The Shorebirds just connected on back-to-back home runs for the first time this season.  Ron Welty on the front end, a three run blast to left field and Joe Mahoney followed suit with a solo shot to right field.

Welty is now all alone atop the home run charts for the Shorebirds with 10.  Mahoney has seven on the year.  He was tied with Tyler Kolodny (DL).

Mahoney has now homered on back-to-back nights.  He hit a home run in game one of the doubleheader at Municipal stadium.  First time that Mahoney has homered in two straight games. 

Jacob Julius is the last Shorebirds player to homer on consecutive nights (August 7th and 8th) at Perdue Stadium.  Welty homered on back-to-back nights on June 12th and 13th.

Meantime, L.J. Hoes singled up the middle in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to seven. 

The team was announced within the last hour by the South Atlantic League.  Congratulations to Shorebirds right-fielder Ron Welty for making the team.  The team is basically the postseason All-Star Team.  It is voted upon by the Managers, GM’s, sports writers and broadcasters. 

2009 South Atlantic League All-Star Team
  
Manager                          Dusty Wathan                                   Lakewood BlueClaws
Coach                             Bob Kipper                                         Greenville Drive
RH Pitcher                       David Phelps                                     Charleston RiverDogs
LH Pitcher                        Rudy Owens                                     West Virginia Power
Catcher                           Jordan Pacheco                                  Asheville Tourists
First Baseman                 Josh Mazzola                                     Augusta GreenJackets
Second Baseman             Stephen Lombardozzi                         Hagerstown Suns
Shortstop                        Tim Beckham                                     Bowling Green Hot Rods
Third Baseman                Corban Joseph                                    Charleston RiverDogs
Utility Infielder                  Erik Morrison                                      Hickory Crawdads
Outfielder                        Scott Robinson                                   Asheville Tourists
Outfielder                        Anthony Gose                                    Lakewood BlueClaws
Outfielder                     Ronnie Welty                                      Delmarva Shorebirds
Utility Outfielder              Melky Mesa                                        Charleston RiverDogs
Designated Hitter            Derek Norris                                        Hagerstown Suns
  
Most Outstanding Pitcher                 Rudy Owens                        West Virginia Power
Most Outstanding MLB Prospect       Derek Norris                        Hagerstown Suns
Most Valuable Player                       Jordan Pacheco                   Asheville Tourists

Here is a list of the seven Shorebirds players headed instructional ball in Sarasota.  “Intructs”, as it is commonly referred, is essentially a Fall Spring Training.  It starts a couple weeks following the season and it lasts for about a month.

L.J. Hoes

Xavier Avery

Greg Miclat

Kyle Hudson

Ron Welty

Brent Allar

Luis Bernardo

There are a variety of reasons why the Orioles ask certain guys to attend. 

1) Young player straight out of HS

2) Needs extra-work at a certain position

3) Changing positions

4) Coming off Surgery/Injury

Just thought some of you might be interested as to who is going this year from the club.

With September looming, I’m starting a campaign for Cole McCurry to be named the Orioles August Minor League Pitcher of the Month.  He was outstanding.  His final numbers during the month (his next start will be Sept. 1): 2-0, 0.31 ERA, 29.1 innings pitched, 1 ER, 33 K’s.  Those numbers are out of this world.

Here are the other potential candidates around the system, you decide:

GCL ORIOLES

Daurin Tavarez – 3-1, 0.92 ERA, 29.1 IP, 21 K’s

BLUEFIELD

Ryan Plasha – 2-0, 2.60 ERA, 17.0 IP, 27 K’s, 4 BB

Justin Anderson – 1-1, 1.32 ERA, 13.2 IP, 13 K’s

ABERDEEN

Nicholas Haughian – 3-1, 1.65 ERA, 32.2 IP, 18 K’s

DELMARVA

Shane Mathews - 1-0, 1.86 ERA, 19.1 IP, 13 K’s

Cole McCurry – 2-0, 0.31 ERA, 29.1 IP, ER, 33 K’s

FREDERICK

Brandon Cooney – 0-2, 0.82 ERA, 6 Saves

Zach Britton - 2-2, 2.61 ERA, 31.0 IP, 31 K’s

BOWIE

Brandon Erbe – 2-0, 2.39 ERA, 26.1 IP, 14 Hits

Luis Lebron – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 10 G, 12.1 IP, 17 K’s

NORFOLK

Jake Arrieta - 2-3, 3.03 ERA, 35.2 IP, 27 K’s

To me its a no-brainer.  But, maybe I’m a little bit bias.  The numbers don’t lie though.  We’ll see in about a week from now. 

Good morning and welcome to doubleheader Sunday here in Hagerstown.  First game begins at 1:05 PM.  Of course, two seven-inning games today at Municipal Stadium.  Last two road games of the year for the ‘Birds.  We’ll be back for eight games at Perdue Stadium starting on Monday against Lake County. 

