THE SERIES ... After a brief foray into the South Division, Lakeland returns to its home division to host the Daytona Cubs for three games on May 2-4. Games one and two begin at 6:30 p.m. with Saturday’s game getting underway at 6:00 p.m. The games can be heard live on the Cubs’ website at www.daytonacubs.com.
THE FLYING TIGERS (11-14, T-4th Place, 4.0 GB) ... With Wednesday’s game at Charlotte rained out, the Flying Tigers bring a four-game win streak in to the Daytona Series – their longest streak of the season. Lakeland, which has now won seven of its last nine games, has climbed out of the cellar for the first time since April 16. The Flying Tigers rank fifth in the Florida State League with a .257 team batting average while the staff ERA of 3.32 is third lowest in the league.
THE CUBS (14-12, T-2nd Place 1.5 GB) ... Like Lakeland, Daytona also brings a four-game win streak into the series after beating Palm Beach 3-1 Wednesday morning. Ben Carhart, who is second in the FSL with 10 doubles, brings a seven-game hit streak into this series, going 13x25 (.520) since April 23. Javier Baez is 9x23 (.391) with hits in each of his last six games while Jorge Soler has at least one base hit in 15 of his 18 games played this season. Stephen Bruno is fifth in the FSL with a .354 average and fourth with a .432 on base percentage while Dustin Geiger is third with 23 RBI. Daytona has the third highest team batting average (.269) in the league, but the staff ERA of 4.60 is also third highest.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
5/02 - RHP Jeff Ferrell (0-2, 5.52 ERA) ... is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in two starts since moving into the starting rotation on April 20 ... gave up five runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks his last start on April 26 at Daytona in taking the loss ... worked a season-long 4.2 innings in the Daytona start.
5/03 - RHP Nick Avila (1-0, 1.04 ERA) ... making his second start since moving into the rotation on April 17 ... gave up one run on three hits with one strikeout and three walks in 3.0 innings in last start on April 27 at Daytona ... did not factor into the decision in that game.
5/04 - RHP Wilsen Palacias (1-2, 3.91 ERA) ... lasted just 4.1 innings in last start on April 28 at Charlotte, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits with a pair of punch outs and three free passes ... tossed six shutout innings on April 22 in win over Clearwater with seven strikeouts ... one of two remaining starters from the rotation that began the season (the other three are on disabled list).
EARLIER THIS YEAR ... Daytona took two of the three games played at Jackie Robinson Park on April 25-27. The Cubs won the first two contests by scores of 5-3 and 7-3 while Lakeland won the series finale 5-1 behind a pair of homers by Eugenio Suarez and Aaron Westlake.
BATS ALIVE ... Someone left the Bat Signal on for the Flying Tigers and they have responded by hitting .325 the last four games with 35 runs scored. Lakeland has had ten or more hits in seven of their last 10 games for a .308 average over that span. Eugenio Suarez has led the charge going 17x41 (.415) in the last ten games while Chad Wright (15x44, .341) and Aaron Westlake (14x46, .304) are close behind. Westlake has knocked in 10 runs as well while Jeff McVaney and Suarez have each plated eight runs.
POWER SURGE ... Lakeland batters have clubbed five homers in the last four games, twice knocking two pitches out of the park in one game. Eugenio Suarez and Jeff McVaney each homered on April 27 at Daytona while Avisail Garcia and Michael Hernandez each went deep on April 30 at Charlotte. McVaney also touched them all at Charlotte on April 29. Lakeland had hit just six homer in the previous 21 games.
SOLID BEGINNING ... Pat Leyland has gotten at least one hit in each of his three games since joining Lakeland on April 28, playing two games behind the plate and one game as the designated hitter.
LAKELAND TRIVIA ... Pat Leyland now joins his Detroit Tiger managing father, Jim Leyland, on the Lakeland all-time roster. The elder Leyland played for Lakeland in 1964 and 1969 (and also managed Lakeland from 1976-78). What position did Jim Leyland play as a member of the then-Lakeland Tigers?
STREAKIN’ ALONG ... Eugenio Suarez brings an 11-game hit streak into this series – the longest streak this season by a Flying Tiger. Suarez is 18x45 (.400) dating back to April 19 with 11 runs scored, four doubles, two triples, a homer, and eight RBI. Lakeland is 7-3 since moving Suarez into the lead-off spot in the batting order.
SUPER SUB ... Tyler Hanover has made three spot starts since April 19 and has responded with seven hits in those three games for a .583 clip. He has scored three runs and driven in two more in those three contests and Lakeland is 3-0 in games in which he plays third base.
UNTOUCHABLE ... Reliever Melvin Mercedes etched himself into the collective memories of Flying Tiger fans by working the final inning of Lakeland’s FSL championship win over Jupiter in 2012. This season may etch his performance into the powers to be. Through eight appearances, Mercedes has allowed just one unearned run in 10.2 innings pitched.
THREE-FIFTHS OF THE STARTING ROTATION ON THE DL ... Starting pitcher Kevin Eichhorn is the latest Flying Tiger to see himself on the disabled list, joining fellow starting pitchers Tommy Collier and Drew VerHagen as well as reliever Joe Rogers. Position players Steven Moya and Dean Green are also out while recovering from injuries.
PERFECT STARTS TO THE WEEK ... Lakeland is a perfect combined 7-0 in games played on Sunday and Monday, including a 4-0 mark on Sunday. Conversely, the team is still looking for its first end-of-the-week win, going 0-4 on both Thursdays and Fridays. Saturdays are so-so as the Flying Tigers have split their four games.
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY ... Avisail Garcia completed his rehab assignment in Lakeland by being recalled by Detroit on May 1 and the getting assigned to Toledo. During his stay in Lakeland, Garcia was 10x24 for a .417 average with nine runs scored while hitting a pair of triples and one homer for four runs batted. With his help, Lakeland went 4-2 during his stint.
THE BOSS’ SON ... Lakeland added catcher Pat Leyland to the roster on April 28 from Extended Spring Training (EST) while infielder Jesus Ustariz, who had been with the club since April 23 but had not seen any action, was sent to EST. Leyland is the son of Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland.
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, who was inducted into the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012, is in his 25th season as a minor league manager and is the active winningest manager in the minors with a 1,756-1,597 record entering the Daytona series. Last season, he led Lakeland to the 2012 Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakeland Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
UP NEXT ... Lakeland will host Jupiter May 5-8.
TRIVIA ANSWER ... Like father, like son. Jim Leyland was a catcher for Lakeland catching 43 games in 1964 and 56 games in 1969, including a two-inning stint as a pitcher. In that one appearance, he gave up two earned runs on four hits while posting one strikeout and walking none.
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