Major League Hurlers Continue to Rehab with Drive
The 32-year-old Hill making his first appearances in professional games since June 1st, 2011. He was limited to nine appearances with the Red Sox last season due to season-ending Tommy John Surgery.
Hill has appeared in the Majors each of the last seven seasons with the Cubs (2005-08), Orioles (2009) and Red Sox (2010-11). Originally selected by Chicago in the 4th round of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Hill signed with Boston as a minor league free agent on June 30th, 2010. When he was selected to the Major League roster on September 13th of that season, Hill became the 93rd Massachusetts-born player to appear in a game for the Red Sox.
With a career Major League record of 22-20 in 93 games - 70 as a starter - Hill has posted a 4.73 ERA (214 ER/407.1 IP) with 370 strikeouts and 181 base on balls. He enjoyed his best season in 2007 when he set career bests in wins (11), ERA (3.92), games (32), starts (32), innings (195.0) and strikeouts (183) with the Cubs in his first full Major League season. His strikeout total ranked 5th overall in the National League that year.
Miller, 26, has appeared in the Major Leagues in all six seasons since being selected in the first round (6th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. In his first year with the Red Sox in 2011, Miller was 6-3 with a 5.54 ERA (40 ER/65.0 IP), 50 strikeouts and 41 walks in 17 games - 12 starts.
Having played with Detroit, the Florida Marlins, and Boston, Miller owns 21-29 record in 96 Major League games.
A collegiate standout at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Miller was a teammate of Greenville Drive alumni and Red Sox hurler Daniel Bard. As a junior in 2006 for the Tar Heels, miller was named the Baseball America National Player of the Year and won the Roger Clemens Award as college baseball's top pitcher after finishing 13-2 with a 2.48 ERA in 20 games (18 starts). He finished his amateur career with a 27-9 record, 2.77 ERA and set the UNC's career record with 325 strikeouts.
In addition to Hill and Miller both pitching an inning for the Drive tonight, left-hander Henry Owens is set to make is professional debut. Owens was selected by the Red Sox in the Supplemental Round (36th overall) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
First pitch for tonight's game is set for 7:05 PM, as the Drive host the Lakewood BlueClaws for the third game of the 2012 season. Tickets can be purchased by calling (864) 240-4528, or logging onto GreenvilleDrive.com.