Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:35 Sunday afternoon)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Boston Red Sox (Drive)

Legends probable pitchers: Thursday, RH Christian Binford (0-1, 5.00); Friday, LH Colin Rodgers (0-0, 3.12); Saturday, LH Daniel Stumpf (1-0, 0.00); Sunday, RH Aroni Nina (0-1, 5.63).

Mike Miller

Drive to watch: 2B/SS/3B Mike Miller (5-foot-9, 170 pounds, age 23, bats and throws right, from Concord, Calif.) is 14-for-30 (.467) over his first nine games through Tuesday. That includes five doubles and a stolen base, with two RBI and seven runs. He has a .500 on-base percentage, slugging .633. Selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of last June’s draft, Miller led Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in batting (.354 over 56 games) while earning All-Big West Conference honors. Last summer, he played for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, batting .261 over 66 games. He finished with a .337 on-base percentage, a homer, 15 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts.

Terrance Gore

Legend to watch: LF Terrance Gore (5-7, 159, 21, bats and throws right, from Macon, Ga.) leads the Legends with seven stolen bases in eight attempts, a triple and nine runs. He is 11-for-42 (.262), with three doubles and two RBI. Selected by the Royals in the 20th round of the 2011 draft, he has stolen 60 bases in 63 career attempts as a pro, including a 17-for-17 start with the Surprise Royals of the Arizona League in 2011. A 2010 graduate of Jones County (Ga.) High School, he batted .474 with 49 stolen bases as a senior, and 145 thefts in his high school career. Gore attended Gulf Coast (Fla.) Community College one season, batting .330 with 51 steals in 54 attempts. Last year, with Burlington of the Appalachian League, he hit .256 while leading the league in runs (50) and steals (36-for-38), tied for fourth in walks (36) and ninth in on-base percentage (.379). Rated by Baseball America as “Fastest Baserunner” in the Royals system in 2012 and 2013.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Promotions — Thirsty Thursday ($1 beers, soft drinks). … Friday includes a “meet and greet” event with the Cat in the Hat (tickets $12 advance, $14 at gate for kids; includes admission to the event and game, plus a meal voucher. Adult tickets, $7, include the event and game). Legends players will read stories at the meet and greet. … Saturday includes a post-game fireworks show and a Girls Scouts overnight campout. … Kids Club Sunday includes a post-game opportunity for kids to run the bases.

South Atlantic League baseball

Greenville Drive
at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:35 Sunday afternoon)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Boston Red Sox (Drive)

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Miguel Almonte (0-1, 5.79) vs. RH Pat Light (0-0, 9.00); Friday, RH Christian Binford (0-1, 7.20) vs. LH Brian Johnson (0-1, 2.25); Saturday, LH Colin Rodgers (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Frank Montas (0-0, 3.18); Sunday, LH Daniel Stumpf (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Cody Kukuk (1-0, 3.60).

Braden Kapteyn

Drive to watch: RHP Braden Kapteyn (6-foot-4, 225 pounds, from Lansing, Ill., age 23) is well known to fans of the University of Kentucky, where he was a two-way player on the mound and at first base. At UK, Kapteyn went 7-3 with eight saves and 91 strikeouts over 71 2/3 inning. He batted .300 in 2011, driving in 42 runs and scoring 42. A 15th round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2011, Kapteyn appeared in 12 games in 2011 and 19 games last year for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, going a combined 0-1 with seven saves. In two relief outings this season, Kapteyn has yielded four runs over four innings, losing his only decision. He held opponents to a .176 batting average over 14 innings in 2011, .107 over 34 2/3 last year and .083 thus far this season.

