Earned Run Average
1. Brennan Smith- 3.38
2. Rayni Guichardo- 3.86
3. Clemente Mendoza- 4.61
WHIP
1. Clemente Mendoza- 1.32
2. Brennan Smith- 1.33
3. Josue Carreno- 1.51
Strikeouts
1. Josue Carreno- 59
2. Brennan Smith- 58
3. Clemente Mendoza- 56
Innings Pitched
1. Clemente Mendoza- 84.0
2. Brennan Smith- 69.1
3. Josue Carreno- 64.1
The Connecticut Tigers failed to overcome an early deficit in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Tri-City Valleycats, despite a ninth inning double by Brett Anderson that brought the winning run to the plate.
Alexander Nunez was 3-4 with a run scored and a stolen base on Thursday
The loss dropped the Tigers to third place in the Stedler Division standings, two games behind the Vermont Lake Monsters and a half of a game behind the Valleycats.
Connecticut fell behind in the second inning when Tri-City scored a run on an RBI double by Adam Bailey. The Valleycats extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning when Marcus Nidiffer hit a two-run home run down the left field line off of Connecticut starting pitcher Brennan Smith.
The Tigers cut the deficit to one run in the later innings, scoring runs on an RBI doubles by Brett Anderson and Matt Perry in the seventh and eighth innings.
Relief pitcher Miguel Mejia kept the Tigers in the game with an efficient outing, needing only 39 pitches to get through 3.1 scoreless innings in relief of Smith.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Brett Anderson doubled down the right field line to give the Tigers a chance, but pinch hitter Eric Roof flied out to center field to end the game.
Alexander Nunez finished the game with three hits, a run and a stolen base in the losing effort.
The Tigers will begin a three-game series with the Staten Island Yankees on Friday at 7:05 p.m.
Lowell Spinners starting pitcher Miguel Celestino shut down the Connecticut Tigers offense Monday, holding the Tigers to just one hit through six innings in Lowell’s 6-1 victory.
Celestino finished the game with six strikeouts and earned his first win as a Spinner.
Brennan Smith took the loss Monday
Tigers starting pitcher Brennan Smith held Lowell scoreless through five innings, but ran into trouble in the sixth when he allowed back to back singles to Joantoni Garcia and James Kang to lead off the inning. Jose Iglesias, who is with Lowell on a rehab assignment, followed with a line drive to center field that dropped under the glove of a diving P.J. Polk . Garcia and Kang both scored on the play and Iglesias hustled to third base for a triple. Two batters later, Miles Head roped an RBI double to left field to score Iglesias.
Lowell added three more runs in the eighth inning with three straight RBI singles by Seth Schwindenhammer, David Renfroe and Joantoni Garcia.
The Tigers’ only run came in the ninth inning when Ryan Enos singled off of Spinners reliever Michael Hacker to drive in Ryan Soares.
The Tigers will continue their series with the Spinners on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Clemente Mendoza (2-4, 6.59) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Tigers. He will be opposed by Keith Couch (0-3, 2.97) of the Spinners.
After losing a pair of games on the road against the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Tigers will return home to begin a key three-game series against the Vermont Lake Monsters, the current leaders in the Stedler Division with a 21-9 record.
Brennan Smith will start for the Tigers on Tuesday
The upcoming series presents the Tigers, currently six games behind Vermont, with a golden opportunity to make up ground on the division leader.
Vermont’s offense is anchored by David Freitas and Russell Moldenhauer. Freitas leads the team with a .375 batting average and a .446 on-base percentage. Moldenhauer, the team’s best power hitter, has five home runs, 16 RBI and a .600 slugging percentage.
Another key bat in the Vermont lineup is 21-year-old infielder Blake Kelso. Kelso is hitting .338 and is second on the team with four stolen bases.
Brennan Smith (0-1, 3.86) will be tasked with shutting down the Vermont offense on Tuesday. Smith struggled in his most recent start, getting knocked out of the game in the third inning after allowing six runs against the State College Spikes.
Clemente Mendoza (2-3, 5.91 ERA) will get the start for the Tigers on Wednesday and Patrick Cooper (2-1, 3.18) will start the series finale on Thursday.
