Humber, Severino named pitcher, player of the week

International League names Philip Humber pitcher-of-the-week

2-0, 2.30 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 15.2 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 19 SO

After a particularly bad start on July 1, one that sent his ERA up to 6.00, the Twins took Philip Humber out of the Rochester rotation for the second time this season. Humber spent more than two weeks in the Rochester bullpen, putting together a scoreless outing in three of his five appearances. Entering this week, Humber -- one of the key pieces in the Johan Santana trade -- had not struck out more than six batters in a start. He had not reached the eighth inning a single time. In two starts this week, Humber accomplished both feats twice, and now has won his last three starts to improve to 7-7 on the season. Since the Triple-A All-Star Break, Humber has allowed just five runs and struck out 25 batters in 22 and 2/3 innings.

Adan Severino honored by Appalachian League

.529 (10-19), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SO, 2 SB, .737 SLG

Adan Severino's transition to wood bats was a slow one, as the outfielder had grown quite fond of aluminum after a big season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2008. Entering the week, Severino's professional career was in full slump mode, as the Miami native was hitting just .154 through his first 18 games. However, with 10 hits in five games since, Severino finds his average up an even 100 points and his OPS up nearly 200 points. It's the result of three multiple-hit games, including a four-single affair on July 30. Severino also stole two bases uncontested this week, and with a pair of walks, brought his on-base percentage north of .400 for the first time.

Cats bats silenced by Bowie

New Britain 0 at Bowie 7

W: B. Bergesen (13-3, 2.68); L: J. Rainville (7-8, 6.50)
HR: BOW: B. Davis (4).

Once again, the New Britain Rock Cats proved themselves clawless as they failed to find any sort of comprehensive offense against the Bowie Baysox.

Bowie's Brad Bergesen went the distance for the Orioles farm team, scattering six hits over nine innings while fanning three. The Concord, California, native pick up he 13 win of the season, he has lost only 3 eastern league games in 2008.

Jay Rainville took the start for the listless Cats, and allowed a walk to Sebastien Boucher to lead off. Carlos Rojas doubled and Luis Montanez sacrificed in Boucher. Nolan Reimold then singled to plate Rojas, giving the Baysox an early lead.

With one out on the board in the bottom of the 5th, Jonthan Tucker singled and Blake Davis launched a ball over the right field wall for his fourth home run of the season, extending Bowie's league to 4.

In the bottom of the 8th, Rojas singled with one out on the board, Montanez then tripled to plate Rojas and send Rock Cats field manager Bobby Cuellar out to the mound. He'd lift Jay Rainville in favor of Kyle Aselton. The 6'5" lefty would walk Reimold and allow a single to Matt Wieters that brought in Montanez. He'd then unleash a wild pitch to advance Reimold to 3rd and Wieters to 2nd. Mike Rodriguez singled out to center to drive in Reimold.

Erik Lis was 4-for-4 at the plate and had a double in the 7th inning. Tolleson and Hughes were both 1-for-4, Tolleson with a single in the 3rd and Hughes with one of two singles in the ninth (the other belonging to Lis). It was the only time during the contest the Cats would get two hits in the same inning.

Game number two of the four game set is Tuesday at 7:05 PM at Prince George's Stadium. Baysox southpaw Rommie Lewis (1-5, 4.03) will step onto the hill for the first pitch. New Britain counters with lefty Ryan Mullins (7-7, 4.28).

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Scranton/WB 4 at Rochester 7

W: P. Humber (6-7, 5.38); L: A. Horne (2-3, 5.63); SV: B. Korecky (16)
HR: SWB: C. Ransom (20), B. Broussard (7).

Phil Humber and Casey Daigle held the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees to six hits over 7.3 innings and the Rochester Red Wings did the rest as the Wings picked up a 7-4 win at Frontier Field.

Alan Horne did not fair nearly so well. The Marianna, Florida, native surrendered 5 runs on a pair of hits and 5 walks in 1 innings worth of work.

Horne started off by walking Jason Pridie, who then stole 2nd. Adam Everett took a walk as well. Horne got Darnell McDonald to pop out but Garrett Jones tripled to clear off the bags. Randy Ruiz hit into a ground out before another walk was issued, this time to Howie Clark. Matt Macri lined out to end the inning.

Horne return for the bottom of the second to walk Trevor Plouffe and Jeff Christy. He'd then allow a single to Pride, which plated Plouffe before the Yankees would replace him on the mound with Chris Britton. Britton allowed a single to Everett that brought in Christie and after getting McDonald and Jones out on strikes, allowed a line drive single to Ruiz that brought in Pridie.

