Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods

What: Two-game series

When: Thursday and Friday (8:05 EDT each night)

Where: Bowling Green Ballpark

Tickets: Call (270) 901-2121

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (3-1, 2.05) vs. RH Nick Barnese (0-0, 1.80); Friday, RH Ross Seaton (6-5, 2.49) vs. LH Matt Moore (3-2, 3.30).

Matthew Moore

Hot Rod to watch: Friday starter Matt Moore (6-foot-1, 207 pounds, from Edgewood, N.M.) is coming off a pair of starts that earned him SAL Pitcher of the Week honors. After tossing four innings of no-run, four-hit ball against Rome, Moore fired a seven-inning no-run, no-hit gem at Asheville. The two-game total: 0 runs, 4 hits, 3 walks, 18 strikeouts. Overall, Moore has made 11 starts. Over 46 1/3 innings, he has struck out 69, walked 36 and held opponents to a .175 batting average. Included in that is a four-inning, no-decision appearance against the Legends on April 26. He gave up three earned runs, two hits and four walks in that game, striking out five as the Hot Rods won 7-6. He is rated by Baseball America as the sixth-best prospect in the Tampa Bay system. Now a week shy of his 20th birthday, Moore was selected by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2007 draft, signing for $115,000. Out of Moriarty High School, he was Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico as a senior. Last year, he was 3-2 with a 1.66 ERA over 12 starts and led the Appalachian League with 77 strikeouts (vs. 19 walks). He led all of minor-league ball with 12.8 strikeouts per nine innings, and by holding opponents to a .154 batting average.

Henry Villar

Legend to watch: RHP Henry Villar (5-11, 150, from Bonao, Dominican Republic) has been effective in a variety of roles. His 16 appearances include three starts. He is 1-1, with a save, five holds and a 1.71 ERA. He has worked 42 innings, with 50 strikeouts and 11 walks while holding opponents to a .221 batting average. Villar, 22, pitched two innings of relief in the same April contest that Bowling Green’s Moore faced the Legends, giving up a run and three hits while striking out two. Villar joined the Houston Astros system in July, 2005. He spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League before moving to Greeneville of the Appalachian League last year. Over those three seasons, Villar was 8-11, with a 3.09 ERA over 39 games (13 each year) and 180 1/3 innings, with 166 strikeouts and 33 walks.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Greenville Drive

When: Friday through Sunday (7:05 Friday and Saturday nights; 2:05 Sunday).

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Probable pitcher (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Jordan Lyles (2-5, 3.31) vs.RH Stephen Fife (0-0, 0.00); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (3-0, 0.64) vs. TBA; Sunday, RH Ross Seaton (6-4, 2.44) vs. RH Stolmy Pimentel (3-3, 2.09).

Anthony Rizzo

Drive to watch: 1B Anthony Rizzo (6-foot-3, 220 pounds, from Parkland, Fla.) leads Greenville in runs (29), RBI (26) and walks (21) through Thursday’s games. Over 48 games, the 19-year-old also is hitting .275 with six home runs. Selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of the 2007 draft, he batted .373 and drove in 11 runs over 21 games with the Drive in April of 2008. He missed the rest of the season when he was diagnosed with limited stage classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. With the cancer in remission, he is rated by Baseball America as the 22nd-best prospect in Boston’s system.

Patrick Urckfitz

Legend to watch: LHP Patrick Urckfitz (6-4, 190, from Penfield, N.Y.) earned team Pitcher of the Month honors in May, when he went 1-0 with four saves and a 0.71 ERA. Urckfitz gave up one earned run over 10 games in May and 12 2/3 innngs, with 13 strikeouts to one walk, while holding opposing teams to a .178 batting average. Overall, Urckfitz has a 2.82 ERA and also has four saves. A non-drafted free agent out of Monroe (N.Y.) Community College, Urckfitz signed with the Astros last year on June 29. He made 15 relief appearances for Greeneville, going 1-0 with three saves and a 1.40 ERA.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Also of note: Thursday, the Houston Astros Player Development Department named Players of the Month for May, as chosen by the field staffs of the Astros minor-league teams.

