Smitty's Sports Blog

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Field Training Day August 16

06/20/2012 3:38 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Conserv FS will be holding a Field Training Day at RiverHawks Stadium on August 16, teaching proper field maintenance techniques.

The schedule of events for the day is as follows:

1:30-2:00 p.m. Registration

2:00-5:00 p.m. Field Demonstrations

5:00-5:30 p.m. Field Preparations for the Game

6:00-7:00 p.m. Dinner and Networking with Colleagues and other Area experts

Conserv FS would also like to invite those attending to join them for the game that night as the RiverHawks take on Florence Freedom beginning at 7:05 p.m. The cost of the event is $45 per person or $39 each if two or more people register.

Registration forms are available at RiverHawks Stadium, or you can register online at www.conservfs.com, and choose: “RiverHawks Training Day!” at the bottom of the “Turf” box.

Please R.S.V.P. by August 3^rd to Kimberley at fax number 815-334-5930.

The RiverHawks are members of the Frontier League, an independent professional baseball league in its 20th season. Games are broadcast on NTA-FM (100.5) Advertising and ticket information is available by calling (815) 885-2255. Fans can also visit www.rockfordriverhawks.com.

Military Appreciation Night at the ballpark

06/20/2012 3:06 PM -
LOVES PARK, Ill. – To honor those men and women who have served in the armed forces of the United States, the Rockford RiverHawks will be donating tickets to all military veterans for the July 2nd game as part of Military Appreciation Night.

The RiverHawks host the Joliet Slammers at 7:05 p.m. that night. Players will be wearing camouflage jerseys, with a jersey auction being held. Additionally, a drum corps will be in attendance and a colorguard will be presenting the American Flag during the Star-Spangled Banner. If you are interested in tickets, please call 815-885-2255 and ask for Josh.

Grizzlies' slugger powers Gateway past Rockford 9-3

06/19/2012 9:18 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Gateway catcher Landon Hernandez hit a first-inning grand slam and drove in six runs Tuesday night to propel the Grizzlies to a 9-3 victory over the Rockford RiverHawks.

Hernandez’s blast, his fourth homer of the season, off the scoreboard in left-center field with two outs in the top of the first inning off Rockford’s Jordan Liette gave the visitors an early 4-0 lead.

“He got his pitch and did what he was supposed to do with it,” manager Rich Austin said.

Hernandez picked up an RBI on an error in the third inning, and he would pick up another in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly to make the Gateway lead 6-2. Hernandez came into the game struggling in the early part of the season, hitting just .206 with three homers and 14 RBI.

Pat Arnold (2-0) gave up three runs over six innings to earn the win. Liette (0-1) was credited with the loss as he gave up five runs in three innings of work.

The RiverHawks squandered opportunities to do more damage off Grizzlies’ pitching. In the second inning, the first three Rockford batters reached base, including Greg Van Horn’s RBI double to cut the lead to 4-1, but Mike Thomas lined into a double play to shortstop that doubled Van Horn off second base.

In the third inning, Rockford’s Ted Obregon was called out for not touching home plate after tagging up on a fly ball off the bat of Steve Anderson. The RiverHawks would score once in the fourth inning, but Daniel Gonzalez flew out to center field to leave the bases loaded. Rockford also left the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Michael Hur launched his team-leading seventh homer of the season for Rockford in the loss.

Antone DeJesus went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI for Gateway while Chris McClendon went 2-for-3 with four runs scored.

Rockford begins a six-game road trip by traveling to Normal Wednesday to open a three-game series with the CornBelters. The RiverHawks send Cody Hallahan (1-2, 5.33 ERA) to the mound, and the CornBelters will counter with Tyler Stovall (1-4, 6.65 ERA). Each night of the series is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

RiverHawks down Grizzlies 5-1

06/18/2012 9:09 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Jet Butler hit a three-run homer and Ziggie VanderWall pitched six scoreless innings Monday night to lead the Rockford RiverHawks to a 5-1 victory over the Gateway Grizzlies.

The RiverHawks would grab an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Michael Hur in the fourth inning. For a second consecutive night, the Rockford bats came to life in the fifth inning as they scored four times in the frame, capped off by Butler’s blast, his fourth of the season, scoring Carlos Luciano and Ted Obregon. Hur would add an RBI double to stretch the lead to 5-0.

VanderWall (3-1) picked up the win on the mound, pitching six shutout innings while giving up four hits and four walks and striking out three to lower his season ERA to 3.74.

“He was in the zone tonight,” manager Rich Austin told NTA FM. “He pitched to contact and gave us a chance to win.”

Gateway starter Alex Kaminsky (5-1) lost his first game of the season, giving up five runs, two earned, on nine hits while striking out five.

The Grizzlies left 12 runners on base for the game. Leadoff hitter Jonathan Johnson was 3-for-5 with a double.

The RiverHawks look for the series sweep tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. They will send righty Jordan Liette (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound, and the Grizzlies will pitch righty Pat Arnold (1-0, 1.93 ERA).

