Tagged: Reno Aces
The Bulls Are One Win Away from Charlotte
The Durham Bulls became the first team to take a two-games-to-one lead in the Triple-A Finals on Thursday — beating the Pawtucket Red Sox by a score of 4-3 at home in Durham, NC. With the win, the Bulls are now just one win away from repeating as Governors’ Cup Champions. They are also one win away from competing on Tuesday at BB&T Ballpark in the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game.
The PCL was off on Thursday and the series shifts to Omaha tonight for game three. That series is all tied up at one game apiece. If Omaha goes on to win, and the Bulls end up getting one more win, it will be a rematch of last year’s Triple-A National Championship game from Allentown, PA.
Let’s take a look back at Thursday’s game and a brief look ahead to Friday’s matchup:
Durham starter Matt Andriese earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits over six innings. Andriese allowed a run in the second inning, as well as the third inning, but was solid the rest of the way. He was saddled with a 2-0 deficit to overcome, and he was quickly helped by his offense in the bottom of the third inning.
Justin Christian led off the bottom of the third frame with a double and Cole Figueroa then reached base to put runners on the corners with no outs. Two batters later, the Bulls added their first run of the game courtesy of a Jeremy Moore RBI single. The Bulls then broke-open the game thanks to Tim Beckham — who ripped a two-run double, which gave them a 3-2 lead at that point.
All three runs in the third inning came off Pawtucket starter Henry Owens, who was dealt the loss after giving up three runs on three hits over four innings. Owens also walked three and fanned five.
Durham second baseman Nick Franklin added an insurance run in the sixth inning — which proved to be huge in the game. Franklin ripped a solo home run in the sixth off reliever Noe Ramirez, which made it a 4-2 ballgame at that point. Franklin finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. He’s hitting .417 (10-for-24) over seven playoff games. His 10 hits and his .417 batting average (tied with Emmanuel Burris of Syracuse) are tops in the IL Playoffs this year.
Things got interesting in the top of the ninth inning as the PawSox rallied and pulled within a run. Reliever Josh Lueke came on in the ninth and retired the first batter he faced — Alex Hassan — but then ran into a bit of trouble. Lueke struck-out Ryan Lavarnway, but he reached base on a passed ball, which brought the tying run to the plate. Garin Cecchini then followed with a big RBI double to make it a 4-3 game. With the PawSox down by just one run, Lueke got Corey Brown to ground out and Blake Swihart to pop out to end the game. Lueke went on to earn his first save of the playoffs and the Bulls took a major step forward.
On Friday, the Bulls and PawSox will battle in game four. Durham will send LHP Mike Montgomery to the hill as they look to wrap up the series and keep the Governors’ Cup in Durham. Montgomery and the Bulls will have to face Pawtucket LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, who is making his Triple-A debut. First pitch is set for 7:05 PM from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
All Tied At One After Two
Game two
in each of the Triple-A Finals took place on Wednesday and the two teams that were down a game came back to tie up the series. Over in the International League, the Durham Bulls rallied to beat the Pawtucket Red Sox 4-3. The Governors’ Cup Finals are now tied at one game each.
Over in the Pacific Coast League Finals, the Reno Aces tied up the series with a 4-2 victory last night on their home field. Those two teams will have an off day today before resuming their series on Friday night from Omaha.
Let’s take a look back at Wednesday’s game two matchups, which featured big wins from both Durham and Reno:
Durham Bulls at Pawtucket Red Sox (series tied 1-1)
Game 2: Bulls win 4-3
Wednesday’s game in Pawtucket was an instant classic.
The PawSox came into the game up one game to none after a 3-2 win on Tuesday. It was much of the same early on for Pawtucket on Wednesday. Much like on Tuesday, the PawSox once again knocked Durham’s starter out early as they scored three runs over the first two innings. Durham starter Jesus Colome allowed three runs over 1.1 innings pitched and was out before the second inning was over. The Bulls were forced to turn things over to their bullpen — which was solid once again.
The Bulls, who ended up being down 3-0 after two innings, handed things over to their bullpen, which would go on to toss 9.2 scoreless innings. Five relievers, including starter Merrill Kelly, were sharp on the hill and kept the Bulls in the game.