Brian Pellegrini

Brandon Barnes

From the Legends, LH Patrick Urckfitz (see above) is Pitcher of the Month (POM), 1B/OF Brian Pellegrini is Offensive Player of the Month (OPM) and OF Brandon Barnes is Defensive Player of the Month (DPM).

Pellegrini, demoted from Lancaster, hit .277 (13-for-47) with three homers and nine RBI over 14 games.

Barnes has one error in 98 chances and 53 games this season, fielding at a .990 clip.

Players of the month for Houston’s other minor-league clubs (former Legends underlined):

Triple-A Round Rock — RH Yorman Bazardo (POM, 4-0, 1.49); SS Tommy Manzella (OPM and DPM, .339, 11 w, 11 2b, 2 hr, 12 rbi and .977 fielding through 52 games this season).

Double-A Corpus Christi — LH Doug Arguello (POM, 1-2, 2.28); OF Drew Locke (OPM, .327, 7 2b, 5 hr, 31 rbi); CF Josh Flores (DPM, .990 fielding over 39 games).

High-A Lancaster — RH Jordan Powell (POM, 1-1, 1 save, 3.77 ERA); OF Jonathan Gaston (OPM, .365, 23 ebh, 9 hr, 25 rbi); C Jason Castro (DPM, .984 fielding, 34 assists over 41 games). 

Ross Seaton

The Farmstros Five for  (top performers) the Week of May 27- June 3:

RHP Ross Seaton (Legends); RHP Yorman Bazardo (Round Rock); OF Drew Locke (Corpus Christi); OF Jonathan Gaston (Lancaster); RHP Xavier Baso (Dominican Summer League Astros).

Fan extras as Reds host Cubs in weekend series

Food: Kroger $7 Meal Deal this homestand: hot dog, 16-ounce Coke, chips and Cheez-It crackers.

Give and receive: The Reds and Society of St. Vincent de Paul are sponsoring a food drive during the series. Fans donating a non-perishable food item in designated collection barrels will receive two tickets to the June 17 Reds-Braves game and also can enter a drawing to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Braves game.

Individual-game promotions

Friday (7:10 p.m.) — Pre-game concert in the Fan Zone by the Paul Otten Band; game-ball delivery by Miss Teen Ohio, Jessica Paige Byington of Indian Hill; pre-fireworks mini-concert by saxophonist Elan Trotman, who has played with Bronson Arroyo’s band; post-game fireworks with soundtrack.

Saturday (7:10 p.m.) — Pre-game concert in the Fan Zone by the Goshen Brothers; team baseball card set to first 30,000 fans; “Sam” the Bald Eagle trading cards to first 20,000 fans; “Sam” the Bald Eagle flight from the riverboat to the pitcher’s mound during the national anthem.

Sunday (1:10 p.m.) – Joey Votto matted photo to first 30,000 fans (500 random winners receive a signed version); Reds Heads Kids Club members accompany a Reds starter on the field for lineup introduction; Aaron’s Aces — Aaron Harang hosts free ticket program for families with a parent who is serving in the military.

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 each night, except Sunday at 2:05 p.m.)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call   (859) 422-7867  

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, RH Kyle Greenwalt vs. LH Eric Surkamp (2-1, 4.54); Saturday, RH Jordan Lyles (2-4, 2.96) vs. RH Kyle Nicholson (3-4, 4.14); Sunday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (3-0, 0.38) vs. LH Ari Ronick (3-3, 3.76); Monday, RH Ross Seaton (5-4, 2.88) vs. LH Aaron King (1-2, 5.27).

