Results tagged ‘ Daniel Rodriguez ’
Boston STRONG, G-Braves baseball
Tuesday is “Boston Strong Night” at Coolray Field, as every ticket sold via the online link gwinnettbraves.com/boston using the promo code STRONG, $5 will be donated to OneFundBoston.org, benefitting the victims of the Boston Marathon tragedy. Atlanta Falcons and former Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, former Boston Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek, former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison and former Boston Celtics guard Dee Brown will all be guests of the G-Braves as they throw out ceremonial first pitches.
In honor of Boston STRONG night at Coolray Field we will center today’s blog on fun facts about the Boston Braves. The team became known as the Boston Braves in 1912 after going through various names in a five year span. The name would stick until the Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953.
From Last to First- In 1914, the Braves had one of the most memorable seasons to date. After starting the season 4-18 and entering July 4th with the worst record in the league (26-40), the Braves reeled off 43 wins in 56 tries to finish first in the league. They are the only team to win a pennant after being in last place on the Fourth of July. They won the World Series despite being heavy underdogs against the Philadelphia A’s, sweeping them and being the first team in modern history to sweep a World Series.
Fenway Park- The monumental park has been the Boston Red Sox’s home park since it broke ground in 1912… However, to accommodate for the excess crowds during their historic run in 1914, the Boston Braves used the park to field their last games and the World Series.
The Babe Returns to Boston- After being dealt away by the Boston Red Sox, Babe Ruth was purchased by Emil Fuchs in 1935, becoming player, Assistant Manager and Vice President of the Boston Braves. With his skills diminishing, Ruth wanted a way to transition to a career in baseball once his playing career was over. Fuchs wanted to sell more tickets, so the move was great on paper for both, and Ruth was acquired from the New York Yankees. The move did not pan out, as Ruth retired on June 1–only six days after he hit the last three home runs of his career. It remains one of the most memorable afternoons in baseball history. The Braves finished the season 38-115 in 1935.
Dynamic Duo- Dealing with poor seasons for decades, the Braves were revived in the late 40’s behind the brilliant duo of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain. In 1948, the hurlers won a combined 39 games and lead the Braves to a World Series appearance. They lost in six games to the Indians.
Milwaukee- The World Series appearance would be the last hurrah in Boston, as their fate change again. Amid four more mediocre seasons, on March 13, 1953, owner Lou Perini, announced he was moving the team to Milwaukee, where the Braves had their top farm club, the Brewers.
Notable Boston Braves
Earl Averill
Dave Bancroft
Dan Brouthers
John Clarkson*
Jimmy Collins
Hugh Duffy*
Johnny Evers
Burleigh Grimes
Billy Hamilton
Billy Herman
Rogers Hornsby
Joe Kelley
King Kelly
Ernie Lombardi
Rabbit Maranville
Rube Marquard
Tommy McCarthy
Bill McKechnie
Joe Medwick
Kid Nichols*
Jim O’Rourke
Charley Radbourn
Babe Ruth
Frank Selee**
Al Simmons
George Sisler
Casey Stengel
Ed Walsh
Lloyd Waner
Paul Waner
Deacon White
Vic Willis**
George Wright
Harry Wright
Cy Young
The G-Braves take the field tonight, as Daniel Rodriguez (1-2, 7.48) will take the ball against Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 0.00) at 6:05 PM. Braves will try and stop their nine game skid.
-JD-
Series Preview: Gwinnett Braves (12-19) vs. Pawtucket Red Sox (17-13)
Mon: Omar Poveda (2-1, 1.93) vs. Rubby De La Rosa (0-0, 7.11 ERA)
Tue: Daniel Rodriguez (1-2, 7.48 ERA) vs. Alfredo Aceves (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Wed: Sean Gilmartin (2-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Allen Webster (1-0, 2.70 ERA)
Thu: Yohan Flande (1-2, 4.97 ERA) vs. Terry Doyle (2-2, 3.03 ERA)
Gwinnett- The G-Braves are currently on an eight-game losing streak. Their slide has dropped them to third in the division and a whopping 8.5 games back in the South standings. After getting back to 12-11, the Braves have been swept by the Indianapolis Indians (21-10) and Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (17-11)in the last week.