Cameron Gallagher

Legend to watch: C Cameron Gallagher (6-2, 220, from Lancaster, Pa., 20, bats/throws right) is 9-for-23 (.391) through his first six games, with four doubles, an RBI and two runs. He also has gunned down four of seven runners trying to steal. A 2011 second-round draft pick of the Royals, out of Manheim Township (Pa.) High School, he batted .434 with four homers, 19 RBI, 29 runs and 10 stolen bases as a senior. In 2011, over 28 games with the Arizona League Royals and Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League, Gallagher hit .157 with two homers, nine RBI and eight runs. Last year, over 36 games with Burlington of the Appalachian League, he batted .276 with three homers, 15 RBI and 13 runs; he was rated the 20th-best prospect in the league. Gallagher’s father, Glenn, pitched in the Blue Jays organization after being selected in the third round of the 1981 draft. Cameron’s brother, Austin, was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2007 draft.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Hagerstown Suns

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:35 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Washington Nationals

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 5.14) vs. RH Nathan Karns (0-0, 1.35); Friday, RH Nick Tropeano (2-2, 1.87) vs. RH Alex Meyer (2-3, 4.28); Saturday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (0-1, 14.73) vs. RH Taylor Hill (3-2, 2.88); Sunday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (4-1, 1.60) vs. RH Wirkin Estevez (4-1, 6.69).

Alex Meyer

Sun to watch: Saturday starting pitcher Alex Meyer (6-foot-9, 220 pounds, from Greensburg, Ind.) returns to the city where he was a standout for the University of Kentucky. The second of Washington’s two first-round draft picks (23rd overall) last June, the hard-throwing right-hander led UK in starts (14), complete games (4), wins (7), ERA (2.94), innings (101) and strikeouts (SEC-best 110) last year, as well as batting average-against (.222). He twice earned Southeastern Conference pitcher of the week honors last season, and was named to the all-SEC second team. Over three seasons as a Wildcat, Meyer went 13-12 with a 4.72 ERA, one save and 253 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings. He ranked fifth in strikeouts on UK’s career list, and eighth in hits-per-nine-innings (8.10). He opted for UK after being selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 20th round of the 2008 draft. Thus far with the Suns, Meyer is 2-3 with a 4.28 ERA over six starts and 27 1/3 innings. He has struck out 33 and walked 12, holding opponents to a .220 average. At Hagerstown, he is 2-0, 0.75; on the road, he’s 0-3, 7.04.

John Hinson

Legend to watch: IF John Hinson (6-1, 180, from Asheville, N.C.) is 12-for-31 (.387) in eight games since being promoted from extended spring training. He has two homers, five RBI and eight runs scored, with two doubles and three stolen bases. Hinson, who bats left-handed and throws righty, was selected by the Astros in the 13th round of last year’s draft, out of Clemson University. As a redshirt junior last year, he batted .331 for Clemson, with nine homers, 12 doubles, three triples, 41 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Assigned to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last summer, he batted .284, with two homers, nine doubles, a triple, 11 RBI and 18 runs over 43 games. In 162 bats, he struck out 26 times and drew 17 walks. He also stole seven bases in 12 attempts. He also was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the 2010 draft.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Notes: Thursday is Thirsty Thursday (Pepsi and beer products for $1) and Bark in the Park Night. Fans are invited to bring their dogs. The admission price of $2 per dog will benefit the Paris Animal Welfare Society. Dogs are allowed only in the general admission areas (lawn and bleachers), so fans with dogs should not purchase tickets in the (reserved) seating bowl. … Friday is Faith and Family Night. The Afters, who had two No. 1 singles on the Billboard Christian radio charts last year, will perform a post-game concert.  … Reserved seats for Saturday’s Nurses Night game are sold out. Some bleacher and lawn tickets remain. Birdzerk, billed as America’s Ballpark Prankster, will entertain between innings. A fireworks show will follow the game. … Sunday, Mother’s Day, “pampering sessions” around the park, lunch and Mary Kay goodie bags are available as part of a $39 package for moms. More than $500 in door prizes will be awarded. A portion of Sunday’s ticket proceeds will benefit the Mary Kay Foundation for battered women and children. Sunday also is Kids Club Day, meaning kids can run the bases after the game.

