Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
at Rome Braves

What: Four-game series

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

Where: State Mutual Stadium, Rome, Ga.

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends), Atlanta Braves

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Luis Ordosgoitti (5-4, 5.25) vs. LH Fabian Williamson (1-3, 3.82); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (6-2, 5.05) vs. LH David Starn (1-1, 5.64); Saturday, LH David Rollins (1-1, 3.65) vs. RH Greg Ross (5-8, 4.66); Sunday, RH Chris Devenski (7-6, 4.52) vs. LH Alex Wood (3-2, 1.38).

Zach Johnson

Legend to watch: 1B Zach Johnson (5-foot-11, 200 pounds, bats/throws right/right, age 24, from San Ramon, Calif.) leads the SAL with 104 RBI, a franchise record. He broke the Legends record of 98 RBI, set by Jake Goebbert in 2010. Johnson shares the team lead in home runs, 15, with Mike Kvasnicka. In addition, Johnson is batting .246 with 57 runs, 62 walks, 193 total bases, a .338 on-base percentage, .423 slugging and .762 OPS. Selected by the Astros in the 15th round of the 2011 draft, out of Oklahoma State University, he played for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League last year. Over 72 games, Johnson batted .262 with five homers, 40 RBI and 31 runs. A mid-season all-star for the Legends, he is hitting .255 versus right-handers, .222 against lefties.

William Beckwith

Brave to watch: 1B William Beckwith (6-1, 235, B/T L/R, turns 22 Sunday, from Crawford, Miss.) leads Rome with 13 homers, 65 RBI and 96 hits. Batting .296 with a .363 on-base percentage, .485 slugging and .847 OPS, he is high on the team rankings with 44 runs, 22 doubles, 157 total bases and 14 stolen bases. Selected by Atlanta in the 21st round of the 2010 draft, out of George C. Wallace (Ala.) Community College, Beckwith played 21 games with the Gulf Coast League Braves that year, batting .243 with two homers, 18 RBI and eight runs. He played for Danville (Va.) last year, batting .282 with 11 homers, 45 RBI and 41 runs. He has been consistent throughout this season, reaching a high point in July when he batted .324 with six homers and 29 RBI over 28 games.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300

The Houston Astros’ player development department has announced minor league players of the month for the month of June.

For the Class A Lexington Legends, that includes Mike Foltynewicz (pitcher of the month), Delino DeShields Jr. (offensive player) and Zach Johnson (defensive player).

Award winners for each of the Astros’ minor league affiliates were chosen by the field staff of each team.

Other honorees include former Legends Jose Cisnero, Jonathan Villar and Andrew Simunic with Class Double-A Corpus Christi, and Jose Trinidad, Ben Heath and Ben Orloff with High-A Lancaster.

Lexington Legends

Mike Foltynewicz

Foltynewicz went 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA in June, with 20 strikeouts and 10 walks over 33 1/3 innings. He made five starts, throwing at least six innings each time, holding opponents to a .242 batting average. He tossed eight innings of one-hit ball against Rome and worked two no-hit innings as the Southern Division starter in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. He shares the league lead in innings pitched (96 2/3) and is second in wins (9) and ERA (2.51).

Delino DeShields Jr.

DeShields stole 25 bases in 25 games, going 30-for-99 (.303) at the plate. With a .407 on-base percentage in June, he hit two homers, drove in 16 runs and scored 22, while rapping four doubles and a triple. He leads the SAL with a franchise-record 60 stolen bases and ranks among the top five in walks and runs. He also played in the SAL All-Star Game.

Zach Johnson

Fellow all-star Johnson, a first baseman, has committed just five errors in 680 total chances (.993) over 70 games.

Triple-A Oklahoma City

Pitcher — RH Mickey Storey (3-0, 0.56, 16 innings, 15 strikeouts, two walks, .173 batting average against, 10 games).

Offense — Mike Hessman (29-for-104, .279, 14 HR, 27 RBI, 19 R, 2 2B, .702 slugging, 26 games).

Defense — IF Hessman (58 games at 1B, two errors in 514 chances, .996).

Double-A Corpus Christi

Pitcher — RH Jose Cisnero (3-1, 2.18, 33 innings, 31 strikeouts, 8 walks, 1 complete game, 1 shutout, 5 starts)

Offense — Jonathan Villar (26-for-89, .292, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 20 R, 2 2B, 12 SB, .396 OBP, 24 games).

Defense — IF Andrew Simunic (65 games, 55 at 3B, six errors in 191 chances, .969, 132 assists).

A-Advanced Lancaster

Pitcher — RH Jose Trinidad (4-1, 0.43, 21 innings, 7 strikeouts, 8 games, 1 start).

Offense — Ben Heath (24-for-59, .407, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 12 R, 4 2B, 1.063 OPS, 14 games).

Defense — IF Ben Orloff (67 games, 56 at SS, 7 errors in 312 chances, .978, 195 assists).

Dominican Summer League

Pitcher — RH Samil De Los Santos (2-0, 2.20, 28 2/3 innings, 28 strikeouts, 8 walks, .160 batting average against, 5 games, 4 starts).

Offense — Randy Cesar (19-for-71, .268, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 3 2B, 20 games).

Defense — IF Yoel Silfa (25 games, 4 errors, 94 chances, .957).

Baseball

South Atlantic League

Lexington Legends
vs.
Kannapolis Intimidators

What: Four-game series

When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights; 1:35 Sunday)

Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark

Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867

Major League affiliates: Houston Astros (Legends); Chicago White Sox

Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Tanner Bushue (0-1, 27.00) vs. RH Daniel Webb (0-1, 15.00); Friday, RH Jonas Dufek (0-0, 9.00) vs. LH Scott Snodgress (0-0, 13,50); Saturday, RH Nicholas Tropeano (0-0, 1.80) vs. RH Kevin Vance (0-0, 2.25); Sunday, LH Kyle Hallock (0-0, 54.00) vs. LH Brandon Parrent (0-0, 6.23).

Daniel Webb

Intimidator to watch: Thursday night starter Daniel Webb (6-foot-3, 210 pounds, from Paducah) was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2010 draft. Out of Heath High School, he had plans to attend Kentucky until John Cohen left to coach Mississippi State. Webb wound up at Northwest Florida State College, then spent the last two seasons in the Blue Jays system. The White Sox acquired him during the off-season. In 2010, Webb split time between the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League and Lansing of the Midwest League, going a combined 1-7 with a 4.74 ERA over 15 starts and 68 1/3 innings. He struck out 43 and walked 32. Last year, he played one game for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and 18 games for Lansing. With the Lugnuts, Webb went 4-5 with a 5.59 ERA, with 51 strikeouts and 24 walks over 18 games (12 starts) and 66 innings. In one appearance this season, against Hickory, Webb gave up seven runs, five earned, on eight hits over three innings. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.

Zach Johnson

Legend to watch: 1B/DH Zach Johnson (5-11, 200, from San Ramon, Calif.) is 10-for 25 (.400) through six games, with two homers, 11 RBI, a pair of doubles and two runs scored. A 15th-round draft pick of the Astros last June, out of Oklahoma State University, Johnson spent last season with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the NYPL. He played 72 games, batting .262 with five homers, 40 RBI, 12 doubles, a triple and 31 runs scored. In Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Hagerstown, Johnson led the Legends with a single, double and two RBI. The Oakland Athletics drafted Johnson in the 48th round in 2010, but were unable to come to terms. Johnson bats and throws right-handed. His father, not to be mistaken for the PGA Tour’s Zach Johnson, is a former professional golfer who went on to create a golf domain known as protourgroup.

Radio: WLXG-AM 1300