Link Report for Wednesday 6/3 - Jammed with extra's, news and media (13 clips)

[Mass Haas]

Final: Fresno 4, Colorado Springs 1

 

Bullpen Squanders Thornburg's Thrilling Start In 4-1 Loss

Tyler Thornburg's Six Innings of One-run Ball Not Enough in Loss to Grizzlies

By Ed Pearsall / Colorado Springs Sky Sox

 

http://www.milb.com/assets/images/4/9/8/128506498/cuts/04_27_006_pk_br61vrye_gf2a247s.jpg

 

Tyler Thornburg allowed just one run while striking out seven over six innings in Wednesday's start. (Photo by Paat Kelly)

 

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The Sky Sox looked to be in good shape, following the lead of an impressive Tyler Thornburg start through six innings before the bullpen let the game get away late in a 4-1 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies before a crowd of 2,477 at Security Service Field on Wednesday night.

 

Thornburg would turn in an excellent outing for the Sox, allowing just one run on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven over six innings of work. The right-hander would keep his cool throughout the start as he worked out of all but one jam.

 

With both starters matching zeros through two, Colorado would draw first blood with a run in the home third against Fresno right-hander Brady Rodgers (3-3, 5.15). Chris Nelson led off the frame with a single to right-centerfield before Scooter Gennett brought him home with a one-out single, giving the Sox their first and only lead of the ballgame.

 

Fresno would tally their only run off of Thornburg in the very next frame thanks to a two-out rally. After picking Carlos Correa of at first and getting Alex Presley to fly out to left, Thornburg gave up a booming two-out triple to Matt Duffy to extend the inning and leave him in the undesirable position of facing the PCL's RBI leader in Jon Singleton. Singleton lived up to his reputation, lacing a single to right-center for his 50th RBI of the season to tie the game at one. Fresno followed with a base hit and walk to load the bases before Thornburg got Max Stassi to fly to center, ending the scoring threat.

 

With Thornburg putting together his best performance of his young Sky Sox career, one would hope that his opposition was not quite as sharp. Unfortunately that would not be the case on this night as Rodgers tossed an impressive seven innings of one-run ball, allowing just five hits without walking a single batter. The Grizzlies righty only struck out two batters but was incredibly accurate with 74 of his 96 pitches going for strikes.

 

Jed Bradley (2-4, 9.51) came on to start the seventh with Thornburg finishing the day with 101 pitches in the six inning effort. The left-hander would struggle in his lone inning of work, allowing three hits as Fresno took a 3-1 lead by the end of the frame. Bradley struck out his first batter in Nolan Fontana before Robbie Grossman's single and advancement to second on a Gennett throwing error gave Fresno a runner in scoring position with one out. Correa would follow with an RBI double to the left-centerfield gap, giving the Grizzlies a lead they would not relinquish with his first RBI of the series. Fresno would add another base hit before Matt Duffy's fielder's choice RBI brought MLB.com's #1 prospect around to score the inning's second run.

 

Jim Henderson and Nick Additon rounded out the Sox pitchers for the night as the two combined to finish off the game's final two frames. Henderson struggled in his 0.2 of an inning, allowing a run on two hits and three walks before Rick Sweet pulled him in favor of the lefty. Additon would work out of the bases loaded situation and pitch a scoreless ninth to keep the Sox in it late.

 

Despite the strong performances by both starters, the Sox and Grizzlies would combine to use eight total pitchers with Fresno using three in the final two frames to secure the 4-1 win. Kevin Chapman earned his fifth save of the season, striking out two in ninth to put the Sox away.

 

Colorado Springs collected seven hits in the loss with Gennett, Matt Long and Nelson each recording multi-hit games. Grossman, Duffy and L.J. Hoes represented Fresno's multi-hit conglomerate as Hoes took home a game-high three base-hits. The outfielder would also steal three bases in the ballgame, the first such performance by a Grizzlies player against the Sox since Emmanuel Burriss accomplished the feat on 6/21/2009 in Fresno. Colorado Springs falls to 20-32 with the loss as Fresno improves to 31-22.

 

The Sky Sox will look to get back in this series with a win on Thursday night as they face off with Fresno in game three of this four-game set. Josh Roenicke (2-2, 5.04) will duel with Grizzlies left-hander Tommy Shirley (3-1, 3.07) with first pitch set for 7:05 PM MDT (8:05 Central) at Security Service Field.

 

Colorado Springs Box Score

 

Certainly there is now no doubt RHP Tyler Thornburg will be called upon to make Tuesday's big league start. Earlier I coined the soon-to-be-worldwide-trending "50 Shades of Tyler" (Wagner, Cravy, Thornburg).

 

Well, Jed Bradley had one strong outing prior to this one, anyway...

 

Catcher Juan Centeno back with the Sky Sox -- yawn...

 

Not only was Pete Orr in LF, as noted earlier in this Link Report, he was batting 5th. This roster is just as disjointed and in flux as the big league one right now, and the results are somewhat predictable.

 

Colorado Springs Game Log

 

Weather: 72 degrees, partly cloudy.

Wind: 17 mph, In from LF.

Att: 2,477.

 

This is AAA, right? Really getting the locals excited...sort on the average column.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEOS: Look at the right-hand sidebar for more on the Sky Sox game and the Wounded Warriors (both suggested, because the Warriors awesome and an awkward Scooter Gennett swing)

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Biloxi highlights via WLOX

 

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VIDEO, Tuesday's Game: Colorado Springs' Donnie Murphy hits a triple in the Sky Sox's 5-1 loss to the Fresno Grizzlies (no audio on the clip)

 

What's up with the constantly foggy look in all the highlights from the Springs? Are those clouds with the elevation?

 

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AUDIO. Game Highlights: LHP Clint Terry strikes out 10 as the Manatees win, 5-2

 

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AUDIO: RHP Mark Williams joins the Manatees Radio Network after his best outing of the year on Tuesday night in Daytona

[Mass Haas]

That was an insightful interview with Mark Williams linked above, as he reviews his thoughts on re-focusing his career, indirectly referring to his 50-game PED suspension last August.

[JohnBriggs12]

Absolutely brilliant start by Clint Terry. Career high 10 strikeouts through 7 innings.

 

Terry has better numbers at this point than Wang. Hmmm.

[LouisEly]

Terry has done nothing but pitch great since joining the organization. The Brewers went to Lee university to scout Andy Hillis, and stumbled upon Clint Terry. Hillis washed out due to arm trouble, but Terry has been solid all three seasons. Not spectacular, but solid.

 

Reminds me a bit of how the Mets stumbled upon deGrom. deGrom was a SS in college (and he was invited to a summer league, but declined when he found out they wanted him to pitch - go figure), but the coach either talked him into trying pitching or said you're on scholarship, you do what I tell you to, and he moved into the bullpen. About 2/3rds into the season they moved him into the rotation. The Mets were scouting Chris Sale who was pitching against deGrom, and that's how deGrom got noticed. But if you weren't scouting Sale that day you might not have been aware of deGrom, as deGrom only started 12 games his entire college career.