Game Notes, August 19 - Springfield at CC

August 19, 2010

Springfield (28-23, 66-55) @ CC (21-30, 57-64)

The home stand began last night with the "Pete Kozma Show." Springfield's shortstop had his second four-hit night of the season and his first multi-homer effort as he went 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and three RBIs to lead the Cardinals to a 6-5 win over the Hooks in 11 innings. Kozma's one-out double to center plated Jermaine Curtis from second with the game-winning run in the 11th.

Kozma clubbed solo homers in the third and fifth innings. Entering this season ranked as the 15th-best prospect in the St. Louis system according to Baseball America, Kozma is toting a seven-game hitting streak in which he is batting .438 (14-32) with 5 doubles, 5 HRs and 10 RBIs.

Kozma's prowess overshadowed the efforts of Corpus Christi right fielder J.D. Martinez (3-for-5, 1 RBI) and catcher Lou Santangelo (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs). The Hooks remain six games back in the South Division second-half standings.

Tonight's Matchup:
RHP David Kopp (10-3, 3.14) vs. LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-2, 5.81)
Kopp, selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2007 draft out of Clemson, makes his 18th start for Springfield and his third against the Hooks. Last Friday at Hammons Field, Kopp held the Hooks to a run on six hits over six innings in a 6-1 Cardinal victory. Kopp has won his last two starts and is 2-2 with a 3.33 ERA in four starts since his return from AAA Memphis. From June 24 through July 16, Kopp made five starts for Memphis and went 0-5 with an 8.63 ERA, with 38 hits allowed in 24.0 innings. In two starts against the Hooks, Kopp is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA. At the plate, Kopp is 6-for-18 (.333) with 1 walk, 1 double and 2 sacrifice bunts.

Has allowed 16 1st-inning runs this season, compared to 17 total runs allowed in innings two through five
Split his time last year between Palm Beach (5-3, 3.12, 13 starts) and Springfield (1-1, 6.43, 5 starts)
In 3 seasons at Clemson was 16-8 with 1 save and a 4.15 ERA in 59 games and 32 starts

Keuchel, selected by the Astros in the seventh round of the 2009 draft out of the University of Arkansas, makes his sixth start for the Hooks and his second against Springfield. Matched up against Kopp last Friday, Keuchel allowed four runs on six hits over four innings and suffered the loss. Two of the six hits were home runs by Tommy Pham and Xavier Scruggs. The result snapped a two-game winning streak for Keuchel (pronounced KIKE-uhl). In just his second season of pro ball and his first full year in the pro ranks, Keuchel made 19 appearances and 18 starts for Lancaster, going 5-8 with a 3.36 ERA. He left Lancaster as the Cal League leader in innings pitched (120.2) and complete games (3) while ranking seventh in ERA. Keuchel entered this season ranked as the 24th-best prospect in the Astros' system according to Baseball America. As a hitter, Keuchel is 0-for-3 with 1 sacrifice bunt.

Was better on the road (2-4, 2.31, 9 gms, 3 CG) than at home (3-4, 4.47, 10 gms) with Lancaster
Pitched last year for Tri-City in the NYPL (2-3, 2.70, 11 gms, 10 GS)
Earned both of the Razorbacks' wins at the 2009 College World Series

Homer time
With home runs by Lou Santangelo in each of the last two games, the Hooks have produced homers in four straight. That's two games shy of this season's record and three off the franchise mark of home runs in seven consecutive games, set back in 2005.

From July through July 23 this year, the Hooks produced home runs in six straight games. The Hooks have hit 77 home runs this year, which ranks fifth among the eight teams in the Texas League. The Cardinals, with 129, are far and away the top home run-hitting club in the circuit.

Santangelo hit four home runs in his first six games this season, from April 10 through April 19, then went the next 70 games without leaving the yard. He has clubbed two homers in the last two games. Santangelo now has 19 HRs and 72 RBIs in 232 career games for the Hooks spread out over three seasons.

Santangelo and Jimmy VanOstrand each have 19 career homers for the Hooks. Only seven players in franchise history have hit 20 or more round-trippers. Mark Saccomanno is the Hooks' all-time leader with 32 career home runs.

Still setting the bar
Outfielder J.D. Martinez added three more hits to his season's total last night and now leads all of minor league baseball with 168 hits this season. He continues to rank third in the minors in both average (.358) and total bases (267). Martinez has hit safely in 11 of the last 14 games and is batting .473 (26-55) in that stretch with 5 doubles, 2 HRs, 11 runs and 16 RBIs.

Nevarez streak
Reliever Matt Nevarez last night added another shutout inning to his scoreless streak, which has now reached five appearances and 6.0 innings. Over that span of six innings, Nevarez has allowed two hits and five walks while striking out six. He's lowered his season's ERA in that time from 4.91 to 3.98.

