Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic
    League

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Lexington Legends vs. Hickory Crawdads

What: Five-game series

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

Where: Applebee’s Park

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Affiliations: Houston Astros (Legends), Texas Rangers (Crawdads)

Juan Minaya

Jose Cisnero

Luis Cruz

Brad Dydalewicz

Robby Donovan

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Wednesday, RH Juan Minaya (3-8, 5.72) vs. RH Matt Thompson (6-6, 4.06); Thursday, RH Jose Cisnero (3-5, 4.46) vs. RH Neil Ramirez (7-5, 5.24); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (4-1, 2.88) vs. RH Braden Tullis (3-0, 2.18); Saturday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (0-2, 8.06) vs. LH Robbie Erlin (4-2, 1.63); Sunday, RH Robby Donovan (7-5, 3.65) vs. RH Jake Brigham (1-1, 2.00).

Jared Bolden

Crawdad to watch: CF/1B Jared Bolden (6-foot-2, 205 pounds, from Lynchburg, Va.) is 16-for-43 (.372) in 11 games since being demoted from Bakersfield of the California League. He has multiple hits in four of his last five games. Bolden went 1-for-4 against the Legends on July 3. Selected by the Rangers in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, out of Virginia Commonwealth, Bolden hit .263 with three homers and 28 RBI for the Spokane Indians of the Northwest League in 2008. Last year, playing 107 games for the Crawdads and six contests for Triple-A Oklahoma City, Bolden hit a combined .244 with two homers and 35 RBI. This season, over 62 games with Bakersfield, Bolden hit .219 with a homer and 15 RBI.

Renzo Tello

Legend to watch: CF Renzo Tello (6-1, 210, from Puerto Cabello, Venezuela) joined the Legends on Sunday, promoted from Tri-City of the New York-Penn League. Over his first two games, he is 3-for-6 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. With Tri-City, Tello went 10-for-47 (.213) with a homer, five RBI and five runs. Signed at 17 by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent after the 2004 season, Renzo hit .264 with 15 homers, 82 RBI and 88 runs scored over three seasons with the Venezuelan Summer League Astros. He came to the United States in 2008, compiling a .288 average with three homers and 25 RBI over 44 games with Greeneville of the Appalachian League. Last year, Tello dropped to .197 with a homer and 13 RBI over 45 games with Tri-City.

J.D. Martinez (Mark Maloney photo)

Another Legend to watch: RF J.D. Martinez (6-3, 215, from Pembroke PInes, Fla.) is the SAL Player of the Week. For the period of July 5-11, Martinez went 10-for-20 (.500) with four homers, two doubles, eight RBI and seven runs scored. Through Monday, he led the league in batting (.358), hits (122), doubles (31), on-base percentage (.427), slugging percentage (.589), extra-base hits (58), runs (80) and totals bases (201). He ranked second to teammate Kody Hinze in RBI (68-62) and third in the league in homers (14).

Radio: WLXG AM-1300

Homestand highlights

Wednesday — Ladies Night. Sun Tan City club members, with presentation of pass, can buy one ticket and get one free.

Thursday — “Thirsty Thursday” beer and Pepsi, $1 each through the seventh inning.

Friday — Bluegrass State Games “Celebration of Athletes Night,” Fritos Family Friday and ADI post-game fireworks.

Saturday — Marine Night, sponsored by the United States Marine Corps and featuring the Legends in camouflage jerseys. Fans presenting military identification can buy one ticket, get one free. Entertainment throughout the game provided by the Zooperstars, sponsored by LBX. ADI post-game fireworks.

Sunday — Jewish Heritage Day and JIF Kids Club Sunday.

Delmarva’s rotation has changed, as noted below, since this preview was first posted.

South Atlantic League baseball

Coming up

Lexington Legends vs. Delmarva Shorebirds

What: Four-game series

When: Monday through Thursday (7:05 each night)

Where: Arthur W. Perdue Stadium (Salisbury, Md.)

Probable pitcher (Legends listed first): Monday, RH Kyle Greenwalt (7-7, 3.30) vs. LH Nathan Moreau (2-2, 4.32); Tuesday, LH Brad Dydalewicz (5-3, 3.24) vs. LH Cole McMurray (3-7, 3.75); Wednesday, LH David Duncan (1-0, 9.00) vs. RH Ryan O’Shea (5-5, 3.75); Thursday, RH Robert Bono (8-5, 2.58) vs. RH Oliver Drake (4-6, 4.03).

Shorebird to watch: All-star RF Ronnie Welty (6-foot-2, 180 pounds, from Gilbert, Ariz.) leads Delmarva with a .301 batting average, 82 hits and 115 total bases, and shares the team lead of 40 RBI. He also has six homers, five stolen bases and 41 runs scored, with no errors, over 76 games. He is hitting .395 against left-handers, .265 versus righties. Originally drafted by the Angels in 2006 out of Mesquite High School (37th round), Welty instead played two seasons for Chandler-Gilbert Community College, then signed with Oral Roberts University. He wound up being selected by the Orioles in the 20th round of the 2008 draft. Playing for the rookie-league Bluefield Orioles last season, he hit .314 with three homers and 34 RBI over 55 games en route to earning Appalachian League post-season all-star honors.

Chris Jackson

Legend to watch: SS Chris Jackson (5-11, 185, from Midlothian, Va.) joined the Legends last week after starting the season with the High-A Lancaster JetHawks of the California League. Over 58 games, Jackson hit .183 with a homer and 15 RBI, so he traded roster spots with Legends IF Ronnie Ramirez. In his first three games of the season with the Legends, Jackson is 4-for-10 (including a triple) with a run and an RBI. Selected by the Astros in the 29th round of the 2008 draft, out of Virginia Commonwealth University, Jackson broke in last season by playing 22 games with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. There, he hit .257 with a homer and nine RBI. He was promoted to the Legends, where he hit .244 over 23 games, notching a homer, seven RBI and six stolen bases. He closed the season with eight hits in his last 16 at-bats.

Radio: WLXG AM-1300