Lakewood drops another home opener, SP Viza stays positive

Tyler Viza on opening night in Lakewood, image-20/20 Visual Media

Kicking off their home schedule on Thursday evening the Lakewood BlueClaws saw a familiar result. For the 12th time in 14 seasons, the Class A affiliate of the Phillies dropped their home opener, as they fell 6-0 to the Hagerstown (MD) Suns.

In front of an announced crowd of 7.006 at the Jersey shore's finest sports facility, FirstEnergy Park, righty hurler Tyler Viza, a 32nd round draft choice last year, took the mound. The 19-year-old was charged with five runs (four earned) on five hits over five-plus innings of work while striking out five and walking just one.

Viza, a six-foot-three 170-pounder felt like he executed his game plan on the mound, but cited some costly pitches in the 6th frame as the difference in the contest.

"I felt really good," Viza stated. "I felt like my pitches were doing what they were supposed to and I was throwing them where they were supposed to go. I just made a couple bad pitches and (the Suns) knocked on the door, when they needed to."

One of the team's youngest players, Viza, is grateful for the chance to open his 2014 campaign on a full season roster and is already focused on bouncing back to earn wins for the home crowd the next time he has a chance.

"I got the opportunity to come and play for a good team with a great bunch of guys and I'm ready for the opportunity and we've got a long season ahead of us and we'll get some wins," Viza added.

On the offensive side for the BlueClaws, doubles by Samuel Hiciano, Carlos Tocci and Gabe Lino were the only safeties to speak of.

The match up was the first of 27 times the BlueClaws will face the Suns (Nationals affiliate) this season. The clubs will continue their series Friday through Sunday in Lakewood. Fans can attend each of those contests for just $1 thanks to the Asbury Park Press.

This piece appeared on ShoreSportsNetwork.com.

Comments

Hockey Taking Over CBP

The takeover has begun. As the holiday season approaches and winter becomes more imminent, January 2nd, the date of this season's NHL Winter Classic draws nearer. In 2012, Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park will play host to the annual regular season hockey contest that is broadcast on national television. The ballpark is otherwise home to Major League Baseball's Phillies. In the upcoming game, the Flyers will take on New York Rangers. It will be New York's first Winter Classic appearance, while the Flyers, who lost at Boston in 2010, will be seeing action in the annual event for the second time. This will mark the fifth year for the NHL's premiere regular season contest, which first took place in 2008 at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL's Bills. The process to convert the baseball playing field into an ice rink, in time for the week of hockey events set to take place at CBP, began this week. In addition to the January 2nd regular season...

World Series Preview: Phillies vs. Astros

The Fall Classic is set to get underway on Friday with the Phillies opening on the road to take on the Astros in a best-of-seven series. This year marks 75 years since the first time a World Series was televised and this year each game will be broadcast on the FOX television network. ESPN will have the radio broadcast and that feed can be streamed by using this link . Game 1 Friday, 8:03pm Eastern....in Houston. RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (18-4, 1.75 ERA). In 16 road starts during the regular season this year, Nola notched a 5-9 record with a 3.00 ERA. Nola has struck out 18 and walked three in 17 1/3 innings pitched this postseason. Earlier this month, Nola tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings at Houston. In 15 home starts during the regular season, Verlander sported a 10-1 record with a 1.64 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. Verlander has a 5.68 ERA and has not recorded a win in seven career World Series starts. Verlander has...

Division Lead Back to 3 Games

Six shut out innings by the bullpen, a diving catch by Jayson Werth and two homeruns by Chase Utley won the game for the Phillies and got their lead in the NL East back to 3 games over the Metropolitans. It was a surprising effort from the bullpen as Scott Eyre, JC Romero, Jack Taschner, Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and even Chan Ho Park shut down the Mets lineup in the extra inning victory. It was a risky play by Werth, who could have allowed the winning run to score if he hadn't made the catch on the ball batted by David Wright. It was clutch hitting by Utley, who, with his second homerun of the game, gave the Phillies an 11th inning lead that they would not let up. Huge win for the Phillies! ------------------------- Stats to ponder- Jimmy Rollins in the lead off spot this season- 49 games, .208 avg (47-for-226), .244 OBP, 1 HR, 29 runs. Jimmy Rollins batting any place else in the lineup this season- 7 games, .409 avg (9-for-22), .440 OBP, 3 HR, 6 runs. Carlos Ruiz against the Mets ...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog