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Knights Daily Update
Knights can clinch division, playoff berth tonight
August 5, 2014Happy Tuesday, everyone.
We tuned up for this week's big series with Bend with an 8-1 win over the NCBL All-Stars at Goss Stadium last night. A good crowd of 1,709 on Wilson Motors Night was on hand as Alec Smith had his second four-RBI night in less than a week to lead us to victory.
The Bend series should determine the South Division champion. We lead the Elks by four games with five to play and we could clinch our eighth straight division title with a win tonight. We'd have a five-game lead with five to play, and we'd hold the tiebreaker because if we win any of the three games we'll take the season series.
Angel Landazuri of UC Riverside, one of our most effective pitchers of late, gets the start. Justin Calomeni of Cal Poly goes on Wednesday and Chris Haddeland of Linfield goes on Thursday.
We can also clinch a wildcard playoff berth this week, even without winning. We lead Wenatchee by six games with six left; any Wenatchee loss in its next six games and we are in the postseason.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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Our final regular-season homestand has some great promotions.
* Tonight is BI-MART night. Show your membership card to purchase a $2 GA ticket. Coors Light and sodas are only $2 also. We play Bend at 6:40 p.m.
* Wednesday is Fan Appreciation Night/Cap Night II, presented by the Mario Pastega House. The first 1,000 fans through the gate get Knights' caps, compliments of the Mario Pastega House. Seniors can purchase GA tickets for $2. We face Bend at 6:40 p.m.
* Thursday is PEAK Internet Fireworks Night, presented by Pioneer Telephone, and a Block 15 Thursday, presented by KLOO-FM. We play Bend again, starting at 7:15 p.m.
See you at the ballpark!
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Outfielder Phil Leopold of Bellarmine was nominated for WCL Player of the Week honors for July 28-Aug. 3, but was not selected. He had two homers, nine RBIs, and hit .467 (7-15). Here is more on that story, from the WCL website.
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Do not forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates. So if you didn't get one on Cap Night earlier this month, here's your chance.
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Monday's crowd of 1,709 raised the season total to 37,062 in 29 openings. That's 519 less than 2013 in a comparable number of home dates; the Knights drew a franchise-record 43,557 fans last summer.
For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
BTW, the Northwoods League expects to draw more than one million fans this summer. It has 50 percent more teams (18) than the WCL and many are located in much larger markets, but that's still an impressive accomplishment. Here is more on that story, from the Ballpark Digest website.
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Dunedin (A Florida State, Blue Jays) pitcher Matt Boyd allowed one run and three hits, had eight strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 1.07, but got a no-decision in a 5-1 loss to Palm Beach on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 2-for-5 with a run, a double and an RBI in a 5-4 win over Hickory.
* Lake County (A Midwest, Indians) pitcher Trevor Frank (2012) had an inning of scoreless relief and two strikeouts in a 5-4 loss to West Michigan.
* Batavia (A New York-Penn, Marlins) pitcher Ben Wetzler (2011) allowed no earned runs in three innings, had two strikeouts and got a non-decision in a 4-3 loss to Tri-City.
* Johnson City (R Appalachian, Cardinals) outfielder Blake Drake (2013) was 2-0for-4 with an RBI in a 4-2 win over Elizabethton.
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Here is some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
VICTORIA: The HarbourCats have added four more pitchers for the final week. Click here for full details, from the Our Sports Central website.
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That is it for today. See you tonight for our game against Bend, and back with the Blog on Wednesday.
Final regular-season homestand starts tonight
August 4, 2014Happy Monday, everyone.
We won the series at Klamath Falls after a rough start and still lead the Bend Elks by four games in the South Division pennant race, with six games remaining.
We face the Northwest Collegiate Baseball League-Portland All-Stars at 6:40 tonight at Goss Stadium in our final nonleague game. Righty Ted Hammond (1-0, 6.48) of Seattle University is our starting pitcher.
Then, we host Bend on Tuesday-Thursday in a series that should determine the South Division champion.
We can clinch a wildcard playoff berth on Tuesday with a win. We lead Wenatchee by six games with six left; a Knights win, or a Wenatchee loss, in any of the next six games and we are in the postseason.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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Our final regular-season homestand has some great promotions.
* Tonight is Wilson Motors Night. Pick up a free GA ticket at Wilson Motors, on the corner of 5th Street and Buchanan Avenue in Corvallis. Also, Allann Bros Coffee will be giving away sample drinks. The game against the NCBL-Portland All-Stars starts at 6:40 p.m.
* Tuesday is BI-MART night. Show your membership card to purchase a $2 GA ticket. Also, Coors Light and sodas are only $2. We play Bend at 6:40 p.m.
* Wednesday is Fan Appreciation Night/Cap Night II, presented by the Mario Pastega House. The first 1,000 fans through the gate get Knights' caps, compliments of the Mario Pastega House. Seniors can purchase GA tickets for $2. We face Bend at 6:40 p.m.
* Thursday is PEAK Internet Fireworks Night, presented by Pioneer Telephone, and a Block 15 Thursday, presented by KLOO-FM. We play Bend again, starting at 7:15 p.m.
See you at the ballpark!
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The San Francisco Giants recalled second baseman Matt Duffy (2010) from double-A Richmond on Friday. He started that night's game, and had an RBI single for his first major-league hit. Here is video of that big event.
