basebllrcks

Great Falls wins a close one 4-3 over the Helena Brewers. Keenyn Walker started off the second game in a row with a double, this one down the left field line. Other than that, nothing else exciting. He played really shallow in center and paid for it once on a line drive to straight away center. Overall his fielding wasn't too impressive, lacked some fire out there. The couple base hits that did get through to him, he really didn't seem to concerned with getting the ball and getting it back in quickly. Michael Earley (DH) had a good game going 2 for 4 with and RBI, raising his team leading average to .373. Starter Blair Walters got the win going 6 innings with 5 hits, 2 Ks, and 2 earned runs. Joe Dvorsky pitched the last two innings garnering the save while giving up one hit and striking out 5. Dvorsky has pitched 9.1 innning over 6 apperances this year giving up only one run on 8 hits while striking out 15 with an ERA of .096.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 4, 2011 -> 08:29 AM) The Sox have had really good luck rescuing other people's first round picks. Hopefully that keeps up. Two good outings in a row for Bachanov at Kanni, 2.2 innings pitched combined with no hits allowed and 3 Ks, hopefully he keeps things rolling.

QUOTE (LayelBurton @ Jul 9, 2011 -> 07:18 PM) Keenyn Walker doubles and then scores in his first professional at bat. Add a Outfeild Assist in the 1st inning (CF-3B) Pretty good start for Walker. Added another hit and a couple RBI's to his first day total. Driving to Helena tomorrow to watch the Voyagers play so I'll get my first look at Walker. Here's a little interesting tidbit of info for you on Helena's Kindrick Legion field. The orange seats in the grandstands are from the Oakland Coliseum renovation back when. Kind of interesting how seats from the Oakland A's stadium end up in a little old grandstand in Helena, MT. Supposedly the seats still have the A's logo on them, I'll find out tomorrow.

Another tought loss for the Voyagers. Tough start for Sammy Pheppin giving up 5 runs in the first helped out by an error and a double clutching throw from third for a base hit. Also two jam bloopers for singles. Pheppin pitched alot better than his stats show, 8H, 7R, 4ER, & 4Ks in 5 innings. Blake Drake pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Joe DePinto (2B) went 4 for 5, missing the cycle by a home run. Joe added an RBI and a run scored to his stats. Mark Haddow (RF) also had a good day going 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and a run scored.

QUOTE (OilCan @ Jul 7, 2011 -> 05:22 PM) Huh...how did we also miss it in the Trib yesterday? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseb...0,2608616.story I was told Walker got to Great Falls yesterday.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 3, 2011 -> 09:12 PM) Oh I'm not giving up on him. I'm just trying to get a read on him. I guess we'll have to see how he does. In Great Falls he did good at keeping the ball down in the strike zone and getting ahead of the hitters. If he can continue to do that he should do good.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jul 1, 2011 -> 10:19 PM) so is Bachanov for real? Or just above his level? Give him one more outing for Kanni before you give up on him. He flew out of Missoula MT at 6 am Friday morning and then pitched that night. You don't fly anywhere quick out of Montana so he had at least 6 hours of flying and layover, and that's on a quick day. I was told after the flight he had an hour drive from the airport to the field. If that ain't getting thrown into the fire I don't know what is.

It was a barn burner in Great Falls today, unfortunatly that describes the temperature and not the game. The Voyagers mustered just four hits and no runs on a beautiful 92 degree day. They didn't even get a runner to second base. Offensively there wasn't anybody worth mentioning. Sam Phippen pitched good in 5 innings striking out 6. The fifth inning he gave up a broken bat single and a walk that was followed up by a passed ball that put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. An infield grounder to short next, that would have been a double play without the passed ball, and a drippler up third base line brought in the two runs Phippen gave up that inning. Take away that passed ball and I don't think Phippen gives up any runs that inning. Helena just got the breaks (broken bat pun intended) that inning. Rubber match tomorrow for the 4th.

