strong pitching with mixed results

Good Morning, HomeSiders-

Thursday's games featured some strong pitching by some former BlueClaws. We will start at the major league level where Gavin Floyd took the hill for the White Sox in Baltimore. Getting a major league start as close to his home town of Severna Park, Maryland, as possible, Floyd followed up last Saturday's gem with another good effort. He retired the first 12 hitters he faced, and ended up throwing 6 full innings, giving up just 2 unearned runs on 2 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4. The Sox bullpen gave up the lead as the Orioles scored 1 in the 8th, 2 in the 9th to tie it and 1 in the 10th to win it. Floyd's ERA was reduced to 1.40 in his 3 starts so far.

Fabio Castro had a great start for Reading in Norwich on Thursday, pitching 7 shut out innings, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7 and lowering his ERA to 0.47 in Reading's 1-0 win. Greg Golson doubled and scored the only run of the game on a 2 out error by Connecticut pitcher Joseph Martinez. "Golie" also threw out a runner at home (his 3rd outfield assist this year) to preserve the win in the bottom of the 8th. Greg is hitting .345 in his first 13 games this year. Pat Overholt recorded his third save with a scoreless 9th inning.

In Fort Myers, it was Antonio Bastardo throwing for Clearwater who was impressive again. The 22-year old Dominican continues to throw "lights out" baseball. On Thursday, he went for 5.2 innings, giving up 1 run on 4 hits and 4 walks, striking out 5. Although the Miracle won the game later, Bastardo's incredible run goes on. In 15.2 innings in 3 games this year, Antonio has allowed just 2 runs, 14 hits, striking out 22! 9 walks is a little high, but maybe I am just looking for a flaw at this point. Carlos Leon (2 singles, a double,and a walk, .353) and P.J. Antoniato (2 singles, .259) led the attack for the Threshers.

The pitching parade continued in Oklahoma City, where Elizardo Ramirez won his 3rd game this year, as the Red Wings blasted the Round Rock Express 19-3. "Easy" threw 6 innings, giving up just 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits, striking out 4, and lowering his ERA to 3.24.

At this point, I want to correct something I said the other day. It seems I overlooked the IronPigs first win, and wrongly stated Brian Mazzone was the first one to get a win for Lehigh Valley. Actually, Ron Chiavacci had won the previous day, 3-1 over Richmond for the team's first win. They have lost the last 2 and are now 2-13.

Last night in Louisville, Chris Roberson led the Nolfolk Tides to a 7-6 win over the Bats. Robey drove in 4 runs, 3 on his first home run of the season, and is hitting .273 for Nolfolk. While in Salt Lake City, Kevin Howard continued his good start for Las Vegas, picking up a hit and a walk in the 51s 3-2 loss to the Bees. Howard is hitting .353 and playing second base for the Dodger's affiliate.

In the longest game in the major leagues since 1993, the Colorado Rockies outlasted the Padres, 2-1 in 22 innings. Of course, Taylor Buchholz pitched. This time he went 2 innings, giving up just 1 hit, striking out 3. That makes a total of 9 innings in 9 appearances for Taylor, just 1 run allowed.

Cole Hamels gets the ball tonight in Philadelphia against the Mets Johan Santana in the opener of a big series between these two newly discovered rivals. Despite the proximity of the 2 cities, these 2 teams had never been good at the same time in the past, so the rivalry here is in it's infancy. However, like Eagles-Giants and Flyers-Rangers, the intensity is not for the squeamish.

Drew Naylor gets the ball for Lakewood toinight, and that is where you can find me, so I'll see you at the ballpark.