Duffy, 23, played at Long Beach State. He hit .256 with a homer and eight RBIs for the Knights in 2010, and earned second-team all-WCL honors. His career really took off the following summer, when he played in the Cape Cod League, and he was selected by the Giants in the 18th round of the 2012 draft.
Duffy was hitting .332 in 97 games at double-A Richmond, with three homers and 62 RBIs. He has also played at Salem-Keizer, Augusta and San Jose in the San Francisco organization.
He was the second alum to be recalled by the Giants recently. Catcher Andrew Susac (2009) joined the team on July 26.
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Heading into our last homestand, we have drawn 35,353 fans in 28 openings. That's 1,060 less than in 2013 through a corresponding number of dates; the Knights drew a franchise record 43,557 fans last season.
For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
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Here is a story on alum Tyler Anderson (2009) in the Rockies Zingers website by reporter Scott Fults. Tyler pitched for us in 2009, after his freshman year at Oregon, and is the first Corvallis Knight selected in the first round of the MLB draft.
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Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was 2-for-3 with a run, a double and three RBIs in a 10-5 win over Augusta on Sunday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Lehigh Valley (A AA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy (2007) was 2-for-4 with an RBI in a 9-2 loss to Durham.
* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) first baseman Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-5 with a double and a run in a 7-1 win over New Britain.
* Hillsboro (A Northwest, Diamondbacks) pitcher Scott Schultz (2011) allowed no earned runs, had three strikeouts and got the win in a 12-6 victory over Spokane.
* Eugene (A Northwest, Padres) outfielder Nick Torres was 2-for-3 with a run in a 7-6 win over Everett.
* Stockton (A California, A's) catcher Ryan Gorton (2011) was 1-for-3 with two RBIs in a 7-2 win over San Jose.
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That is it for today. See you tonight for our game against the NCBL Portland All-Stars, and back with the Blog on Tuesday.
Giants recall alum Matt Duffy
August 1, 2014Happy Friday, everyone.
Another great night at Goss Stadium on Thursday. Our 10-1 rout of Bend puts us four games ahead of the Elks in the South Division pennant race, with nine games remaining.
We open a series at Klamath Falls at 6:35 tonight. Righty Derrick Mahlum (2-2, 4.01) of Pacific Lutheran gets the ball as our starting pitcher. We also play the Gems at 6:35 p.m. Saturday and at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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The San Francisco Giants have recalled second baseman Matt Duffy (2010) from double-A Richmond. He is expected to start today's game against the Mets at Citi Field.
Duffy, 23, played at Long Beach State. He hit .256 with a homer and eight RBIs for the Knights in 2010, and earned second-team all-WCL honors. His career really took off the following summer, when he played in the Cape Cod League, and he was selected by the Giants in the 18th round of the 2012 draft.
Duffy was hitting .332 in 97 games at double-A Richmond, with three homers and 62 RBIs. He has also played at Salem-Keizer, Augusta and San Jose in the San Francisco organization.
He is the second alum to be recalled by the Giants in the past week. Catcher Andrew Susac (2009) joined the team last Saturday.
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Do not forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday, Aug. 6. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates. So if you didn't get one on Cap Night earlier this month, here's your chance.
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Thursday's crowd of 1,702 raised the 2014 total to 35,353 in 28 openings. That's 1,060 less than in 2013 through a corresponding number of dates; the Knights drew a franchise record 43,557 fans last season.
For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
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The Brewers have traded outfielder Mitch Haniger (2010) to Arizona for outfielder Gerardo Parra. Haniger was hitting .255 (62-243), with 10 homers and 34 RBIs, in 67 games at Huntsville in the double-A Southern League.
He was Milwaukee's selection in the supplemental first round of the 2012 MLB draft after he earned Big West Player of the Year honors. Haniger has been assigned to Mobile, where he will be a teammate of 2011 Corvallis pitcher Jimmie Sherfy. He's also on the 7-day DL, as he continues to recover from a hyperextended elbow.
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The Minnesota Twins have signed alum pitcher D.J. Johnson (2008-09), who was playing at Traverse City in the independent Frontier League. He has been assigned to the Fort Myers Miracle in the high-A Florida State League. Here is more on that story from MiLB News.
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Jamestown (A New York-Penn, Pirates) outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) was 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs in a 4-2 win over Hudson Valley on Thursday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Lehigh Valley (A AA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy (2007) was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in a 5-2 win over Rochester.
* Colorado Springs (AAA Pacific Coast, Rockies) second baseman Drew Garcia (2007) was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in a 5-4 loss to Nashville.
* Jupiter (A Florida State, Marlins) pitcher Scott Lyman (2010) allowed four hits, had two strikeouts and got the win with six shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Brevard County.
* Eugene (A Northwest, Padres) outfielder Nick Torres (2012) was 2-for-5 with a run, a double and three RBIs in a 10-9 win over Everett.
* Johnson City (R Appalachian, Cardinals) outfielder Blake Drake (2013) was 2-for-5 with a solo homer in a 4-1 win over Greeneville.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
BELLINGHAM: The Bells will host the 2015 West Coast League All-Star Game at Joe Martin Field. Here are more details, from the Our Sports Central website.
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That is it for today. Have a great weekend and we will see you on Monday night for our game against the NCBL Portland All-Stars.
Bend series finale tonight
July 31, 2014Happy Thursday, everyone.
