Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–May 5

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Chief Bender (1884)
Bob Cerv (1926)
Bing Russell (1926)
Red Robbins (1928)
Jose Pagan (1935)
Tommy Helms (1941)
John Donaldson (1943)
Larry Hisle (1947)
Joe Angel (1948)
Ron Oester (1956)
Charles Nagy (1967)
Hideki Irabu (1969)
Mike Redmond (1971)

Better known for his role as Deputy Clem Foster on “Bonanza”, outfielder Bing Russell played minor league baseball from 1948-1949.  He is the father of actor (and minor league player) Kurt Russell and the grandfather of major league player Matt Franco.

Spencer “Red” Robbins was a minor league player for fourteen years.  He then spent many years in the Twins’ organization, most of them as a scout (1963-1986).

Joe Angel was a broadcaster for the Twins from 1984-1986.

Today we also salute Eddie Mayo, Jackie Mayo, and Mayo Smith.  Sadly, there has never been a major league ballplayer named "Cinco".  However, baseball-reference.com says that Johnny Cueto's nickname is Cinco.

 We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs. Rhubarb_Runner.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 5 →

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of May 3

ST. PAUL SAINTS 4, LOUISVILLE BATS 0 IN ST. PAUL

St. Paul scored three in the sixth and one in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  Matt Wallner was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.

Home runs:  Wallner (3).

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Louie Varland struck out eight in seven shutout innings, giving up three hits.  Justin Topa struck out two in a perfect inning.  Diego Castillo pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Levi Jordan was 2-for-3.

Record:  St. Paul is 12-17, in ninth place, 5.5 games behind Omaha.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATURALS 7, WICHITA WIND SURGE 6 IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Wichita led 6-2, but Northwest Arkansas scored two in the seventh and three in the eighth.  Leonel Valera's two-run single gave the Naturals the lead.

Multi-hit games:  Kala'i Rosario was 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, and four RBIs.

Home runs:  Alerick Soularie (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Rosario 4.

Stolen bases:  Ben Ross (5), Soularie (5).

Opposition standout:  Gavin Cross was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and three RBIs.

Record:  Wichita is 8-17, in fifth (last) place, nine games behind Springfield.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 1, PEORIA CHIEFS 0 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The game's lone run scored in the ninth on a hit batsman and an error.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Zebby Matthews struck out nine in seven shutout innings, giving up three hits.  Ricardo Velez struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up a walk.

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 13-11, in fourth place, 2.5 games behind Quad Cities and Wisconsin.

BRADENTON MARAUDERS 4, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 0 IN BRADENTON

Bradenton scored one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the seventh.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  Byron Chourio (3).

Pitching prowess:  Nolan Santos pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Eddy Rodriguez was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, and two RBIs.

Record:  Fort Myers is 9-16, in fourth place, eight games behind Clearwater.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:00  FCL Red Sox at FCL Twins
2:07  Louisville at St. Paul (Randy Dobnak, 1-3, 5.96)
5:30  Fort Myers (Ty Langenberg, 0-2, 4.70) at Bradenton
6:05  Wichita (Nick Wittgren, 1-0, 4.50) at Northwest Arkansas
6: 35  Peoria at Cedar Rapids (Darren Bowen, 1-2, 5.84)

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–May 4

Jack Tobin (1892)
John Tsitouris (1936)
Rene Lachemann (1945)
Ken Oberkfell (1956)
Rick Leach (1957)
Tim Tschida (1960)
Eddie Perez (1968)
Joe Borowski (1971)
Miguel Cairo (1974)
Ben Grieve (1976)
Jason Michaels (1976)
Ryan Jorgensen (1979)
Matt Tolbert (1982)
Kevin Slowey (1984)

 St. Paul native Tim Tschida was a major league umpire from 1986-2012.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–May 4 →

Friday Music Day

FMD: Bucket List Artists

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The theme of my selections this week has been my notion of a “4-Hour Bucket List” — artists I would happily drive four hours in one direction to see if that was the closest show to my area.

The inspiration was an artist I first saw after COVID, am thinking I may have missed my opportunity. Fortunately, I’ll be seeing him for a second time in a couple weeks, at which point I’m fairly certain he’ll be the oldest performer I’ve bought a ticket to see: Willie Nelson , who just turned 91 on Monday.

So, let’s see your bucket list artists. Who is on your bucket list?

Keeping Track

Minor Details: Games of May 2

LOUISVILLE BATS 8, ST. PAUL SAINTS 4 IN ST. PAUL

Rece Hinds hit a two-run single in the sixth to break a 4-4 tie.

Multi-hit games:  DaShawn Keirsey, Jr. was 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.

Home runs:  Keirsey, Jr. (4), Matt Wallner (2).

Multi-RBI games:  Keirsey, Jr. 2.

Stolen bases:  Austin Martin 2 (2).

Pitching prowess:  Caleb Boushley pitched 4.2 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk.

Opposition standout:  Edwin Rios was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Record:  St. Paul is 11-17, in tenth (last) place, 8.5 games behind Omaha.

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS NATUALS 12, WICHITA WIND SURGE 3 IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

Northwest Arkansas scored five in the second to go up 6-0 and led 12-0 after five.

Multi-hit games:  Tanner Schobel was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.  Carson McCusker was 2-for-4.

Home runs:  Schobel (1).

Multi-RBI games:  Schobel 3.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Taylor Floyd retired all seven men he faced, striking out four.  Jared Solomon pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Peyton Wilson was 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, three runs, and three RBIs.

Record:  Wichita is 8-16, in fifth (last) place, 7.5 games behind Springfield.

CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS 4, PEORIA CHIEFS 1 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Jose Salas hit a home run in a two-run sixth that broke a 1-1 tie.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  Salas (1), Ricardo Olivar (3).

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  Willie Joe Garry, Jr. (3).

Pitching prowess:  Miguelangel Boadas struck out seven in 4.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits and two walks.  Gabriel Yanez pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and a walk and striking out two.  Jacob Wosinski pitched two shutout innings, giving up one hit and striking out one.

Opposition standout:  Cade Winquest pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks and striking out one.Jack Noble

Record:  Cedar Rapids is 12-11, in fourth place, 3.5 games behind Quad Cities and Wisconsin.

BRADENTON MARAUDERS 8, FORT MYERS MIGHTY MUSSELS 0 IN BRADENTON

Bradenton scored four in the second and four in the fourth.  Fort Myers got one hit, a single by Maddux Houghton leading off the ninth.

Multi-hit games:  None.

Home runs:  None.

Multi-RBI games:  None.

Stolen bases:  None.

Pitching prowess:  Jack Noble retired all five men he faced, striking out one.  Samuel Perez struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Xander Hamilton struck out two in a perfect inning.

Opposition standout:  Antwone Kelly struck out five in five shutout innings, giving up three walks.

Record:  Fort Myers is 9-15, in fourth place, seven games behind Clearwater and Lakeland.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:30  Fort Myers (Paulshawn Pasqualotto, 0-1, 3.00) at Bradenton
6:35  Peoria at Cedar Rapids (Zebby Matthews, 3-0, 2.30)
6:37  Louisville at St. Paul (Louie Varland, 0-0, 1.80)
7:05  Wichita (Marco Raya, 0-0, 2.38) at Northwest Arkansas

Remodeled basement. Same half-baked taste.