Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

South Atlantic League baseball

Augusta GreenJackets
at Lexington Legends

What: Four-game series

When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday and Saturday nights, 1:35 Sunday afternoon, 10:05 Monday morning)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), San Francisco Giants (GreenJackets)

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, LH Colin Rodgers (1-0, 1.72) vs. RH Kendry Flores (1-0, 2.04); Saturday, LH Daniel Stumpf (2-0, 0.00) vs. RH Joe Biagini (1-0, 3.45); Sunday, RH Aroni Nina (0-1, 3.75) vs. RH Jose Reyes (1-2, 7.71); Monday, RH Bryan Brickhouse (0-3, 3.15) vs. RH Martin Agosta (3-1, 1.71).

Matthew Duffy

GreenJacket to watch: SS Matthew Duffy (6-foot-2, 170 pounds, age 22, from Long Beach, Calif., bats and throws right) is hitting a solid .319, with 13 RBI, nine runs and five stolen bases. He has hit safely in his last four games and 11 of his last 12 contests. Duffy is batting .455 against left-handers, .295 versus righties and .467 with runners on base. In seven games against the Legends, Duffy is 8-for-25 (.320), with a double, triple, three RBI and four runs. A 2012 18th-round draft pick out of Long Beach State University, Duffy batted .247 with a homer, 16 RBI, 31 runs and 10 stolen bases over 47 games with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League last summer.

Daniel Stumpf

Legend to watch: Saturday starter Daniel Stumpf (6-1, 209, 22, from Humble, Texas, bats and throws left) has given up only three unearned runs over three starts, winning his two decisions. Over 15 1/3 innings, Stumpf has struck out 14 and walked six while holding opponents to a .154 batting average. A ninth-round draft pick last June out of San Jacinto (Texas) Community College, he went 8-2 with a 2.27 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 111 innings. He helped the Gators to a runner-up finish in the JUCO World Series, where he was named Most Outstanding Pitcher. Assigned to Burlington last summer, he tied for sixth in the Appalachian League with five saves. Over 19 relief outings and 29 innings, he went 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA, with 34 strikeouts and eight walks.

Cam Gallagher

Notes: The Legends placed C Cam Gallagher on placed on the disabled list Thursday and activated C Alex Marquez. Gallagher suffered a broken left hand when hit by a pitch in the first inning of Wednesday night’s game.  He was batting .268 with five RBI in 16 games.  He had thrown out 11 of 23 would-be base stealers, the third-best percentage in the SAL. … Gallagher is the second Legends regular to be lost for an extended period after being hit by a pitch.  1B Mark Threlkeld suffered a broken left forearm April 5 when he was hit by a pitch during his first at-bat of the season. … In addition, RHP Daniel Hernandez was transferred to Lexington from Wilmington (Carolina League).   Hernandez left the Legends in Asheville on Wednesday morning and pitched two innings for Wilmington in their game at Salem (Va.) before returning to the Legends at Asheville.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

South Atlantic League baseball

Lexington Legends
at Augusta GreenJackets

What: Three-game series

When: Monday through Wednesday (7:05 Monday and Tuesday nights; 10:35 Wednesday morning)

Where: Lake Olmstead Stadium (Augusta, Ga.)

Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends); San Francisco Giants (GreenJackets)

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Aroni Nina (0-0, 2.25) vs. RH Jose Reyes (0-1, 12.00); Tuesday, RH Bryan Brickhouse (0-2, 3.00) vs. RH Martin Agosta (1-1, 3.12); Wednesday, RH Miguel Almonte (0-2, 5.87) vs. RH Joan Gregorio (2-0, 0.82).

Fred Ford

Legend to watch: 1B/RF Fred Ford (6-foot-5, 206 pounds, age 21, from O’Fallon, Mo., bats and throws right) is batting .273 with five RBI through his first 11 games. He leads the Legends in homers (2), total bases (18), walks (6), on-base percentage (.385) and slugging (.545). A seventh-round draft pick last June, Ford led Fort Zumwalt South High School to the Missouri Class 4A championship in 2009, then helped Jefferson College (Hillsboro, Mo.) reach the National Junior College World Series in 2011 and 2012. After earning NJCAA All-America and Region XVI Player of the Year honors last year (.430, 16 HR, 75 RBI, 32 SB), he passed up an opportunity to play for Western Kentucky University. Instead, he broke into pro ball with the Burlington Royals. Ford hit .248 and finished third in the Appalachian League with 13 homers, tied for fourth in walks (36), tied for fifth in games played (62), seventh in OPS (.853) and ninth in slugging (.491).

Stephen Johnson

GreenJacket to watch: RHP Stephen Johnson (6-4, 205, age 22, from Boulder, Colo.) has yet to give up a run over five relief appearances spanning 6 1/3 innings. He has no decisions and two saves. A 2012 sixth-round draft pick out of St. Edward’s University in Texas, Johnson went 1-2 with a 1.45 ERA, 74 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings and 18 saves for the Division II school last year. He split last summer between the Arizona League Giants (0-0, 4.50, two games, two innings) and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League (0-2, 4.66, 2 saves, 17 games, 19 1/3 innings).

