*** This Week in Minor League Baseball - August 6th *** From The My Sportsbook

By Kevin Spiegel, Contributing Editor

Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Japanese import Tetsu Yofu of the Charlotte Knights had the unenviable task last Sunday of trying to stop the Durham Bulls' 11-game winning streak. Yofu's season has been weak at best, going 2-4 with a 6.39 ERA. To make matters worse, in his only start against Durham at home, he lasted just three innings and gave up seven runs (four homers).

Well, a strange thing happened on the way to the ballpark, as the 31-year-old righthander tossed a complete-game, no-hitter. Yofu struck out 10 and walked two to give the Knights only their second win in seven games against the Bulls this season.

How good were the Bulls? In the month of July, they were 20-9, and averaged nearly seven runs per game. During their winning streak, they outhomered the opposition, 24-10, and scored 80 runs in 84 innings.

In defense of the Bulls, they were missing some key players. B.J. Upton was promoted to the parent club (Devil Rays). Jorge Cantu and Joey Gathright hadn't arrived back with the team and Pete LaForest had Olympics on his mind while setting off for Greece.

Yofu struck out Midre Cummings, the league leader in on-base and slugging percentage, to end the game and record the first career Triple-A no-hitter in Charlotte history.

DIVINE INTERVENTION

Last Friday night in Trenton, Thunder starter Justin Pope turned in a masterful pitching performance. The young righthander carried a no-hitter into the seventh before Norwich slugger Michael Cervenak singled with two outs. The 25- year-old Pope then settled down and did not allow a runner the rest of the game. He finished with a one-hit shutout and struck out 10.

What made the game interesting was Norwich starter Josh Habel and two reliever limited the Thunder bats to just one hit in the game. Unfortunately, the hit was an RBI double by Jason Grove, who then scored on a wild pitch.

Final score: Trenton 2, Norwich 0; Final Hits: Trenton 1, Norwich 1.

END OF AN NY ERA FOR KAZMIR. . .

After being proclaimed by some within the New York Mets organization as an "untouchable", top prospect Scott Kazmir was dealt to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Friday. It ends a short three-year career with the Mets, who made the lefthander their first round pick (15th overall) in the 2002 draft.

His best season came two years ago when he pitched 18 games for Capital City of the South Atlantic League. Kazmir struck out 105 batters in 76 innings. His minor league career with the Mets spanned 45 games and he finished with an 8-10 record, but a nifty 2.52 ERA. He had 259 strikeouts and 203 innings pitched.

. . .BEGINNING A NEW ONE IN MONTGOMERY

Kazmir's first start with the Montgomery Biscuits of Double-A Southern League was nothing short of outstanding. The young lefty struck out eight, yielded three hits in five scoreless innings to give the Biscuits an 11-1 victory over the Carolina Mudcats.

SPEAKING OF THE METS

Matt Peterson, the pitcher the NY Mets traded for Pittsburgh's Kris Benson, picked up his first win Wednesday for the Eastern League's Altoona Curve. Peterson, who was 6-4 while pitching for Binghamton, allowed two runs, three hits and struck out two over five innings, as the Curve beat the Akron Aeros, 12-7.

SWEET 16 FOR MCCARTHY

Brandon McCarthy of the Winston Salem Warthogs continues to impress down on the farm. The 21-year-old righthander won his fourth straight start last Saturday, but more importantly, lowered his ERA to 2.68. McCarthy struck out 16, giving him 157 Ks in 132 innings pitched this season, while splitting time in Kannapolis. The Chicago White Sox selected McCarthy in the 17th round of 2002 draft. In three plus seasons in the minors, McCarthy has struck out 361, walked just 54 in 331 innings pitched.

CAMPECHE WINS MEXICAN LEAGUE TITLE

Congratulations go out to the Campeche Pirates of the Mexican League after they captured the 2004 Championship. They defeated the Saltillo Sarape Makers, four games to one. Danny Magee turned a solid performance on the mound for the Pirates. He allowed six hits in eight innings, struck out five and gave up three earned runs in eight innings for his second win of the series.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Triple-A

International League: Pitcher - James Baldwin, Toledo; Player - Matt Diaz, Durham, OF. Pacific Coast League: Pitcher - Nelson Figueroa, Nashville; Player - Aaron Guiel, Omaha, OF.

