JUPITER RAIN OUTS ... Thanks to Tropical Storm Debby, Lakeland lost two games to the schedule as the first three games of the Jupiter series were all rained out. The two teams were able to make up one of the rained out contests in a doubleheader on Wednesday, but the other two games cannot be made up as the two squads do not play again in 2012.
THE SERIES .... All three games in this series will be played at Bright House Networks Field in Clearwater. The series opener on Thursday is set for 7 p.m. with games two and three on Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The first 1000 fans showing up to Friday’s game will receive a free camouflage Thresher Jersey in celebration of Military Appreciation Night. Fans at Saturday’s game will be treated to an appearance by the Philly Phanatic as well as post-game fireworks.
UP NEXT ... Following the Clearwater series, Lakeland will head back across the state for a three-game set at Daytona on July 1-3 before returning home for a Fourth of July game at 5 pm against Clearwater.
THE FLYING TIGERS (2-2 second half, 5th, 2.0 GB, 38-31 overall) ... Lakeland finally got to play some baseball Wednesday night after three consecutive rain outs thanks to Tropical Storm Debby. Playing for just the second time since June 21, the Flying Tigers split a doubleheader at home against Jupiter winning the opener 3-2 while dropping the nightcap 2-1. Lakeland managed just three hits in each of the two games but still leads the Florida State League with a .269 average, eight points higher than second place Daytona. With four stolen bases in game two last night, Lakeland is now fourth in the league with 76 stolen bases (Daytona lead with an impressive 105 steals). Avisail Garcia leads Lakeland with 14 steals including two in game two last night. Lakeland’s starting pitchers have allowed just three earned runs over the last three games for a 1.72 ERA. The starters have allowed 14 hits, but struck out 15 and walked five in those three games. The relief corps has been touched for just one earned run in the last eight games for a 0.39 ERA with just eight walks and 23 strikeouts.
THE THRESHERS (4-3 second half, 3rd, 1.5 GB, 40-33 overall) ... Clearwater fell 3-2 at Palm Beach last night, snapping a four-game win streak by the Threshers. The squad is now 8-4 its last 12 games. Jesse Biddle is ninth in the league with a 3.15 ERA while Austin Wright is tied for the league-lead with seven wins against just two losses. The Threshers have three of the top five strikeout pitchers in the league in Adam Morgan (1st with 80); Biddle (tied for 2nd with 78) and Wright (5th with 75). Anthony Hewitt and Jim Murphy each have a team-high eight home runs with Murphy driving in 50 runs. Clearwater is fifth in the league with a .257 team batting average while the pitching staff ranks eighth with a 3.93 staff ERA.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS ...
6/28 - LHP Shawn Teufel (4-4, 5.68 ERA) ... Teufel saw his 14.0 shutout inning streak come to a close in the first inning of his last start on June 19 against Brevard County. He finished the night allowing four runs on five hits with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched. He is now 3-0 with a 2.88 ERA in four June starts and is 1-0 with a 6.75 in one start against Jupiter.
6/29 - RHP Alex Burgos (4-8, 5.66 ERA) ... Burgos gave up five runs on eight hits and five walks in 4.0 innings in his last start on June 21 at Tampa. Control has been a problem with four or more walks in each of his last eight starts. He has a 4-6 road record with a 6.11 ERA in 11 road starts and is 0-2 with a 4.11 ERA in three home starts. In his only appearance versus Jupiter, he worked 6.0 no-hit, scoreless innings with six strikeouts and four walks.
6/30 - LHP Brian Flynn (6-4, 3.91 ERA) ... Flynn has not allowed an earned run in either of his last two starts and allowed five hits in both outings. Consequently, he won both starts. In his last start on June 23, he hurled six shutout innings against Tampa while allowing five hits with five strikeouts and a pair of walks.
CLARK HOLDS FIRM ... Tyler Clark has not allowed a run in his last five appearances out of the bullpen and been scored upon just one in his last 14 outings dating back to May 1. Only three opposing batters have managed a base hit off Clark in his last 13 appearances.
THE HOUSE OF CROUSE ... Matt Crouse has also been a reliable force out of the pen tossing 16.2 consecutive scoreless innings in his last eight outings. He has been scored upon in just two of his 18 appearances this season and has three wins in his last four outings.
HAIL TO THE VICTOR ... Providing yet another strong arm in relief has been Victor Larez who has been touched for one earned run in his last 24.2 innings pitched over 14 appearances.
THAT’S MY SPOT ... Shortstop Dixon Machado and second baseman Hernan Perez may be laying the foundation to be the next Alan Trammel/Lou Whitaker combination for Detroit. Machado has started 62 of Lakeland’s 69 games at short while Perez has manned second base in 57 games this season. James Robbins has been a rock at first base with starts in 63 games while Tyler Collins and Avisail Garcia have made 60 and 59 starts in the outfield, respectively.
IMPROVING DEFENSE ... Although the they committed three errors in the first game of last night’s doubleheader, the Flying Tigers have improved their team defense and now rank fifth in the league with a .973 fielding mark. James Robbins continues to lead Florida State League first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage and has committed just two errors in 593 total chances. Avisail Garcia leads all FSL outfielders with 11 assists while Alex Burgos is tied among the league pitchers with 17 assists. Lakeland catchers have combined to throw out 41 percent of would-be base stealers – the second best percentage in the league.
HOME AND AWAY ... The Flying Tigers have a .282 team batting average and are 19-13 with a 3.30 ERA in home games this season. On the road, the average dips to .259 with the record at 19-18 and a 4.50 ERA. Lakeland has hit 17 homers at cavernous Joker Marchant Stadium and 11 dingers on the road.
ROSTER SHUFFLE ... Jared Wesson was added to the roster on June 25 from Erie with Julio Felix being sent to the Gulf Coast Tigers. Wesson was 15-10 for Lakeland in 2011 with 96 strikeouts, but was 4-5 with a 7.10 in 14 starts in Double-A. Felix had appeared in just one game for the Flying Tigers and pitched 1.0 inning in his brief stint with the club.
ONE RELEASED AND TWO RETIRED ... Brent Dlugach was released by Detroit on June 25 after batting .169 in 25 games at Toledo. He had spent eight years in the Tigers’ organization (including the 2006 season in Lakeland) before playing for Boston’s AAA club in Pawtucket last season. He was signed back to the Tigers in February of this year. In other Lakeland alumni news, Zach Samuels, who played for the Flying Tigers in 2011, announced his retirement on June 23 while Austin Wood, who appeared in five games for Lakeland over the 2009 and 2010 seasons, said he was hanging up his glove on June 21. Wood may be best remembered for his 169-pitch performance in the 2009 NCAA Tournament for the University of Texas.
WINNINGEST ACTIVE MANAGER ... Manager Dave Huppert recorded his 1,700th victory as a minor league manager on Sunday, June 3 when the Flying Tigers posted an 11-1 win at Jupiter. He is in his second season with Lakeland and his 24th season as a minor league manager. Huppert, who became the winningest active manager in the minor leagues with Lakeland’s sixth win on April 19 of this year, brings a 1,710-1,566 record into the Clearwater series.
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