[IBL] BAL vs MNM Spring Training

[Santa Fe Prairie Dogs]

> 
>     On March 17, 2016 at 11:46 AM Doug Palmer <aeronutty43 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>     Associated Press: 16 March 2016:
> 
>     Dateline: Ormand Beach, Florida
> 
>     Spring training began in earnest for the Baltimore Sand Crabs and the
>     Minneapolis Millers on Wednesday evening as the two clubs opened up
>     Persimmon League action. The Sand Crabs are coming off their best season
>     since moving to Baltimore while the Millers are coming off an excellent
>     year where they won 101 games before being unceremoniously kicked from the
>     playoffs by the Redbacks. Both teams are justified in looking forward to
>     the 2016 season, and it was with this enthusiasm that the Crabs and
> Millers
>     began their 2016 IBL Spring seasons.
> 
>     Perhaps it was the long winter or maybe it was the half off Long Island
> Ice
>     Teas available in the Miller’s new digs in Ormand Beach, but the bats for
>     both teams didn’t seem to working very well. The Millers sent former Sand
>     Crab Dallas Keuchel to the hill to face the new look Crabs. New look in
>     the sense that a pair of new Crabs were in the starting lineup. Mark
>     Trumbo and Kyle Schwarber got to wear the teal and mauve for the first
> time
>     in their careers. Unfortunately for the Crabs, hits were rare to find as
>     Dallas Keuchel held the Crabs scoreless through 8 strong innings with only
>     3 hits allowed. Meanwhile, in the other dugout, Kevin Gausman was equally
>     effective as he only gave up 2 hits through 6. Unfortunately, wildness did
>     affect him and 7 Millers reached base via walk. Only a lazer shot over the
>     short porch in left field off the bat of Mitch Moreland defaced the
>     scoreboard and gave the Millers what seemed to be an insurmountable 1-0
>     lead going to the final frame.
> 
>     Blame it on the half off drinks, blame it on the Crabs realizing that the
>     fungo bats that they were swinging weren’t working, but in the 9th inning,
>     the Crabs came alive. Miller closer Kevin Jepsen took the hill to close
>     out the game but unfortunately wasn’t in mid-season form. The first two
>     hitters Jepsen faces reached base on a Eric Hosmer walk followed by a Mark
>     Trumbo single. Two Crabs on base at the same time was obviously confusing
>     for Kevin Jepsen as he promptly gave up a game tying single to Nick
>     Markakis and the score was tied at 1 apiece. Jepsen still could have taken
>     control of the 9th but unfortunately, still couldn’t get his best stuff
>     past the Crabs and before the sellout crowd of 6,433 fans knew it, it was
>     4-1 Sand Crabs as the hits just kept coming. Jepsen was finally pulled for
>     Nate Karns who finally put the Crabs in their place, but not before
>     allowing two inherited runners to score.
> 
>     Suddenly with a lead, David Robertson, the third pitcher the Crabs used on
>     the night, found a renewed vigor and set the Millers down with 3
> strikeouts
>     in the 9th inning to preserve the win. Final score from Ormand Beach was
>     4-1 Sand Crabs. Mitch Moreland (2 for 4, 1 HR) and Dallas Keuchel (8 IP, 0
>     ER and 9K’s) stood out for the Millers while newbie Mark Trumbo (2 for 4,
> 1
>     RBI) and Nick Markakis (2 for 4, 1 2B) got the Sand Crabs excited for the
>     upcoming season. Something that is so completely NOT familiar to this
>     crew. Starlin Castro was actually CRYING when the comeback bore fruit. He
>     might've been crying because the concession stand was out of rum, but I'd
>     like to think otherwise.
> 

Maybe Starlin is looking forward to 3 days of tequila in Santa Fe ...  LM

> 
> 
>     Many thanks to Paul for putting in the time to get a spring training game
>     in from Tokyo (am there, pm for me!). It was good to brush off the rust
>     and play a game again.
>
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