Frontier League Game Recaps, Notes, News & Transactions — June 10, 2021
It would be very difficult for me to be happier than right now, so much exciting things happening and the Frontier League baseball games are just awesome. Just look at the standings, below, to understand that the season will be a constant battle.
Two very cool things will happen today for you when it comes to the coverage of the league:
- First, our very own Jason Savard has put together the FIP rankings for pitchers in the league. I’ll present a top 20 chart / presentation later today on al platforms.
- The Frontier League Journal’s James Loeffler will present to you an article about three possible new markets for the Frontier League in the future. We’ll also be looking for your input as to which cities do you think could welcome a new franchise for the longest running independent league.
NEWS
This item could also have been put into the “Transactions” section, but I really like the move and the impact it has on the Frontier League, putting it in the spotlight for the right reasons:
TRANSACTIONS
ÉQUIPE QUÉBEC
June 9: Signed RHP Yordy Cabrera, a transaction we covered a few days earlier before it was official. He’s the new starter for their rotation, a converted infielder that can reach the mid-90s on his fastball.
FLORENCE Y’ALLS
June 9: Released RHP Hideyoshi Hamazaki.
June 9: Activated OF Connor Crane from the injured list.
June 9: Placed UT Jose Brizuela on the 7-day injured list.
GATEWAY GRIZZLIES
June 9: Released LHP Augie Sylk.
NEW JERSEY JACKALS
June 9: Signed RHP Juan Aguilera, a 24-year-old relief pitcher who got his first outing yesterday against the Wild Things and he struggled a bit (1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K).
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MINERS
June 9: Released catcher Tyler Sandoval.
SUSSEX COUNTY MINERS
June 9: Placed LHP Joe Baran on the retired list.
June 9: Signed RHP Tyler Kovalewich, mostly a starting pitcher during his career, but used in relief yesterday against Équipe Québec (1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB). Control of the strike zone has always been an issue for him (4.6 BB/9 since 2016).
WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS
June 9: Signed RHP Layne Schnitz-Paxton, mostly a starter who has not played pro ball, yet. I could not find anything more on him, except that stats show he seems to have made an improvement, because his strikeout rate took a major jump in 70 IP in 2021 (11 K/9), but still maintained his less than stellar BB/9 (6.1 BB/9 since 2017).
June 9: Released INF Joseph Reyes.
STANDINGS
GAME RECAPS
Evansville news release:
Two big innings hurt Otters in loss to Y’alls
FLORENCE, Ky. — The Evansville Otters lost to the Florence Y’alls Wednesday night 13–6, as two big innings by the Y’alls proved to be the difference.
Andy DeJesus got the scoring started in the top of the first inning, doubling home Miles Gordon from second base after the Otters’ leadoff batter reached via the base-on-balls and stole a bag during DeJesus’ at-bat.
In the bottom of the first, Trevor Craport hit his fourth home run of the season with two outs and a runner at third to give the Y’alls a 2–1 lead off of Otters starter Tyler Vail.
The Otters tied things up in the top of the third when Miles Gordon scored from third on a wild pitch.
Then Evansville managed to take the lead when Riley Krane collected his team-leading thirteenth RBI with a groundout to second.
The Otters added another run in the fourth inning off the bat of Trent Nash, doubling home Christopher Pujols, who had reached base after an eleven-pitch walk, with two outs.
The Y’alls cut the Otters’ lead down to one in the bottom half of that inning, when Chad Sedio hit a leadoff home run.
Dakota Phillips drove in DeJesus from third with one out to give the Otters a 5–3 lead in the top of the fifth.
The Y’alls rallied to score six runs in the fifth, however, giving them a 9–5 lead over the Otters. Luis Pintor doubled home Joe Lytle to tie the game, before the go-ahead run scored on an error.
Denver McQuary relieved Vail after Craport delivered a two-run single. One more run would score off of McQuary in the inning, charged to Vail.