Another late inning charge by the Voyagers to get a come from behind win. A big eighth inning topped off by a 2 run homerun by Mark Haddow (OF) got them the win. Haddow on the night was 1 for 3 with 3 RBIs, a walk, and 2 runs scored. Andrew Dougles (2B) had a big game going 2 for 4 with a triple and his first homerun of the year. Nothing too exciting on the pitching side. Jarrett Casey got ruffed up as the starter going 2 inning and giving up 5 earned runs. Jon Gulbransen and Joe Dvorsky pitched the last three innnings giving up no hits and striking out 5 between them.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jul 1, 2011 -> 07:17 AM) Is he as "full of himself" (and I'm putting that nicely) as what I heard about him? Not from what I've heard or seen. The guys I've talked to all like Panda and think he's a good guy. He's been over to my house a couple times and he's been pretty quiet and very respectful. Nothing like I would expect from a guy "full of himself".

QUOTE (oldsox @ Jul 1, 2011 -> 09:18 AM) Couldn't help but notice his stats, too. Drafted in 09, this his third year in Rookie Ball. I'll cut him a little slack for last year, he broke his arm pretty early in the season and sat out the rest of the year. His biggest problem is laying off pitches in the dirt. Breaking balls and sliders in the dirt just eat him up. If he can start letting those ones go and wait for a better pitch he'll improve quickly.

Leighton Pangilinan (1B) had a great game last night for the Voyagers in the 8-5 victory. Panda went 4 for 5 with a HR, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. He's on a 6 game hit streak and has been red hot his last three games going a combined 7 for 12. He could be something special if he gets his poop in a group. He's just turned 20 a couple months ago so he's got time to figure it all out. Nothing overly exciting on the pitching side. Gehle was solid on the start going 5 innings and giving up 2 runs on 4 hits with 6 strikeouts. Scott Snodgrass game in for two innings of relief giving up one hit, unfortunatly a HR at that. He struck out six but walked three.

QUOTE (LayelBurton @ Jun 30, 2011 -> 03:50 PM) But remember he is a '07 draft pick that is still in A-Ball. Granted, he has had several season ending injuries. Bachanov was a risk, let's see how far it takes him. Also remember Bachanov was drafted out of high school in '07and is still only 22.

Tough nights are quickly becoming the norm for the Voyagers this year. After getting off to a 5-3 lead they gave up 7 unanswered runs finishing up a 12-5 loss. A couple guys had multi hits games but I'll give the offensive player of the game to Joe DePinto who went 2 for 5 with a run scored, 2 RBIs, and his first home run of the year. Qualon Millender also went 2 for 5 in the lead off spot and had a stolen base. Millender is leading the team in average (.333), second on the team in stolen bases (3), and second on the team in walks (5) with a .404 OBS , not bad for a lead off. Pitchers were beat up pretty bad, Johnny Bachanov came in in the 5th and shut Missoula down for 1.2 innings. He came in with a runner on base popping up the first guy he faced and then striking out the next 4 batters he faced. If you are looking for somebody to watch out of Great Falls, Johnny right now is a guy to keep an eye on. In 4 relief appearances he's pitched 7 innings giving up 2 runs, both earned, on 6 hits while walking 2 and striking out 9. As said before, he's a former compensatory pick (53rd overall I think) and he is only in Great Falls on a 30 day rehab assignment then he's gotta get moved up or cut. The way he's pitching I gotta imagine the White Sox are going to find a spot to move him up. But you never know I guess.

First big offensive night for the Voyagers this season getting 10 runs on 10 hits. Lots of good offensive outings on the night, catcher Jimmy Jacquot (pronounce like taco with a "J")went 2 for 5 and is 4 for 9 the last two games after a slow start to the season and OF Michael Early added 2 hits to the cause. Offensive player for this game goes to 3B Jerry Puentes who went 2 for 3 with a walk and 2 RBIs. Jarrett Casey had a solid start going 5 innings giving up 3 hits and no runs with 3 Ks. That's his second solid start of the season after giving up one unearned run against Billings last week in 6 innings of work. Jamall Hollis had a strong 9th inning giving up one hit and striking out three to end the game.