Another great night at Goss Stadium on Wednesday. Our 8-7 victory over Bend puts us three games ahead of the Elks in the South Division pennant race, with 10 games remaining.
The finale is at 6:40 tonight. Righty Chris Bishop (2-2, 4.01) of Pacific Lutheran gets the ball as our starting pitcher. It is Stahlbush Island Farms Hawaiian Night, and a Block 15 Thursday, with $2 beers and $1 hot dogs, so get on out to the ballpark!
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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Do not forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday, Aug. 6. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates. So if you didn't get one on Cap Night earlier this month, here's your chance.
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Wednesday's crowd of 1,348 raised the 2014 total to 33,651 in 27 openings. That's 1,056 less than in 2013 through a corresponding number of dates; the Knights drew a franchise record 43,557 fans last season.
For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
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San Francisco catcher Andrew Susac, a 2009 alum, got his first major-league hit and first RBI on Wednesday in a 7-5 win over Pittsburgh. Here is video of the hit; his smile, and the reaction of his family, is priceless. Congrats Andrew!
Incidentally, both catchers in the game were alums, and both had hits. Chris Stewart (2001) was behind the plate for the Bucs. He is having a great first season in Pittsburgh, as he's hitting .274 (26-95) in 33 games, with no homers and five RBIs.
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Some of our minor-league Knights have changed teams.
* Pitcher Matt Boyd (2010) is back with Dunedin (Toronto) in the high-A Florida State League after his second stint with New Hampshire in the double-A Eastern League.
* Pitcher Greg Peavey (2007) is back with Binghamton (NY Mets) in the double-A Eastern League after a stint with triple-A Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League.
* First baseman Taylor Ard (2009) is with Missoula (Arizona) in the rookie Pioneer League after a stay with Hillsboro in the short-A Northwest League.
* Pitcher Scott Lyman (2010) is back with Jupiter (Miami) in the high-A Florida State League after a start for Jacksonville in the double-A Southern League.
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Missoula (R Pioneer, Diamondbacks) first baseman Taylor Ard (2009) was 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in a 10-9 win over Great Falls on Wednesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-4 with a double and a run in a 5-3 loss to Altoona.
* El Paso (AAA Pacific Coast, Padres) catcher Rocky Gale (2007, 2009) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and raised his average to .300 in an 8-5 win over Las Vegas.
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Here are the updated stats of our minor-league pitching alums, in Part 2 of our weekly "Knights in the Pros" feature; the stats are through Wednesday's games. Hitting stats appeared in Wednesday's Blog.
TYLER ANDERSON (AA Tulsa, Rockies): The pitcher from Oregon (2009) is 3-4, 2.24 in 18 games, with 78 strikeouts in 88.1 innings.
MATT ANDRIESE (AAA Durham, Rays): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2009) is 11-5, 3.58 in 22 games, with 105 strikeouts in 128.2 innings.
MAX BEATTY (A Eugene, Padres): The pitcher from Pacific Lutheran (2010-12) is 1-1, 3.60 in 11 games, with 18 strikeouts in 20 innings.
MATT BOYD (A Dunedin, Blue Jays): The pitcher from Oregon State (2010) is 5-2, 1.05 in 12 games, with 80 strikeouts in 68.2 innings.
A.J. BURKE (A Vermont, A's): The pitcher from Western Oregon (2012) is 3-2, 3.83 in nine games, with 36 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.
TREVOR FRANK (A Lake County, Indians): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2012) is 4-4, 3.12 in 37 games, with 10 saves and 46 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.
JACE FRY (A Great Falls, White Sox): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 1-0, 0.00 in four games, with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
SAM GAVIGLIO (AA Springfield, Cardinals): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 5-10, 4.45 in 20 games, with 105 strikeouts in 109.1 innings.
JUSTIN HEPNER (Gulf Coast League Marlins, Marlins): The pitcher from San Diego State (2011) is 0-0, 16.88 in two games, with no strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
CHASE JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Cal Poly (2011) is 2-6, 4.97 in 18 games, with 66 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.
CHRIS JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Portland (2011) is 0-1, 9.00 in one game, with no strikeouts in two innings. He is on the 7-day disabled list.
KYLE KRAUS (A Salem, Red Sox): The pitcher from Portland (2009-10) is 5-3, 4.12 in 21 games, with two saves and 45 strikeouts in 63.1 innings.
SCOTT LYMAN (A Jupiter, Marlins): The pitcher from UC Davis (2010) is 4-8, 3.06 in 18 games, with 72 strikeouts in 103 innings.
GREG MAHLE (A Burlington, Angels): The pitcher from UC Santa Barbara (2012) is 0-1, 2.03 in seven games, with 17 strikeouts in 13.1 innings.
JAMES NYGREN (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 3-2, 3.55 in 28 games, with two saves and 29 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.
JOSH OSICH (AA Richmond, Giants): The pitcher from Oregon State (2008) is 1-0, 3.78 in 28 games, with 27 strikeouts in 33.1 innings.
GREG PEAVEY (AA Binghamton, Mets): The pitcher from Oregon State (2007) is 8-2, 2.74 in 13 games, with 71 strikeouts in 84 innings.
SCOTT SCHULTZ (A Hillsboro, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 2-3, 4.34 in eight games, with 17 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.
JIMMIE SHERFY (AA Mobile, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon (2011) is 3-0, 4.33 in 27 games, with a save and 32 strikeouts in 27 innings.