Double-A

Eastern League: Pitcher - Justin Pope, Trenton; Player - Curtis Granderson, Erie, OF. Texas League: Pitcher - Steven Bondurant, Midland; Player - Rashad Eldridge. Frisco, OF. Southern League: Pitcher - Ryan Meaux, Birmingham; Player - Greg Sain, Mobile, INF.

Single-A

California League: Pitcher - Enrique Gonzalez, Lancaster; Player - Alvin Colina, Visalia, C. Carolina League: Co-Pitchers - Brandon McCarthy and Sean Tracey, Winston-Salem; Player - Pat Osborn, Kinston, INF; Midwest League: Pitcher - Jason Mackintosh, Wisconsin; Player - Alex Frazier, South Bend, OF. Florida State League: Pitcher - Nick Blackburn, Fort Myers; Player - Andy Laroche, Vero Beach, INF. NY-Penn League: Pitcher - Andrew Baldwin, Batavia; Player - Mario Garza, Tri-City, 1B-DH. Northwest League: Pitcher - Steven Register, Tri-City; Player - Erik Dean, Tri-City, INF. South Atlantic League: Pitcher - Bob Cramer, Charleston-SC; Player - Kevin Kouzmanoff, Lake County, INF.

Rookie

Appalachian League: Pitcher - Derek Tate, Pulaski; Player - Brandon Jones, Danville, OF. Pioneer League: Pitcher - Esmerling Vasquez, Missoula; Player - Eddie Solis, Idaho Falls, INF.

LUCKY 13 FOR CHACIN

Forget being superstitious. Gustavo Chacin turned in another dominating performance for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The 23-year-old lefthander, who grew up in Venezuela, won his league-leading 13th game of the season and did it with seven innings of no-hit ball against the Bowie Baysox. Chacin went the first seven innings, struck out seven and walked two and did not allow hit. He is 13-2 this season with a 3.33 ERA in his second season with the Fisher Cats.

Chacin's performance on Thursday solidified his position as one of the best hurlers in the minors, as the Eastern League named him its Most Valuable Player of the Month for July. He went 5-0 with a 0.98 ERA in six starts for the Fisher Cats. The 5'11", 190 lb. hurler limited opponents to a .185 batting average in July and struck out 32 batters while surrendering only nine walks in 36.2 innings of work.

GALARRAGA BACK IN BASEBALL

Former slugger Andres Galarraga took a step closer to returning to the Major Leagues when he signed with the Anaheim Angels. Vice President/General Manager Bill Stoneman made the announcement and said Galarraga will report to the club's Triple-A club in Salt Lake. Galarraga, a veteran of 18 MLB seasons, has 398 career homers, 1,423 RBI and 2,250 games played.

BETWEEN THE LINES

Triple-A

AVERAGE: Larry Sutton, Albuquerque (.365), Pete Orr, Richmond (.333). HOME RUNS: Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (30), Calvin Pickering, Omaha (30). RBI: Dan Johnson, Sacramento (97), Ernie Young, Buffalo (80), Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (80). STOLEN BASES: Freddy Guzman, Portland (41), Nook Logan, Toledo (38). WINS: Dave Gassner, Rochester (13), Nelson Figueroa, Nashville (12). ERA: Ben Hendrickson, Indianapolis (2.23), Scott Downs, Edmonton (3.15). STRIKEOUTS: Dan Haren, Memphis (133), Brandon Claussen, Louisville (111). SAVES: Matt Whiteside, Richmond (26), Al Reyes, Memphis (15), Mark Corey, Nashville (15).