Corey Brown‘s two-run home run in the second inning for the PawSox proved to be big early on, but the Bulls offense battled back. Mikie Mahtook changed the game with one swing of his bat in the top of the third inning when he launched a two-run home run off Pawtucket starter Brian Johnson. Johnson was solid over six innings, however, allowing just two runs on four hits. He fanned seven batters in his Triple-A debut.
It was a 3-2 Pawtucket lead all the way to the ninth inning — until Vince Belnome sent the game into extras with a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning off Spartanburg, SC native Heath Hembree. It was the first run Hembree allowed in the postseason, but it was a big one for the Bulls, who could have gone down two games to none.
The game went into extras and neither team could score in the 10th frame. In the 11th, things changed when the Bulls got help from Belnome again. This time, he led the inning off with a walk. Three batters later, Mike Fontenot singled home Belnome to give the Bulls a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the 11th, reliever Adam Liberatore was back after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th. Liberatore walked Justin Henry in the 11th to put the tying run on first base, but got Bryce Brentz to strike out swinging to end the game.
The win for the Bulls was huge as they now head home to Durham tied in the series. The series will continue tonight in Durham with RHP Matt Andriese on the mound for the Bulls against Red Sox number two prospect Henry Owens. Game three should be a great matchup and the winner of this one will be a step closer to the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game on September 16 in BB&T Ballpark.
Omaha Storm Chasers at Reno Aces: (series tied 1-1)
Game 2: Aces win 4-2
After falling to the Storm Chasers in game one on Tuesday by a score of 6-2, the Aces came back on Wednesday with a big win.
Needing a win before the series shifted to Omaha for the final three games, the Aces, jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after scoring four runs in the second inning on Wednesday. Those four runs would be all the Aces would end up needing.
Reno starter Bradin Hagens was sharp on the hill as he allowed one run on five hits over six innings en route to the game two victory. Hagens did not allow a walk and struck-out four batters. He was backed by two big offensive performances in the second inning.
Mike Freeman‘s two-run single and Nick Ahmed‘s two-run double in the second inning proved to be enough for Reno to tie up the series.
Despite the loss, Omaha led the way with eight hits in the game. Four of the eight hits came off the bat of University of South Carolina product Whit Merrifield, who went 4-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Merrifield is hitting .480 in six playoff games — leading the PCL in hits (12) and home runs (3). Pedro Ciriaco chipped in with two hits.
Omaha starter John Lamb lasted just two innings after allowing the four runs in the second frame. The Omaha bullpen combined to toss six shutout innings.
The two teams will now have an off day on Thursday and will get things going for game three in Omaha on Friday. LHP Andrew Chafin gets the nod for Reno against RHP Sugar Ray Marimon for Omaha. The Storm Chasers are looking to get back to the Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game for the second time in as many years. Stay tuned.
Triple-A Finals: Game One Rewind
Game one in both the IL and PCL Finals are in the books with the Pawtucket Red Sox beating the 
Durham Bulls in Pawtucket by a score of 3-2 and the Omaha Storm Chasers coming out on top in their matchup against the Reno Aces in Reno by a score of 6-2 on Tuesday. If Omaha and Durham were to win and move on to the National Championship Game on September 16 at BB&T Ballpark, it would be a rematch of last year’s game from Allentown, PA. Omaha came away with the win.
Let’s take a look back at each game one from Tuesday and a look at some of the players that stood out in each series.
Durham Bulls at Pawtucket Red Sox – PawSox win 3-2
The PawSox were led in game one by starter Edwin Escobar — who was sharp on the mound over seven innings of work. Escobar gave up two runs on six hits over seven innings en route to the win in the 3-2 victory over Durham. Escobar threw 101 pitches, striking out five batters and walking none. The Pawtucket bullpen followed up Escobar’s solid start with two shutout innings out of the bullpen. College of Charleston product Heath Hembree earned the save after recording the final four outs in the game. Hembree, a native of Spartanburg, SC, has not allowed a run in three playoff games this season. He’s 2-for-2 in save opportunities as well.
Durham starter Enny Romero lasted just three innings — allowing three runs on six hits and was saddled with the loss. The Durham bullpen combined to throw five scoreless innings. Doug Mathis pitched three scoreless, while Cory Burns did not allow a run over the final two.
