Alexander Canario – Pic by Micah Manuel/Tennessee Smokies

I am not sure where the time went tonight. I was just sitting in the office enjoying a nice, cool breeze coming through the window and all of a sudden I realized that I needed to make today’s Players of the Day post. Luckily, Iowa still had 2 and 1/2 innings left to play.

Today was set up weird as Tennessee played a doubleheader this afternoon and then there were staggered starts between Myrtle Beach, South Bend, and Iowa. So, I got to see a lot of baseball but only a couple of wins. 

Tennessee won their first game of their doubleheader as they pounded out for home runs en route to a 7 to 4 win. Unfortunately, the Smokies lost the nightcap 3 to 2 as Dalton Stambaugh rescued the bullpen with five innings of two run ball. I really feel for the Smokies as they played six games in 72 hours this week. 

Myrtle Beach could not get their offense going today as they only managed five hits as they lost two in a row to end the week after winning 12 in a row. 

South Bend, meanwhile, kept their winning ways alive. Daniel Palencia gave up a two run homer run in the first inning and then South Bend came back and scored five unanswered runs. They then added on two more in the sixth and held off a late Great Lakes rally to win 7-5. Owen Caissie reached base four times today as he had two singles and two walks but that was not good enough to win today’s Hitter of the Day.

As for Iowa, they could not get anything going until late in the game as they fell behind 4-0 to Memphis and then managed to scrape a couple runs across in the seventh and eighth against former Cub Kyle Ryan.

Let’s get to the awards!

Alexander Canario head himself a quite the first game in today’s doubleheader as he went 3-for-3 with two runs and 2 RBI including a monstrous home run. On the day, he wound up going 3-for-6 with 2 singles, a HR, and a walk along with 2 RBI which earns him today’s Hitter of the Day award.

Like yesterday, I don’t really have a Starting Pitcher of the Day award but Luis Rodriguez of Myrtle Beach went 4.2 scoreless innings in relief today and struck out six and saved Myrtle Beach‘s bullpen. He wound up lowering his season ERA down to 1.93 and I’m starting to wonder: How long he will either stay in the bullpen or head to South Bend?

After a rough first month at South Bend, it looks like Riley Martin is starting to turn the tide. Today, he threw three innings and gave up one run on a home run but he managed to limit the damage and strike out 6 making his way back as Reliever of the Day for the first time since April.

I will be back tomorrow morning with The Breakdown. It’s going to be a busy week here at North Side Bound as the end of the month usually is Filled with transactions, promotions, and All-Star teams.