Juan Perez

GreenJacket to watch: 3B Juan Perez (5-foot-11, 185 pounds, from Bronx, N.Y.) comes in with a six-game hitting streak (7-for-21, 4 RBI, 4 runs). Overall, he is hitting .279 with five homers, 19 RBI and 23 runs over 43 games. He is tied for fourth in the South Atlantic League (through Wednesday) with 15 doubles and tied for 12th with 46 hits. He also has six stolen bases in seven attempts. After batting .215 in April, Perez is hitting .337 in May. The Giants selected Perez in the 13th round of last year’s draft, out of Western Oklahoma State Junior College.

Brad Dydalewicz

Legend to watch: Sunday starter Brad Dydalewicz (6-1, 180, from Spicewood, Texas) will be making his first home appearance since April 17. He spent three weeks on the disabled list before being activated May 20 at Charleston, S.C. He pitched two innings that night, and was the winner with a five-inning start Monday at Savannah. Over those two games, he has given up a run, five hits and five walks, while striking out four. Overall, Dydalewicz has worked 24 innings over five starts, allowing just two runs (one earned), while going 3-0 with an 0.38 ERA. The Astros selected him in the eighth round of last year’s draft, out of Lake Travis (Texas) High School.

Phil Disher

Ricky Bennett

Also of note: Legends 1B Phil Disher is scheduled to travel to Houston for evaluation by team doctors. He has been bothered most of the season with a hip injury. … C Max Sapp, a member of the Legends the past two seasons, continues to recover at his home in Florida after suffering a life-threatening bout of viral meningitis and seizures. According to Ricky Bennett, assistant general manager and director of player development for the Astros, Sapp is schedule to remain on medication until mid-July. Bennett said he doesn’t expect Sapp to play this season, but may make his return in fall instructional ball or in a winter league. … Friday is Blue Grass Energy Night and Cartoon Character Night at Applebee’s Park. The Cat in the Hat, Franklin the Turtle, Buzz Lightyear, Wilma Flinstone, George Jetson and some of the characters from Scooby Doo are scheduled to be on hand. Miss Kentucky USA, Maria Montgomery of Danville, will throw a ceremonial first pitch. A fireworks show is scheduled after the game. … Saturday’s game will include entertainment by Chicago-based percussion group The Bucket Boys. A Girl Scout campout in the outfield will follow the game. … Sunday’s game will be preceded by a youth baseball clinic. After the game, kids can run the bases. … Monday is “Kids Eat Free Night.” Children under 12 will receive vouchers for a kids’ combo meal (hot dog, chips and drink) as they enter the park. 

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Savannah Sand Gnats

What: Four-game series

When: Sunday through Wednesday (6 p.m. Sunday, 2 Monday, 7 Tuesday and Wednesday)

Where: Grayson Stadium, Savannah, Ga.

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first: Sunday, RH Jordan Lyles (1-4, 3.16) vs. RH Eric Beaulac (2-1, 3.25); Monday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (2-0, 0.47) vs. RH Elvin Ramirez (2-2, 2.90); Tuesday, RH Ross Seaton (4-4, 3.00) vs. Jeurys Familia (3-2, 1.52); Wednesday, RH Robert Bono (5-1, 2.25) vs. RH Jeffrey Kaplan (4-1, 1.23).

Joshua Satin

Sand Gnat to watch: 2B Joshua Satin (6-foot-2, 200 pounds, from Hidden Hills, Calif.) leads the Sand Gnats in batting average (.353), on-base percentage (.434) and walks (20) through Friday. Selected out of Cal-Berkeley by the Yankees in the sixth round of last year’s draft, Satin also has a homer, 22 RBI and 22 runs over 38 games. He took an eight-game hitting streak (13-for-29) into play Saturday. Last year, over 48 games with Brooklyn and Kingsport, Satin hit .303 with five homers and 15 RBI.

Steve Brown

Legend to watch: OF Steve Brown (6-0, 180, from Barranquilla, Colombia) went on the disabled list after suffering a quadriceps injury in the fifth game of the season. He returned to action Wednesday to knock his first homer of the season. Through Friday, he has played eight games this season, hitting .360 with a homer, six RBI and five runs. Last year, also with the Legends, Brown hit .212 with 10 homers and 31 RBI over 102 games.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300