The PawSox as a team are leading the IL playoffs with a .288 batting average and are tied with Durham for most hits with 40. On Tuesday, it was Durham with eight hits leading the way, as Pawtucket managed just seven. Still, Pawtucket got what they needed as they scored a run in each of the first three innings. Garin Cecchini‘s sacrifice fly RBI in the bottom of the third inning proved to be the game-winner.
Rusney Castillo took a step closer to the majors on Tuesday — playing for the Pawtucket Red Sox and making his Triple-A debut in game one. Castillo, who was recently signed by Boston out of Cuba, appeared in six professional games before Tuesday — making his way through the system. He went 6-for-19 in six games –finishing up with Double-A Portland in their playoff series against the Binghamton Mets. In four games, Castillo hit .357 (5-for-14) with four runs scored, two doubles, and two RBIs.
In game two on Wednesday, RHP Jesus Colome gets the start for the Durham Bulls against LHP Brian Johnson for the PawSox. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Omaha Storm Chasers at Reno Aces – Storm Chasers win 6-2
The Storm Chasers got off to a solid start in game one on Tuesday — scoring three runs in the first inning and three runs in the second inning en route to victory. Five Omaha sluggers had at least two hits each and the team combined to rope 11 hits in game one. University of South Carolina product Whit Merrifield had another solid game. The Advance, NC native went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk. Merrifield is hitting .381 (8-for-21) in five playoff games this year. Currently, he’s third in batting average, first in home runs (3), and tied for second in RBIs (4). Brett Hayes chipped in with two hits and two RBIs, while Cheslor Cuthbert also had two hits and two RBIs.
Omaha starter Aaron Brooks allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings en route to the win. Brooks, who I wrote about as a player to keep an eye on here, allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings en route to his second win of the 2014 playoffs. He walked one, struck-out five, and needed tossed 100 pitches. In game one of the PCL playoffs, Brooks matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts over eight innings. He allowed just five hits in the 7-0 win over Memphis.
Others notes on Tuesday from game one: Royals number one prospect Kyle Zimmer threw a scorless inning out of the bullpen on Tuesday as he continues to work his way back from an injury… Reno catcher Blake Lalli — a product of Gardner-Webb University, went 1-for 3 in the loss… Veteran slugger Mike Jacobs was 1-for-4 for Reno… Omaha is hitting .280 as a team to lead the PCL in the playoffs… Reno is hitting .265 with a team-high seven home runs… Former Knights hurler Clayton Richard started for Reno and allowed three runs on four hits in just 0.2 IP and was dealt the loss… He threw 29 pitches in the first inning before being removed.
LHP John Lamb gets the ball for Omaha in game two against Reno RHP Bradin Hagens. First pitch is set for 10:05 PM ET on Wednesday.
A Look at the Omaha Storm Chasers
The finals are set in the Pacific Coast League as the Omaha Storm Chasers — the 2013 PCL and Triple-A National Champions — are back to defend their title against the Reno Aces. For the second time in three seasons, the Aces are back in the PCL Finals. The Aces, who beat the Las Vegas 51s, lost game one of the series, but battled back to win the last three games. The Aces and the Storm Chasers played in the 2012 PCL Championship, with the Aces winning the series and the PCL championship in four games. 
One of these two PCL teams will play in Uptown Charlotte at BB&T Ballpark on September 16. The winner will face the winner of the IL Finals, which features Pawtucket against Durham.
Let’s take a look at the…
OMAHA STORM CHASERS: Triple-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals
COACHING STAFF
The Omaha Storm Chasers are led by manager Brian Poldberg, who is in his first season at the helm of the team. Poldberg spent the last six seasons as manager of Northwest Arkansas (Double-A affiliate of the Royals). Overall, the 2014 season is his 15th as a Minor League manager and he has compiled 1,010 wins. Omaha’s pitching coach is Larry Carter, who is in his second season with the Storm Chasers. As a player, Carter was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 10th round of the 1986 draft.
