can come from any part in the lineup.
Cuba elected to place their No. 8 and No. 9 hole hitters to bring up their leadoff hitter. In the bottom half of the 11th, Team USA No. 9 hole hitter Jason Donald on second base and leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler on first.
Here are some links that I find helpful to track USA Baseball from Beijing:
USA Baseball: CLICK HERE!
MLB.com: CLICK HERE!
NBC Sports: CLICK HERE!
Future Games for Team USA:
Double debuts today
The Buffalo Bisons received LHP Scott Lewis and INF/OF Jared Head. Both are scheduled to make their Triple-A debut TODAY with Lewis getting the start against Rochester at Dunn Tire Park. Head is in the line-up at third base, batting eighth
The Bisons also placed RHP Brian Slocum on the disabled list (retroactive to August 12) and INF Morgan Ensberg on the temporary inactive list (retroactive to August 12). C Armando Camacaro, who was on the team’s disabled list, has been transferred to Double-A Akron.
Lewis, 24, has been having an outstanding season at Double-A Akron. Overall, he is 6-2 with 2.33ERA in 13 starts (73.1IP, 62H, 22R, 19ER, 9BB, 61K). The southpaw has allowed just two earned runs in his last seven starts, posting a 3-0 record and a 0.41ERA since July 9 (44.1IP, 41K). On the season, Double-A batters are hitting just .224 off him with two home runs in 277 at-bats.
Lewis was the Cleveland Indians 3rd round selection (77th) overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.
Head has spent all of the 2008 season with Single-A Kinston in his third year of professional baseball. In 83 games, he has hit .224 with 10 home runs, 43RBI and 11 stolen bases (61-272, 14 2B, 2 3B, 44R). On the season, he has averaged .309 (21-68) with four home runs and 34RBI while batting with runners in scoring position. Head was a non-drafted free agent, signed in August of 2005.
TODAY’S GAME: Today, the Buffalo Bisons host the Rochester Red Wings in the first game of a two-game series at Dunn Tire Park (1:05 p.m.) . The Herd is coming off back-to-back off days leading into this eight-game homestand. After the Red Wings series, Buffalo will host Pawtucket for two and Lehigh Valley for four. On the mound today for the Bisons is LHP Scott Lewis. Promoted today, the southpaw has dominated at the Double-A level this year and will be making his Bisons debut this afternoon. Rochester will send RHP Anthony Swarzak to the mound.
TODAY’S STARTER: Scott Lewis
-Last Game: 8/9 @TRE (w/Akron): (ND, 7.2IP, 4H, 4R, 0ER, 5K).
-2008 w/ Akron: (6-2, 2.33ERA)(13GS, 73.1IP, 62H, 22R, 19ER, 9BB, 61K).
-2007 w/ Akron: (7-9, 3.68)(27G, 25GS, 134.2IP, 135H, 58R, 55ER, 34BB, 121K).
-2006 w/ Kinston: (3-3, 1.48)(26G, 26GS, 115.2IP, 84H, 24R, 19ER, 28BB, 123K).
-1.48 ERA in 2006 was lowest among qualifiers in all of minor leagues.
-2006 VYTORIN Most Spectacular Pitcher Award -lowest ERA in domestic leagues.
-Selected in the 3rd round (77th overall) of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.
LIGHTS-OUT LEWIS: LHP Scott Lewis has been nearly unhittable at Double-A Akron over the last month and a half. In his last seven starts, he is 3-0 with a 0.41ERA. He has allowed just two earned runs (four total runs) over his last 44.1 innings of work. In that same span, he has struck out 41 and allowed just 29 hits and five walks. Overall with the Aeros, Lewis is 6-2 with a 2.33 ERA in 13 starts. Double-A batters hit just .224 off him with two home runs in 277 at-bats.
HOT BAT: INF Jordan Brown has really heated up since the All-Star Break. The 24-year-old has reached base safely in 18 of his 20 games since the break, going 24 for 72 (.333) with eight runs, six doubles, one home run, 12 RBI and 10 walks during that span. The lefty also enters today with a four-game hit streak with eight hits in his last 18 at-bats (.444).
GETTING COMFORTABLE: Since arriving from Durham on August 4, INF Andy Cannizaro has been extremely solid. The veteran has reached base safely in all eight of his games with the Herd. Cannizaro Enters today’s contest riding a six-game hitting streak with a .318 (7-22) batting average since August 6. It’s the Bisons longest active streak.
BISONS BITS: OF Jason Cooper has played in 396 games as a Bison, four shy of C Tom Prince’s Modern Era record of 400… OF Todd Linden has a five game hit streak (.350, 7-20) that includes four doubles and a home run…INF Jared Head will make his Triple-A debut today. Head hit .224 with 10HR and 43RBI in 83 games with Single-A Kinston this year.
US bounces back
Every team needs a stopper when you hit a bumpy patch and in a “short season” like the Olympics you have to find one quick. Stephen Strasburg was sterling for the U.S. on Thursday, tossing seven shutout innings against the Dutch.
WINNING GAME STORY: CLICK HERE
Here are some links that I find helpful to track USA Baseball from Beijing:
USA Baseball: CLICK HERE!
MLB.com: CLICK HERE!
NBC Sports: CLICK HERE!
USA Baseball is back in action Thursday, 10:30 p.m. (EDT) against the Netherlands.
Future Games for Team USA:
Jack'd Up
Good news in a short amount of time for some of the newest members in the Tribe farm system. The Cleveland Indians have recalled LHP Zach Jackson from the Buffalo Bisons. The southpaw is expected to start for the Tribe on Thursday night against Baltimore.
The 25-year old was acquired in the Indians’ C.C. Sabathia trade with the Milwaukee Brewers on July 7 and has spent the last five weeks with the Bisons. In eight games with the Herd, the southpaw was 3-1 with a 4.05ERA (26.2IP, 25H, 12ER, 5BB, 20K). He has limited International League hitters to a .243 (25-103) average against, including a .182 (12-66) mark against right-handed hitters.
Jackson’s debut comes 10 days after recently acquired Anthony Reyes (trade with St. Louis) debuted with Cleveland.
The Bisons are back at Dunn Tire Park Thursday afternoon. Right now, Jackson’s turn in the rotation is “TBA” but Aaron Laffey is a probable and would still throw on five days rest.
Tracking Team USA
The Bisons are off for consecutive days prior to opening an 8-game homestand on Thursday afternoon. If you need to take a break from “Phelps Phever” try catching up with Bisons pitcher Jeff Stevens and USA Baseball. But really, who can miss Michael Phelps hop in the pool? Maybe we should just jump back-and-fourth between channels.
Team USA stumbled in the opener at the Games as Korea rallied for two in a 9-inning walk off win. Stevens came in to throw the final frame and was strapped with the loss during Korea’s comeback.
Here are some links that I find helpful to track USA Baseball from Beijing:
USA Baseball: CLICK HERE!
MLB.com: CLICK HERE!
NBC Sports: CLICK HERE!
USA Baseball is back in action Thursday, 10:30 p.m. (EDT) against the Netherlands.
Future Games for Team USA:
Bisons Notebook 