=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Wednesday, August 25th === (Games from Tuesday, August 24th)

From The My Sportsbook

ANKIEL SIGHTING

Rick Ankiel picked up his first win since June of 2003 while Corey Erickson and Milko Jaramillo knocked in two runs apiece as the Tennessee Smokies defeated the Greenville Braves, 6-1, in Southern League play Tuesday evening. Tennessee upped its record to 26-32 while Greenville fell to 32-25. Ankiel (1-0) held the Braves to one hit and struck out two over his five innings of work. Nick Stocks struck all four batters he faced en route to his second save. Erickson went 2-for-3 with two doubles and scored a run while Jaramillo chipped in with a two-run single. Chad Ehrnsberger hit his fifth long ball of the season and finished the night 2-for-4 for the Smokies. Greenville's Brian Moehler suffered the loss and fell to 3-8. Moehler was shelled for six runs on eight hits and one walk over 4 1/3rd innings. Napoleon Calzado went 1-for-4 with a walk and was the only Brave to reach base twice.

BOOF WINS FIFTH STRAIGHT

Tommy Watkins went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, and Boof Bonser tossed seven solid innings to pick up his fifth straight win, as the New Britain Rock Cats held off a late Trenton rally, to defeat the Thunder, 8-7. James Tomlin added two RBI for the Rock Cats, who improved to 61-65 with the win. Bonser allowed two runs on seven hits, struck out five and walked two. His record improved to 11-9. Bobby Korecky earned his 25th save, allowing a run on one hit and two walks in 1/3rd of an inning. Jason Miller was rocked for four runs on three hits in 2/3rds of an inning. Trenton starter Carlos Reyes suffered the loss and fell to 1-6. He allowed six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3rd innings. Andy Cannizaro went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBI in the loss. Bronson Sardinha added two RBI, as the Thunder dropped to 59-69. Trenton mounted a bottom of the ninth rally, plating five in the frame, highlighted by Cannizaro's three-run home run. Bronson Sardinha however grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game.

WHITESIDE SAVES 33RD

Jose Capellan threw six innings of shutout baseball to lead the Richmond Braves to 3-0 victory over the Durham Bulls in International League action Tuesday afternoon. Capellan was excellent allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out six. He improved his record to 4-1 and dropped his ERA to 0.87 in 31 innings pitched. Damon Hollins supplied the offense for Richmond with a two run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning. DeWayne Wise drove in Richmond's other run with an RBI triple in the third inning. Matt Whiteside picked up his International League leading 33rd save of the season throwing a scoreless seventh inning. Jim Magrane took the loss for the Bulls giving up three earned runs in five innings pitched. He gave up five hits and struck out three.

CRAWDADS END SHOREBIRDS' STREAK AT 8

Brad Rea and Justin Harris each had RBI singles in the top of the ninth as the Hickory Crawdads ended the Delmarva Shorebirds eight game win streak with a 5-3 win. Leo Nunez picked up the win and improved his record to 9-4. Chris Demaria tossed the final two innings and gave up one run but held on for his 10th save of the season. The Crawdads now lead the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League by 5 games over the Charleston Alley Cats.

FINALLY 50

Chris Bootcheck pitched a five-hit, complete-game shutout as the Salt Lake Stingers blanked the Las Vegas 51s, 6-0, in a Pacific Coast League game Tuesday night. With the win, Salt Lake improved to 50-80 while Las Vegas fell to 59-72. Bootcheck gave up five hits and struck out six in nine scoreless innings to earn the win. He improved to 9-9 for the season as his ERA shrunk to 5.44. Salt Lake's offense was powered by Adam Riggs, who hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, and Zach Sorensen, who hit a two-run home run in the third inning, walked twice and scored three runs. Losing pitcher Mark Johnson (5-12) was touched for four runs on four hits in five innings.

ONE AWAY FROM THE RECORD

The Elizabethton Twins defeated the Greeneville Astros 3-1 behind John Williams' seven strong innings. Williams scattered one run on two hits and struck out 10. Mitch Einerston hit his 23rd home run of the season for the Astros and is now only one away from the Appalachian League record of 24 set in 1960 by Joy Gritts of Wytheville.

KENDRICK HITS FOR CYCLE

Howard Kendrick hit for the cycle and knocked in two runs as the Cedar Rapids Kernels crushed the Lansing Lugnuts, 12-2, in Midwest League action Tuesday night. Cedar Rapids upped its record to 28-30 while Lansing fell to 33-25. Kendrick singled in the fifth, doubled in the seventh, hit a two-run home run in the eighth and then capped it off with a triple in the ninth. Abel Moreno improved his record to 10-7 with plenty of run support. The Kernels pounded out 20 hits on the night.

REDMAN ENDS MARATHON

Prentice Redman's two-run homer in the top of the 15th inning sent the Norfolk Tides to a 5-3 victory over the Charlotte Knights Tuesday night. The win brings Norfolk over the .500 mark for the season at 65-64. Redman finished 1-for-6 with two RBI and one run scored. Tyler Yates (6-2) pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory for the Tides. Yates struck out two in the outing. Adam Larson (0-1) surrendered two earned runs in two innings of work to take the loss for Charlotte. Larson gave up one hit, walked three, and struck out one batter. Victor Diaz added two home runs, both solo shots, and went 2-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored in the win. Wilson Valdez and Bobby Smith hit one home run apiece in the loss for the Knights. Valdez went 2- for-7 while Smith finished 1-for-5.