Hitting coach Tommy Gregg is a familiar name to Charlotte Knights fans. Gregg spent parts of two seasons with the Charlotte Knights when the team was affiliated with the Florida Marlins organization. In 1995, Gregg appeared in 34 games for the Knights and hit a remarkable .387 with 30 runs scored, 10 doubles, nine home runs and 32 RBIs. The following season, Gregg appeared in 119 games for the Knights (1996) and hit .286 with 69 runs scored, 24 doubles, 22 home runs, and 80 RBIs.
Born in Boone, NC, Gregg is fifth all-time in Knights franchise history in batting average with a .310 mark. He went to high school at Richard J. Reynolds High in Winston-Salem, NC and attended Wake Forest University. The 2014 season is Gregg’s sixth with Omaha. He spent nine seasons in the majors.
TOP PROSPECTS
RHP Kyle Zimmer was drafted by the Royals in the first round (5th overall) in the 2012 draft out of the University of San Francisco. He made his way through the ranks over the past two seasons, finishing the 2013 campaign in Northwest Arkansas (Double-A). He went 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts.
Zimmer entered the 2014 season ranked by Baseball America as the number one prospect in the Kansas City organization, however Zimmer has missed the majority of the season after he strained his lat muscle in May. He was shut down for six-to-eight weeks and made his 2014 debut on August 17 with Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League (Rookie). He appeared in six games (five starts) with the team and compiled a 0-0 mark with a 1.93 ERA in 4.2 IP. Zimmer is moving quickly, however, as he is playing for Triple-A Omaha. He appeared in game three of the first round of the playoffs — making his Triple-A debut. He threw one inning out of the bullpen and did not allow a run or a hit. He walked one.
Jorge Bonifacio, 21, entered the 2014 season ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization by Baseball America. Bonifacio, the younger brother of Major League infielder Emilio Bonifacio, was signed by the Royals in 2009. The 21-year-old outfielder is moving quickly through the system and has had success at every level. In 48 games with the Royals DSL squad in 2010, he hit .335 over 48 games. Last season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, he hit .301 in 25 games. Bonifacio hit .230 (116-for-505) with four home runs and 51 RBIs this season for Omaha. Bonifacio hit .455 (5-for-11) in three first-round playoff games with two runs scored and a double.
IL VETERANS
The Omaha roster features a number of veterans, including Brian Bocock, Paul Janish, Pedro Ciriaco, and Clayton Mortensen. All four have spent time in the International League over the years. Bocock started playing in the IL in 2010 as a member of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He spent 2010 with Lehigh Valley and parts of 2011 with Lehigh Valley and Indianapolis. He was back in the IL in 2013 with Indianapolis and Syracuse. Overall, Bocock has played nine seasons in the minors and parts of two seasons in the majors.
Janish is an International League veteran — having spent parts of five seasons in the IL over the years. He spent four seasons with the Louisville Bats (2007-2008, 2011-2012) and then was back in the IL in 2013 with the Gwinnett Braves. Janish has spent nine seasons in the minors and has appeared in parts of six seasons in the majors.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Aaron Brooks put together an impressive 2014 season for Omaha. Brooks, 24, posted a 12-3 record with one save in 25 games (23 starts). His final four 2014 regular season starts were all good ones. The California native won all four starts including a complete game on August 23 in a 5-1 win over Tacoma. In his last outing of the regular season on August 28, he allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings. The month of August was a month to remember for Brooks, who went 5-0 with a 3.66 ERA in six starts (39.1 IP). Overall, his wins were tied for second-most in the PCL while he also ranked seventh in ERA and sixth in WHIP (1.27). On September 4, Brooks was named as the Royals Triple-A Pitcher of the Year — a year after winning the Double-A Pitcher of the Year (2013).
Brooks tossed game one of the PCL playoffs for Omaha and matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts. In all, he tossed eight innings and allowed just five hits in a 7-0 win over Memphis.
LOCAL PRODUCT
Whit Merrifield is a product of the University of South Carolina. He played a key role in USC’s first national championship in 2010 — delivering the game-winning single over UCLA in the title game. He was drafted by the Royals in the ninth round of the 2010 draft.