NICK STRUCK (AA Chattanooga, Dodgers): The pitcher from Mt. Hood CC (2009) is 1-6, 7.15 in 15 games, with 40 strikeouts in 68 innings.
BEN WETZLER (A Batavia, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 0-1, 4.34 in six games, with 15 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
KLAMATH FALLS: Gems' infielder Dennis Morton is headed to Faulkner University in Alabama for his final two seasons of college baseball. Here are more details, from reporter Steve Matthies of the Klamath Falls Herald and News newspaper.
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That is it for today. We will see you on Thursday, here and at the ballpark.
Game 2 of big series with Bend tonight
July 30, 2014Happy Wednesday, everyone.
Great start last night to our big series with Bend. Our 8-7 victory put us two games ahead of the Elks in the South Division pennant race, with 11 games remaining.
Of course, all that means is, since this is baseball we have to do it again tonight in Game 2. Righty Jason Snodgrass (3-1, 4.28) of Concordia will be our starting pitcher; righty Chris Bishop (2-2, 4.01) of Pacific Lutheran gets the ball in Thursday night's series finale.
And here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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We have some good promotions planned for the rest of the series. Both games start at 6:40 p.m. Here's a rundown:
* Tonight is our second $1,000 Kids Dash for Cash night, presented by Dr. Curtis E. Trammell.
* Thursday is Stahlbush Island Farms Hawaiian Night, and a Block 15 Thursday, with $2 beers and $1 hot dogs.
And don't forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday, Aug. 6. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates.
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First baseman Kevin Kline of Dixie State drove in two runs last night and is now tied with Yakima Valley's Vince Fernandez for the WCL RBI lead, with 40. Fernandez had three RBIs last night. Victoria's Hunter Mercado-Hood has 39.
All three players have a shot at breaking the WCL record of 48, set by Wenatchee's Mitchell Gunsolus in 2012. Kline has already tied the team record for WCL RBIs, first set by Taylor Ard in 2009.
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Tuesday's crowd of 1,312 raised our 2014 total to 32,303 in 26 openings. That's 1,398 less than in 2013, when we drew a franchise record 43,557, through a corresponding number of home dates.
For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
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Mobile (AA Southern, Diamondbacks) pitcher Jimmie Sherfy (2011) pitched a shutout inning, had two strikeouts and got the win to improve to 3-0 in a 2-1 victory over Jackson on Tuesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) homered for the second game in a row in a 3-2 win over Altoona.
* Burlington (A Midwest, Angels) reliever Greg Mahle (2012) pitched 2.1 hitless innings and had five strikeouts in a 6-2 loss to Cedar Rapids.
* Jamestown (A New York-Penn, Pirates) outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) was 1-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI in a 3-2 win over Auburn.
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Here are the updated stats of our minor-league position-playing Corvallis Knights alums, as part of our weekly "Knights in the Pros" feature. Pitching stats will appear on Thursdays.
DAYTON ALEXANDER (A Vermont, A's): The outfielder from Feather River JC (2011) is hitting .221 (21-95) in 26 games, with no homers and six RBIs.
JIMMY ALLEN (A Ogden, Dodgers): The second baseman from Cal Poly (2011) is hitting .242 (22-91) in 26 games, with eight RBIs.
DAVID ANDRIESE (A Jamestown, Pirates): The outfielder from UC Riverside (2010-11) is hitting .203 (14-64) in 21 games, with no homers and three RBIs.
TAYLOR ARD (A Missoula, Diamondbacks): The first baseman from Washington State (2009) is hitting .500 (1-2) in one game, with no homers or RBIs.
DAVID ARMENDARIZ (R ARL Indians, Indians): The outfielder from Cal Poly Pomona (2011) is hitting .250 (14-56) in 17 games with the Arizona Rookie League Indians, with two homers and nine RBIs.
ALEX BURG (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The catcher/outfielder from Washington State (2008) is hitting .261 (57-218) in 68 games, with seven homers and 28 RBIs.
BLAKE DRAKE (R Johnson City, Cardinals): The outfielder from Concordia (2013) is hitting .274 (34-124) in 34 games, with two homers and 14 RBIs.
MATT DUFFY (AA Richmond, Giants): The shortstop from Long Beach State (2010) is hitting .331 (120-362) in 96 games, with three homers and 62 RBIs.
GRANT FINK (A Lake County, Indians): The third baseman from Missouri Western (2011) is hitting .228 (77-337) in 97 games, with nine homers and 45 RBIs.
ROCKY GALE (AAA El Paso, Padres): The catcher from Portland (2007, 2009) is hitting .290 (51-176) in 59 games, with 31 RBIs.
DREW GARCIA (AAA Colorado Springs, Rockies): The second baseman from UC Riverside (2007) is hitting .245 (63-257) in 82 games, with four homers and 34 RBIs.
RYAN GORTON (A Stockton, A's): The catcher from Oregon State (2011) is hitting .207 (19-92) in 27 games, with no homers and four RBIs.
CADE GOTTA (A Gulf Coast League Rays, Rays): The outfielder from San Diego Christian (2011) is hitting .253 (23-91) in 26 games, with no homers and 16 RBIs.
DEAN GREEN (AA Erie, Tigers): The first baseman from Oklahoma State/Barry University (2008) is hitting .306 (87-284) in 81 games, with five homers and 33 RBIs.