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 Monday and Tuesday nights; 10:05 a.m. Wednesday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (1-1, 2.08) vs. RH Luis Diaz (0-1, 3.00); Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-2, 21.94) vs. LH Henry Owens (1-1, 12.15); Wednesday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 6.00) vs. RH Matt Barnes (1-0, 0.00)

David Renfroe

Drive to watch: 3B David Renfroe (6-foot-3, 200 pounds, from Batesville, Miss.) brings a seven-game hitting streak to Lexington. He is second on the Drive with a .355 average (11-for-31) and leads the team in hits (11), doubles (5), homers (2), total bases (22), slugging (.710) and OPS (1.138). Selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2009 draft, out of South Panola High School in Batesville, he had committed to play quarterback for the Ole Miss football team. Instead, he turned pro and hit .190 in 2010, with two homers and 13 RBI over 58 games with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League. Last year, in 107 games for Greenville, Renfroe hit .240 with eight homers, 45 RBI and 43 runs. In high school,where he batted .470 with seven homers,35 RBI and 18 stolen bases as a senior, he pitched and played shortstop. His father, Laddie, made four relief appearances for the Chicago Cubs in 1991.

Luis Cruz

Legend to watch: LHP Luis Cruz (5-9, 170, from San Juan, Puerto Rico) is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA over three relief appearances and 8 1/3 innings. After giving up four runs in his first appearance, he has been solid. He surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings at Hagerstown. Then, in Thursday’s home opener against Kannapolis, Cruz tossed four innings of one-hit shutout ball. Overall, he has 12 strikeouts and no walks. Selected by the Astros in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, Cruz made seven starts that year for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, going 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA. With the same team in 2009, he finished 1-4, 6.75. Cruz spent 2010 with the Legends, making 16 starts and finishing 8-5, 3.61. Last year, he split time between Lexington (5-4, 4.45) and the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League (0-1, 14.54).

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7 each night except Sunday, 4 p.m.)

Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Foltynewicz

Alaniz

Quevedo

Cruz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-8, 4,27) vs. RH Brandon Workman (3-6, 3.94); Saturday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-9, 4.56) vs. RH Keith Couch (5-3, 2.97); Sunday, LH Luis Cruz (3-2, 4.09) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (5-4, 3.43); Monday, RH Carlos Quevedo (7-4, 3.83) vs. RH Kyle Stroup (3-5, 4.03).

Hector Rodriguez

Legend to watch: 2B/3B Hector Rodriguez (5-foot-11, 160 pounds, from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) made his Legends debut Wednesday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. The right-handed batter and thrower began the season by playing six games in the California League with the Lancaster JetHawks (.111, 2 runs), then played 17 games in the New York-Penn League with the Tri-City ValleyCats (.176, 3 RBI, 7 runs, 2 steals). Signed by the Astros as a free agent, Rodriguez broke in with the Dominican Summer League Astros in 2008, batting .214 with six RBI, 11 runs and four steals. With the same club in 2009, he improved to .269, 10 RBI, 33 runs and eight steals, earning all-star honors. Last year, with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League, Rodriguez hit .303 with nine RBI, 15 runs and two stolen bases. He was Greeneville’s Defensive Player of the Month last August.

Christian Vazquez

Drive to watch: C Christian Vazquez (5-9, 195, from San Juan, Puerto Rico), in seven games against the Legends this season, is 7-for-26 (.269) with a double, four homers, seven RBI, six runs and a gaudy 1.091 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages). He earned SAL Player of the Week honors on June 27. Overall, Vazquez is hitting .268 with 13 homers, 60 RBI, 57 runs and an .804 OPS over 82 games. Selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2008 draft out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy high school, the right-hander broke in with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, batting .190 with five RBI and seven runs over 21 games. In 2009, playing 10 games for the GCL Sox and 21 with the NYPL’s Lowell Spinners, Vazquez totaled two homers, 16 RBI and nine runs, batting .178. Last year, over 79 games with the Drive, he hit .263 with three homers, 32 RBI and 34 runs.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball (REVISED Greenville pitching rotation)

                                    South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 5:05 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Alaniz

Cruz

Sogard

Quevedo

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Ruben Alaniz (5-4, 4.78) vs. RH Keith Couch (2-1, 3.34); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (1-0, 2.04 vs. RH Chris Martin (4-0, 2.74); Saturday, RH Carlos Quevedo (5-3, 4.62) vs. RH Miguel Celestino (5-4, 4.43); Sunday, LH Alex Sogard (1-2, 4.58) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (4-3, 3.75).

