=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Tuesday, July 13th === (Games from Monday, July 12th)
From The My Sportsbook
FIVE ARMS, NO HITS
Tim Lemon tossed the first five innings of no hit ball, and was followed by four Johnson City relievers who didn't yield a hit, as the Cardinals shut down the Greeneville Astros en route to a 4-0 win. Lemon picked up the win and improved to 1-2. Greg Pleeter, Jessen Grant, Timothy Gross, and Brian Parrish each tossed one inning without allowing a hit to preserve the no-no. James Barthmaier (0-3) was dealt the loss and fell to 0-3. He allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings of work. Daniel Nelson and Das Jesson each drove in two runs in the win for the Cardinals. Along with the no-hitter, the game also featured another baseball rarity, a triple-play, which was turned in the second inning by Johnson City.
PORTLAND SHOCKS ALTOONA
Mike Lockwood went 3-for-5 and knocked in three runs including the game winner in the top of the tenth inning as the Portland Sea Dogs beat the Altoona Curve 8-7 in Eastern League action. Lockwood won the game with a bases loaded walk. Lockwood had driven in two runs in the bottom of the ninth as the Sea Dogs rallied from a six run deficit to tie the score. The scoring in the ninth started with a two run blast by first basemen Mike O'Keefe. Sheldon Fulse continued the scoring a few batters later by knocking an RBI single to right. Lockwood followed with his two run double. Kenny Perez capped off the scoring with a sac fly to tie the game. Altoona had a commanding six run lead heading into the ninth thanks to Ronny Paulino and Ray Sadler who each hit two homeruns and drove in two runs. Ryan Doumit also knocked a homer and drove in two for Altoona. Doumit, Paulino, Sadler, Kevin Nicholson and Nate McLouth all had two hits for the Curve. For Portland Sheldon Fulse went 4-for-5 with a homerun, two RBI and two runs scored. Joe Kilburg went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Colin Young earned his first victory of the season by pitching 2/3rds of an inning and holding Altoona scoreless. Portland starter Josh Stevens got knocked around for five earned runs in six innings pitched. Altoona wasted a solid outing by starter Bobby Bradley who pitched 5 2/3rds innings and gave up just one earned run while striking out three. Eddie Candelario (0-1) took the loss giving up a run in 2/3rds of an inning pitched. As the two teams head into the All-Star break Portland finds it's record at 42-48, 10 1/2 games behind Binghamton in the Eastern League's Northern Division. Altoona currently finds itself in first place in Eastern League's Southern Division with a record of 54-36.
TOURISTS GET LOST IN AUGUSTA
Brandon Moss and Mickey Hall each had a home run and two RBI, while Beau Vaughan tossed six innings of three-hit ball, to propel the Augusta GreenJackets to an 11-0 rout over the Asheville Tourists in South Atlantic League action. Vaughn had seven strikeouts and raised his record to 5-1 on the year with the win. Cory Wiley tossed two shutout innings, and Arthur Santos tossed a scoreless ninth to preserve the blanking. Jon de Vries had three hits and also drove in a pair for Augusta. Moss scored twice while Hall crossed the plate three times. Darric Merrel was saddled with the loss and fell to 5-9. He was shelled for nine runs, seven of which were earned, on ten hits in five innings of work. Randy Blood had two of Asheville's four hits.
IM-"PRES"-SIVE
Preston Larrison pitched brilliantly in eight shutout innings and led the Erie SeaWolves to a 5-0 victory over the Akron Aeros on Monday night. Larrison yielded just three hits over his eight innings of work. The righty struck out two and walked two as he picked up the win and improved to 5-4 on the year. Kurt Airoso belted his 17th home run of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning. Rich Gomez added his first round-tripper of the year to lead off the sixth. Ryan Raburn collected three hits, both of them doubles, and drove in a run for the SeaWolves, who close out the first half of the season with a 47-41 mark. Jeremy Guthrie allowed five runs, three of them earned, on nine hits in six innings and suffered the loss. He is 6-5 on the year. Akron heads into the break ten games below the .500 mark at 40-50.
HOORELBEKE LEADS THE VERO BEACH ATTACK
Jesse Hoorelbeke smashed two home runs and drove in four runs, as the Vero Beach Dodgers went deep four times en route to their 10-4 win over the Daytona Cubs in Florida State League play. Delwyn Young had a solo home run and Brian Sprout laced a two-run shot for the Dodgers. Chad Billingsley improved to 6-4 with the win. He allowed just a run on four hits in 5 1/3rd innings. He struck out eight and walked two. Andrew Sisco absorbed the loss and fell to 3-6. He allowed two runs on four hits in five innings of work. Keith Butler had two hits, a double and a homer, and drove in two in the loss for Daytona. Vero Beach's Reggie Abercrombie fell a home run shy of the cycle, drove in a run, and scored twice.
FRISCO HOLDS OFF TULSA
Will Smith went 2-for-4 with a double and drove in three runs while Tydus Meadows chipped in with two RBI to lead the Frisco RoughRiders to a 7-6 win over the Tulsa Drillers. Jason Bourgeois added an RBI, while Ian Kinsler went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in the win. Kinsler is hitting .344 for Frisco, who improved to 9-10. Erick Burke (2-1) picked up the win. He allowed no runs, two hits, struck out three and walked one. Travis Hughes recorded his second save, tossing 1 1/3rd scoreless innings. Kip Bouknight (0-1) suffered the loss. He allowed six runs on five hits, allowed four walks, and struck out two in five innings. Guye Senjem and Jeff Salazar each drove in a run for Tulsa, who fell to 10-9.
THREE IS CONRAD'S MAGIC NUMBER
Brooks Conrad went 3-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Round Rock Express to a 10-5 win over the El Paso Diablos. David Matranga chipped in with two RBI for the Express, who improved to 10-9. Willy Taveras had two hits and two runs scored, as did Todd Self. Ezequiel Astacio (7-8) allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings of work to pick up the win. He struck out eight and walked two. Matt Chico (0-4) allowed eight runs, four earned, on seven hits in 3 1/3rd innings. He walked three and struck out three. Chris Snyder smacked a two-run home run, his 14th, for the Diablos, who fell to 6-13. The two teams will do battle again tomorrow, with a 9:00 PM (ET) scheduled start.