Hitting- Joey Terdoslavich continues to hit. The outfielder is ninth in the IL in batting average (.333), T-1st in hits (41), 1st in doubles (13), 1st in extra-base hits (19) and 1st in total bases (71). He has amassed multi-hit games in 12 of his last 20… Jose Constanza has been missing in action. Since extending his hit streak to 11 games on 4/28, the outfielder has not appeared in a contest…
Pitching- Poveda will take the ball in game one. In five starts, the right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA. He is 5th in the IL in ERA, 3rd in WHIP (0.80) and 1st in batting average against (.136)… Rodriguez suffered a setback last time out, as he was roughed up for seven runs (6 ER) in 3 IP. Prior to the start, he tossed 14.1 scoreless frames. He gets the nod in Game 2… Gilmartin suffered his first loss of the season last time out, but he carried a no-hitter through the first six innings. He will pitch on Wednesday… Flande will toss the finale. The left-hander has moved from bullpen-to-starter well, posting a 1-2 record with a 4.19 ERA in four starts.
G-Bites- Infielder Tyler Pastornicky is set to return to the G-Braves lineup tonight, as he was optioned by the Braves last night.
Pawtucket
Hitting- The Pawtuket attack is led by Jackie Bradley Jr. After struggling in the MLB, Bradley Jr. has found his stroke in Triple-A. In 11 games, he is hitting .302 (13-for-43) with two doubles and four RBI… Bryce Brentz is the muscle in the middle of the lineup, leading the squad in homers (5) and RBI (20)… Jeremy Hazelbaker also has five dingers this season…
Pitching-De la Rosa takes the ball in the opener, the former LAD farmhand has struggled in 2013. He is 0-0 with a 7.11 ERA. He has limited hitters to a .229 batting average, but has walked eight in 12.2 IP… Seasoned Vet, Aceves gets the ball in Game 2. After being sent down by the big club, Aceves was sharp with Pawtucket, tossing six scoreless in a win last week… Baseball America’s No.4 ranked Boston prospect, Allen Webster will start on Wednesday. He has an impressive strikeout rate, as he has set down 26 hitters in 20 IP… Doyle gets the call on Thursday. The right-hander currently leads the team in innings (32.2), walks (18) and strikeouts (28)…
-JD-
G-Braves Winning Baseball at Coolray
The G-Braves won at home, again. The win pushed their record at Coolray Field to 5-0 in 2013. Despite their undefeated mark at home, the Braves check into tonight’s game with a 6-6 mark.
So what has been the difference?
Answer, pitching.
The Braves pitching staff has posted a 2.72 ERA at Coolray. The bullpen has been even sharper, tossing 16 innings, allowing seven runs, five earned and striking out the 22. It has resulted into a 2.03 bullpen ERA.
The trouble, however, has come on the road as the G-Braves have allowed a whopping 49 runs (41 earned) in 58.1 innings. Starters have been tagged for 29 runs in 28.1 innings, while averaging a little over four innings per start.
Last night, starter Daniel Rodriguez did not buck the trend, but he proved effective, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing three runs and striking out six. It was his best appearance of the season, as the Braves won in dramatic fashion in the eleventh. Rodriguez, who witnessed the birth of his first daughter over the weekend, seemed at ease in the start. His only hiccup came in the third, allowing three runs to score in the frame. The southpaw made adjustments throughout the night, utilizing his curveball to put down opposing hitters while attacking the zone with his fastball. He walked a season-high, but only one run proved to be costly as it came around to score on an RBI single by Russ Canzler.
The bullpen went back to its dominant ways, tossing 6.1 innings of one run baseball. Andrew Russell, who dropped two contests on the road, was sharp for the Braves. He pitched two scoreless to pick up the victory. He is another pitcher that has enjoyed the Lawrenceville surroundings, as he is yet to issue a run at Coolray Field. It’s ironic that the well-traveled Aussie has pitched better at home than around the rest of the International League.
The Braves Jekyll-and-Hyde ways will be tested again tonight. Luckily for the Braves, they will be at Coolray Field for the contest tonight.
The G-Braves head into tonight’s game tied for second in the South Division and two games back of the Durham Bulls (8-4). Former G-Brave Jair Jurrjens will match up against the Braves lineup. The former MLB All-Star has been sharp in his first two starts. In 11.1 innings, he is 0-1 with a 1.59 ERA. His command has been spotty, walking six, but he has limited hitters to a .128 batting average.
