THE SERIES ... Lakeland opens a six-game homestand with three contests against Brevard County on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with all nights getting underway at 6:30 p.m. The Manatees won 11 of the 17 games played between the two teams in 2013, with five of the Flying Tigers’ wins coming in the final eight meetings. Chad Wright led Lakeland in the 2013 series with a .341 average, getting 14 hits and driving in five runs in 10 games against the Manatees. Brevard County got 14 hits, three homers and 14 RBI from Cameron Garfield while Stephen Peterson picked up two wins in relief.
THE FLYING TIGERS (3-1, T–1st, 0.0 GB) ... After dropping the opening game of the season, Lakeland has reeled off three straight wins, outscoring Tampa by a combined 16-6 score in the trio of contests. Pitching has been the key as the Flying Tigers’ staff combined for double digit strikeouts in each of the first three games (37 total) and added six more in the fourth. The staff enters the Brevard County series with a sparking 2.00 ERA (second in the FSL) and 43 strikeouts and 14 walks in 36.0 innings. The bats are still in hibernation as the Flying Tigers bring a .206 average into the series. Jared Reaves and Jeff McVaney each have five hits while Lance Durham and Dixon Machado each have three hits each.
THE MANATEES (3-1, T–1st, 0.0 GB) ... Brevard County’s three wins over Daytona were all by one run while the one loss was a 13-2 blowout win by the Cubs. In that loss, the Manatees were outhit 21-3. Brevard County is hitting just .186 through the first four games while the pitching staff has combined for a 4.14 ERA. Tyrone Taylor has been the hot bat for the Manatees, collecting six hits, including a FSL-best five doubles, in 16 at bats against the Cubs for a .375 average. Michael Reed already has four stolen bases to lead the FSL.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
4/08 - RHP Yorfrank Lopez (2013: 8-5, 4.89 ERA) ... Lopez is making his 2014 season debut – his sixth season in pro ball. Overall, he has a 21-21 record and a 4.42 ERA in 85 appearances including 39 starts with 218 strikeouts and 99 walks in 299.2 career innings.
4/09 - RHP Edgar De La Rosa (0-1, 0.00 ERA) ... De La Rosa got the nod in the opening game of the season and took the loss after allowing two unearned runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked none in 4.0 innings of work.
4/10 - LHP Jordan John (1-0, 1.80 ERA) ... John tossed two-hit ball over 5.0 innings on Saturday to pick up the win. He allowed one earned run with six strikeouts and three walks.
BREVARD COUNTY PROBABLE STARTERS
4/08 - Hobbs Johnson (2013: 0-0, 0.86 ERA) ... A 14th round pick by Milwaukee in 2013 out of the University of North Carolina, Johnson posted a 0-0 record with a 1.13 ERA in four appearances for the Helena rookie last season and then went 0-0 with a 0.69 ERA in seven relief appearances for Wisconsin in the Midwest League. This is first professional start.
4/09 - Tyler Wagner (1-0, 0.00 ERA) ... Picked in the fourth round by Milwaukee in 2012 out of the University of Utah, Wagner went 1-4 with a 7.77 in 14 starts in Helena. He rebounded with a 10-8 mark and a 3.21 ERA in 25 starts at Wisconsin. In his 2014 debut, he tossed five shutout innings against Daytona on 4/3, holding the Cubs to three hits.
4/10 - Damien Magnifico (0-0, 1.59) ... Tapped in the fifth round in 2012 by the Brewers, Magnifico was 0-3 with a 5.82 ERA in nine games at Helena and 5-1 with a 3.83 in 11 games, eight starts, at Wisconsin. He was 0-2 with a 6.08 in 10 starts for the Manatees last season. Making his first start on 4/4 at Daytona, Magnifico worked 5.2 innings and allowed three runs, one earned, in 5.2 innings.
TOP PICKS ... Brevard County outfielder Victor Roache was the number one pick by Milwaukee (28th overall) in the 2012 draft out of Georgia Southern where he led the NCAA with 30 homers in 2011. He is ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the Brewers organization by MLB.com and was an unsigned 25th round pick of the Tigers in 2009. Pitcher Jed Bradley was the Brewers first pick (15th overall) in the 2011 draft out of Georgia Tech.
STEALING FOOL ... Brandon Loy has stolen one base in each of the three games he has played so far this season and is second in the FSL with the trio of steals.
IN EACH ONE ... Jared Reaves has hits in each of his three games played so far including a 3-for-4 night at home on Saturday. He is 5-for-12 on the season and has scored in each game as well. His .417 average is tied for eighth in the Florida State League.
STEADY ARMS ... The Lakeland starting pitchers have earned their keep in the early going with a combined 2.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 18.0 innings pitched. The bullpen has been equally as strong, also boasting a combined 2.00 ERA in their collective 18.0 innings with 23 strikeouts.
PROVING WHY ... Jeff McVaney has shown why he was named to the Florida State League Midseason All-Star team last season with five hits in his last three games. The Flying Tigers’ outfielder collected two hits in each of the two road games at Tampa and is 5-for-12 with a double in each of the last three competitions. He has also knocked in five runs in those three games.
DOUBLE DOWN ... Lakeland has seven doubles in the last three games with three coming in each of the two road wins at Tampa.
ALL OR NOTHING ... Dixon Machado, who was held hitless in his first three games against Tampa, came alive on Sunday with a 3-for-4 day that included a triple and a pair of singles. Machado also crossed the plate three times in the 8-5 Lakeland win.
THE SKIPPER ... Manager Dave Huppert, a member of the 2012 FSL Hall of Fame Class, is in his 27th season as a minor league manager and is the active winningest manager in the minors. He ranks 21st all-time with 1,812 career wins (1,812-1,663). He has a 204-201 record in three seasons with the Flying Tigers. In 2012, he led Lakeland to the Florida State League Championship to record his fourth overall championship and his third title in the FSL. He also led the 2001 Brevard County (Brewers) to a co-championship while his 2007 Clearwater (Phillies) squad won the crown outright. In addition, he coached the Lakewood Blue Claws (Phillies) to the 2006 South Atlantic League title.
UP NEXT ... Lakeland continues its six-game homestand with three games against the Clearwater Threshers on Friday (7:11 pm); Saturday (6:00 pm) and Sunday (1:00 pm).
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ... Here’s a look at where some of the 2013 Flying Tigers are in 2014 (as of 4/6):
Toledo – Melvin Mercedes, Drew VerHagen
Erie – Dean Green, Corey Jones, Jason Krizan, Francisco Martinez, Steven Moya, Ryan Robowski, Kyle Ryan, Eugenio Suarez, Devon Travis, Jose Valdez, Aaron Westlake
Lakeland – Lance Durham, Kevin Eichhorn, Tyler Hanover, Jeff Holm, Patrick Leyland (DL), Drew Longley, Brandon Loy, Dixon Machado, Jeff McVaney, Jared Reaves, James Robbins, Joe Rogers (DL), Brennan Smith, Slade Smith, Jade Todd (DL), Chad Wright
West Michigan – Harold Castro, Matt Davenport, Charlie Gillies (DL), Chad Green, Austin Kubitza, Montreal Robinson, Austin Schotts (DL)
Extended Spring Training – Alex Burgos, Rashad Brown
Released – Patrick Cooper, Zach Kirksey, Michael Morrison, Hudson Randall, Luis Alberto Sanz.
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