Double-A

AVERAGE: John Castellano, Reading (.355), Napoleon Calzado, Greenville (.352), Tommy Whiteman, Round Rock (.336). HOME RUNS: Ryan Howard, Reading (37), Greg Sain, Mobile (27), Ryan Shealy, Tulsa (24). RBI: Ryan Howard, Reading (102), Josh Barfield, Mobile (76), Ryan Shealy, Tulsa (74). STOLEN BASES: Wayne Lydon, Binghamton (57), Dwaine Bacon, West Tenn (46), Willy Taveras, Round Rock (46). WINS: Jeff Francis, Tulsa (13), Gustavo Chacin, New Hampshire (13), Brian Rose, Chattanooga (10), ERA: Jeff Francis, Tulsa (1.98), Wilfredo Ledezma, Erie (2.42), Ryan Ketchner, Jacksonville (2.66), STRIKEOUTS: Ezequiel Astacio, Round Rock (149), Renyel Pinto, West Tenn (149), Boof Bonser, New Britain (121), SAVES: Ryan Speier, Tulsa (34), Brad Baker, Mobile (27), Jacobo Sequea, Bowie (21),

Single-A

AVERAGE: Brian Horwitz, Salem-Keizer (.364), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (.348), Brandon Moss, Augusta (.347), Dante Brinkley, Brooklyn (.341), Brendan Ryan, Peoria (.331), Rajai Davis, Lynchburg (.317), Felix Pie, Daytona (.310), JJ Johnson, Daytona (.310). HOME RUNS: Brian Dopirak, Lansing (33), Brandon Sing, Daytona (29), Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (25), Jon Benick, Hickory (25), Ian Stewart, Asheville (25), Brad Eldred, Lynchburg (21), Colt Horwitz, Eugene (13), Mario Garza, Tri-City (13). RBI: Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (105), Brandon Moss, Augusta (98), Brian Dopirak, Lansing (95), Brandon Sing, Daytona (85), Brad Eldred, Lynchburg (77), Mario Garza, Tri-City (46), Travis Metcalf, Spokane (37), Matt Macri, Tri-City (37), STOLEN BASES: Chris Walker, Lansing (49), Josh Anderson, Lexington (48), Erick Aybar, Rancho Cucamonga (44), Rajai Davis, Lynchburg (40), Alex Requena, Vero Beach (33), Rayner Laya, Palm Beach (33), Yung-Chi Chen, Everett (22), Ambiorix Concepcion, Brooklyn (17), WINS: Steven Bondurant, Kane County (14), Brian Slocum, Kinston (12), Ismael Ramirez, Dunedin (12), Enrique Gonzalez, Lancaster (11), Matt Lynch, Modesto (11), Ronnie Martinez, Tri-City (7), ERA: Mike McGirr, Vancouver (0.66), Zach Duke, Lynchburg (1.39), Joseph Bisenius, Batavia (1.37), Chuck James, Rome (1.61), Steven Bondurant, Kane County (2.08), Felix Hernandez, Inland Empire (2.74). STRIKEOUTS: Steven Shell, Rancho Cucamonga (147), Brad Knox, Kane County (140), Jon Papelbon, Sarasota (129), Yusmeiro Petit, Capital City (122), Matt Wright, Myrtle Beach (116), Luis Martinez, Aberdeen (68), Shawn Nottingham, Everett (57). SAVES: Dwayne Pollok, Winston Salem (28), Ehren Wasserman, Kannapolis (27), Jeremy Accardo, San Jose (21), Jason Burch, Peoria (21), Paul Thorp, Battle Creek (21), Jim Miller, Tri-City (13), Eduardo Siera, Tampa (10), David Haehnel, Aberdeen (10).

25-100 CLUB

With less than one month to go in the Minor Leagues this season, two players have reached the 25-homer, 100 RBI club. The following is a list of those who have already reached this plateau and those who are on the verge.

IN: Ryan Howard, Reading (37-102); Michael Napoli, Rancho Cucamonga (25-105),

ALMOST THERE: Mitch Jones, Trenton (30-73); Sean Baker, Visalia (20-94), Brandon Sing, Daytona (29-85), Earl Snyder, Pawtucket (30-80), Brian Dopirak, Lansing (33-95), Andy Tracy, Colorado Springs (25-93). Dan Johnson, Sacramento (24-97), AJ Zapp, Tacoma (20-73), Jon Benick, Hickory (25-78), Ian Stewart, Asheville (25-75), Delmon Young, Charleston-SC (19-93).