MITCH HANIGER (AA Huntsville, Brewers): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2010) is hitting .255 (62-243) in 67 games, with 10 homers and 34 RBIs.
DANNY HAYES (A Kannapolis, White Sox): The first baseman from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .291 (106-364) in 101 games, with 10 homers and 58 RBIs.
KAVIN KEYES (R ARL Mariners, Mariners): The infielder from Oregon State (2013) is hitting .213 (10-47) in 13 games, with a homer and seven RBIs.
ADAM MELKER (AA Arkansas, Angels): The outfielder from Cal Poly is hitting .243 (53-218) in 65 games, with five homers and 25 RBIs.
JIM MURPHY (AAA Lehigh Valley, Phillies): The first baseman from Washington State (2007) is hitting .230 (73-318) in 93 games, with 10 homers and 38 RBIs.
CHRIS RABAGO (A Tri-Cities, Rockies): The shortstop from UC Irvine (2012-13) is hitting .243 (18-74) in 20 games, with five RBIs.
JAKE RODRIGUEZ (A Quad City, Astros): The catcher from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .160 (13-81) in 25 games, with a homer and eight RBIs.
NICK TORRES (A Eugene, Padres): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2012) is hitting .236 (17-72) in 19 games, with a homer and nine RBIs.
JUSTIN VIELE (A Aberdeen, Orioles): The shortstop from Santa Clara (2010) is hitting .192 (20-110) in 34 games, with no homers and 11 RBIs.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
BELLINGHAM: The Bells drew a franchise-record crowd of 3,053 to Joe Martin Field for last night's game against Medford. Here are more details, from the Our Sports Central website.
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That is it for today. We will see you on Thursday, here and at the ballpark.
First place on the line tonight against Bend
July 29, 2014Happy Tuesday, everyone.
Hope you are planning on making it out to Goss Stadium tonight for the opener of our big West Coast League series with the Bend Elks. First place in the South Division is on the line and we could use all the support we can get!
Righty Justin Calomeni (1-2, 3.60) of Cal Poly will start tonight's game. Our other starters are undetermined at the moment. Here is more on the series, from today's Corvallis Gazette-Times.
And here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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We have some good promotions planned for the Bend series. Here's a rundown:
* Tonight is United Way Knight of Caring; 20 percent of the walkup gate will be donated to the United Way.
* Wednesday is our second $1,000 Kids Dash for Cash night, presented by Dr. Curtis E. Trammell.
* Thursday is Stahlbush Island Farms Hawaiian Night, and a Block 15 Thursday, with $2 beers and $1 hot dogs.
And don't forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday, Aug. 6. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates.
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Alum Eric Massingham (2006-07) is returning to his old stomping grounds. The right-handed pitcher from Cal Poly has been traded to the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League by the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League.
Eric pitched for Evansville from 2001-13 and owns several team and league records. Here is more on that story, from the Evansville website.
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We have drawn 30,991 fans for 25 home games. That's 1,293 less than last year, when we set a franchise-record of 43,529, through a corresponding number of dates. For complete WCL attendance figures (league games only), please click right here.
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Alum Peter Van Gansen (2013),a shortstop from Cal Poly who was all-WCL in 2013, has been selected to play in the Northwoods League 2014 Big League Dreams Showcase, hosted by the Madison Mallards at Warner Park on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
He plays for the Eau Claire (Wis.) Express. The Showcase is a doubleheader featuring the top players from the Northwoods League who were selected by a panel of Major League Baseball Scouts. The players will participate in a day of workouts in front of scouts, followed by the doubleheader.
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Erie (AA Eastern, Tigers) designated hitter Dean Green (2008) was 2-for-4 with a homer, a run and an RBI in a 4-3 loss to Altoona on Monday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) homered for the second game in a row in a 5-3 win over Lakewood.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
BEND: Learn more about Bend pitcher Austin Guzzon, one of the WCL's leading pitchers, in this story by reporter Grant Lucas in the Bend Bulletin newspaper.
VICTORIA: Four HarbourCats have left the team. Here are more details, from the Our Sports Central website.
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That is it for today. We will see you on Wednesday, here and at the ballpark.
Big series with Bend this week
July 28, 2014Happy Monday, everyone.
Pretty successful weekend in Victoria for the Knights, even with Sunday's 19-10 loss to the HarbourCats in what can charitably be termed a four-hour disaster. Still, we won 2 of 3 to take our seventh straight series, and we maintained our South Division lead over Bend, who lost to Wenatchee.
So, we're off today to rest up. We start a three-game series with Bend at Goss Stadium on Tuesday night. We lead the Elks by one game and can really enhance our chances for a division championship by winning the series.
Righty Justin Calomeni (1-2, 3.60 of Cal Poly will start Tuesday's game. Our other starters are undetermined at the moment.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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We have some good promotions planned for the Bend series. Here's a rundown:
* Tuesday is United Way Knight of Caring; 20 percent of the walkup gate will be donated to the United Way.
* Wednesday is our second $1,000 Kids Dash for Cash night, presented by Dr. Curtis E. Trammell.
* Thursday is Stahlbush Island Farms Hawaiian Night, and a Block 15 Thursday, with $2 beers and $1 hot dogs.
And don't forget, our Fan Appreciation Night is set for Wednesday, Aug. 6. We're giving away Knights caps to the first 1,000 fans through the gates.