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

Baseball

                                South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Sunday through Wednesday (5:35 p.m. Sunday, 7:05 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 12:05 p.m. Wednesday)

Where: Lake Olmstead Stadium (Augusta, Ga.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), San Francisco Giants

Quevedo

Sogard

Alaniz

Foltynewicz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, RH Carlos Quevedo (4-3, 5.10) vs. RH Justin Schumer (2-2, 6.19); Monday, LH Alex Sogard (1-1, 3.48) vs. RH Taylor Rogers (5-6, 2.52); Tuesday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (2-6, 4.90) vs. LH Mike Kickham (1-3, 4.11); Wednesday, RH Ruben Alaniz (4-4, 5.23) vs. LH Gaspar Santiago (1-2, 5.06).

Gabriel Garcia

Legend to watch: LHP Gabriel Garcia (5-foot-11, 164 pounds, from Charallave, Venezuela) has made 12 relief appearances, going 1-1 with one save and a 3.29 ERA over 27 1/3 innings. Signed as a non-drafted free agent on May 18, 2007, a week after his 18th birthday, Garcia spent two seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros, followed by two years with the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League. With the VSL Astros, Garcia fashioned back-to-back 3-3 seasons with ERAs of 3.58 and 3.46, combining for 64 strikeouts to 13 walks. With the Tennessee team, Garcia went 0-4, 7.91, followed by 0-1, 3.86. With 30 strikeouts and six walks this season, his career totals are 143 whiffs and 28 bases on balls. He has held opponents to a .202 batting average this season

Adam Duvall

GreenJacket to watch: All-star 3B Adam Duvall (6-1, 205, from Louisville) is batting .254 with 14 homers, 44 RBI and 34 runs over 59 games through Friday. A Butler High School graduate and a 2010 11th-round draft pick out of the University of Louisville, Duvall began his collegiate career at Western Kentucky and transferred to Chipola Junior College before landing at U of L. He is batting .328 against left-handers, .229 against righties. Duvall broke into pro ball last summer with Salem-Keizer of the Northwest League, batting .245 with four homers, 18 RBI and 30 runs over 54 games.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends vs. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Saturday through Tuesday (7:05 Saturday, Monday and Tuesday nights; 2:05 p.m. Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), San Francisco Giants

Foltynewicz

Bushue

Quevedo

Dydalewicz

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Saturday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-3, 5.32) vs. RH Taylor Rogers (0-3, 4.20); Sunday, RH Tanner Bushue (3-0, 2.70) vs. RH Justin Schumer (2-1, 7.52); Monday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-3, 6.62) vs. LH Mario Rodriguez (0-1, 4.07); Tuesday, RH Carlos Quevedo (2-0, 4.29) vs. RH Seth Rosin (0-1, 3.63).

Adam Duvall

GreenJacket to watch: DH/3B Adam Duvall (6-foot-1, 205 pounds, from Louisville) returns to the commonwealth batting .247 with three homers and 14 RBI over 20 games (through Thursday). Out of Butler High School and the University of Louisville, Duvall was selected by the Giants in the 11th round of last year’s draft. Duvall broke in with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League last summer, batting .245 with four homers and 18 RBI over 54 games. This season, he is batting .314 at home, .204 on the road. He was batting .284 until falling into a 3-for-22 slump over the last week. He has batted third in the order in all but one game this season. He is batting .400 (6-for-15) when runners are on with two outs.

Jason Chowning

Legend to watch: RHP Jason Chowning (6-2, 178, from Louisville) is the lone Kentuckian on the Legends roster. A three-year letter-winner and two-time team MVP at Eastern High School, Chowning went on to play for Texarkana College and the University of Oklahoma before being drafted by the Astros in the 28th round of last year’s draft. Assigned to the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League, Chowning went 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA last year. He struck out 23 and walked nine over 22 1/3 innings. With the Legends, he is 1-0 and has yet to surrender a run over five appearances and 7 2/3 innings. He has recorded six strikeouts, three walks and hit a batter, while holding opponents to a .120 batting average.

Transaction: Legends RHP Yordany Ramirez was activated Friday night. To make room for Ramirez, RHP Murilo Gouvea was assigned to Tri-City. Ramirez, 26, is a 6-1, 197-pounder from the Dominican Republic. He made five relief appearances for the Legends last season, with no decisions and a 4.76 ERA. He was a Triple-A outfielder last season before being converted to a pitcher. Over nine seasons of minor-league ball, Ramirez batted .246 with 46 homers and 303 RBI.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

*******
Baseball

South Atlantic
    League

Lexington Legends
                                    vs. Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Saturday through Tuesday (7:05 each night except Sunday, 5:35 p.m.)

