Video of Jeffrey Baez’s three-run homer vs. Hillsboro

Here are the Official Game Notes for Saturday, July 5, as the Hawks meet Eugene in Game 2 of the three-game series

Official Game Notes – July 5

On a night that featured another quality three inning stint from Josh Conway and my 6-year-old losing his first tooth, the Boise Hawks entertained a sellout crowd of 3,704 with a 20-minute fireworks show that wowed fans both inside and outside the ballpark. Thanks to my wife Liza – here are some of the shots of the pyrotechnics  

Here are the Official Boise Hawks Game Notes for tonight July 4th contest vs. the Eugene Emeralds at Memorial Stadium

Official Game Notes – July 4

Here is the RBI triple by Mark Zagunis tonight in Tri-City

The second edition of our season-long look at the Northwest League stadiums takes us to the home of the Tri-City Dust Devils, Gesa Stadium, and their monsterous Sun Shade

Cubs third-round selection Mark Zagunis joined the Boise Hawks following yesterday morning’s game – and took his first round of batting practice with the team at Tri-City

In 2014, I will give you an inside look at each of the stadiums the Boise Hawks will visit this year – beginning with Avista Stadium in Spokane.

Saturday night marked the professional debut of Cubs prospects Alex Tomasovich and Charlie White, as the third-day draft selections were in the starting line-up in the Boise Hawks 3-2 loss to Spokane.

Tomasovich made his presence known early, hitting a fastball into the right-centerfield gap for a double in his first plate appearance and was given the ball as a commemorative gesture.

White was 0-for-3 with a hit by pitch, scoring a run in the fifth inning that put the Hawks up at the time, 2-1.  He also learned a nuance of the game early – chasing down a foul ball and firing it back to the infield (instead of to a ball boy or to a fan in the crowd), which is the common practice in college.

The Hawks got a quality performance from Trevor Clifton, who fanned a career-high six in four innings (highlight of his strikeout with the bases loaded and two outs), and Trey Lang hasn’t given up a run now in five innings after two scoreless innings of relief.

The Boise bullpen, however, could not hold a lead for the second time on this road trip – giving up a pair of runs in the eighth inning (the fifth blown save of the season – though the Hawks have won two of the games).

NOTES: Giuseppe Papaccio left the game in the fourth inning after his hand was cut by the seams of the ball on a pickoff play at second base…Varonex Cuevas broke out of an 0-for-16 slump with his first two hits in the Boise uniform – a solo homer and an a sharp single…attendance was 5,731 fans – most likely the largest crowd the Hawks will play in front of this summer.

ROSTER MOVE: RHP Yao-Lin Wang has been removed from the 7-Day DL and will rejoin the Daytona Cubs, with the D-Cubs sending Jasvir Rakkar to Boise…Rakkar was a mainstay in the bullpen for the Hawks in 2013, going 4-1 with a 3.65 ERA.

 

Getaway Day in Eugene after a rough extra innings loss in 11 frames last night – the fifth-straight loss in extras by the Hawks since June of 2013.  Great game for Kevin Brown with a pair of doubles (3-for-5), with Justin Marra driving in three in his debut in the No. 3 slot in the order.  Tyler Ihrig settled down after a rough first inning, fanning seven in six innings of work.

Friday Night Game Notes in Eugene

Couple things I noticed over the last two days in Eugene… 1 – the PA announcer at P.K. Park keeps referring to the Hawks as the Boise State Hawks (not sure why – though I think the BSU admissions staff must love it)…2 – the music man plays songs that has questionable lyrics after 6 p.m. (forcing me to dim the crowd mic – or the FCC might be calling me)…3 – every time the horn bellows for CHARGE…it is followed by the sound of someone blowing on their arm (it’s comical the first time, not the fifth) –  I don’t think these things would never had happened at Civic Stadium; 4- Gas prices are much higher than in Boise (whereas last season they were 20 cents cheaper), with unleaded at $4.03.

PreGame Meal standings after 7 games – Chicken Strips/Burgers 2, Hot Dogs, Cheesesteak, PB&J 1.

Roster moves followed the game last night – as David Bote got the call up to Kane County, while Scott Frazier has been optioned to Mesa to work on his command in the Arizona Rookie League.  Three players have joined the team – catcher Erick Castillo (hit .258 last season in Mesa); infielder Alex Tomasovich of Charleston Southern (where he hit .361 with 5 HR and 44 RBI); and outfielder Charlie White of Maryland (.284 2 HR 29 RBI, 26 SB – who caught a lot of attention during the Super Regionals against Virginia).

Here is the highlight of Danny Canela’s RBI double from last night