G-Braves Sean Gilmartin makes his third start of the year. He is going on five days rest, as his scheduled start last night was pushed back to make room for Rodriguez. The lefty will go for his second win of the season. Game time is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
Starting Lineups are listed below:
Norfolk Tides (6-6)
Pridie 8
Hoes 7
Canzler DH
Valencia 5
Ishikawa 3
Robinson 9
Navarro 4
Exposito 2
Schoop 6
Jurrjens 1
Gwinnett Braves (6-6)
Constanza 7
Pastornicky 6
Terdoslavich 9
Mejia 3
Parraz DH
Cunningham 8
Janish 6
Yepez 2
Carrithers 5
Gilmartin 1
-JD-
Series Preview: Gwinnett Braves (5-6) vs. Norfolk Tides (6-5)
G-Braves Report-The Braves return home after dropping six of seven on the road… After their best start in franchise history, the Braves could not keep it going on the road, as the pitching staff allowed 49 runs in seven games… The drought has moved the Braves to third place in the South Division.
Hitters-Ernesto Mejia has been on fire of late, hitting four home runs in seven games. He currently leads the International League in home runs (6), RBI (12) and total bases (32). He is hitting well above the .300 mark, checking in with a .316 (12-for-38) batting average after 11 games… Tyler Pastornicky leads all G- Braves in batting, hitting .400 (18-for-45). His 18 knocks lead and is tied for first in doubles (5) through 11 games… Sean Kazmar checks in with a .310 batting average, one home run and 11 RBI. His RBI mark is second in the league behind Mejia.
Pitchers-The staff struggled on the road, giving up 49 runs on the trip… Omar Poveda was the only starting pitcher to get through five innings during the road trip. He tossed six scoreless on 4/8 and five innings of four-run ball on 8/13. He was not a part of either decision. He leads the squad in innings (11) and WHIP (0.82)… Reliever Andrew Russell had a rough week, blowing one save and losing twice. On the season, the Aussie is 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA… Today starter, Daniel Rodriguez has not had a good start to 2012. In two appearances, he is 0-1 with a 48.60 ERA.
G-Bites- The Braves are currently sixth in the League in hitting with a .271 (60-for-361) batting average. They are second in the league in homers (12)… However, they are 11th in ERA (4.98) and have allowed the second most runs in the league (60). Free passes have hurt the staff, as they have issued 49 in 11 games…
Norfolk Update-The Tides have been playing good ball of late. After dropping their first three contests, the Tides have won six of their last eight. They are currently on a three-game winning streak… The Tides swept the mini two-game set against the G-Braves this weekend…
Hitting-Russ Canzler is leading the Tides attack, the infielder is hitting .333 (14-for-42) with three homers and 10 RBI. He leads the Tides in every offensive category and is second in the IL with seven extra base hits, behind the G-Braves Mejia… Danny Valencia is off to a solid start, hitting .316 (12-for-38) with three doubles and six RBI…
Pitchers- The G-Braves were stifled last night by Norfolk’s top arm, Josh Stinson, as he hurled 6.2 innings of one-run ball, collecting his first win of the season. On the year, he is 1-0 with a 0.77 ERA. He has fanned 10 batters over 11.2 innings. He is fifth in the IL in ERA… Former G-Brave Jairo Asencio has been sharp in 2013, converting three of three save opportunities. He has tossed four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out five. He leads the IL in saves…
Rolling With the TidesThe Tides have been playing well of late, winning three in a row. However, they will hit the road for an 11-game road trip starting tonight. So far in the early season, the Tides are 1-1 on the road, as they have played the bulk of their games at home.
Norfolk Lineup
Pridie 8
Hoes 9
Canzler 5
Valencia 3
Ford DH
Robinson 7
Navarro 4
Schoop 6
Exposito 2
Clark 1
Gwinnett Lineup
Constanza 7
Pastornicky 4
Terdoslavich 9
Mejia 3
Parraz DH
Cunningham 8
Janish 6
Pagnozzi 2
Carrithers 5
Rodriguez 1
Game Preview: G-Braves (1-0) vs. Knights (0-1)
The Gwinnett Braves took the opener last night, 5-4. Sean Gilmartin (1-0) was impressive, hurling five innings, scattering six hits and allowing one run. He picked up his first victory of the season and his second as a G-Brave.
Shortstop Tyler Pastornicky got off to a blazing start, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and a stolen base. The Sarosota, FL native looked sharp on the field as well, converting on all five of his chances.
Andrew Russell locked it down for the G-Braves, getting out of a jam in the eighth inning and going on to toss two scoreless frames. The Aussie struck out four of the six hitters he faced. He is now 3-for-5 in save opportunities with the G-Braves.
