Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Asheville Tourists

What: Three-game series

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

Where: McCormick Field (Asheville, N.C.)

Robert Bono

Legends RHP Ross Seaton is set to start Wednesday. (Staff photo/Mark Cornelison)

David Duncan

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.41) vs. RH Alan DeRatt (2-3, 4.91); Wednesday, RH Ross Seaton (8-10, 3.31) vs. RH Carlos Luna (0-0, 7.56); Thursday, LH David Duncan (4-3, 4.24) vs. RH Juan Nicasio (8-3, 2.41).

Tourist to watch: Switch-hitting CF Delta Cleary Jr. (6-foot-3, 180 pounds, from Jonesboro, Ark.) entered the season as the 11th-best prospect in the Rockies system, according to Baseball America. Through Sunday, he is hitting .258 with seven homers and 43 RBI over 100 games. He has stolen 31 bases in 42 attempts and scored 50 runs. He had three hits in each game, Saturday and Sunday, at Bowling Green. Rated by Baseball America as “best athlete” in the Rockies system, Cleary is a cousin of NBA pro Shawn Marion. Cleary, a guard, averaged 13 points a game to help his high school to the Arkansas Class 6A state title. He also quarterbacked the football team. Cleary then led his junior-college baseball team to the Division II national championship. Selected by Colorado in the 37th round of the 2008 draft, out of Louisiana State-Eunice JC, Cleary broke in to pro ball last year with Casper of the Pioneer League. There, he hit .276 with three homers, nine RBI and four stolen bases in 27 games.

Michael Hacker

Legend to watch: LHP Michael Hacker (5-9, 175, from Folsom, Calif.) struck out two Saturday in a scoreless inning of relief against the Hickory Crawdads. That was his first appearance since July 16 and bodes well after a horrendous season up to that point. His numbers: 0-1, 2.69 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 15 walks. Selected by the Houston Astros in the 25th round of the 2008 draft, out of Cosumnes River (Calif.) Junior College, Hacker played for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last year. Over 23 appearances, all in relief, Hacker went 1-3 with five saves and a 2.73 ERA. He worked 26 1/3 innings, striking out 27 and walking 17. He held opposing batters to a .187 average and did not allow an earned run in his first 17 games. He was especially tough on the road, with an ERA of 1.08.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

MVP Jordan Pacheco

Derek Norris, top prospect

Also of note: Former Lafayette High School and University of Kentucky standout Michael Bertram is the Eastern League Player of the Week. Bertram, a third baseman for the Double-A Erie (Pa.) SeaWolves, went 9-for-26 (.346) with two doubles, two triples and two homers. He drove in 11 runs, scored eight times, walked three times and finished with an .808 slugging percentage for six games. … No Legends were on the annual list of SAL all-stars revealed Monday. The Charleston RiverDogs led the way with three selections: RHP David Phelps, 3B Corban Joseph and Melky Mesa (utility OF). West Virginia’s Rudy Owens was named Most Outstanding Pitcher, going 10-1 with a 1.70 ERA over 19 games before being promoted to Lynchburg of the Carolina League. Hagerstown Suns catcher Derek Norris, batting .288 with 122 hits and 23 homers in 121 games, was tabbed Most Outstanding Major League Prospect. Asheville catcher Jordan Pacheco, batting .325 with 139 hits and 13 homers through 111 games, was named MVP. Selections came from a vote of SAL field managers, general managers, sportswriters and broadcasters. Lakewood’s Dusty Wathan was selected as manager, Greenville’s Bob Kipper as coach. Other players picked: Asheville’s Scott Robinson (OF); Hagerstown’s Stephen Lombardozzi (2B); Augusta’s Josh Mazzola (1B); Bowling Green’s Tim Beckham (SS); Delmarva’s Ronnie Welty (OF); Hickory’s Erik Morrison (utility IF), and Lakewood’s Anthony Gose (OF).

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Hickory Crawdads

What: Four-game series

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

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: (859) 422-7867

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Tuesday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (7-5, 4.02) vs. RH Wilfredo Boscan (6-7, 3.51); Wednesday, RH Robert Bono (8-8, 3.40) vs. RH Joe Wieland (4-5, 5.53); Thursday, RH Ross Seaton (8-10, 3.39) vs. RH Wilmer Font (7-2, 3.32); Friday, LH David Duncan (3-3, 4.50) vs. RH Jake Brigham (2-8, 5.42).

Matthew West

Crawdad to watch: 3B Matthew West (6-foot-1, 215 pounds, from Bellaire, Texas) is hitting .234 with five homers, 50 RBI and 10 stolen bases over 120 games (through Sunday). He leads active Crawdads in hits (97), runs (59), walks (48), doubles (24) and total bases (140). Selected by the Texas Rangers in the second round of the 2007 draft, when he was 18, West hit .301 and hit 17 homers in 29 games for the Arizona Rangers that year. However, he also was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. In 2008, with Spokane of the Northwest League, West hits .258 with four homers and 30 RBI over 67 games.