Brandon Jacobs

Drive to watch: All-star LF Brandon Jacobs (6-foot-1, 225 pounds, from Snellville, Ga.) is batting .323 with nine homers, 39 RBI, 36 runs and 14 stolen bases over 57 games. He also has a .397 on-base and .529 slugging percentage. Selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2009 draft out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga., he had been committed to play football (running back) for Auburn University. As a high school senior, he hit .511 with seven homers 16 RBI and a 1.307 slugging percentage. The Red Sox offered $750,000 to win out over Auburn and assigned him to their Gulf Coast League team, where he went 6-for-24 (.250) in eight games. Last year, with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, Jacobs hit .242 with a team-leading six homers and 18 doubles. He also had 31 RBI and 30 runs over 64 games. Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him as the 27th-best prospect in Boston’s system.

Jorge DeLeon

Legend to watch: RHP Jorge DeLeon (6-0, 182, from La Cega Azua, Dominican Republic) saved 10 of the Legends’ 35 first-half wins. With a 1-3 record and 2.43 ERA, DeLeon has worked 29 2/3 innings over 21 games, with a 1.04 WHIP and 25 strikeouts to six walks. All this while holding opponents to a .214 batting average. His last eight appearances, spanning nine innings, he has not given up an earned runs, striking out nine and walking two. DeLeon has been toughest at home, where he is 1-1-4 with a 0.71 ERA. Signed by the Astros on May 30, 2006, as a non-drafted free agent, DeLeon played shortstop for his first four pro seasons before moving to the mound last year. His infielder days included a 43-game tour with the Legends in 2009, when he hit .187 and drove in nine runs. With the New York-Penn League’s Tri-City ValleyCats last season, DeLeon went 2-1 with six saves and a 0.64 ERA over 23 relief appearances. Armed with a top-end 98 mph fastball, he struck out 29, walked 12 and earned a spot on Houston’s 40-man roster. Coming into this season, Baseball America rated him as the 20th-best prospect in the Astros system.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

                                      South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Three-game series

When: Sunday through Tuesday (4 Sunday afternoon, 7 Monday and Tuesday nights)

Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Sogard

Quevedo

Bushue

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (5-1, 3.57) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (4-1, 3.83); Monday, RH Carlos Quevedo (4-3, 5.27) vs. RH Miguel Celestino (3-3, 4.70); Tuesday, LH Alex Sogard (1-1, 3.14) vs. RH Keith Couch (0-1, 3.86).

Drive to watch: CF/RF Henry Ramos (6-foot-2, 187 pounds, from Maunabo, Puerto Rico) is a right-handed-throwing, switch-hitter who is equally versatile in a variety of sports — having been a member of Puerto Rico’s junior national soccer and tennis teams. With the Drive, Ramos is batting .277 with a homer, seven RBI and seven runs scored over 12 games. A 2010 fifth-round draft pick out of Alfonso Casta Martinez High School, broke into pro ball last year with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox (43 games) and the New York-Penn League’s Lowell Spinners (7 games). In the Gulf Coast League, Ramos hit .309 with eight doubles, a triple, three homers, 26 RBI and 18 runs, while stealing 12 bases in 18 attempts. He also had a .370 on-base percentage and .449 slugging percentage. With Lowell, he went 3-for-24 (.125) with two RBI and a run scored.

