THE FLYING TIGERS (33-28, T-3rd, 9.0 GB) ... Lakeland is coming off a second series sweep of the division-leading Daytona Cubs. The Flying Tigers, who swept the Cubs in three games on April 14-16, duplicated the feat with a three-game killing on June 8-10. Game two of the recent series at Daytona was won in the 11th as Julio Rodriguez capped a 4-for-5 night with a lead-off homer in the top of the 11th to lead the Flying Tigers to the 4-3 decision. It was the catcher’s second game this season with a quartet of hits. Lakeland is hitting .258 as a team with a 3.67 ERA (fifth best in the FSL).
THE MANATEES (22-39, 6th, 20.0 GB) ... Brevard County dropped a 10-8 loss to Dunedin on Friday despite having taken an 8-3 lead in the fifth. It was the Manatees’ eighth loss in their last ten games. Brevard County is hitting .255 as a team with a league-high 4.70 staff earned run average. Khristopher Davis leads the Manatees with a .311 average to go with his nine homers.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS ...
- Wednesday (6/11) - Cole Nelson (3-7, 4.84 ERA) lost his last decision despite holding Tampa to three runs over 6.0 innings. He struck out five and did not issue a walk while scattering seven hits. He has lost three of his last four starts and six of his last eight.
- Thursday (6/12) - Jared Wesson (7-4, 4.52 ERA) lost his last start as well with similar numbers holding Tampa to three hits on five hits and six strikeouts in six innings. The loss snapped a four-game win streak by Wesson. In his last five starts he has a 2.64 ERA.
- Friday (6/13) - Drew Smyly (2-2, 3.3 ERA) tossed seven no-hit innings at Tampa on June 8. Making just his third start since coming off rehab, Smyly struck out seven and walked three in winning his second straight start.
LUCKY 13 ... It took a seven-run eighth inning to get him an extra at bat, but Jordan Lennerton came through with a line-drive single to left field to extend his hit streak to 13 games on the season. Lennerton’s streak began on May 26 and since then he is 21x52 (.408) with nine doubles and 10 runs batted in. His streak is the longest active streak in the Florida State League for a player still in the league (Daytona’s Junior Lake has a 14-game streak but he has since been promoted to AA Tennessee). His nine doubles gives him 18 for the season, tied for second most in the FSL, while his 41 walks on the season is third most in the league.
LAKELAND IN THE FSL STATS ... Jordan Lennerton and Tony Plagman are the only two players in the league to have played in all 61 games this season ... Jared Wesson is tied for second in the league with seven wins while Kenny Faulk is third with 16 saves in 16 save opportunities. Faulk’s 12.49 strikeouts and 1.01 walks per nine innings each rank third among FSL relievers ... Brent Wyatt still sits atop the FSL with a .437 on-base percentage.
ROSTER SHIFT ... Lakeland infielder James Meador has announced his retirement from baseball. Taking his spot on the roster is Jeff Kunkel who returns to Lakeland for a second stint with the Flying Tigers. Kunkel joined the team from AAA Toledo. The oft-traveled catcher has played for all three levels of the Tigers’ minor league this season catching six games for each club.
DOUBLE DIGIT HITS ... Lakeland has had 10 or more hits in each of the last four games, including 17 hits in last night’s game.
BOMBS AWAY ... The Manatees’ Brock Kjeldgaard leads the Florida State League with 16 home runs.
COREY’S COMING ... Second baseman Corey Jones brings a nine-game hit streak into this series in which he has gone 15-for-34 (.441) with six runs scored and a pair of doubles since May 29.
PLAG THE MAN ... First baseman/DH Tony Plagman has hits in each of his last six games in which he is 9-for-27 (.333) with five runs scored, two runs driven in and three doubles.
GO GUSTAVO ... Shortstop Gustavo Nunez has nine hits in the last four games in which he is 9-for-22 (.409) and is batting 22-for-62 (.355) since May 26. His recent run at the plate has propelled him to a tie for fourth in the Florida State League with 71 hits while his seven triples is second most in the league.
STINGY STARTERS ... Thanks to shutout performances by Drew Smyly and Trevor Feeney, Flying Tiger starters have a 2.00 ERA in the last four games. For the season, the starting pitchers have a 4.21 earned run average with 6.19 strikeouts and 4.20 walks per nine innings.
BULLPEN BRAG ... The Lakeland bullpen has been tough on hitters allowing just one run in its last five outings for a 0.69 ERA. The relievers have a 2.73 overall with 7.95 strikeouts and 2.40 walks per nine innings.
FEWEST ONES ... Gustavo Nunez has stolen 14 bases this season, almost half of Lakeland’s 29 swipes on the season. The 29 is just one more than Fort Myers’ league-low total of 28.
RARE START ... Gustavo Nunez found himself starting at second base on Thursday at Daytona. It was his first start at the second sack since 2008 when he played 13 games there for the Flying Tigers. Of his 424 career games played, 402 have come at shortstop with just 15 starts at second base. The other seven games have come in the outfield and as the designated hitter.
DE-FENSE ... Lakeland’s team fielding percentage of .983 is tied with Clearwater for the league’s best mark. The Flying Tigers have committed just 41 errors on the year compared to the Threshers’ FSL-low total of 40 miscues. Wade Gaynor leads all qualifying third baseman with a .955 mark and 43 putouts while Daniel Fields is tops with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
FOUR HEADED TO THE CLASSIC ... Four Flying Tigers have earned a trip to the 50th Florida State League All-Star Classic. Shortstop Gustavo Nunez, catcher Julio Rodriguez, designated hitter Tony Plagman and closer Kenny Faulk will head to Clearwater for the June 18 game at Bright House Networks Field.
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