Blackjack for PawSox Pitchers
In case you haven’t been counting, PawSox pitchers have gone 21 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
We figured Pawtucket would start the season with an outstanding pitching staff, but the numbers have been ridiculous so far. Are you ready?
The team has a 1.00 ERA (3 ER in 27 IP).
The starters (Enrique Gonzalez, Michael Bowden, and Kris Johnson) have a combined ERA of 0.61 (1 ER in 14.2 IP).
PawSox pitchers have put a zero on the scoreboard in 25 of 27 innings this season.
And for the first time since 2006, Pawtucket has thrown back-to-back shutouts.
Oh yea, and the next two starters in the rotation are Clay Buchholz and the 2008 International League Pitcher of the Year Charlie Zink.
Has a team ever gone 144-0?
On Saturday, the trio of Kris Johnson, Marcus McBeth, and Fernando Cabrera combined a 4-hitter as the PawSox improved to 3-0 with a 1-0 win in Buffalo. The game’s only run came on a leadoff HR in the 7th inning by catcher Carlos Maldonado in his PawSox debut.
The PawSox go for the 4-game sweep in Buffalo on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 as Buchholz faces for PawSox/Red Sox pitcher Casey Fossum. I hope you’ll join Steve Hyder and me for the radio call beginning at 12:50 on the PawSox radio network or PawSox.com.
One of the things I enjoy about the daily routine of a baseball announcer is hanging around the batting cage looking for interesting tidbits to include in that night’s broadcast. Today I learned that several players on this year’s team are avid American Idol fans.
Jeff Natale agrees with me that Adam Lambert is the class of this year’s contestants. In Jeff’s words, “he’s a thoroughbred in a field of ponies.”
Dusty Brown picks Matt Giraud to win.
Sean Danielson is a fan of Allison Iraheta.
If you’re not watching the show, feel free to judge for youself.
On Saturday in “Stump Steve” we played “2 Out of 3 Ain’t Bad” with a Buffalo-related connection. The correct answer of all 3 questions shared the last name of a famous Buffalo Bills player.
Ready?
1. I was the #1 pick in the draft out of USC and was an All-Star with the Detroit Tigers in 1979 when I hit 26 HR and drove in 105 runs.
2. I was a MLB catcher for 17 years and was behind the plate for Tom Browning’s perfect game.
3. I never led the league in HR or RBI, yet I’m ranked 18th all-time in one category and 21st in the other.
The answers are:
1. Steve Kemp (Jack Kemp)
2. Jeff Reed (Andre Reed)
3. Frank Thomas (Thurman Thomas)
Steve correctly answered questions 1 & 3 so he gets credit for a win to improve to 3-0 this season.
Happy Easter!
I’d love to hear from you. The address is dhoard@pawsox.com.
Heard It From Hoard 