Five hits in the inning, along with two Otters errors and two wild pitches propelled the Y’alls to their big inning.
The Otters cut the Y’alls’ lead down to three when Gordon scored from third on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth, the second time he had done so in the game.
After a scoreless sixth, McQuary ran into more trouble after a leadoff walk to Craport and a subsequent double off the bat of Harrison DiNicola put two men in scoring position. Another run would come in to score when Riley Krane threw wide of catcher Dakota Phillips after leaping to reign in a high chopper hit by Jordan Brower. McQuary was lifted after walking Will Baker to load the bases.
Reid Bukowski came on in relief, and three runs would score with him on the mound. Bukowski struck out Chad Sedio after giving up a two-out, two-run single to Luis Pintor to end the Y’alls’ four-run seventh. The score was then 13–6, and would hold through the last two innings.
Tyler Vail took the loss, while the win went to Jared Cheek, who relieved Y’alls starter Frank Valentino.
Offensively, Miles Gordon and Andy DeJesus both collected multi-hit performances. For DeJesus, it was his third in a row and his second consecutive three-hit game.
With the loss, the Otters fall to 9–4 on the season, and sit a game behind the Florence Y’alls in the West Division standings.
They will look to win Thursday’s rubber match and climb back into a first place tie with Florence. First pitch will be at 5:34 p.m. CT.
New York news release:
RAPP’S STRONG START HELPS BOULDERS GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS
The New York Boulders got seven strong innings from starter Brian Rapp, as well as home runs from Ryan Ramiz and Ray Hernandez, in a 7–1 Frontier League win over the Tri-City Valley Cats on Wednesday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy.
The victory snapped a three-game Boulders’ losing streak.
The home runs were the first of the season for both Ramiz and Hernandez.
Meanwhile, Rapp surrendered just four hits and one run — that coming on a second inning home run by Colton Whitehouse, as he picked up his first win of the season against no losses. He struck out seven and walked only one.
The Boulders scored three times in the top of the first, taking advantage of the wildness of Valley Cats’ starter Carlos Sano, who opened the game by walking Milton Smith, Jr., Zach Penprase and Tucker Nathans. After a Kevonte Mitchell sacrifice fly plated Smith, Jr., Ramiz lined a double to right that scored Penprase.
Jack Sundberg then lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Nathans.
Ramiz finished the night with three RBIs, while Sundberg knocked in a pair of runs.
In the third, Mitchell walked with one out before Ramiz blasted a long home run to right that made it 5–1. One batter later, Hernandez connected for a solo home run to left that made it a 6–1 game.
A Sundberg double in the fifth scored Mitchell, who had doubled earlier in the inning, with the Boulders’ final run.
Matt Valin and John Cain pitched one scoreless inning apiece to close out the win for New York, while Sano was tagged with the loss.
The Boulders will wrap up the rainout shortened two-game series with the Valley Cats in Troy on Thursday, first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
Schaumburg news release:
JOLIET WALKS PAST BOOMERS
SCHAUMBURG, IL — The Joliet Slammers drew 10 walks and held off the Schaumburg Boomers, grabbing a 6–4 win in the middle game of the series on Wednesday night at Wintrust Field.
Joliet jumped ahead early, scoring a run in the first but leaving the bases loaded. Schaumburg was able to tie the game in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Chase Dawson. Joliet added another run in the second and two in the third to open a 4–1 edge. Dawson singled home another run in the bottom of the third to bring the Boomers within 4–2. Both teams scored twice in the eighth to account for the final. Matt Bottcher notched a two-run single for the second straight night for the Boomers but the Joliet bullpen closed the door for the victory.
Andrew Dean suffered the loss for the Boomers, working two innings. Schaumburg used four relievers in the game including a 3.2 inning effort from Isaiah Rivera. Dawson finished with three hits as the Boomers totaled eight. Angelo Gumbs added a pair of hits.