A return to the friendly confines of Dodd Stadium did not help the Connecticut Tigers snap their losing streak, as the Tigers lost 11-1 to the State College Spikes Wednesday.
Connecticut Tigers starting pitcher Brennan Smith allowed 6 earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched
Tigers starting pitcher Brennan Smith had his first rocky outing of the season, allowing six earned runs on eight hits in 2.1 innings pitched. He struggled with his location, allowing two walks in the first inning and hanging a curveball in the third inning, which Kelson Brown lined into right field for a two RBI single.
The Spikes got on the scoreboard early, scoring two runs in the first inning after RBI singles from Matt Curry and Chase Lyles. They failed to score in the second, but added four runs in the third, knocking Smith out of the game after five straight hits.
The Tigers responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning, when P.J. Polk scored on a sacrifice fly from Eric Roof, but it was the only offense the Tigers would muster all night.
James Robbins was 2-4 for the Tigers in a losing effort.
The Tigers and Spikes play again at 7:05 on Thursday at Dodd Stadium. Clemente Mendoza (1-3, 7.88) is expected to start for the Tigers. He will be opposed by Zack Dodson (0-1, 5.09) of the Spikes.
Friday’s game between the Connecticut Tigers and the Batavia Muckdogs has been rained out. The two teams will play a double-header Saturday beginning at 5:05 p.m. in Batavia. Patrick Cooper (1-0, 1.50) is scheduled to start game one for the Tigers. Clemente Mendoza (1-2, 8.05) will get the start in game two.
The Tigers won the first game of the series 4-2 Thursday night. The game was an extra-innings affair that ended with the Tigers scoring two runs in the top of the tenth inning. Josh Ashenbrenner, who reached base on an error by Muckdogs shortstop Yunier Castillo, scored on an Eric Roof triple. James Robbins added an insurance run, knocking in Roof with an RBI single. Kevan Hess held the Muckdogs scoreless in the bottom of the frame to give the Tigers their 12th win of the season.
Tigers starting pitcher Brennan Smith pitched well, allowing only one run on two hits in five innings of work. He recorded five strikeouts and did not allow a walk.
Toledo Mud Hens relief pitcher Robbie Weinhardt pitched two scoreless innings for the Connecticut Tigers in Monday’s 6-3 victory over the Lowell Spinners. Weinhardt has spent the past few days with Connecticut on a rehab assignment, as he is working his way back from a shoulder injury that had kept him sidelined since May 25.
Brandon Jacobs was the only Spinner who reached base against Weinhardt, reaching on a throwing error by shortstop Brett Anderson. Weinhardt recorded three strikeouts in his two-inning appearance and had good command of his 89-92 mph fastball and high 70s slider.
The Tigers got on the board early against Lowell, scoring three runs in the first inning with singles from P.J. Polk, Josh Ashenbrenner, Julio Rodriguez and James Robbins.
The Tigers added two more runs in the fourth inning off of Lowell starter Roman Mendez. Mendez’s fastball sat in the mid 90s and touched 98 mph, but it was not good enough to quiet the Tigers offense, which knocked him out of the game after three innings.
Tigers starting pitcher Clemente Mendoza kept the Spinners off balance for five innings before running into trouble in the sixth, in which he allowed three earned runs. He finished with a final line of six innings pitched, five strikouts and three runs allowed on five hits and four walks.
Brennan Smith earned the save, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. He flashed excellent stuff including an 90-92 mph, a nasty splitter, a curveball and a changeup. Smith’s curveball was particularly effective Monday, as he used it to strike out Seth Schwindenhammer and Chia-Chu Chen.
Left fielder P.J. Polk looked completely recovered from his injured hamstring, showing off his speed with a stolen base and a bunt single.
The Tigers play the Spinners again on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Luis Sanz (2-0, 0.90) is expected to get the start for the Tigers. He will be opposed by Madison Younginer (1-1, 6.48) of the Spinners.