Matt Nevarez

Legend to watch: RHP Matt Nevarez (6-5, 220, from San Fernando, Calif.) was assigned to the Legends last week after the Houston Astros acquired him from Texas as part of the deal that sent C Ivan Rodriguez back to the Rangers. Through Sunday, Nevarez has pitched twice for the Legends, giving up no runs and two hits over 1 1/3 innings, striking out three. Selected by Texas in the 10th round of the 2005 draft, out of San Fernando High School, Nevarez had been with the Crawdads all season prior to the trade. With Hickory, he was 1-4 with nine saves and a 2.83 ERA. In 34 relief appearances covering 35 innings, he walked 15 and struck out 50, holding opponents to a .177 batting average. Besides being ranked among the top 200 draft prospects by Baseball America in 2005, Nevarez was an all-city football players and all-league basketball player in high school. Last season, with Spokane, Nevarez compiled a 4-2 record and 4.36 ERA over 16 games, including seven starts.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Also of note: The four-game series against the Crawdads is the start of Lexington’s final homestand of the season. The home season closes with a three-game series against the Greenville Drive, Saturday through Monday. … Hitting coach for the Crawdads is Brian Dayett, who held the same position with the Legends in 2004, when Ivan DeJesus served as manager. … The Legends are on track to surpass 300,000 in home attendance for the ninth year in a row (every season since joining the SAL).

Promotions during the final homestand:

Tuesday — Quarter Hot Dog Night and Kraft Singles Night

Wednesday — Ladies Night

Thursday — Thirsty Thursday

Friday — AT&T Advertising Solutions Game Day and Champion Window Giveaway

Saturday — Fireworks Night; Bucket Boys; Fan Appreciation Night

Sunday — Kids Club Sunday

Monday — Dollar Day and Kids Eat Free

Lexington Legends pitchers Robert Bono and Ross Seaton, along with third baseman Ebert Rosario, were named Monday to the South Atlantic League’s Southern Division all-star team.

Charley Taylor

Pitching coach Charley Taylor, who has been unable to join the team this season due to bladder cancer and subsequent surgery to remove his bladder and prostate, was honored by being named to the coaching staff.

Ebert Rosario

The 50th SAL All-Star game is schedule for 7:35 p.m., June 23 at Appalachian Power Park, home of the West Virginia Power in Charleston.

Rosario will start at third base. Through Sunday, he is batting .304 with four homers and 20 RBI.

Robert Bono

Ross Seaton

Bono is 5-2 and third in the league with a 1.93 ERA. Fellow right-hander Seaton is 6-5, 10th in the league with a 2.49 ERA and the only pitcher in the league to have thrown a nine-inning complete game shutout. (Two other pitchers threw seven-inning complete game shutouts.)

Former Eastern Kentucky University pitcher Christian Friedrich was selected for his work with the Asheville Tourists. However, Friedrich was promoted from Asheville to the High-A Modesto Nuts on May 20.

In eight starts for the Tourists, the left-hander was 3-3, ninth in the league with a 2.18 ERA and second in the league with 66 strikeouts. The Colorado Rockies selected Friedrich in the first round of the 2008 draft. In two starts for Modesto, he has no decisions and a 2.77 ERA.

Christian Friedrich

Greenville leads the Southern Division with five all-stars, including starting pitcher Casey Kelly and first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Greenville’s Kevin Boles will manage the squad, assisted by Charleston (S.C.) manager Torre Tyson and pitching coach Jeff Ware, Greenville hitting coach Billy McMillon and pitching coach Bob Kipper, and Taylor.

Asheville, Charleston and Savannah each have four players on the Southern roster, with two starters each: catcher Jordan Pacheco and center fielder Scott Robinson for the Tourists; right fielder Melky Mesa and designated hitter Daniel Brewer for the RiverDogs; and second baseman Joshua Satin and left fielder Sean Ratliff from the Sand Gnats.

Bowling Green and Augusta have two all-stars each. Bowling Green’s Tim Beckham will start at shortstop.

The Hickory Crawdads and Lakewood BlueClaws lead the Northern stars with six players each. Greensboro has four players and host West Virginia has three.

Lakewood’s Dusty Wathan will manager the Northern team, assisted by BlueClaws coach Tim Gradoville. Also assisting will be managers Gary Green of West Virginia and Ernie Young of Kannapolis, plus West Virginia pitching coach Jeff Johnson.

The 27-player rosters were selected by a vote of league managers and coaching staffs, media and front-office executives. 

Jordan Lyles

For those who like noting “firsts,” Thursday was a big night for Bluegrass-style baseball.

Opening Night in the South Atlantic League saw not one but, for the first time ever, two Kentucky teams pick up wins.

The Lexington Legends opened their ninth season with a 5-4 victory at West Virginia. The first-year Bowling Green Hot Rods debuted with an 8-3 triumph at Hickory.

Some season firsts for the Legends:

Strikeout victim – West Virginia leadoff batter Robbie Grossman, looking at a Jordan Lyles pitch.

Opponent beaned – West Virginia’s Bobby Spain, by Lyles, leading off the second inning. 

Albert Cartwright

Hit by a pitch – Brandon Barnes, by Duke Welker, leading off the third inning.

Hit – Albert Cartwright, a bunt single with one out in the third inning.

Run scored – Barnes, coming from third base on a Welker wild pitch with two outs in the third inning.

RBI – Ricardo Bonfante, with a two-out single in the third to score Cartwright.

Walk – Phil Disher, by Welker, with one out in the fourth.

Ebert Rosario

Extra-base hit – Ebert Rosario, a two-run triple to right with two outs in the fourth.

Summoned from the bullpen – Henry Villar, taking over in the sixth inning.

Three-hit game – Rosario, 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple and strikeout.

Winning decision – Lyles: 5 innings, 2 runs, 5 hits, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts, 2 hit batters, 1 wild pitch.

Save – Daniel Meszaros: one inning, one strikeout.

Holds – Villar and Patrick Urckfitz.

Shortstop Tim Beckham led the way in Bowling Green’s win, going 2-for-5. He hit a solo home run and drove in three runs. Chris Andujar got the win with four innings of one-run, one-hit relief, striking out six.