Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

(Hickory rotation update, Thursday, 1:50 p.m.)

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at Hickory Crawdads

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7 Thursday and Friday nights, 6 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday)

Where: L.P. Frans Stadium (Hickory, N.C.)

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Texas Rangers

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Mike Foltynewicz (5-1, 2.15) vs. LH Victor Payano (3-2, 3.57); Friday, LH Luis Cruz (4-1, 2.50) vs. RH Jerad Eickhoff (4-4, 4.64); Saturday, RH Jonas Dufek (1-0, 4.76) vs. RH Nick Martinez (1-1, 4.26); Sunday, RH Nick Tropeano (2-3, 2.73) vs. RH Santo Perez (2-3, 6.16).

Jesse Wierzbicki

Legend to watch: 1B Jesse Wierzbicki (6-foot-3, 202 pounds, from Sharpsburg, Ga.) was promoted Tuesday from extended spring training. Selected by the Astros in the 24th round of last year’s draft, out of the University of North Carolina, he played 45 games with the Appalachian League’s Greeneville Astros last summer. He went 43-for-162 (.265), with 12 doubles, a triple and five homers. He also drove in 28 runs and scored 23, walked 22 times and stole three bases. Wierzbicki also was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 40th round of the 2008 draft. With the Legends, he replaces John Hinson, who is on the seven-day disabled list due to a strained right hamstring.

Chris Grayson

Crawdad to watch: OF Chris Grayson (6-2, 195, from Monroe, La.) ranks second in the league (through Tuesday) with a .340 batting average. In addition to batting, he leads the Crawdads in runs (28), doubles (15), triples (3), on-base percentage (.430), slugging (.525), OPS (.954) and total bases (77). With those numbers, he also has a pair of homers, 17 RBI and nine stolen bases. Selected by the Rangers in the 13th round of last year’s draft, out of Lee University, Grayson bats and throws left-handed. He broke into pro ball last year, hitting .288 over 48 games with the Arizona League Rangers. He knocked two home runs, with eight doubles, five triples, 30 RBI, 34 runs and 17 steals. He got off to a hot start this season, batting .400 in April. He has dropped to .269 in his first 19 games of May. Overall, he’s batting .411 with runners on base.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300