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* Here is a video clip of alum Alex Burg's (2008) game-winning homer for Jacksonville in a 7-6 victory over Birmingham last Thursday in their Southern League game.
And alum Andrew Susac (2009) made his MLB debut on Saturday night against the Dodgers. Here is a story on Andrew from our website.
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Here is a roundup of our season so far, from our website.
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Kannapolis (A South Atlantic, White Sox) first baseman Danny Hayes (2010) was a combined 3-for-8 with two runs, four RBIs and a homer in a doubleheader sweep of Lakewood on Sunday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Lehigh Valley (AAA International, Phillies) first baseman Jim Murphy (2007) was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI in a 9-4 loss to Buffalo.
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Walla Walla hit three homers in an 11-0 win over Klamath Falls on Sunday and now holds the WCL record with 38 round-trippers, with about one-quarter of the season still go. Here is more on that story, from the Our Sports Central website.
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That is it for today. We will see you on Tuesday, here and at the ballpark.
Off to Victoria for a weekend series
July 25, 2014Happy Friday, everyone.
Our split in Kitsap on Thursday left us one game ahead of Bend in the South Division pennant race. We have six home games against the Elks coming up and I suspect those games will determine who wins the league and who earns the automatic playoff berth.
We headed up to Victoria this morning for our three-game series against the HarbourCats. Righty Jackson Lockwood (6-2, 2.76) of Portland gets the start tonight; righty Angel Landazuri (3-0, 2.18) of UC Riverside goes on Saturday. Sunday's starter is still undetermined.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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Center fielder Grant Melker of San Diego had three hits in both games on Thursday and now has four consecutive 3-hit games. He is 12-for-18 (.667) in that stretch, raising his average to .326, and has scored four times.
First baseman Dalton Kelly of UC Santa Barbara had two doubles, two triples and five RBIs in the Kitsap series. He leads us in hitting with a .342 average and is tied for second on the club with 22 RBIs.
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Jacksonville (AA Southern, Marlins)outfielder Alex Burg (2008) hit a 2-run homer in the 10th to win the game and also scored twice and had three total RBIs in a 7-6 win over Birmingham on Thursday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Richmond (AA Eastern, Giants) shortstop Matt Duffy (2010) was 3-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI in a 4-3 win over Erie.
* Hillsboro (A Northwest, Diamondbacks) pitcher Scott Schultz (2011) went 6.2 innings, allowed two earned runs, struck out three and got the win in a 7-3 victory over Vancouver. Teammate Taylor Ard (2009) was 2-for-2 with two runs, a homer and an RBI.
* Eugene (A Northwest, Padres) outfielder Nick Torres (2012) was 2-for-3 with a double and a run in a 2-0 win over Tri-City.
* Rays (R Gulf Coast League, Rays) outfielder Cade Gotta (2011) was 2-for-5 with two doubles, a run and three RBIs in a 5-4 win over the Red Sox.
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That is it for today. Have a great weekend and we will see you on Monday.
Doubleheader today at Kitsap
July 24, 2014Happy Thursday, everyone.
Wednesday's scheduled game with Kitsap was postponed by rain. It will be made up today as the opener of a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Silverdale, Wash.
Right-hander Chris Haddeland of Linfield (3-2, 2.65) will start the opener for the Knights (28-13 all, 24-13 WCL), opposed by righty Jerome Byndloss of Olympic College (0-3, 8.56) for Kitsap (14-22 WCL).
Right-hander Chris Bishop of Pacific Lutheran (1-2, 4.88) will start the nightcap for the Knights, opposed by lefty Josh Moss of St. Martin's (5-1, 4.40). Corvallis won Tuesday's series opener, 5-0.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled third baseman and alum Brent Morel (2006-07) to the big leagues to replace Starling Marte. He went on the 7-day DL on Wednesday for a concussion after being hit in the helmet by a pitch.
It is the second time this season that Morel has been recalled from triple-A Indianapolis, where he was hitting .246 (64-260) in 73 games, with three homers and 37 RBIs. He had a pinch-hit single on Wednesday in a 6-1 win over the Dodgers. Here is more on the story, from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper.
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Alum Greg Peavey (2007) has been returned to Binghamton of the AA Eastern League after a short stay with triple-A Las Vegas in the PCL. He's 7-1, 2.70 with the B-Mets.
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Springfield (AA Southern, Cardinals) pitcher Sam Gaviglio (2009) allowed two hits and had nine strikeouts in six shutout innings and got the win in a 10-0 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Jacksonville (AA Southern, Marlins) outfielder Alex Burg (2008) had a solo homer in a 9-4 win over Birmingham.
* El Paso (AAA Pacific Coast, Padres) catcher Rocky Gale (2007, 2009) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run in a 16-7 win over Sacramento.
* Jamestown (A New York-Penn, Pirates) outfielder David Andriese (2010-11) was 2-for-3 with a run and a double in a 6-2 loss to Auburn.
* Rays (R Gulf Coast League, Rays) outfielder Cade Gotta (2011) was 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run and an RBI in a 6-5 win over the Red Sox.
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Here are the updated stats of our minor-league pitching alums, in Part 2 of our weekly "Knights in the Pros" feature; the stats are through Wednesday's games. Hitting stats appeared in Wednesday's Blog.