Last night was interesting.  Ryan O’Shea tossed a five-inning one hitter but was tagged with the loss. 

Pitching Matchups Today

Game 1: Oliver Drake (8-7, 3.62) vs. Patrick Lehman (0-1, 2.25)

Game 2: Chris Salberg (3-2, 4.22) vs. Juan Jaime (2-1, 2.45)

Time to get ready for our 10:30 bus to the stadium.

Two Shorebirds pitchers have a legitimate chance at ten wins (Ryan O’Shea (8), Oliver Drake (8)).  It’s actually a pretty rare feat when you look back at the 13 previous seasons in ‘Birds history.

Below are the year-by-year ten-game winners…

2008 – Sean Gleason (12-2), Zach Britton (12-7), Luis Noel (10-8)

2007 - None

2006 – None

2005 – Carlos Perez (11-8)

2004 – None

2003 – None

2002 – None

2001 – Matt Schwager (10-8)

2000 – Randy Perez (10-9)

1999 – John Stephens (10-8)

1998 – Jay Spurgeon (11-3)

1997 – Americao Peguero (11-10), Scott Eibey (10-4), Maximo Heredia (10-5)

1996 – Javier Vazquez (14-3), Jeremy Powell (12-9), Troy Mattes (10-9)

So, only 14 pitchers in the 13 years of Shorebirds baseball have reached double-digit wins.  I plotted out the final 11 games and O’Shea could have three more starts if everything goes as planned (no rain outs/cancellations) but Drake will only have two more.

Let’s hope both of them get to 10 wins.

There is a chance that the Shorebirds will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention after action today.  If Kannapolis wins and/or the Shorebirds loss, the playoffs will no longer be in reach.  So, I know some of you may be disappointed but let’s try and think about the season on the bright side.  In the final 11 games, if the Shorebirds go at least 4-7, they will have another winning season.  It will be the third in a row as a franchise and 10th in 14 years (500 or better).   

Bold seasons are winning seasons for the Shorebirds. 

1996 Montreal Expos 83-59 .585 — First Lost in Finals

1997 Baltimore Orioles 77-65 .542 — First Leauge Champions

1998 Baltimore Orioles 81-61 .570 — First Lost in First Round

1999 Baltimore Orioles 58-80 .420 25.0 Fourth Did Not Qualify

2000 Baltimore Orioles 74-62 .544 — First League Champions

2001 Baltimore Orioles 61-79 .436 31.0 Sixth Did Not Qualify

2002 Baltimore Orioles 76-64 .543 7.5 Third Lost in Semi-Finals

2003 Baltimore Orioles 67-71 .486 29.0 Third Did Not Qualify

2004 Baltimore Orioles 69-69 .500 15.0 Fifth Did Not Qualify

2005 Baltimore Orioles 72-67 .518 9.0 Third Lost in Semi-Finals

2006 Baltimore Orioles 64-73 .467 19.0 Sixth Did Not Qualify

2007 Baltimore Orioles 68-68 .500 14.0 Fifth Did Not Qualify

2008 Baltimore Orioles 78-61 .561 1.5 Second Did Not Qualify

Just think on the bright side folks..

How good has Cole McCurry been in the month of August? Amazing, Outstanding, Unhittable, Awesome, Stellar.  You get the point.

Here are his numbers in the month of August.  He is 2-0 with a 0.31 ERA in five starts.  In 29.1 innings during the month, he has ONLY ALLOWED ONE EARNED RUN!

Courtesy of his six inning shutout of the Captains last night, McCurry now has an 11.1 innings scoreless streak in his hip pocket. 

His overall ERA is now 2.86, lowest since May 27th (2.72).  He ranks eighth in the South Atlantic League in ERA.  McCurry is sixth in the Baltimore Orioles system in ERA. 

Ok, I cut a couple highlights from the game last night.  Not a lot to choose from so I have the bunt RBI by Avery and the final out in the ninth inning…Enjoy

Avery Bunt RBI.wma

Final Out 827.wma

We arrived in Hagerstown at about 3:30 in the AM.  I must admit that I am a little tired.  11 games left in the season. 

The Kannapolis Intimidators have been unbelievable in the second half of the season.  They are pretty much running away with the Northern division.  They are five games up on West Virginia with two weeks left in the season.

Kannapolis was good in the first half (37-33) but they are playing on another stratosphere in the second half (38-18).  By the way, they have won 10 games in a row.  Over their last ten games, the offense is hitting .322.  During the second half, they have had two separate seven game winning streaks besides their current ten game streak. 

Right now, they are just beating up on the Southern division (Asheville, Lexington, Bowling Green). 

Their pitching staff has been awesome all year.  Staff ERA of 3.24, second lowest in the South Atlantic League.