Pitching Rotation vs. Springfield
Friday: RHP Brian Broderick (7-2, 3.27) vs. RHP Jeremy Johnson (5-9, 4.19)

HOOKS PLAYER NOTES

Michael Affronti

Has 4-game hit streak, 5-15 with 2 walks, 1 triple, 1 run and 4 RBIs
Batting .264(28-106) vs. RHP; .270(17-63) vs. LHP; .289(13-45) with RSP
In 46 games this year with AAA Sacramento batted .214-1-14 with 1 SB
Originally selected by the A's in the 17th round of the 2006 draft out of LeMoyne

Albert Cartwright

Is 1-17 in the last 4 games with 3 walks, 3 runs and 1 SB
In 92 games with Lancaster batted .319 (113-354) with 26 doubles, 13 triples, 10 HRs, 72 runs, 48 RBIs and 24 stolen bases
At the time of his promotion, ranked second in the Cal League in triples, third in extra-base hits (49) and fourth in slugging percentage (.551)
Houston's 36th-round selection in the 2007 draft out of Polk CC (FL)

Koby Clemens

Hits in 7 of the last 10 games, 13-41 with 5 doubles, 2 HRs, 9 runs and 8 RBIs
Named Texas League's Player of the Week (May 31 - June 6)
CC's offensive player of the month in April (.263-7-18 in 21 games)
Batting .297(30-101) with RSP
Led all minor leaguers with 123 RBIs last season

David Cook

Is 3-4 in the last 2 games with 2 runs
Leads club with 6 pinch hits (5 singles, 1 HR)
In 9 games with Round Rock (June 20-30) batted .280-1-6 with 3 doubles
Batting .184(23-125) vs. RHP; .298(36-121) vs. LHP; .179(12-67) with RSP
Played 7 seasons in the White Sox system, batted .260-125-399 in 753 games

Jon Gaston

Is 2-24 in the last 6 games with 1 HR, 2 runs and 1 RBI
CC's offensive player of the month in July (.324-4-16, 5 SB)
CC's defensive player of the month in May (39 PO, 6 A, 0 E)
Leads Texas League with 16 outfield assists
Batting .264(65-246) vs. RHP; .222(34-153) vs. LHP; .207(17-82) with RSP
Hit .278-35-100 in 139 games last season with Lancaster; tied for the minor league lead in HRs

Federico Hernandez

Is 2-6 in his last 3 games with 1 double, 1 run and 1 RBI
In 84 games with Lancaster was batting .267 (79-296) with 15 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 34 runs and 46 RBIs, plus 1 SB
Finished his Cal League stint with a 10-game hitting streak, 16-41 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HRs, 10 runs and 11 RBIs
Signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent in March of 2006

Kody Kirkland

Hits in 10 of his last 12 games, 11-32 with 7 walks, 3 doubles, 2 HRs, 10 runs and 6 RBIs
In 63 games for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League, hit .303 (71-234) with 15 doubles, 6 triples, 11 HRs, 38 runs and 39 RBIs
Split time in '09 between AA Mississippi (.201-3-20) and AAA Gwinnett (.289-1-2)
Originally selected by the Pirates in the 30th round of the 2001 draft out of the College of Southern Idaho

J.D. Martinez

Hits in 11 of the last 14 games, 26-55 with 5 doubles, 2 HRs, 11 runs and 16 RBIs
Batting .377(26-69) vs. RHP; .308(16-52) vs. LHP; .349(15-43) with RSP
In 88 games with Lexington batted .362-15-64 with 31 doubles and 3 triples
Led the South Atlantic League in 8 offensive categories at the time of his promotion - average, hits (126), doubles, OBP (.433), slugging (.598), extra-base hits (49), runs (83) and total bases (208)
20th round selection of the Astros in 2009 out of Nova Southeastern University

Freddy Parejo

Is 0-6 in the last 2 games, but...
Has hits in 12 of his last 15 games, 23-63 with 4 doubles, 6 runs and 7 RBIs
Batting .329(25-76) vs. RHP; .333(16-48) vs. LHP; .387(12-31) with RSP
Joined club July 8 from Lancaster, where he hit .308-3-32 in 75 games for the JetHawks
Hit for the cycle in a 12-10 loss to Visalia June 8
Spent seven seasons in the Brewers' system and batted .255-20-234 with 89 steals in 622 games and 2,014 at-bats, reaching AAA Nashville last year (16 games)

Lou Santangelo

Hits in 3 of his last 4 games, 4-13 with 4 walks, 2 HRs, 4 runs and 4 RBIs
Was 0-4 in his one start for Round Rock at Memphis July 3
Batting .203(30-148) vs. RHP; .256(21-82) vs. LHP; .119(7-59) with RSP
CS% = 25.9% (14-54)
Hit .212-5-26 in 84 games last season for AAA Round Rock

Wladimir Sutil

Batted .237-1-12 with 6 doubles and 8 SBs in 45 games with AAA Round Rock
In 6 games since his return is 4-20 at the plate with 4 errors in the field
CC's defensive player of the month in April (22 PO, 44 A, 2 E)
Batting .232(29-125) vs. RHP; .308(24-78) vs. LHP; .328(19-58) with RSP
Hit .273-1-37 with 19 SBs in 125 games last season with the Hooks

Jimmy VanOstrand

Is 15-44 in his last 15 games with 2 doubles, 1 HR, 5 runs and 7 RBIs
HR Saturday night was his first since June 20 vs. Frisco
Hit .300(30-100) with 5 doubles, 1 HR, 6 runs and 18 RBIs in 32 games from June 4 thru July 12
Batting .193(29-150) vs. RHP; .297(38-128) vs. LHP; .250(21-84) with RSP
Hit .283-16-71 in 113 games last season for the Hooks