Tyler Burnett

Legend to watch: 1B Tyler Burnett (6-0, 205, from Murfreesboro, Tenn.) batting .286 with six doubles, a triple, two homers, 13 RBI and 19 runs scored over 38 games. The left-handed hitting, right-handed thrower has drawn 13 walks to 15 strikeouts and is 6-for-8 in stolen-base attempts. He is 10-for-25 (.400) when leading off an inning. Over his last four games (through Friday), Burnett is 6-for-13 (.461), with a three-hit game Friday. Also a quarterback and punter in high school, he attended his hometown university, Middle Tennessee State. As a Blue Raiders senior last year, Burnett earned all-Sun Belt Conference honors by hitting .351 with 12 homers, 46 RBI and 56 runs. A 17th round draft pick, he was assigned by the Astros to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL, where he hit .250 with six homers, 31 RBI and 39 runs over 71 games. An NYPL all-star, he also stole six bases and had 45 walks versus 56 strikeouts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

What better way to spend a rainy day in Cincinnati than to catch up with some of the former Lexington Legends who now dot the Houston Astros roster?

In addition to highlights provided in a Herald-Leader/kentucky.com article, here’s what some of the fellas had to say.

“How many guys do we have up here — three or four guys?” third baseman Chris Johnson said. Told that the number was seven, he continued: “Wow! That’s great. That’s actually a testament to the Astros for drafting guys and getting them through the system. They’re really trying to develop us. And it’s a credit to all the coaches that we played with coming up through the system. They’ve really transformed us into being pretty good ballplayers.”

In addition to Johnson, the Astros include former Legends Fernando Abad, Brian Bogusevic, Bud Norris, Hunter Pence, Wandy Rodriguez and J.R. Towles.

Johnson says he loves playing in Houston’s Minute Maid Park, but there’s also something about Chicago.

“That’s probably one of my favorite stops,” he said. “Just because as a kid I’ve always grown up dreaming about playing in Wrigley Field. All the history there, being so old. I haven’t been to Fenway (in Boston). … As a kid, those are two places I really wanted to go. So, one down.”

(Believe it or not, Johnson’s father Ron is first-base coach for the Red Sox.)

Towles, a catcher, on being hampered for two weeks-plus by a left ankle sprain — “I want to keep playing, so it’s going to be nagging around, staying around longer than if I would just stay off of it. But it’s one of those things that I can’t stay off of it, so it’s going to hang around. But it’s doing a lot better, and as long as it doesn’t get worse (will be OK).”

Norris on his days with Lexington pitching coach Charley Taylor — “I’m glad to see he’s healthy (after battling cancer). Charley was very encouraging. That was the thing. He always patted you on the back whether you did good or bad or in between, and it was kind of nice to have that at that level.”

Rodriguez (a.k.a. Eny Cabreja) on his time in the Bluegrass — “Nice place. And I had a good season when I was there, too. Won 11 games. I love Lexington.”

Baseball

South Atlantic
    League

Lexington Legends
                             vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Tuesday through Friday (7:05 each night)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Tanner Bushue

Juan Minaya

Zach Grimmett

Jose Cisnero

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-7, 4.31) vs. RH Kendal Volz (6-5, 4.09); Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (4-10, 5.04) vs. RH Pete Ruiz (8-8, 4.56); Thursday, RH Jose Cisnero (6-6, 4.25) vs. RH Ryan Pressly (4-6,3.90); Friday, RH Zach Grimmett (5-2, 3.81) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (4-9, 4.32).

Reymond Fuentes

Drive to watch: CF Reymond Fuentes (6-foot, 160 pounds, from Manati, Puerto Rico) is batting .281 with five homers 37 RBI, 53 runs scored and 35 stolen bases through 87 games. Selected by the Red Sox in the first round (28th overall) of last year’s draft, Fuentes signed for $1.134 million. A cousin of Mets CF  Carlos Beltran, the left-hander (batter/thrower) is the sixth Puerto Rican ever selected in a first round. He broke in to pro ball last year with the Gulf Coast League Red Sox, hitting .290 with a homer, 14 RBI, 16 runs and nine stolen bases over 40 games. He was ranked as the third-best prospect in the rookie league and, according to Baseball America, was the seventh-best prospect in the Red Sox’ organization coming into this season. Wrote BBA: “A track star in high school, he uses his quickness to make things happen on the bases and in center field, where he has Gold Glove potential. His swing is geared more for contact, ,but he has some power to his pull side and eventually could hit as many as 15 homers per  season. … Similar to Jacoby Ellsbury, Fuentes is a far better hitter at the same stage and projects as a better defender.” Hitting .277 at the all-star break, he is .292 since and, in 12 August games, is .391 (18-for-46).