A native of Advance, NC, Merrified, 25, earned the Royals Triple-A Player of the Year Award this year after he hit .340 (109-for-321) in 76 games for the Storm Chasers this season. Merrifield also had 57 runs scored, 28 doubles, three home runs, 29 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in his first crack at the Triple-A level. He began the season in Double and hit .278 (45-for-162) with 22 runs scored, 13 doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 22 RBIs. He was selected to play in the Texas League All-Star Game this year, but didn’t play due to his promotion to Omaha.
His success has continued into the playoffs and helped Omaha get past Memphis. In four first-round playoff games, Merrified hit .353 (6-for-17) with four runs scored, one double, three home runs, and four RBIs.
PCL Finals Are Set: A Look at the Reno Aces
The finals are also set in the Pacific Coast League as the Omaha Storm Chasers — the 2013 PCL and Triple-A National Champions — are back to defend their title against the Reno Aces. For the second time in three seasons, the Aces are back in the PCL Finals. The Aces, who beat the Las Vegas 51s, lost game one of the series, but battled back to win the last three games. The Aces and the Storm Chasers played in the 2012 PCL Championship, with the Aces winning the series and the PCL championship in four games. 
One of these two PCL teams will play in Uptown Charlotte at BB&T Ballpark on September 16. The winner will face the winner of the IL Finals, which features Pawtucket against Durham.
Let’s take a look at the…
RENO ACES:
Triple-A Affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks
COACHING STAFF:
Their manager and hitting coach are familiar names to International League fans. The Aces are led by manager Phil Nevin, who spent the past three seasons as the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens. After not making the playoffs in three seasons with the ‘Hens, Nevin is in the PCL Finals in his first season with the Aces after leading the team to 81 wins in the regular season. As a player, Nevin spent 12 seasons in the majors and hit 41 long balls in 2001 with San Diego. Overall, he hit 208 career home runs at the Major League level.
Another recognizable name in the IL on the coaching side is Greg Gross, Reno’s hitting coach. Gross, a former Philadelphia player and hitting coach, was the first hitting coach of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and spent more than two seasons with the ‘Pigs (2008-2010). During the 2010 season, he was promoted to Philadelphia and took over for the fired Milt Thompson. He stayed in Philly through the 2012 season.
Mike Parrott is the pitching coach of the Aces and has a tie to the Charlotte area. Parrott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round (15th overall) of the 1973 draft. As a player, Parrott made his way through the Baltimore system and played for the Charlotte O’s in 1976. He pitched in five games and posted a 0-2 mark with a 5.29 ERA. It was his only stint in Charlotte as he found himself in Triple-A Rochester the next year.
FORMER KNIGHT:
LHP Clayton Richard was sharp for the Charlotte Knights in 2008 — posting a 6-0 record with a 2.45 ERA in seven starts. He tossed one complete game that season. The following season, Richard was sent to the San Diego Padres by the White Sox as part of the package to acquire Jake Peavy. He spent parts of five seasons in San Diego with the Padres and went 40-39 with a 4.16 ERA in 108 games (107 starts). In parts of six Major League seasons, Richard owns a 46-47 record with a 4.33 ERA. He just recently signed a Minor League deal with Arizona (July 30) as he is working his way back from injuries. He’s made just one regular season start with Reno (August 28) and earned the win after allowing three runs on 11 hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
LOCAL PRODUCTS:
Catcher Blake Lalli is from Pittsburgh, PA, but he played his college ball at Gardner-Webb University. He was named to the All-Atlantic Sun Conference’s first team as a third baseman in 2005 and as a catcher in 2006 while with Gardner-Webb. This season with Reno, Lalli hit .275 (78-for-284) with three home runs and 29 RBIs.
Mike Freeman played his college ball at Clemson University. The Orlando, FL native hit .307 (67-for-218) this season for Reno with one home run and 25 RBIs in 71 games. He hit .333 (4-for-12) with a double and three RBIs in the first round of the playoffs (four games).
KEEP AN EYE ON:
Veteran slugger Mike Jacobs is on the Reno roster and he can still hit the long ball. Jacobs, who hit 100 home runs over parts of seven seasons in the majors from 2005-2012, hit .299 (150-for-501) this season with 79 runs scored, 37 doubles, 19 home runs and 97 RBIs over 135 games in the regular season. His power continued into the playoffs and he smacked two home runs over the first round (four games). In 13 seasons in the minors, Jacobs has 180 career home runs. There’s no doubt he would love playing at BB&T Ballpark on September 16 — a hitter’s ballpark!