TYLER ANDERSON (AA Tulsa, Rockies): The pitcher from Oregon (2009) is 3-4, 2.40 in 17 games, with 70 strikeouts in 82.1 innings.
MATT ANDRIESE (AAA Durham, Rays): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2009) is 11-5, 3.30 in 21 games, with 100 strikeouts in 122.2 innings.
MAX BEATTY (A Eugene, Padres): The pitcher from Pacific Lutheran (2010-12) is 1-1, 3.60 in 11 games, with 18 strikeouts in 20 innings.
MATT BOYD (AA New Hampshire, Blue Jays): The pitcher from Oregon State (2010) is 1-4, 6.96 in 10 games, with 44 strikeouts in 42.2 innings.
A.J. BURKE (A Vermont, A's): The pitcher from Western Oregon (2012) is 3-1, 3.29 in eight games, with 31 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.
TREVOR FRANK (A Lake County, Indians): The pitcher from UC Riverside (2012) is 3-4, 2.45 in 34 games, with nine saves and 41 strikeouts in 41 innings.
JACE FRY (A Great Falls, White Sox): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 1-0, 0.00 in three games, with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings.
SAM GAVIGLIO (AA Springfield, Cardinals): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 5-10, 4.45 in 20 games, with 105 strikeouts in 109.1 innings.
JUSTIN HEPNER (Gulf Coast League Marlins, Marlins): The pitcher from San Diego State (2011) is 0-0, 16.88 in two games, with no strikeouts in 2.2 innings.
CHASE JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Cal Poly (2011) is 1-6, 5.20 in 17 games, with 61 strikeouts in 72.2 innings.
CHRIS JOHNSON (A Augusta, Giants): The pitcher from Portland (2011) is 0-1, 9.00 in one game, with no strikeouts in two innings. He is on the 7-day disabled list.
KYLE KRAUS (A Salem, Red Sox): The pitcher from Portland (2009-10) is 5-3, 4.27 in 19 games, with two saves and 42 strikeouts in 59 innings.
SCOTT LYMAN (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The pitcher from UC Davis (2010) is 0-1, 10.80 in one game, with three strikeouts in five innings.
GREG MAHLE (A Burlington, Angels): The pitcher from UC Santa Barbara (2012) is 0-1, 3.00 in five games, with 11 strikeouts in nine innings.
JAMES NYGREN (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2009) is 3-2, 3.62 in 27 games, with two saves and 28 strikeouts in 49.2 innings.
JOSH OSICH (AA Richmond, Giants): The pitcher from Oregon State (2008) is 1-0, 3.78 in 28 games, with 27 strikeouts in 33.1 innings.
GREG PEAVEY (AA Binghamton, Mets): The pitcher from Oregon State (2007) is 7-1, 2.70 in 11 games, with 59 strikeouts in 70 innings.
SCOTT SCHULTZ (A Hillsboro, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 1-2, 4.55 in six games, with 12 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.
JIMMIE SHERFY (AA Mobile, Diamondbacks): The pitcher from Oregon (2011) is 1-0, 4.68 in 25 games, with a save and 29 strikeouts in 25 innings.
NICK STRUCK (AA Chattanooga, Dodgers): The pitcher from Mt. Hood CC (2009) is 1-6, 7.69 in 14 games, with 37 strikeouts in 62 innings.
BEN WETZLER (A Batavia, Marlins): The pitcher from Oregon State (2011) is 0-1, 5.91 in four games, with 12 strikeouts in 10.2 innings.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
KLAMATH FALLS: Gems' first baseman Steven Packard went 1-for-3 in a 13-1 loss to Bend on Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 22 consecutive games, a WCL record. Here is more on that accomplishment, from the Klamath Falls Herald and News newspaper.
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That is it for today. See you on Friday.
Rained out in Silverdale
July 23, 2014Happy Wednesday, everyone.
Another great pitching performance in Silverdale, Wash., last night, as Jason Snodgrass, Merrick Patito, Joey Wise and Derrick Mahlum combined to shut out Kitsap 5-0.
It was our second shutout in our current three-game winning streak. And in our last 34 innings, our pitchers have combined to allow just one earned run. That's an incredible 0.26 ERA.
Wednesday's scheduled game with Kitsap has been postponed by rain. It will be made up on Thursday as the opener of a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Silverdale, Wash.
Right-hander Chris Haddeland of Linfield (3-2, 2.65) will start the opener for the Knights (27-13 all, 23-13 WCL), opposed by righty Jerome Byndloss of Olympic College (0-3, 8.56) for Kitsap (14-22 WCL).
Right-hander Chris Bishop of Pacific Lutheran (1-2, 4.88) will start the nightcap for the Knights, opposed by lefty Josh Moss of St. Martin's (5-1, 4.40). Corvallis won Tuesday's series opener, 5-0.
The team is headed over to Safeco Field this afternoon to see the Mariners play the Mets. Safgeco has a roof, so the rain won't be a problem, and since there is no game tonight they won't have to leave early to get back to Bremerton.
Here is some more Knights news, and a few items from elsewhere in the West Coast League, which has a great new website for you to bookmark.
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Arkansas (AA Southern, Angels) outfielder Grant Melker hit a grand slam and was 2-for-5 with two runs and four RBIs in a 12-6 win over Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors.
Honorable mention goes to:
* Indianapolis (AAA International, Pirates) third baseman Brent Morel (2007) was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI in a 9-3 loss to Charlotte.