Daniel Sarisky

Legend to watch: RHP Daniel Sarisky (6-1, 175, from Duluth, Ga.) has bolstered the bullpen after missing more than two months (mid-April through mid-July) due to a back injury. Over 17 games spanning only 18 1/3 innings, Sarisky is 2-0 with a 4.42 ERA, 13 strikeouts and eight walks. Eight of his nine appearances have come at home, where he notched both wins and has a 2.08 ERA. A 40th round draft pick in 2009, out of Oglethorpe University, Sarisky split last season between the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League and the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League, compiling a combined record of 2-1 with a 3.82 ERA, 41 strikeouts and 13 walks. 

Ben Heath

Player of the Week: Legends C Ben Heath is the SAL Player of the Week for the period that ended Sunday. In his first week since being promoted from Tri-City, Heath went 8-for-15 (.533) with three homers, a triple and 10 RBI, with a 1.267 slugging percentage. Three homers and seven RBI came in Friday against West Virginia. Heath, 21, was a fifth-round draft pick of the Astros in the June draft, out of Penn State University.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

What: Four-game series

When: Sunday through Wednesday (2:05 p.m. Sunday; 10:05 a.m. Monday and Wednesday; 7:05 p.m. Tuesday)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Affiliations: Houston Astros (Legends), Boston Red Sox

Tanner Bushue

David Duncan

Robby Donovan

Juan Minaya

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (2-1, 2.04) vs. RH Kendal Volz (3-2, 3.34); Monday, LH David Duncan (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Manuel Rivera (2-2, 2.73); Tuesday, RH Robby Donovan (2-3, 3.60) vs. RH Pedro Perez (2-2, 5.40); Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (0-5, 5.94) vs. RH Pete Ruiz (4-2, 4.25).

Chris McGuiness

Drive to watch: 1B Chris McGuiness (6-foot-1, 210 pounds, from Charleston, S.C.) is hitting .282 with a team-leading five homers and 24 RBI over 33 games. He also leads the team in hits (33), total bases (58) and walks (23), and carries a lofty .904 OPS. Selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round of last June’s draft, out of The Citadel, where he hit .367 with 15 HR and 59 RBI in 59 games his junior season, leading the country in walks (65) and leading the team with a .520 on-base percentage. He then played 60 games of pro ball in 2009 — six games with Greenville and 54 with the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League, hitting a combined .245 with six HR and 39 RBI. He earned mid-season all-star honors in the NYPL.

Tanner Bushue

Legend to watch: Sunday starter Tanner Bushue (6-4, 180, from Kinmundy, Ill.) ranks ninth in the league with his 2.04 ERA. He leads the Legends with 39 2/3 innings pitched and 36 strikeouts. He has issued 12 walks over his seven starts. Over his last four starts (26 innings), he has yielded three earned runs and four walks while striking out 20. Selected by the Astros in the second round (69th overall) of last June’s draft, out of South Central High School, Bushue is the youngest player on the Lexington roster, 18. As a high school senior, Bushue 8-3 with an 0.62 ERA over 13 games and 68 1/3 innings. He struck out 140 and walked 22. Once signed by the Astros last year (for $530,000), he tossed five games for the Gulf Coast League Astros, going 1-0 with a 2.42 ERA, 19 strikeouts and five walks over 22 innings. Coming into this season, Baseball America ranked Bushue No. 7 among Astros prospects.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300