Tonight, the G-Braves and the Knights will make up Thursday night’s rainout with a doubleheader starting at 5:05 p.m. RHP David Hale (0-0) will square off against RHP Andre Rienzo (0-0) in Game 1, while LHP Daniel Rodriguez (0-0) takes the ball against RHP Tony Pena Jr. (0-0) in Game 2.
Hale was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of the 2009 First Year Player Draft out of Princeton University. The former Tiger has bounced around from starter to reliever, however last season he flourished as full time starter in Double-A Mississippi. In 27 starts, Hale went 8-4 with a 3.77 ERA. He topped the Southern League in starts, while finishing fourth in strikeouts (124).
His opponent, Andre Rienzo has been a coveted Chicago (AL) prospect for a few years. Last season, the hard-throwing righty had to battle a 50-game suspension, forcing him to miss a 1/3 of the season. Upon his return, he dominated across three different levels, going 7-3 with a 2.53 ERA. He limited hitters to a combined .206 batting average. Baseball America ranks him the No. 7 prospect in the Sox organization.
In the night cap, Rodriguez will make his third affiliated appearance of his career. The left-hander spent seven years with the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League. After signing with the Braves on 8/14/12, Rodriguez made two appearances for the G-Braves, going 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA in six innings. He went 11-5 with a 2.54 ERA with Saltillo last year.
He will go up against Tony Pena Jr. The son of former big league catcher Tony Pena, has bounced around from organizations (ATL, KC, SF, BOS), landing with the White Sox organization in the offseason. Last season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox’s, he went 1-9 with a 4.75 ERA. The right-hander began his career as a middle infielder for the Atlanta Braves organization in 2000.
Tonight should be a treat, as the G-Braves look to start the season 2-0 for the first time in Franchise history. Joe Leonard will receive his MiLB Gold Glove award in between games.
Last season, the G-Braves went 5-3 in doubleheaders, sweeping two, splitting one and getting swept once.
Game One Lineups are below:
Charlotte Knights Starting Lineup
Mitchell 8
Sanchez 4
Morel 5
Danks 9
Greene 6
Loman DH
Anderson C
Tolleson LF
Gallagher 3
Rienzo P
Gwinnett Braves Starting Lineup
Constanza 7
Pastornicky 6
Terdoslavich DH
Mejia 3
DeWitt 4
Cunningham 8
Leonard 5
Parraz 9
Yepez 2
Hale 1
2013 Spring Training – Weekly Update
Ernesto Mejia is 1-for-6 in four games in Grapefruit League.
Spring Training is underway and the Atlanta Braves have got off to a slow start, losing three of their first four games. With new faces around camp and early departures for the World Baseball Classic, the Braves are not worried about win-loss records, but concerned with building a continuity to prepare for an exciting summer of baseball.
With several regulars leaving for the WBC, it has allowed for former 2012 G-Braves to make an impact in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Twelve of 15 Braves that wore the G-Braves uniform in 2012 have seen the field this spring.
Joe Terdoslavich made a big splash, hitting a solo-homer on Feb.22 against the Detroit Tigers. His home run was the lone run for the Braves, as they were stymied by seven different pitchers in a 2-1 loss.
Tyler Pastornicky has flourished since Andrelton Simmons left to Taiwan to prepare for the WBC. In his last two games, Pastornicky has picked up two hits and an RBI.
The other three positions players, Ernesto Mejia, Jordan Parraz and Jose Yepez have one hit each through the first four games. Jose Constanza, who is having visa issues in the Dominican Republic, is yet to report to camp.
On the hill, the race for five went from luke-warm to steamy. Sean Gilmartin and Julio Teheran matched each other on Sunday afternoon with two scoreless frames. Both hurlers picked up two strikeouts and allowed one base runner each. Gilmartin gave up a single, while Teheran walked one.
If the race for five was not enough, the bullpen battles are starting to get hot. Cory Gearrin has tossed two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and recording two strikeouts, while Dusty Hughes hurled a perfect frame with one strikeout.
Lefties Ryan Buchter, Yohan Flande and Daniel Rodriguez have struggled through the first few days of camp. Buchter has allowed two runs on three hits in one inning. Flande has given up six runs on seven hits in two innings of baseball. Rodriguez’ control issues continue to give him trouble, walking three and giving up three runs in his lone appearance.
The players return to action today at 1:05 p.m. at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista, FL against the Washington Nationals.
-JD
