Micah Owings

August Awards: Louisville Bats

Minor League Baseball

Wladimir Balentien; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

We’ll begin the final monthly awards series with a look at the best August performances from the Louisville Bats:

Hitter of the month: OF Wladimir Balentien

  • Stats: .394/.440/.663, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 16 R
  • Honorable Mention: Chris Valaika, Yonder Alonso, Juan Francisco, Drew Sutton, Chris Denove, Todd Frazier

Pitcher of the month: LHP Aroldis Chapman

  • Stats: 2-0, 1.35 ERA, 7 SV, 24 SO/4 BB, 13.1 IP
  • Honorable Mention: Chad Reineke, Ben Jukich, Justin Lehr, Frederico Baez, Micah Owings

MiLB Roundup: Bats win; Legends, Hot Rods lose; Nidiffer homers; Adcock, Chowning, Sowers pick up wins

Minor League Baseball

Nathan Adcock; Photo by mwlguide via Flickr

Highlights from Sunday Kentucky MiLB action:

  • The Louisville Bats pounded out 11 hits behind recently demoted Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Micah Owings en route to an 8-3 win over Gwinnet. Owings surrendered just one run on one hit in three innings, and shortstop Zack Cozart, third baseman Juan Francisco, right fielder Daniel Dorn and catcher Corky Miller each homered for Louisville.
  • The Lexington Legends tallied seven hits but couldn’t score a run in a 3-0 loss to Savannah. Right-handed pitcher Tanner Bushue took the loss despite surrendering just two runs in six innings and striking out six batters.
  • The Bowling Green Hot Rods pitching was no match for the Cedar Rapids offense in a 7-2 loss to the Kernels. Third baseman Julio Cedeno was 2-4 with a run scored for the Hot Rods.
  • Former UK catcher and 2010 Astros NDFA Marcus Nidiffer slugged his eighth home run of the season, drove in three runs and scored twice for rookie-level Greeneville.
  • Elizabethtown native Nathan Adcock earned his eighth win of the season after holding Dunedin scoreless for six innings on just two hits for high A Bradenton.
  • Louisville native and 2010 Astros draftee Jason Chowning picked up his first professional win with three scoreless innings of relief for short-season Tri-City.
  • Boyd County High School alum and 2010 Royals NDFA Tyler Gatrell earned his eighth save of the season for the rookie-level AZL Royals and still hasn’t surrendered an earned run in his professional career over 13 and one-third innings.
  • Former UK outfielder Antone DeJesus was 3-4 with a walk, run scored and one RBI for AA Springfield.
  • Former UofL infielder Chris Dominguez was 3-4 with a double, run scored and RBI for low A Augusta.
  • Former EKU infielder Neil Sellers was 3-4 with a double and two RBI for AAA Lehigh Valley.
  • Ballard High School alum Jeremy Sowers earned just his second win of the season for AAA Columbus with two scoreless innings of relief Sunday.
  • Paducah native and 2010 Rangers draftee Jonathan Roof was 2-5 with three RBI and one run scored for low A Hickory.

Monday Links: Kentucky Minors 0-2

College Baseball, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball

Louisville Slugger Field

The news of the day is the midnight deadline to sign draft picks for MLB teams.  I’ll be in meetings for most of the morning, but keep an eye on BluGrass Baseball for any Kentucky related draft news.

  • Strong offensive nights from Anthony Sceflo and Jake Jeffries weren’t enough for the Hot Rods as Bowling Green lost 8-4 to Hickory.
  • The Louisville Bats’ three-game winning streak came to an end with a 7-2 loss to Toledo.
  • Mark Sheldon at MLB.com writes about the upcoming rotation decision the Reds have regarding former Bat Justin Lehr and rehabbing Bat Micah Owings.
  • You can follow any draft news on BluGrass Baseball’s twitter.

Game Time Notes

Minor League Baseball

Micah Owings

Louisville Bats @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs

  • Despite Reds’ manager Dusty Baker’s suggestion that injured starting pitcher Micah Owings might not have to make a rehab start, Cincinnati decided to send Owings to Lehigh Valley tonight for a tuneup with the Bats.  Owings will be the third Red to make a rehab appearance with Louisville this week.  Relief pitcher Jared Burton will take the Reds’ roster spot of recently traded reliever David Weathers today, and outfielder Chris Dickerson will be activated by the Reds in time for Tuesday’s game.  Owings is 6-11 with a 5.35 ERA for the Reds this season.
  • Right-handed pitcher Logan Ondrusek extended his scoreless innings streak to 7.1 to start his Bats’ career.  Ondrusek made his first appearance for Louisville on July 27 and has yet to surrender a run in six games.  Logan began the season with high A Sarasota before being called up to AA Carolina.  Between the three teams, Ondrusek is 4-1 with a 1.23 ERA.
  • Wes Bankston was the offensive star for Louisville in the Bats’ first series against Lehigh Valley this season.  Bankston was 7-16 (.438) with a home run and four RBI in four games against the IronPigs.  Homer Bailey, Sam LeCure, Justin Lehr and Ben Jukich each picked up a win in Louisville’s four-game sweep of Lehigh Valley.
  • The IronPigs will send Drew Carpenter to the mound in the series opener tonight.  Carpenter is 9-2 with a 2.72 ERA in 19 games for Lehigh Valley.  Drew has 94 strikeouts in 119 innings and has held opponents to a .245 batting average.  Carpenter’s 2.72 ERA ranks sixth in the International League.
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