TigsTown is reporting that several more 2010 draft picks have signed. Here is the list (Click on a player’s name to see his scouting report):
Pete Miller, SS
Matt Perry, 3B
Brennan Smith, RHP
Tyson Kendrick, C
Ryan Soares, SS
Josh Ashenbrenner, 2B
Jeff Rowland, OF
Shawn Teufel, LHP
Logan Hoch, LHP
Matt Little, RHP
TigsTown is also reporting that right-handed relief pitcher Melvin Mercedes will miss the rest of the 2010 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Friday. He would have been a candidate to serve as Connecticut’s closer.
Bowling Green right-handed pitcher Brennan Smith was selected by the Tigers in the 33rd round of the 2010 MLB draft. After winning Mid-American Conference pitcher of the year honors in 2009, Smith struggled this season with an 8.61 ERA in 77.1 innings pitched.
Brennan Smith/Photo courtesy of bgsufalcons.com
Bowling Green pitching coach Rick Blanc said a desire to impress scouts may have contributed to Smith’s struggles. “I think he was trying to do too much for the scouts at times, which led to throwing, not pitching, and he was hit around a little,” Blanc said.
Additionally, Blanc said Smith changed how he gripped his splitter last summer and the results were not effective. He switched back to his old grip down the stretch this spring and saw improved results.
Blanc said Smith’s four-seam fastball sits at 89-92 mph and touches 94 mph. He also throws a two-seamer with good sink, a splitter, a curveball and a changeup. Smith’s splitter is his best pitch as it has excellent late bite. His curveball has 1 to 7 break and while he needs to improve his consistency with it, Blanc projects it to be an above-average pitch. Blanc said Smith has a tendency to slow his arm down when he throws his changeup, but it is a correctable flaw.
Smith has an even keel mound presence that suits him well as a starting pitcher, though Blanc thinks he has the ability to close as well. “He doesn’t get very excited about anything good or bad,” Blanc said. “I can see him being either a starter or a closer.”
With five pitches that are all at least average, Smith could be a steal for the Tigers as a 33rd round pick if he signs. He was a junior this season, so he has the leverage to return to school. If he signs, Smith will probably be assigned to Connecticut.
The third and final day of the 2010 MLB draft concluded Wednesday with rounds 31 through 50. With the exception of the college seniors, most of the players selected in that range will not sign.
Matt Little/Photo courtesy of ukathletics.com
The Tigers drafted two senior relief pitchers on day three in Kentucky’s Matt Little and Southern’s Cody Hall. Little is a 5-foot-11 right-hander who throws a high 80s two-seam fastball, a loopy slider and a four-seam fastball that occasionally gets into the low 90s according to a blog that follows the Cape Cod League. Hall is a 6-foot-4 right-hander who throws a fastball that touches 95 miles per hour according to neworleans.com.
The Tigers drafted six senior position players in Alabama first baseman Clay Jones, George Mason shortstop Ryan Soares, Valparaiso outfielder Bo McClendon, Trinity International shortstop Pete Miller, Holy Cross third baseman Matt Perry and Tabor College catcher Tyson Kendrick. McClendon is the son of Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon and Miller is the son of Tigers area scout Marty Miller.
Ben Verlander, the brother of Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, and Ricky Knapp, the son of Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp, were selected by the Tigers Wednesday, but both are expected to attend college. Verlander has a commitment to Old Dominion and Knapp has signed a letter of intent to play for Florida Gulf Coast.
Three of the more interesting high school players selected by the Tigers Wednesday include outfielder/right-handed pitcher Nolan Sanburn, right-handed pitcher Blake Bell and shortstop Chris Triplett. Sanburn is a two-way player with a commitment to play both ways at Arkansas. Bell is a highly regarded football player who has signed a letter if intent to play quarterback at Oklahoma. Tripplett is the 17th ranked high school player in the state of Georgia according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While talented, Sanburn, Bell and Triplett are all unlikely to sign.
A final player of note is 33rd round pick Brennan Smith. A junior right-handed pitcher for Bowling Green, Smith won Mid-American Conference pitcher of the year in 2009, but has struggled this season with an 8.61 ERA in 77.1 innings pitched. According to ukathletics.com, Smith throws a fastball that touches 94 mph and an above-average splitter.
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