Jordan Romano, CBN POW, Week XIX
RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) celebrated the Rio Olympics in style pitching six scoreless for class-A Lansing Lugnuts. Photo: Kyle Castle.
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Jordan Romano experienced the loneliness of a long distance runner last season.
His rehab from surgery made him feel like he was competing solo in the marathon at Rio, some 800 metres ahead of one competitor and 800 metres ahead of the next.
That was last year.
This season he has been a key part of the Lansing Lugnuts rotation.
Romano (Markham, Ont. -- home of sprinter Andre De Grasse) pitched six scoreless as Lansing edged the West Michigan Whitecaps 4-2 before 7,911 at Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich.
The right-hander allowed two singles, while striking out five. The outing earned him Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week honors for Week XIX.
Romano is now 3-2 with a 2.28 ERA and in 12 starts as the former Ontario Blue Jay has allowed more than two runs in an outing only twice. A 10th round pick from Oral Roberts in 2014, he led the way on what was Canada day in Michigan for those drafted by scouts Jamie Lehman and Don Cowan.
The Lugnuts threw 121 pitches in the win ... all by Canucks
_ Romano had an 86-pitch (51 strikes) outing in his six scoreless.
_ RP Tom Robson (Ladner, BC) threw 41 (25 strikes) in his 2 2/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits and one walk, while fanning one.
_ And RP Andrew Case (Saint John, NB) took over in the bottom of the ninth with one out, a man on first and facing the tying run. He only needed two pitches to get a fly ball to left and a ground ball to second to end the game for his sixth save.
_ Plus C Justin Atkinson (Surrey, BC) put down all the right fingers and went 1-for-4.
On the season in Lansing ... INF Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) who didn’t play this game is batting .231, with 14 homers and 40 RBIs, Romano is 3-2, with a 2.28 ERA, Case is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA and six saves, Atkinson is hitting .188 with four homers and 40 RBIs, while Robson is 0-4, with an 8.10 ERA and one save.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
J.D. Salmon-Williams - Rkie AZL Reds 11 4 6 2 3 .545
Vladimir Guerrero - Rkie GCL Jays 23 5 10 2 7 .435
Brett Lawrie - AA Birmingham 12 - 5 - - .417
Josh Naylor - A Lake Elsinore 28 8 10 2 7 .357
Bruce Yari - Rkie AZL Reds 14 1 5 - 4 .357
Cole Bauml - A Connecticut 21 2 7 1 7 .333
Eric Wood - AA Altoona 15 5 5 1 1 .333
Dustin Houle - A Brevard County 20 - 6 - 2 .300
Brett Siddall - A Beloit 24 2 7 2 8 .292
Tyson Gillies - IND Kansas City 20 3 7 1 1 .350
Jordan Lennerton - IND Quebec 23 3 8 1 3 .348
Rene Tosoni - IND Sugar Land 24 4 8 1 4 .333
Michael Crouse - IND New Britain 19 3 6 1 4 .316
Maxx Tissenbaum - IND Quebec 23 2 7 - 3 .304
(Brett Lawrie on Re Hab assignment.)
(Minimum 10 AB’s required.)
BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
JORDAN ROMANO RHP - A LANSING LUGNUTS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 2 - - 2 5 1-0 - 0.67 0.00
Jordan Romano continues to make a steady recovery from the injury which caused him to miss the entire 2015 season, and this week made another excellent start for the Lugnuts. On Aug. 14th in a 4-2 victory over West Michigan Whitecaps he pitched six scoreless innings, gave up only two base hits, while striking out five Whitecaps hitters, to earn the win. This latest outing improved his record in 12 starts with Lansing in the Single A Midwest League, to 3-2 with a 2.28 ERA.
RYAN KELLOGG LHP - A SOUTH BEND CUBS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 3 1 1 3 3 1-0 - 1.20 1.80
To say that Ryan Kellogg is in a groove right now would be an understatement, and this week he made another excellent start for South Bend in the Single A Midwest League. On Aug. 16th in a 3-2 victory over Bowling Green Hot Rods he pitched five innings, gave up three base hits and one earned run while striking out three Bowling Green hitters, to earn the win. Now having won four consecutive decisions, he has improved his overall record with South Bend in 21 appearances, to 7-7 with a 3.15 ERA.
EVAN GRILLS LHP - AA CORPUS CHRISTI HOOKS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 7.0 4 2 2 - 3 1-0 - 0.57 2.57
Evan Grills made another strong start for the Hooks this week on Aug. 16th in a 7-2 win over Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He threw seven innings in which he surrendered four base hits and two earned runs, while striking out three Naturals batters to earn his fifth win of the season. His record with Corpus Christi in sixteen appearances in the Double A Texas League, now stands at 5-5, 1 Save with a 3.99 ERA.
BROCK DYKXHOORN RHP - A LANCASTER JETHAWKS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.2 4 2 2 2 3 1-0 - 0.97 2.90
As his numbers will confirm, Brock Dykxhoorn has pitched very well for the Jethawks this season and this week had another good outing. On Aug. 13th in a 16-2 rout of the San Jose Giants, he pitched 6 2/3 innings surrendered four base hits and two earned runs while striking out three San Jose hitters, to earn the win. His overall record in 21 appearances with Lancaster in the Single A California League, now stands at 8-4 with a 5.54 ERA.
JORDAN BALAZOVIC RHP - RKIE GULF COAST TWINS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 9.2 7 6 5 1 5 1-1 - 0.87 4.89
Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the Fifth Round of the recent 2016 MLB Draft, Jordan Balazovic is already showing potential for the future. He made two starts this week for the GCL Twins and although the results were mixed, with one win and one loss, his overall performance was very good. On Aug. 10th in a 4-3 loss to the GCL Orioles he threw 4 2/3 innings, gave up two base hits and three earned runs, while striking out four Orioles hitters but was saddled with the loss. On Aug. 15th in a 7-2 win over GCL Rays he pitched five innings, surrendered five base hits and two earned runs with one strikeout, to pick up his first win as a professional. His record in five appearances with the Twins in the Gulf Coast League, is now 1-1, 1 Save and a 3.06 ERA.
PLAYER MOVEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS
LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) - Called up to Major League Roster by Minnesota Twins from Triple A Rochester Red Wings. Appeared in one game and was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was optioned to Rochester.
LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) - Designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) - Moved by Philadelphia Phillies to Triple A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs from Double A Reading Fightin’ Phils.
INF Joey Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) - Moved by the St. Louis Cardinals to Double A Springfield Cardinals from Rookie Class Johnson City Cardinals.
OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) - Moved by the Detroit Tigers to Single A Connecticut Tigers from Rookie Class Gulf Coast Tigers - West.
OF Gareth Morgan (Toronto, Ont.) - Moved by the Seattle Mariners to Single A Bakersfield Blaze from Rookie Class AZL Mariners.
INF Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by the Chicago White Sox at Double A Birminghmam Barons.
LHP Evan Rutckyj (Windsor, Ont.) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by New York Yankees to Rookie Class Gulf Coast Yankees - East, from Double A Trenton Thunder.
LHP Ethan Elias (Entwhistle, Alta.) - Sent out on Re Hab Assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks to Rookie Class AZL Diamondbacks, from Single A Visalia Rawhide.
LHP Guillaume Blanchette (St. Constant, Que.) - Activated from the Disabled List by Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.
RHP Kyle Lotzkar (Tsawwassen, BC) - Released by Winnipeg Goldeyes IND American Association.