Monday, July 14, 2008

Clinton Lumberkings and Blake Beavan

6/29
Low-A: at Clinton 3, Quad Cities 4
Loss: Beavan (4-5, 3.16)

Blake Beavan struck out five against one walk in five innings, but he also surrendered two solo homers and another run.

Jonathan Greene and Tim Smith had back-to-back solo homers in the 7th. Smith also singled. Engel Beltre singled and drew his first walk since June 3rd, ending a dry stretch of 87 appearances during which he batted .267/.276/.395.

7/4
Low-A: Clinton 4, at Beloit 0
Win: Beavan (5-5, 2.84)

Blake Beavan matched his longest outing (7 innings) and most strikeouts (5) while yielding no runs, no walks, and only three hits. The extremely walk-averse Beavan finds himself in the odd position of having allowed more homers (9) than free passes (8) this season. David Wells accomplished that feat a few times. Beavan’s strikeout rate has climbed from an uncomfortably low 10% in his first eight starts to nearly 18% in his last five.

Engel Beltre made up for Thursday’s unsightly oh-for-six with a single and double. Mitch Moreland (.319/.395/.490) singled twice and walked, while RF Miguel Alfonzo (228/.330/.302) hit a solo homer (his 3rd) and doubled.

Chris Dennis (1.16 ERA) worked a scoreless 8th and 9th.

7/11
Low-A: Clinton 4, at West Michigan 1
Win: Beavan (6-5, 2.62)
Save: Flores (7, 3.86)

Blake Beavan offered one of those strangely effective Beavan starts: six innings, five hits, no runs, no walks, and just one strikeout. On the season, Beavan has faced exactly 300 batters and has eight walks (2.7%) and 38 strikeouts (12.7%), both far below the league average (8.5% and 20.2%, respectively).

Adelberto Flores pitched the final two innings without incident.

Engel Beltre contributed with a solo homer (#5), his 18th double, and a single. Beltre is hitting .310/.333/.448 in 19 games since the All-Star break. He’s also doubled his walk rate… from 1.6% to 3.2%.

RF Miguel Alfonzo went 3-4 with a solo homer, his 5th.

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