=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Tuesday, August 10th === (Games from Monday, August 9th)
From The My Sportsbook
WASDIN BLANKS BEAVERS
John Wasdin tossed seven innings of dominant shutout baseball, while Peter Zoccolillo hit a grand slam, leading the Oklahoma RedHawks to a 5-0 win over the Portland Beavers. Wasdin scattered just three hits and struck out three to improve to 6-1. Keith Stamler tossed the final two innings to secure the shutout. Stamler didn't allow a batter to reach base. Zoccolillo's salami was his 20th home run of the season. The RedHawks scored all five of their runs in the first inning. Chris Rojas allowed five runs, four earned, on four hits in five innings to suffer the loss. Humberto Quintero, Jon Knott, and Jose Nieves each had a hit for the Sea Dogs.
METS PLATE THREE IN THE TENTH
Gil Velazquez stroked an RBI single in the top of the tenth inning, starting off a three-run frame, as the Binghamton Mets knocked off the Norwich Navigators, 7-4. Velazquez, who had three RBI on the night, drove in Joe Hietpas with the go- ahead run. Following a single from pitcher Tim Lavigne, Wayne Lydon drove in Velazquez with a single of his own. Lavigne then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ron Acuna. Brett Harper hit two solo home runs for the Mets in the win. Lavigne picked up the win and improved to 4-5. He tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three. PJ Bevis earned up his ninth save. Mitch Walk suffered the loss and fell to 5-8. He allowed three runs on four hits in an inning of work. Michael Cervenak hit a three-run home run in a losing effort for the Navigators.
ROMANO WINS 10TH
Mike Romano won his 10th game as the Richmond Braves blanked the Durham Bulls, 3-0, in an International League South Division game Monday night. Winners of three straight, Richmond improved to 61-52 while Durham, losers of four consecutive, fell to 61-55. Romano (10-5) allowed five hits and struck out four in 6 1/3rd scoreless innings to earn the victory. Richmond plated all its runs in the first inning with Mike Hessman poking an RBI single and Wilson Betemit blasting a two-run double to right field. Losing pitcher Todd Ritchie (2-5) was touched for three runs on eight hits in seven innings.
BRAVES WIN THIRD IN A ROW
Daniel Curtis worked three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory as the Greenville Braves blanked the Jacksonville Suns, 3-0, in a Southern League East Division game Monday night. Winners of three straight, Greenville improved to 24-18 in the second half of the Southern League season while Jacksonville fell to 19-23. Curtis surrendered just two hits and struck out four in three scoreless innings to improve to 7-2 for Greenville. Isauro Pineda notched his second save with a scoreless ninth. Greenville scored all its runs in the seventh inning with Napoleon Calzado cracking the key two-run single. Losing pitcher Brian Steffek (3-7) was touched for three runs on four hits in two innings.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Brooks Conrad belted his ninth homer of the season and Wandy Rodriguez pitched a gem to help lead the Round Rock Express to a 14-0 victory over the visiting El Paso Diablos in Texas League play on Monday night. Conrad had a stellar night at the plate finishing 4-for-5 with four RBI. Conrad blasted a two-run shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth to give the Express a 10-0 lead. Rodriguez pitched eight scoreless innings and allowed just four hits, one walk and struck out seven. Rodriguez notched double digits in the win column with his record now 10-6 on the season. Diablo's starter Scott Barber dropped to 1-3 on the season after getting shelled early by the Express offense. Barber pitched five innings allowing eight earned runs, seven of those in the second inning on eleven hits. Barber struck out two and walked one. Hector Gimenez also had a solid night at the plate for the Express finishing 4- for-5 with a double, run scored, and three RBI.
GARDNER SILENCES SHOREBIRDS
Jarrett Gardner was solid over seven shutout innings to lead the Augusta Green Jackets over the Delmarva Shorebirds, 7-0 in a South Atlantic League contest. Gardner scattered four hits and struck out four Shorebirds to improve to 11-5 on the year. The Green Jackets Zachary Borowiak went 4-for-5 with two runs, a double, and an RBI in the win. Brandon Moss added two RBI for Augusta.
REYES TO THE RESCUE
Rene Reyes singled home Erick Almonte with the game clinching run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Colorado Springs Sky Sox over the Sacramento River Cats, 8-7 in a Pacific Coast League battle. Almonte started the inning with a successful bunt attempt to reach base. JD Closser then moved Almonte to second with a sacrifice bunt. Reyes then delivered his clinching base knock to give the Sky Sox the victory. Brad Hawpe homered and drove in two runs in the win, while Closser contributed two RBI of his own. Nick Swisher tied the game in the top half of the inning with a fielder's choice to score Mike Edwards. Swisher and Jon Weber each hit a home run in the loss. The Sky Sox' Jason Gilfillan earned the win in relief. He pitched one perfect inning and struck out two as he improved to 5-2. Wayne Gomes absorbed the loss for the River Cats. In 2 1/3rd innings he surrendered two earned runs on four hits and three walks. Gomes evened his record at 2-2 with the loss.
MUDHENS CONTINUE TO SLIDE - STEAK AT EIGHT
Pat Strange allowed three earned runs over nine innings and struck out three to lead the Norfolk tides over the Toledo Mudhens, 11-3 in an International League rout. The Tides have won two straight to up their record to 59-55, while the Mudhens dropped their eighth straight and fell to 59-58. Strange (7-8) recorded his seventh win of the year with the complete game. He scattered five hits and didn't walk a batter. Danny Garcia led the Norfolk offense as he homered and drove in four runs. Craig Brazell and Tom Wilson each had RBI singles in the first inning, part of a three-run frame. After the Mudhens tied the game in the top half of the third inning on a three- run home run by Rich Gomez. Ozzie Timmons broke the tie with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the third. Wilson Delgado plated a run in the inning with a triple and scored on a throwing error the following play. In the fifth, Garcia blasted a grand slam to put Norfolk up 10-3. Delgado and Angel Pagan each scored two runs in the win. Toledo's Rick Kirsten was dealt the loss. In three innings, he was touched for six runs -- five earned -- on seven hits and four walks. Kirsten is 3-2.
