Eyewitness Report: 8/4/13 G-Stros 17, K-Mets 1

It only counts as one win in the standings but it was a solid statement.  Greeneville stretched its two game lead to three with an all around dominate performance.  Here are the highlights:

The night got off to a good night when Little Appy and I got our Jose Altuve give away t-shirts when we walked in the gate.

On The Mound
When a team scores 17 runs in a game, it can be tempting to overlook the pitching but that would be a mistake.  Jordan Mills started the game for the G-Stros and pitched five solid innings facing just one batter over the minimum. His line read: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K.

Unofficially, I had him at 58 pitches with 43 of them for strikes!  Of the seven strikeouts, five were swinging and two were looking.  The two hits were both doubles.  One was a ball that bounded over third baseman Tyler White down the left field line.  The other was another ball down the left field line.   

Austin Chrismon relieved Mills and pitched the next three innings.  The first pitch he delivered was deposited over the wall for a solo HR.  After that, he settled down allowing just one more hit.  He struck out three and walked one.  He threw several very nice curves on the night.

Tyler Brunnemann finished off the game with a rather eventful ninth.  After striking out the first batter, he walked the next batter on four pitches.  He the gave up a double down the right field line that luckily went under the gate for a ground rule double. Otherwise it is a run scoring triple.  He walked the next batter on a full count pitch to load the bases before getting a visit from the pitching coach.  The very next pitch went for a 4-6-3 double play to wrap up the game.

At The Plate

15 hits. 6 BB. 1 HBP and 1 reached on a drop third strike. That is 23 base runners on the night and 17 scored.   The team was 7-10 with runners in scoring position.  Every Astro who played scored a run.  Even Angle Ibanez who struck out in his only at bat.  He reached when the third strike got by the catcher and he reached first safely.  It was just one of those nights.

Marc Wik went 4 for 5 with three singles and a bases clearing stand up triple to the gap in right center. Wik scored three runs on the night to lead the team. 

Tyler White was 2 for 4 with a two run homer before leaving the game in the seventh.

Chase McDonald went 3 for 4 - all singles - plus a walk.  The one time he got out required a nice play by the shortstop.  McDonald hit the ball toward left field.  The SS dove to his right and threw from his knees to nab McDonald or he perfect night.

Juan Santana only had one hit but it was a big hit.  A three run HR to left field.  He also had a sac fly to plate the final run of the game.

Ariel Ovando went 2 for 4 on the night and led the team with five RBI.  He had three run HR to RF that got out in a hurry.  He latter had a hustle double on a ball hit in shallow center.  He rounded first and realized that both the shortstop and the second baseman had gone out to try to catch the ball and 2nd was unattended.  He cruised in for a stand up double on a ball that was just out of the reach of the second baseman.  He later walked in the game with the bases loaded for his final RBI of the night.

Brian Holberton was 2 for 4 with both of his hits coming in the seven run third inning.  He lead off the inning with a single to left and then added a double down the right field line later in the inning.  He added a walk in the ninth. 

The game was out of hand in the ninth but the K-Mets couldn't get the Astros out so they resorted to bringing in their closer who got a double play ball with the bases loaded to put an end to the massacre.

In The Field

Tyler White made several nice plays at third.  He made a leaping grab of a line drive and a nice play ranging to his left in the third.  He added another good play to his left in the fourth.  He also applied a tag to catch a runner attempting stealing third in the first.   The runner was out by two feet thanks to a great throw by Brian Holberton.

The other play I have circled in my score book as a 3-6-1 double play to end the seventh.  First baseman McDonald fielded the ball moving to his right.  He made the throw to the SS Thomas Lindauer who threw back to pitcher Austin Chrismon covering first.  Just like you work on in in PFPs.

The one error of the night was charged to Lindauer on a ball that was hit up the middle.  He got to the ball in time but couldn't field it cleanly to make the throw.  It would have been a very nice play had he pulled it off. He made a similar play later in the game. 

G-Stros Pitching Leads Way

The 2013 Greeneville Astros got off to a 1-5 start.  During that stretch, they allowed 40 runs. That is averaging giving up 6.67 runs per game.  In the 27 games since then, the G-Stros are 22-5 and have only given up 67 runs.  That is an average of 2.48 runs per game.  That is a dramatic difference and points to the strength of this edition of the Greeneville Astros.  Pitching.  Let's look closer at the team pitching stats.

Leading The League As A Team
Team ERA is 2.51, which leads the league by a comfortable half a run margin.

They are tied for the most shutouts with four.

The bullpen has the most saves with 14 and the most holds with 13.

They are second in the league allowing just 233 hits and tied for the fewest walks with 89.  But together, they lead the league with the lowest WHIP with 1.11.

They lead the league with 312 strikeouts.

They have allowed the second fewest HR with 9.

They have given up the second fewest runs with 107 but have given up the fewest earned runs with 81.

The only area they are not in first or second is in hit batters.  They have hit 17 batters which is the fifth most.

Individual Leaders
Despite leading the league as a team in ERA by a large margin, only Frederick Tiburcio is listed in the league leaders for ERA.  He is 2nd with a 1.09 ERA.

Only Chris Lee is in the top 10 for strike outs.  He is tied for 5th with 32 Ks.  Tiburcio is 11th with 30.

Gonzalo Sanudo and J.D. Osborne are tied for second in saves with six each.  Osborne has already been promoted.

Tyler Brunnemann is in second with three holds, while Krishawn Holley and Austin Chrismon are tied for third with two each.

There is no G-Stro in the top 22 for hits allowed!

Team Effort
The domination of the pitching staff with the relatively light representation on the individual leader board shows that this is definitely a team effort.  

Nine pitchers have more strike outs than innings pitched. 

Fourteen pitchers have a WHIP under 1.20.

Ten pitchers have an ERA below 3.00.

Jordan Mills highlights this team effort.  He has appeared in eight games with four of them being starts.  He has a hold and a save as well.  In 25 innings pitched, he has a 1.08 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and 26 strikeouts.  Whatever he has been asked to do for this team he has done it and done it well.

Definitely a fun pitching staff to watch.