* Jacksonville (AA Southern, Marlins) pitcher James Nygren (2009) had four scoreless innings in a 3-2 loss to Birmingham, but was not involved in the decision. Teammate Alex Burg (2008) was 3-for-3 for the Suns.
Salem (A Carolina, Red Sox) pitcher Kyle Kraus (2009-10) threw three scoreless innings, struck out three and earned his second save in a 10-0 win over Lynchburg.
* Vermont (A New York-Penn, A's) pitcher A.J. Burke (2012) allowed three runs and had four strikeouts in five innings and got the win in a 7-5 victory over Lowell.
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Here are the updated stats of our minor-league position-playing Corvallis Knights alums, as part of our weekly "Knights in the Pros" feature. Pitching stats will appear on Thursdays.
DAYTON ALEXANDER (A Vermont, A's): The outfielder from Feather River JC (2011) is hitting .213 (19-89) in 24 games, with no homers and six RBIs.
JIMMY ALLEN (A Ogden, Dodgers): The second baseman from Cal Poly (2011) is hitting .284 (21-74) in 21 games, with eight RBIs.
DAVID ANDRIESE (A Jamestown, Pirates): The outfielder from UC Riverside (2010-11) is hitting .152 (7-46) in 14 games, with no homers and one RBI.
TAYLOR ARD (A Hillsboro, Diamondbacks): The first baseman from Washington State (2009) is hitting .235 (4-17) in five games, with an RBI.
DAVID ARMENDARIZ (R ARL Indians, Indians): The outfielder from Cal Poly Pomona (2011) is hitting .259 (14-54) in 16 games with the Arizona Rookie League Indians, with two homers and nine RBIs.
ALEX BURG (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The catcher/outfielder from Washington State (2008) is hitting .272 (55-202) in 68 games, with five homers and 23 RBIs.
BLAKE DRAKE (R Johnson City, Cardinals): The outfielder from Concordia (2013) is hitting .311 (32-103) in 28 games, with two homers and 14 RBIs.
MATT DUFFY (AA Richmond, Giants): The shortstop from Long Beach State (2010) is hitting .338 (113-334) in 89 games, with three homers and 60 RBIs.
GRANT FINK (A Lake County, Indians): The third baseman from Missouri Western (2011) is hitting .232 (74-319) in 91 games, with nine homers and 42 RBIs.
ROCKY GALE (AAA El Paso, Padres): The catcher from Portland (2007, 2009) is hitting .302 (48-159) in 52 games, with 27 RBIs.
DREW GARCIA (AAA Colorado Springs, Rockies): The second baseman from UC Riverside (2007) is hitting .249 (61-245) in 78 games, with four homers and 34 RBIs.
RYAN GORTON (A Stockton, A's): The catcher from Oregon State (2011) is hitting .209 (18-86) in 25 games, with no homers and four RBIs.
CADE GOTTA (A Gulf Coast League Rays, Rays): The outfielder from San Diego Christian (2011) is hitting .246 (16-65) in 19 games, with no homers and eight RBIs.
DEAN GREEN (AA Erie, Tigers): The first baseman from Oklahoma State/Barry University (2008) is hitting .302 (81-268) in 76 games, with three homers and 30 RBIs.
MITCH HANIGER (AA Huntsville, Brewers): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2010) is hitting .263 (62-236) in 65 games, with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. He is on the DL.
DANNY HAYES (A Kannapolis, White Sox): The first baseman from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .302 (100-331) in 93 games, with seven homers and 50 RBIs.
KAVIN KEYES (R ARL Mariners, Mariners): The infielder from Oregon State (2013) is hitting .259 (7-27) in eight games, with a homer and seven RBIs.
ADAM MELKER (AA Arkansas, Angels): The outfielder from Cal Poly is hitting .239 (48-201) in 60 games, with four homers and 22 RBIs.
BRENT MOREL (AAA Indianapolis, Pirates): The third baseman from Cal Poly (2007) is hitting .246 (64-260) in 73 games, with three homers and 37 RBIs.
JIM MURPHY (AAA Lehigh Valley, Phillies): The first baseman from Washington State (2007) is hitting .231 (71-307) in 89 games, with 10 homers and 37 RBIs.
CHRIS RABAGO (A Tri-Cities, Rockies): The shortstop from UC Irvine (2012-13) is hitting .255 (14-55) in 15 games, with three RBIs.
JAKE RODRIGUEZ (A Quad City, Astros): The catcher from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .165 (13-79) in 24 games, with a homer and eight RBIs.
ANDREW SUSAC (AAA Fresno, Giants): The catcher from Oregon State (2009) is hitting .262 (54-206) in 61 games, with 10 homers and 31 RBIs.
NICK TORRES (A Eugene, Padres): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2012) is hitting .236 (13-55) in 14 games, with a homer and seven RBIs.
JUSTIN VIELE (A Aberdeen, Orioles): The shortstop from Santa Clara (2010) is hitting .198 (17-86) in 27 games, with no homers and nine RBIs.
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Some news from elsewhere in the WCL:
MEDFORD: Grants Pass native Nathan Etheridge is having a big season, according to this story by reporter Kris Henry in the Medford Mail Tribune newspaper.
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That is it for today. See you on Thursday, when we will have updated stats on our pitching alums in affiliated baseball.
