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MLB

Pina, a King in 2007, Debuts with Royals

Former Clinton catcher Manny Pina goes 2-for-4 in MLB debut with Kansas City
By Dave Lezotte
August 4, 2011

Grand Chute, WI - Former Clinton LumberKings' catcher Manny Pina became the seventh former Clinton player to make a Major League debut this season as he caught and hit ninth last night for the Kansas City Royals in a 6-2 win over Baltimore. The 2007 Kings' backstop went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in his debut at Kauffman Stadium, making him the 231st former Clinton player to reach the Major Leagues dating back to the franchise's inception in 1937.

Pina recorded his first career hit in the seventh, doubling down the left-field line in the seventh inning off Orioles' right-hander Jeremy Guthrie and later scored his first run on a three-run home run by Billy Butler. Behind the plate, Pina caught Royals' right-hander Luke Hochevar (a former Burlington Bee) and helped him to 7.1 innings of two-run baseball (one earned) for his eighth win. Pina nabbed one attempting base stealer, throwing out Vladimir Guererro as he attempted to steal second in the first inning.

The 24-year-old Barquisimeto, Venezuela native joined Clinton in 2007 as a highly-regarded catcher in the Texas Rangers' system. He hit .228 with 13 doubles, a home run and 23 RBI in 86 games for the LumberKings that season, helping the team advance to the Midwest League West Division Championship Series (lost to Beloit, 2-0).

Pina advanced up to double-A Frisco in the Rangers system before being traded to the Royals in September, 2009 along with former LumberKings' outfielder Tim Smith in exchange for pitcher Daniel Gutierrez. He hit .218 in a brief stint at triple-A Omaha before finishing 2010 with double-A Northwest Arkansas, hitting .259 with seven home runs and 44 RBI in 74 games there. This season with the Omaha Storm Chasers, Pina hit .241 with eight doubles, five homers and 16 RBI in 56 games.

Pina (#28) joins right-handers Josh Lueke (Seattle), Tom Wilhelmsen (Seattle), Cody Eppley (Texas), Maikel Cleto (St. Louis), and Blake Beavan (Seattle) and infielder Kyle Seager (Seattle) as former LumberKings to make big-league debuts this season. Lueke, Wilhelmsen, Beavan and Seager are all currently in the Major Leagues with the Mariners.

For tickets, official team merchandise, the 2011 Promotional Schedule and more, call 563-242-0727 or visit www.lumberkings.com.