Scranton would get on the board in the top of the 4th, with Alberto Gonzalez singling and Cody Ransom hitting his 20th home run of the season, over the center field wall, making the score 5-2, Rochester.

Brian Bruney would replace Britton in the top of the 5th and hit Ruiz with a pitch. There would be an small disagreement regarding Bruney's actions and he would be ejected by umpire Mike Estabrook, as was Ruiz.* Billy Traber stepped onto the mound for the Yankees and Sergio Santos replaced Ruiz at first base. Clark would ground out and Macri single to advance Santos to 3rd. Plouffe then ground into a force out that scored Santos and took Macri out at 2nd, to add another run to the Wings total.

Steve Jackson replaced Traber in the bottom of the 7th, and Clark would reach on a Ben Broussard fielding error. Macri ground out, but Plouffe drew a walk. Christy followed that up with a single to plate Clark, giving Rochester 7 runs. Pridie would single to load the bags, but Everett ground into a double play to end the inning.

Chris Stewart doubled for the Yankees in the top of the 8th. Gonzalez would fly out to move him to 3rd and then pair of wild pitches by Daigle would plate Stewart.

In the 9th, Broussard took his 7th home run of the season off Daigle and J.D. Closser walked. But the Red Wings would bring in Bobby Korecky who got Eric Duncan out on strikes and Chris Stewart and Brett Gardner to both pop out to end the contest.

Pridie finished up 2-for-4 with a walk, a pair of runs and a RBI; Jones was 2-for-5 with a triple and pair of RBIs. Everett was 1-for-4 with a walk, a run and a run scored. Macri was also 1-for-4 but qualifies as a one hit wonder, as did McDonald, who was 1-for-5. Plouffe twas 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, a run and a RBI, while Christy was 1-for-1 with 3 walks, a run and a run scored.

Santos, 0-for-2 and Clark 0-for-3 with a walk, each had a run as well.

Rochester now travels to Pawtuckett for a four game series against the Pawtuckett Paw Sox starting Tuesday at 7:05 PM.

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Tommy Watkins will have surgery on his left shoulder to replace a torn labium on Tuesday morning. He is expected to remain in Rochester through the end of the season.

Brian Duensing was presented with his USA Olympic Baseball team cap and jersey in a pregame ceremony Sunday. Wings GM Dan Mason surprised Duensing with a gift from the front office: a plane ticket for Duensing's wife Lisa to join him in Beijing. His Red Wings teammates have put together a silent auction that will take place at the Aug. 8 home game; proceeds will help offset hotel costs for Duensing's wife.

RHP Anthony Swarzak has been promoted from Double-A New Britain and start Wednesday's game in Pawtucket.

Right-hander Tom Shearn was signed to a free-agent contract. He started the season with Triple-A Louisville and went 6-2 with a 4.53 earned-run average before being sold to a team in Korea.

Adam Everett's rehab assignment expired Monday. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, if Minnesota does not activate the infielder, the ballclub will either have to designate him for assignment or get Everett to agree on a longer rehab stint.

Former Red Wing Jason Tyner was released by the Buffalo Bisons.

Former Red Wing/Rock Cat/Miracle Denard Span, now with the Minnesota Twins hit his first big-league home run Monday night.

Photo of Sergio Santos courtesy of Nancy Zinni.

Reading sneaks past Cats; Wings hold off Hens

Reading 4 at New Britain 3

W: C. Carrasco (6-7, 4.05); L: A. Swarzak (3-8, 5.67); SV: J. Pope (5)
HR: REA: G. Golson (9). NBR: D. Winfree (13).

The Reading Phillies slipped by the New Britain Rock Cats in the 4th inning and hung on to win, 4-3 at New Britain Stadium.

Luke Hughes doubled off Carlos Carrasco to lead off in the bottom of the first. Following fly outs to Dustin Martin and Danny Valencia, Erik Lis singled to put men on the corners. David Winfree then cracked his 13th home run of the season over the left field wall to give the Cats a 3 run lead.

A throwing error by Toby Gardenhire put Lou Marson on board on the top of the 2nd. He would advance to second as the ball when into the dugout on the throw to first. Jeremy Slayden would pop out before Neil Sellers' ground out moved Marson to 3rd. A passed ball by Drew Butera would plate the Phillies catcher.