Tomorrow night is Kids Eat Free Night at RiverHawks Stadium. Kids will receive a voucher for a hot dog, chips, and a pop.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Big fifth inning lifts RiverHawks to 6-4 victory

06/17/2012 8:10 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Trailing 3-0 in the fifth inning, the Rockford RiverHawks scored five runs, all after two outs, to surge ahead of the Gateway Grizzlies and pick up a 6-4 victory in the series opener at RiverHawks Stadium.

Gateway jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on Landon Hernandez’s RBI single in the first inning and Richie Jimenez’s two-run single in the second inning. Grizzlies’ starter Ja’Vaun West only allowed two hits through his first four innings, but the RiverHawks would load the bases on three one-out singles by Mike Thomas, Carlos Luciano, and Steve Anderson.

Ted Obregon would hit into a fielder’s choice that would not score a run, but Jet Butler would hit a two-out, two-run single to cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 3-2. Javier Herrera would follow by blasting a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for a go-ahead three-run homer, his fourth of the season, to put Rockford on top 5-3.

West (0-1) took the loss on the mound in his first professional start, giving up five runs on eight hits and striking out six in five innings of work.

Jonathan Johnson hit his first homer of the season in the sixth inning off Rockford starter Mike Lee to cut the Rockford lead to one, but Carlos Luciano would hit his first homer of the season off Gil Rehwinkel with two outs in the bottom half of the inning to put the RiverHawks ahead 6-4.

Lee (2-0) earned the win on the mound, giving up four runs on six hits while striking out nine in six innings. Relievers Andrew Armstrong, Nelson Curry, and newly-signed Brett Scarpetta would combine to strike out six in three innings of scoreless relief. Scarpetta pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season.

The series resumes tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. as Rockford sends southpaw Ziggie VanderWall (2-1, 5.17 ERA) to the mound, and Gateway will counter with righty Alex Kaminsky (5-0, 3.60 ERA).

Tomorrow night is Faith Night #2 at RiverHawks Stadium.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

RiverHawks unable to complete sweep, fall 12-5

06/13/2012 9:39 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – The Rockford RiverHawks fell 12-5 to the Windy City ThunderBolts on Wednesday but still managed to take two of three in the series.

Rockford jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Javier Herrera that scored Brandon Anderson.

Windy City would grab a 2-1 in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run double by Mike Torres that scored Travis Weaver and Chris Wade.

The ThunderBolts would score five runs in the fourth inning off Rockford starter Cory Trudell (0-2). Wade hit a two-run single to extend the lead to 4-1, and Torres would follow him with a single to left that was misplayed by Michael Hur for a two-base error that gave the visitors a 6-1 lead. Brandon Decker’s RBI groundout to shortstop would make it 7-1.

Wade would finish the night 4-for-6 with four RBI.

Trudell lasted just four innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits while walking five.

Windy City’s Dustin Williams (3-2) picked up the win on the mound, pitching seven strong innings while giving up two earned runs and striking out four.

The RiverHawks would get runs in the fourth and seventh innings to close the gap to 7-3, but the ThunderBolts would get one in the top of the eighth off and three more in the ninth, highlighted by a three-run blast to right field by Chad Cregar, his sixth of the season.

Greg Van Horn launched his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to left center off Matt Costello, in the ninth inning.

Javier Herrera went 2-for-4 to improve his average to a Frontier League-best .411, and Evan Button was 2-for-3 with two runs scored to improve his average to .354.

The RiverHawks finish their homestand with a 3-3 record, and they will now travel to Schaumburg to begin a three-game series beginning Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Lee pitches RiverHawks past ThunderBolts

06/12/2012 9:11 PM -

LOVES PARK, Ill. – Mike Lee pitched six innings of one-run ball and Michael Hur had a go-ahead RBI double as the Rockford RiverHawks defeated the Windy City ThunderBolts 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Lee (1-0) threw 55 of his 86 pitches for strikes, giving up just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters to earn the win. Brandon Decker’s solo homer off Lee to lead off the top of the fourth inning put the ThunderBolts ahead 1-0.

Rockford scored two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Javier Herrera and an RBI double by Michael Hur to put the RiverHawks up 2-1.

Windy City starter Stephen Sauer (2-1) lost his first game of the season, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out seven in 7 2/3 innings pitched.

The RiverHawks would add an insurance run in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Matt Greener that scored Jet Butler. Newly-signed Andrew Armstrong pitched 2/3 of an inning in his professional debut.

Cliff Archibald pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. Evan Button was 3-for-4 with a run scored for Rockford.

The series finale is set for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday. Rockford sends right-hander Cory Trudell (0-1, 5.40 ERA) to the mound to make his first start, while Windy City will send right-hander Dustin Williams (2-2, 6.00 ERA) to make his sixth start of the season.

Tomorrow is Perry Rock $1 Beer Night at RiverHawks Stadium.