Mission Notes vs. Brevard County (April 23, 25-26)

THE FLYING TIGERS (9-7, T-2nd, 2.0 GB) ... Lakeland will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak after getting swept by the Daytona Cubs. The Cubs scored a combined seven runs in the first inning of games one and two while three Cub pitchers held Lakeland to just three hits in game three. Despite the losses the Flying Tigers are tied for second place with Clearwater, two games behind Daytona. Lakeland is ninth with a .253 team average and is second with 13 batters hit by pitch. On the mound, the Flying Tigers are sixth with a 3.80 ERA.

BREVARD COUNTY (6-10, 5th, 5.0 GB) ... The Manatees improved to 6-10 with a 6-0 shutout of Clearwater on Friday. Brevard County has now won three of their last four games after dropping four straight. The Manatees rank 11th out of 12 teams with a .248 team batting average but leads the league with 20 stolen bases. Brevard County pitchers are 10th with a 4.95 staff ERA. The staff has allowed a league-high 16 home runs. Thru his eight games played, Scott Krieger is hitting .483 (he does not have enough at bats to qualify for league leaders). Hunter Morris (.300) is the only other Manatee batting .300 or better.

LAST SEASON ... Lakeland won 11 of the 18 games played in 2010. Jordan Lennerton hit .364 in eight games with three doubles and three homers while Daniel Fields hit .333 in 13 games.

LAKELAND PROBABLE PITCHERS:

• Saturday (4/23) - Drew Smyly (0-1, 4.08) ... had best outing in his season debut on April 8 at Tampa, going 5.2 innings and holding the Yankees to one run with six strikeouts and zero walks ... Has allowed seven earned runs on nine hits in 12 innings over his last two starts.
• Monday (4/25) - Cole Nelson (1-1, 5.28) ... picked up win in 5.1 innings of work on April 19 at home against Dunedin despite allowing five walks ... all appearances have come at Joker Marchant Stadium ... righties are hitting .350 against Nelson.
• Friday (4/26) - Jared Wesson (1-1, 6.92) ... got win in 5.1 innings on April 15 at home against Daytona ... allowed five runs on 10 hits in 4.1 innings in last start at Daytona on April 20 ... righthanders are hitting .424 against Wesson while lefties are limited to a .190 average.

LAKELAND FSL LEADERS ... Tony Plagman is tied with Jupiter’s Kyle Jensen for the league lead with 17 RBI; is third with 23 hits; is sixth with a .390 batting average ... Gustavo Nunez is tied for second with 14 runs scored and is tied with two others for third with 35 total bases ... Jordan Lennerton is tied for second with 12 walks ... Kenny Faulk ranks second with four saves.

BREVARD COUNTY FSL LEADERS ... Scott Krieger and Hunter Morris are tied with two others for second with six doubles

FURBUSH FIRES ONE-HITTER FOR TOLEDO ... Former Flying Tiger Charlie Furbush tossed a one-hitter on Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader for AAA Toledo. Furbush, who was 4-5 for Lakeland in 2010, went the distance allowing just the one hit with nine strikeouts and no walks over his seven inning stint.

FIRST ROUNDER ... The Manatees’ Kentrail Davis was Milwaukee’s first round pick (39th overall) in 2009 out of the University of Tennessee.

FLYING HIGH ... Kenny Faulk has 13 strikeouts and one walk and has allowed just one run in seven appearances ... The bullpen has a 0.46 ERA in the last six outings.

GROUNDED ... Starting pitchers have a combined 7.20 ERA in the last four games.

FINALLY ... Brett Wyatt’s stolen base on April 21 at Daytona was Lakeland’s first since Gustavo Nunez had swiped a base on April 12 at Dunedin. Overall, Lakeland has four stolen bases and has been caught stealing five times.

COLLEGE TEAMMATES ... Brevard County’s Kyle Heckathorn and Lakeland’s Kenny Faulk were teammates at Kennesaw State University in 2009. Heckathorn was selected by the Brewers in the supplemental first round of the 2009 draft while Faulk was the Tigers’ 16th round pick that season ... Lakeland’s Cole Nelson and Brevard County’s Hunter Morris were teammates last year at Auburn University. Nelson was a 10th round pick by Detroit while Morris was a fourth round pick of the Brewers ... Flying Tiger Cole Nelson and the Manatee’s Khristopher Davis were teammates at Cal State Fullerton in 2009 ... Brevard County’s Scott Krieger and Lakeland’s Ryan Soares both played for George Mason University in 2009.

UP ON THE FARM:

• Detroit (10-10, 3rd, 3.5 GB) ... Brennan Boesch is tied with Miguel Cabrera for the team lead with a .333 average and is second to Cabrera with 11 RBI.
• Toledo (5-10, 3rd, 4.5 GB) ... Scott Sizemore is leading the team with a .390 average ... Ryan Strieby and Clete Thomas are tied for the team lead with 20 RBI ... Charlie Furbush is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA. He has 21 strikeouts and four walks in 16.2 innings pitched.
• Erie (6-7, 5th, 1.0 GB) ... Ben Guez leads with a .324 average. Bryan Pounds is hitting .302 and is tied with the team lead with two home runs. Jared Gayhart is 1-0 with a miniscule 1.04 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 8.2 innings. He has not walked a batter. Lester Oliveros is 2-0 with an amazing 0.90 in five appearances with 16 strikeouts in 10.0 innings.
• West Michigan (7-4, 3rd, 2.5 GB) ... Bruce Rondon is 2-0 and has not allowed a run or hit in five appearances for a 0.00 ERA. Michael Torrealba is also 2-0 and has a 2.08 ERA in four appearances.

LAKELAND PROMOTIONS ...

• Saturday (April 23): The Flying Tigers will stage their annual Easter Egg Hunt after the game with 20,000 eggs and a special appearance by the Easter Bunny. Fireworks Extravaganza will follow the egg hunt.
• Monday (April 25): $1 hot dogs and 2-for-1 ticket offer in the Ledger, compliments of the Ledger Media Group.
• Tuesday (April 26): Education Day #1 (Special start time of 10:30 a.m.). Kraft Singles Tuesday: Buy one ticket, get one free ticket with Kraft Singles wrapper.
• Friday (April 29): Myron Noodleman: The Hippest Nerd in the Business. Pin Wheels in the Park. Team Photo Giveaway.