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Brooming Marvellous
SOUTHERN LEAGUE (AA) NORTHERN DIVISION PLAYOFFS
GAME 3 THREAD (JAXX LEAD BEST-OF-FIVE SERIES 2-0) [PARACHAT]
CAROLINA MUDCATS (77-57) @ WEST TENN DIAMOND JAXX (83-56)
PRINGLES PARK, 5:05 pm CDT, RADIO: Dixie 1310 WDXI
After winning last night's game 2-1 in the ninth (recap, boxscore, play-by-play) to take a 2-0 series lead, the residents of West Tennessee have their brooms out tonight as the Jaxx look to go sweeping. Ricky Nolasco was simply outstanding yesterday, pitching eight scoreless frames. Though he had just the two innings in which he kept the bases clean, and a number of runners got themselves into scoring position, Nolasco immediately slammed the door shut every time, dialling his sinking fastball up to a very impressive 94mph in the late innings and inducing huge strikeouts with his excellent "Uncle Charlie" (or curveball, to you and me). 8 innings, 6 hits, 2 walks and a hit by pitch, 11 strikeouts, and, most importantly, 0 runs. Impressive. The Jaxx blew a 1-0 lead in the top of ninth though, with closer Andy Shipman, who was stolen from the Red Sox in the Jimmy Anderson back-and-forth last year, allowing a pair of hits and a run. Worry not though - the Jaxx came back in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Theriot, who was named Jaxx MVP before the game, tripled off the left field wall with one out. Two intentional walks followed and Brandon Sing struck out swinging before Buck Coats got the winning run home with an infield hit. Tonight...
Carlos Marmol's a favourite prospect of mine. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1999 as a 17-year old catcher, Marmol was converted to the mound in 2003. He put together a very impressive season at Lansing (Low-A) last year, and this year he took a promotion to Daytona so well in his stride that Oneri Fleita gave him another. At first, Marmol struggled, walking 15 in his first 13.1 innings, but he's since settled down to being much more impressive. And there really aren't many better than Marmol when he's on his game. That was very much the case in his last start of the regular season, when he went seven scoreless one-hit innings, allowing just two walks and striking out 11. If Marmol today picks up where he left off, the Jaxx could really be laughing.
Marmol, who'll only turn 23 in mid-October, truly has excellent stuff and a very high upside. His fastball and slider are both among the very best in the system, the former clocking in the low- to mid-nineties with excellent downward movement, the latter very hard-breaking. He also mixes in a changeup. Numbers-wise he's been known to have control problems come and go, and he allows a few too many home runs too. But for someone so new to pitching, who therefore could well have plenty of room for further improvement, he's a very promising prospect. Let's hope my eulogy isn't the kiss of death for his start today. Go Jaxx!
After winning last night's game 2-1 in the ninth (recap, boxscore, play-by-play) to take a 2-0 series lead, the residents of West Tennessee have their brooms out tonight as the Jaxx look to go sweeping. Ricky Nolasco was simply outstanding yesterday, pitching eight scoreless frames. Though he had just the two innings in which he kept the bases clean, and a number of runners got themselves into scoring position, Nolasco immediately slammed the door shut every time, dialling his sinking fastball up to a very impressive 94mph in the late innings and inducing huge strikeouts with his excellent "Uncle Charlie" (or curveball, to you and me). 8 innings, 6 hits, 2 walks and a hit by pitch, 11 strikeouts, and, most importantly, 0 runs. Impressive. The Jaxx blew a 1-0 lead in the top of ninth though, with closer Andy Shipman, who was stolen from the Red Sox in the Jimmy Anderson back-and-forth last year, allowing a pair of hits and a run. Worry not though - the Jaxx came back in the bottom of the inning when Ryan Theriot, who was named Jaxx MVP before the game, tripled off the left field wall with one out. Two intentional walks followed and Brandon Sing struck out swinging before Buck Coats got the winning run home with an infield hit. Tonight...
| Carlos Marmol, RHP 9-6, 3.34 ERA 141/77 K/BB, 17 HR in 153.2 IP |
Luke Lockwood, LHP 2-8, 3.24 ERA 79/23 K/BB, 6 HR in 114.0 IP |
| 2B *Frank Moore | SS Ryan Theriot |
| 3B #Drew Niles | 2B Aaron Sisk |
| RF Juan Carlos Muniz | 3B Casey McGehee |
| 1B Jason Hill | RF Brandon Sing |
| LF James Shanks | 1B #Matt Craig |
| C #Dennis Anderson | CF *Buck Coats |
| CF Reggie Abercrombie | LF Luis Montanez |
| SS Rex Rundgren | C #Jose Reyes |
| P *Luke Lockwood | P Carlos Marmol |
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