Greg Golson would go yard in the top of the 4th, his ninth of the year going over the left field wall to cut the Rock Cats lead to one. Marson singled and following a fly out to Slayden, so did Sellers. Brad Harmon's grounder to center plated Marson to tie up the game and Mike Eylward sacrifice brought in Sellers to put Reading on top.

The Rock Cats would only managed a total of five hits in the game, three off Carrasco and a pair off Sam Walls. Carrasco went on to strike out 7 over six innings for the win.

Anthony Swarzak worked six innings as well, giving up all four runs, 3 earned, on 7 hits and a pair of walks. Zack Ward and Rob Delaney would split the final 3 innings.

Dustin Martin (1-for-3 with a walk) and Brock Peterson (1-for-4) had the other two hits for New Britain.

The final game of the series is Thursday night, with southpaw Ryan Mullins (7-6, 3.99) throwing out the first pitch at 7:05 PM. Reading counters with Fabio Castro (7-1, 4.33).

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The New Britain Rock Cats announced prior to the game that Steve Tolleson (broken finger) had been activated and infielder Brian Dinkelman (elbow) was placed on the disabled list.

Tolleson, who has started games at second base, shortstop and center field this season, was batting .335 with five homers and 34 RBI when he went down June 27.

Dinkelman, also a second baseman/shortstop, is batting .247 with a homer and six RBI since arriving from Class A Fort Myers on June 16.

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Toledo 6 at Rochester 9

W: P. Humber (5-7, 5.55); L: A. Martinez (2-3, 5.13); SV: B. Korecky (14)
HR: ROC: J. Pridie 2 (11), R. Jorgensen (7).

The Rochester Red Wings weathered a late six-run inning by the Toledo Mud Hens to hang on to win 9-6 at Frontier Field Wednesday night.

Alejandro Machado doubled in the bottom of the 3rd, then came home on a Ryan Jorgenson single combined with a Mike Hessman throwing error.

Darnell McDonald followed suite, doubling in the bottom of the 4th, and Garrett Jones then doubled to trade places with him. A Randy Ruiz single moved Jones to 3rd and after a coaching visit to the mound a wild pitch by Anastacio Martinez allowed Jones to score. Ruiz would advance to 2nd as well, in perfect position to be doubled in by Matt Macri. Trevor Plouffe would hit a sac bunt to move Macri and following a pop out to Machado, Ryan Jorgenson would double Macri in. Jason Pridie then cracked a ball over the right field wall for his 10th home run of the season, making it 7-0 Wings.

Jogensen and Pridie would hit back to back home runs in the bottom of the 7th, both going over the left field wall.

Phil Humber picked up the win, working five innings for the Wings, scattering 5 hits and a pair of walks while striking out 5. Mariano Gomez worked the next two before giving way to Danny Graves at the top of the 8th.

Graves would hit Brett Clevlen with a pitch to start out, then walked Jeff Larish. A visit from the coach did little, as Graves then hit Mike Hessman, loading the bases. Mike Holliman took a single off him to score Clevlan. Kody Kirland then walked to force in Larish, which also forced Stan Cliburn to remove him from the mound. Tim Lahey would come in, and get Max St. Pierre to line into a double play. He then walked Derek Wathan to fill up the bags again. Freddy Guzman doubled to clean off the bases and a Timo Perez double brought in Guzman before Bobby Korckey was called from the bullpen to get the final out.

Pridie was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and 3 RBIs, Jorgenson as 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. Machado and Ruiz were 2-for-4 with a run each, while McDonald, Jones and Macri all chipped in with doubles.

Korckey picked up his 14th save of the season on 1.1 innings worth of work.

The two teams rematch Thursday for an 11:05 morning contest on Summer Camp day. Right hander Kevin Mulvey (3-8, 3.97 ERA) will start against Toledo's Chris Lambert (10-5, 3.10).

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With the victory, the Wings are one win away from securing their first series win over the Mud Hens since 2001.

By scoring seven runs, the Wings earned their 41st victory in which they scored four or more runs this season.

Former Red Sox and Expos star Bill "Spaceman" Lee was at the game, as part of a promotion for Excellus BlueCross BlueShield's Healthy Blue plan. Lee signed autographs for fans, and pitched to two Healthy Blue members on the field before the game.

Swarzak's road rocky at Reading

New Britain 3 at Reading 7

W: F. Castro (5-1, 4.94); L: A. Swarzak (3-6, 5.96)
HR: NBR: L. Hughes (14). REA: J. Slayden (11), J. Hammond (3), L. Marson (3).