The homestand will come to a close on Thursday afternoon with a special 12:05 p.m. contest. The Boomers (6–7) will send RHP Orlando Rodriguez (1–1, 4.97) to the mound against RHP Cam Aufderheide (0–1, 2.70) in the rubber game of the series.
Gateway news release:
Six-Run 1st Inning Buoys 8–2 Grizzlies Win
SAUGET, Ill. — One day after a big inning doomed the Grizzlies, Gateway brought home six runs in the first inning en route to an 8–2 win over the Lake Erie Crushers on Wednesday.
The Grizzlies started with two quick runners in scoring position after Abdiel Diaz led off with a single and Jay Prather followed with a ground rule double to left. Two batters later, Chase Vallot hit a double of his own off the wall in center to plate both runners and give Gateway a 2–0 lead. Jose Rosario then launched his first Grizzlies home run to double the lead and RBI doubles by Justin Jones and Dustin Woodcock made it 6–0. In total, Gateway racked up seven hits and sent up 11 batters.
The other two runs came in the 2nd and 7th innings, first on an Eric Jones RBI single and the second on an Abdiel Diaz RBI groundout.
RHP Jorge Tavarez (2–0) tossed a six inning gem, striking out a season-high 10 batters without any walks and only surrendering one earned run. He is still the only Grizzlies starter to earn a win. Former big leaguer LHP Ryan Feierabend (0–2) coughed up seven runs on nine hits in just 1.1 innings on the way to his second loss.
The Grizzlies and Crushers square off in the rubber match of the three at GCS Credit Union Ballpark Thursday night. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m.
Washington news release:
Wild Things Take Middle Game With All Around Performance
WASHINGTON, Pa (June 9) — The Washington Wild Things won 5–1 against the New Jersey Jackals in game two of the three-game series thanks to a strong offensive night and another great night on the mound for the pitching staff.
The first run of the game was scored by Derek Reddy on a double play against Jackals pitcher John Hayes.
In the second inning, Brian Sharp hit a double to centerfield to advance Wild Things players Bralin Jackson and John Sansone to score the next two runs of the game, which brought the score to 3–0.
Kevin McNorton pitched a strong first inning with three outs and only four pitches thrown. The score remained 3–0 until the seventh inning when McNorton gave up a home run to Alfredo Marte. McNorton picked up his first win of the year after seven innings of one-run ball.
The other two Wild Things pitchers, James Meeker and Sean Kealey, closed the game with no runs scored against them.
With the final score being 5–1, the Wild Things snagged a win to even the series.
Windy City news release:
ThunderBolts come from behind to beat Miners
CRESTWOOD, IL — The ThunderBolts scored four unanswered runs to close out their game with the Southern Illinois miners Wednesday night, finishing a 5–3 win in game two of the series.
The Bolts (6–5) scored first when Zac Taylor and Rob Calabrese both doubled in the first inning, Calabrese extending his hitting streak to 11 games in the process.
Southern Illinois (4–8) answered with a two-out rally in the fourth. Nick Neville tied the score with an RBI single and Anthony Brocato followed with a two-run triple that gave the Miners a 3–1 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, Zach Racusin singled and scored when Jose Layer reached on an error, tightening the deficit to one. They tied the score the next inning. Dan Robinson hit a leadoff double and later, Jairus Richards picked up an RBI single.
The Bolts took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Layer hit an RBI double and scored on a catcher’s throwing error to make the score 5–3.
The Miners threatened one more time. In the seventh, John Cable was at third base with one out. Yeltsin Gudino flew to left and Taylor threw Cable out at the plate to preserve the two-run lead.
Kenny Mathews (1–2) earned his first win of the year, going six innings and allowing three runs. Jose Fuentes (0–2) took the loss in relief after allowing two runs in an inning and a third.
The rubber match of the three-game set is Thursday night at 7:05. Kenny Mathews (0–2, 8.21) makes his third start of the season for the ThunderBolts and the Miners counter with Gunnar Kines (0–0, 2.25).