Triple-A Championship Game Tonight!
The Triple-A National Championship game will be held tonight in 
Durham, NC at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park at 7:00 p.m. It’s a great event and it’s for all the marbles. The winner of this game is the Triple-A champion.
Tonight’s game pits the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League against the Reno Aces of the Pacific Coast League. Each year, the two Triple-A Leagues come together for this winner-take-all playoff game.
The Charlotte Knights were just three wins away from punching their ticket to this game. The Knights lost the Governors’ Cup three-games-to-zero to Pawtucket, who moved on to play for tonight’s championship.
Tonight’s game features a former 2012 Knight on each team.
The Reno Aces feature infielder Tyler Kuhn, while the Pawtucket Red Sox feature Zach Stewart.
Let’s take a look at each player:
Tyler Kuhn: 2011-2012 Charlotte Knights
Kuhn was drafted by the White Sox in the 15th round of the 2008 draft. He entered the 2012 season with a career Minor League batting average of .314 over four seasons.
In 2008, he hit .375 over 62 games for Great Falls. He led the Pioneer League in triples (9), ranked second in average (.375), on-base percentage (.424) and hits (96). He was a Pioneer League All-Star and was named to the Topps/Minor League Baseball Short-Season All-Rookie team.
A year later, Kuhn continued his climb through the organization. He hit .299 for Kannapolis over 58 games before being promoted to Winston-Salem on 6/18. He hit .281 for the Dash in 68 games.
In 2010, the Kentucky native spent the entire year with Double-A Birmingham and posted a .279 batting average with five home runs and 50 RBIs. He also legged out six triples and ripped 17 doubles in 109 games.
The 2011 season was also a very good one for the West Virginia University product. He spent the majority of the season with Birmingham and hit an amazing .341 with 11 triples over 107 games. He was a Southern League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star and finished second in the league in batting average.
He finished the season with the Knights and appeared in 23 games for Charlotte hitting .297.
As for 2012, Kuhn entered the year ranked by Baseball America as the Best Hitter for Average in the White Sox organization. He began the year with the Knights and hit .273 for the club in 103 games. He scored a career-high 65 runs and had four home runs and 36 RBIs. His 35 multi-hit games were the most by a Knight in 2012.
On August 9, Kuhn was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. He was assigned to Reno and hit .264 in 23 games with the Aces. He hit .333 with two home runs over his final 10 games and helped lead the club to the championship. In the PCL playoffs (nine games), Kuhn hit .316 with two home runs and nine RBIs. His 12 hits were second in the PCL playoffs and he tied for the lead in doubles with four.
Zach Stewart – 2011-2012 Charlotte Knights
Stewart and the PawSox will look to keep their momentum of a three-game sweep over the Knights alive tonight in the Triple-A Championship. Stewart is not scheduled to start the game.
Stewart began the 2012 season with the Chicago White Sox and went 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 18 games (one start). In his only start for the White Sox, on 6/18 vs. the Cubs, he allowed six runs on nine hits over 5.2 IP and was hit with the loss. He was then optioned to the Knights the next day. He wasn’t a Knight for long however.
Stewart was set to start for the Knights on Sunday, June 24, but never made the start. Instead, he was traded, along with former Knight Brent Lillibridge, to Boston for Kevin Youkilis.
He would make two regular season starts against the Knights this season. On 6/27, he beat the Knights in a 5-1 game at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket. On 8/23 at Knights Stadium, he allowed two runs over seven innings and was saddled with the loss.
Then, he would face the Knights in game two of the Governors’ Cup championship. He threw six shutout innings and led the PawSox to a 2-0 victory.
Stewart was originally obtained by Chicago on July 27, 2011 from Toronto with pitcher Jason Frasor in exchange for Edwin Jackson. On 9/5/11 at Minnesota, Stewart threw a one-hit shutout. The only hit he allowed was a double in the eighth inning to infielder Danny Valencia. Stewart lost his only start with Charlotte in 2011 (0-1, 4.26) after allowing three runs on 10 hits over 6.1 IP.
Tonight’s game will be televised on NBC Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. It’s a must-watch!
Knight Fever 