THE SERIES ... Lakeland continues its six-game road trip with three games at the Clearwater Threshers on Thursday (7:00 pm), Friday (6:30 pm), and Saturday (6:30 pm). The Flying Tigers swept Clearwater on April 11-13, winning 2-0, 4-2 (on a walk-off homer), and 3-0. All three games will be carried on the Threshers website. Chad Wright went 4-for-8 in two games in the series while Jeff McVaney also had four hits in 12 at bats. Curt Powell batted .429 (3x7) in two games against Clearwater earlier while Lance Durham also had three hits in 11 at bats.
THE FLYING TIGERS (7-6, T-3rd, 4.0 GB) ... Lakeland is looking to snap a three-game losing streak after being swept by Brevard County on the road. The Flying Tigers have managed to cross the plate just once in the last two games, falling 7-1 and 1-0, after losing 8-5 in the series opener. The sweep dropped the Flying Tigers to 4.0 games behind the soaring Dunedin Blue Jays who have the best record in baseball at 11-2. The staff ERA of 2.61 is third best in the league behind Bradenton (2.21) and Dunedin (1.83). The Flying Tigers have the lowest batting average in the league at .210 and have scored the fewest runs (38) of any league team. Jake Thompson has the fourth best ERA in the league at 0.48 and is tied for third with 17 strikeouts. Brennan Smith has held opponents to a .083 batting average, second best among FSL relievers.
THE THRESHERS (3-10, 5th, 9.0 GB) ... After losing nine straight, Clearwater has found the right side of the ledger, winning the last two games against Tampa, 8-7 and 4-1, to jump ahead of the struggling Daytona Cubs who are 2-11 after losing nine of their last 10 games. Brian Pointer leads the team with a .324 average and a league-high three triples. He also ranks fifth in the Florida State League with a .559 slugging percentage while KC Serma is hitting .302 on the young season. Ethan Stewart ranks ninth in the FSL with a 1.08 ERA. The Threshers are batting .222 on the year to rank 10th while the staff ERA of 4.02 is fourth highest in the league.
LAKELAND PROBABLE STARTERS
4/17 - RHP Endrys Briceno (0-0, 4.50 ERA) ... Briceno did not factor into the decision in his last start against Clearwater on April 12 despite holding the Threshers to two runs and six hits over 6.0 innings. He has spread his runs allowed over this outings, giving up just one run in each of the first three innings total and two in the fourth.
4/18 - RHP Yorfrank Lopez (1-1, 2.70 ERA) ... Lopez has been a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde so far with six runs (three earned) allowed in 3.2 innings in his first start and then tossing a two-hitter over 6.1 shutout innings against the Threshers on April 13. He is holding opponents to a .216 average in his two starts.
4/19 - RHP Edgar De La Rosa (0-3, 3.75 ERA) ... De La Rosa is looking for his first win of the season after taking the “L” in each of his first three starts. In his last start on April 14 at Brevard County, he surrendered four runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks in 3.0 innings, his worst outing of the season.
CLEARWATER PROBABLE STARTERS
4/17 - LHP Cole Hamels (0-1, 2.70 ERA) ... Hamels, currently on a MLB rehab assignment, makes his second consecutive start against the Flying Tigers. In his previous outing on April 12, he held Lakeland to one run on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks over 6.0 innings. This is expected to be his last appearance before rejoining the Phillies.
4/18 - RHP Colin Kleven (0-3, 8.80 ERA) ... Kleven is also making his second start against Lakeland. In his last start on April 13, he allowed three runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings – his best start of the season. He had previously allowed six runs in each of his first two starts. Opponents are hitting .348 against Kleven.
4/19 - LHP Ethan Stewart (0-1, 1.08 ERA) ... Stewart is facing Lakeland for the first time this season. He is coming off a start against Tampa in which he gave up three runs, including two earned runs – the first earned runs he has allowed in three starts. He also walked six batters in that Tampa game – one more than he issued in his first two outings.
LONE BAT ... The only Flying Tiger that has looked forward to seeing his box score would be Chad Wright. While the rest of the hitters are struggling at the plate to find consistency, Wright has hits in each of his last five games and is 8-for-18 for a .444 clip during that span.
SHINING ON THE MOUND ... Jake Thompson was finally proven to be human as Brevard County managed to push across a run against the 6-foot-4 righthander. It was the first run allowed by Thompson in three starts this season and it cost him the game as his teammates were shutout in a 1-0 loss on April 16. The Rockwall, Texas native is 2-1 on the season with a sparkling 0.48 earned run average and 17 strikeouts in 18.2 innings pitched. His 0.48 ERA and 17 strikeouts are tops in the Detroit minor league organization.
FLASHING THE LEATHER ... Lakeland has backed its stellar pitching staff with a crisp defense that has posted the second best fielding percentage in the league (.976) while committing the second fewest errors (12). First baseman James Robbins has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage while leading the league with 113 putouts and 122 total chances. He has also participated in a league-high 11 double plays.
BEHIND THE DISH ... Austin Green has committed just one error in his nine games behind the plate for Lakeland and has thrown out five would-be basestealers for a .385 percentage which is tied for fourth best in the Florida State League.
KUBITZA EARNS ML HONOR ... Former Flying Tiger Austin Kubitza was named the first Midwest League Pitcher of the Week (for April 3-13). Kubitza was 2-0 with a 0.84 ERA with 16 strikeouts and two walks in 10.2 innings over his first two starts. Last year, the 6-foot-5 righty joined Lakeland on July 27, 2013 and closed out the season, going 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA in seven relief appearances and one start. Kubitza’s 0.84 ERA is seventh best in the Midwest League while his 16 strikeouts is fifth most.
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 1,816 career wins (1,816-1,668) entering this series. He has a 208-206 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.
CLEARWATER PROMOS ... The first 1000 fans attending Friday’s game will receive a Jimmy Rollins Florida State League Hall of Fame bobblehead. Following the game will be a concert featuring Jamie Lynn Spears (Britney’s little sister). Saturday is Star Wars night and fireworks.
IN THE SHOW ... Nick Castellanos is hitting .233 in eight games for Detroit with one homer and four runs batted in ... Tyler Collins has played in seven games and has a .143 average.
ON THE FARM ... At 7-6 Lakeland is tied with West Michigan for best record among the four Detroit minor league teams with Erie next at 5-6 and Toledo off to a 4-9 start ... Erie’s Warwick Saupold is sixth in the Eastern League with a 0.93 ERA while Kyle Ryan leads the league with a 0.58 WHIP and a .063 opponent batting average.
UP NEXT ... After taking Sunday, April 20 off, the Flying Tigers return to Lakeland on Monday, April 21 to open a three-game set against Dunedin.
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