Where: Lake Olmstead Stadium (Augusta, Ga.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), San Francisco Giants

Tanner Bushue

Juan Minaya

Luis Cruz

Jose Cisnero

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Saturday, RH Tanner Bushue (6-8, 4.28) vs. RH Brian Irving (6-4, 4.38); Sunday, RH Juan Minaya (4-10, 4.92) vs. RH Chris Heston (5-11, 3.92); Monday, RH Jose Cisnero (6-6, 4.18) vs. RH Zack Wheeler (2-3, 3.74); Tuesday, LH Luis Cruz (6-3, 3.08) vs. RH Andy Reichard (3-1, 3.54).

Chris Dominguez

GreenJacket to watch: SAL all-star 3B Chris Dominguez (6-foot-3, 215 pounds, from Los Angeles) leads Augusta in homers (18), RBI (86), total bases (214) and games played (121). (All statistics are through Thursday.) Batting .216, Dominguez has 26 doubles among his 130 hits. He also has scored 71 runs and stolen 12 stolen bases. Selected by the Giants in the third round of last year’s draft, out of the University of Louisville, he broke into pro ball in 2009 by playing nine games for the Arizona League Giants and 47 games for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Northwest League. Over those 56 games combined, Dominguez hit .263 with 11 homers and 40 RBI. Baseball America ranked him No. 18 among Giants prospects coming into this season. At U of L, Dominguez twice was named Player of the Year in the Big East Conference and smacked a school-record 25 home runs in 2009. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he turned down the Colorado Rockies after being selected in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. The Giants signed him for $411,300.

Jose Cisnero

Legend to watch: Monday’s starting pitcher, RH Jose Cisnero (6-3, 212 pounds, from Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic), has been a solid contributor to the rotation all season. He shares the team lead with 23 starts, ranks second in innings pitched (114) and leads the staff in strikeouts (115). Having gone 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA before the all-star break, he is 3-2 with a 3.88 ERA since then. Cisnero is holding opponents to a .232 batting average. Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent Dec. 6, 2007, Cisnero went 0-3 with a 3.10 ERA over 10 games (six starts) for the Dominican Summer League Astros in 2008. He made his U.S. debut last year, compiling a 4-2 record and 3.56 ERA over 13 starts for the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League. Combined over those two seasons, Cisnero struck out 98 and walked 41 over 84 2/3 innings.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Baseball

South Atlantic 
    League

Lexington Legends
      versus
                                      Augusta GreenJackets

What: Four-game series

When: Sunday through Wednesday (7:05 Sunday through Tuesday nights, 12:05 p.m. Wednesday)

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call   (859) 422-7867  

Major League affiliates: Astros (Legends), Giants (GreenJackets)

Brad Dydalewicz

Juan Minaya

Tanner Bushue

Robby Donovan

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Sunday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-2, 8.36) vs. RH Brian Irving (4-1, 4.24); Monday, RH Robby Donovan (7-4, 3.12) vs. RH Chris Heston (2-9, 5.21); Tuesday, RH Tanner Bushue (4-4, 4.29) vs. RH Jorge Bucardo (8-3, 2.23); Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (2-8, 6.01) vs. LH Craig Clark (0-1, 3.60).

Chris Dominguez

GreenJacket to watch: 3B Chris Dominguez (6-foot-3, 215 pounds, from Los Angeles) came into the season rated by Baseball America as the 18th-best prospect in the Giants system. A third-round draft choice last year out of the University of Louisville, Dominguez twice won Big East Player of the Year honors and set a U of L record his senior season by socking 25 home runs. He broke into pro ball last year with the Arizona League Giants and Salem-Keizer of the Northwest League, combining for a .263 average, 11 homers and 40 RBI over 56 games. Over 79 games with Augusta, Dominguez is batting .273 — .236 at home and .308 on the road. In nine games since the all-star break, he is 12-for-38 (.316). He leads the GreenJackets in homers (12), RBI (53), hits (89) and total bases (146), and shares the team lead in runs (48).

Jiovanni Mier

Legend to watch: SS Jiovanni Mier (6-1, 200, from Pomona, Calif.) is 16-for-45 (.355) over his last 13 games, raising his batting average 26 points to .225. Rated by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Astros system, Mier was a 2009 first-round draft pick (21st overall) out of Bonita High School and signed for $1.358 million. Baseball America’s report reads, in part: “Mier has an advanced feel for the game at the plate and in the field. He has a good eye, works deep counts and shows good pitch recognition. He has a smooth, loose, line-drive stroke with quick hands and solid bat speed. He projects to stat at shortstop with a plus arm, great actions, good hands and above-average range to both sides.” With the Greeneville Astros of the Appalachian League last year, Mier hit .276 with seven homers, 32 RBI and 32 runs over 51 games. Over 73 games with the Legends, Mier has 34 RBI and 39 runs. In 10 games since the all-star break, he is 12-for-36 (.333) with six RBI and five run.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300