Ethan Martin makes a scintillating debut while Lindblom proves that AA just may not be able to contain him for long.
Isotopes:
Eric Milton trying to get the Doders to take notice in case Stults stuttered was doing a nice impersonation of a starting pitcher until Mitch Maier touched him up with a three run home run in the 5th inning. Up until that point he had seven strikeouts in four innings. Here is the game story.
Chattanooga Lookouts:
As Josh Lindblom took the mound against Birmingham he was going to face some of the best White Sox Prospects including Gordon Beckham at SS (#20 overall by Baseball America), Viciedo at 3B (#61), and Flowers at C (#99). Courtesy of Eric Stephen. 2008 Eigth overall pick Gordon Beckam came into the game six for 10 but Lindblom and staff shut him down. By the end of his five inning stint he had given up five hits, one run, with no walks, and six strikeouts. Flowers did touch him up with a long home run but it was an excellent outing for Lindblom who opened some eyes this spring while increasing our expectations for him.
Not to be upstaged by the 2008 number two pick, Andrew Lambo almost had a cycle with a triple, double, single, and stolen base to lead the offense against highly rated Aaron Poreda.
Inland Empire 66ers
Trying to resurrect his career as a relief pitcher Justin Orenduff garnered the win with two innings of perfect relief work . Orenduff the former 2004 number one pick had gotten as high as AAA when he was released this past spring and dropped off the 40 man roster. No one picked him up and just like Greg Miller they both resigned with the Dodgers, and now find themselves trying to get their careers back on track in the A league. They are both facing long odds but Orenduff might have the stuff to become a relief specialist.
Huge 1st basemane Steve Caseres slugged a home run to get the scoring started but the game was won in bottom of the eighth when E Perez scored on a ballk t break a scoreless tie.
Top 20 prospect Steve Johnson got the start and struck out eight in five innings while allowing three runs.
Great Lake Loons
2008 number one pick Ethan Martin's professional debut was the story last night and he didn't disappoint with five scoreless innings.Josh Jackson from MiLB gives us the breakdown on how he looked
Other items of note, Javy Guerra closed the game for the Loons. Javy was in the High A rotation all last year after coming back from TJ surgery. He's got a great fastball so maybe they are going to try him as a closer. Luis Garcia did Kuo like relief work giving up only one hit in three innings to support Ethan Martin.
The offense was negligible but it was enough to win the game. For some reason the Dodgers are giving at bats to Hatch at 3rd base instead of Gallagher. Hatch a career minor leaguer was drafted from the Blue Jays in the AAA Rule 5 draft last December. I doubt he was looking forward to playing on a A ball team.