Claws win; Knigge promoted

In Lakewood Thursday night, Carlos Perdomo and Josh Ludy had 2 hits each, and Hoby Milner, Yari Sosa, and Kenny Giles combined for a 3-hit shut out, as the BlueClaws won a 4-0 game to pull within 2 games (again) of first place Hickory (and Hagerstown).  Milner picked up his first win for Lakewood in the best of his 3 appearances for the Claws. After 5 great innings, he ran out of gas at the beginning of the 6th and yielded to Sosa.  Yari promptly stranded the runners, then proceeded to toss 2 more scoreless frames before Giles finished it.  Suddenly the quartet of Milner, Lino Martinez, Ethan Stewart, and Colin Kleven is beginning to look formidable.  Kleven getting the ball tonight in the finale of the Hickory series, which is a big swing game early here in the second half.  With a win Lakewood pulls to 1 game behind, a loss drops them  to 3 back.

In Clearwater, Roy Halladay made his first rehab start, going 3 innings for the Threshers in their 4-3, 12-inning win. 3 hits each for Carlos Alonso (.297) and Cameron Rupp (.261), with Rupp getting the game winner, scoring Alonso!  If Halladay feels OK today, his next rehab availability is Tuesday, which happens to be a home game for Lakewood.  I know nothing officially, I am just sharing my thoughts.

Congratulations to Tyler Knigge, who has been promoted to Reading!  Better late than never!!  Knigge made his debut in Reading  with a scoreless inning in Reading's 3-1 loss to Bowie.  The R-Phils got just 3 hits, 1 of them a home run from Sebastian Valle, his 10th.

In Norfolk, the Tides shut out the IronPigs, 7-0.  Mike Spidale had 2 of the Pig's 6 hits on the night......In Omaha, Adrian Cardenas (.324) had 3 hits and an RBI for the Cubs, who won a wild one, 12-11 over the Storm Chasers.............In North Little Rock, Josh Outman started and went 4 innings for the Tulsa Drillers, allowing 5 runs (4 earned) on 6 hits and 2 walks in Tulsa's 7-5 loss to the Travelers............


Matt Rizzotti, released by the Twins last week, has signed a free agent deal with the Oakland Athletics.