Anthony Swarzak gave up six runs on 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4 over five innings. He received little support as well from the New Britain Rock Cats' batters as New Britain fell to Reading, 7-3.

New Britain got on the board early, when Luke Hughes lead off with a singled. He'd try to steal 2nd but would be caught by Lou Marson. Dustin Martin then singled, and moved to 3rd on a Danny Valencia double. Brock Peterson sacrificed Martin in.

Martin would triple in the 3rd and following a strike out to Valencia and walk to Peterson, he'd be plated by Erik Lis sac-fly.

The bottom of the 3rd though saw the beginning of Swarzak's troubles. He lead off with a pair of fly-outs, but gave up a single to Javon Moran. Jason Donald then doubled to drive in Moran for Reading's first of the night.

Marson would lead of with a walk in the bottom of the fourth. Directly thereafter, Jeremy Slayden hit one over the right field fence to give the Phillies the tying and go ahead runs all at the same time. Joey Hammond followed that up with a walk, then moved to 3rd on Neil Seller's line drive single. Sellers would try for a double, but would thrown out at 2nd by Matt Moses in left field. Jake Blalock then singled to plate Hammond, making it 4-2 R-Phils.

With two outs in the bottom of the 5th, Swarzak would nail Slayden with a 93 MPH pitch. Luke Appert would then come in as a pinch runner, as Slayden left the game with an injury. Joey Hammond went yard over the center field wall to really make it hurt, bringing in two more runs.

The Cats would get offensive minded again, briefly, in the top of the 7th, when Luke Hughes hit a fly ball over the left field wall for his 14th home run of the season.

In exchange, Frank Mata would give up a home run to Lou Marson in the bottom of the stanza to finish up the scoring.

Hughes was 3-for-5 with a run and a RBI. Martin was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs. Valencia had a double and a pair of strike outs, while David Winfree and Matt Moses were both one hit wonders.

The teams rematch on Wednesday at First Energy Stadium at 7:05 PM.

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Note: Mata limped out of the game in the seventh with what appeared to be an injury to his right hamstring. He will be re-evaluated today.



Lehigh Vally 12 at Rochester 5

W: L. Walrond (2-7, 3.92); L: P. Humber (4-7, 6.00)
HR: LHV: J. Jaramillo (5), R. Thompson (3).

Speaking of getting rocked, Phil Humber can tell you all about it. The right hander lasted only 2.2 innings, allowing 8 runs, earned, on 10 hits and a pair of walks. The Rochester Red Wings would go on to lose, 12-5 to the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

The Wings were already down by 8 when Randy Ruiz singled in the bottom of the fifth with one out on the board. Matt Macri would draw a walk and Sergio Santos singled to drive in Ruiz. Alejandro Machado then singled to plated Macri. Following a fly out to Ryan Jorgensen, Tommy Watkins then singled to drive in Santos, giving the Wings 3.

Jorgensen took a walk in the bottom of the 7th, then came home on a Tommy Watkins double.

The bottom of the 8th saw Garrett Jones single, and move to second on a Macri single one out later. Santos's line dive to center plated Jones to top of the Wings scoring.

Watkins and Santos were both 3-for-4 in the game, Watkins with a pair of doubles to go with his pair of RBIs, and Santos with a run and 2 RBIs. Jones and Machado were 2-for-4 each, Jones with a run, Machado with a run scored. Ruiz and Macri each had a single, a walk, and a run.

Mario Gomez worked the 9th inning, the only pitcher not to give up a run to Lehigh in the contest, although he did surrender a hit and a walk.

Julio DePaula struck out six in 3 1/3 innings, tying his season best for strikeouts (April 16 vs. Richmond).

The Wings now head over to Buffalo to face the Bisons. Former Twin Juan Rincon pitched last night for the Bisons, giving up 3 runs on four hits and walk in .2 innings. He'd strike out only 1, taking the loss, his first, with his new team.

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Manager Stan Cliburn won his 200th game as manager of the Rochester Red Wings Monday night. Cliburn holds a 200-182 record as Red Wings manager; Stan became only the sixth manager since 1963 to compile 200 wins in his first three seasons. Only Joe Altobelli (1971-73, 241 wins), Greg Biagini (1989-91, 237 wins), Darrell Johnson (1963-65, 230 wins), Marv Foley (1995-97, 228 wins) and Phil Roof (2003-05, 216 wins) have compiled 200 wins in their first three seasons as Red Wings manager (Rich Miller was interim manager for Roof for most of the 2005 season).