Skip to main content

Lakewood's Fanti, Bettencourt combine for no-hitter

By
Nick Fanti and Trevor Bettencourt, image- Lakewood BlueClaws
With two outs in the ninth inning and two runners on, Lakewood starter Nick Fanti's no-hit bid was turned over to someone he lives and works very closely with every day.  His roommate.  

Fanti, who was a 31st round draft selection by the Phillies in 2015, was off to a terrific start this season entering the night, but his effort on Saturday night will certainly draw some major attention.

The 20-year-old lefty hurler came within one out of becoming just the third pitcher in team history to toss a complete game no-hitter.

He sailed through eight innings on the road, dominating the Columbia Fireflies (Mets affiliate), walking just two batters.

To open the final frame, Fireflies backstop Ali Sanchez reached on an error by Lakewood third baseman Danny Zardon.  Next, Columbia third baseman Milton Ramos grounded into a fielders choice that erased Sanchez.  Fireflies lead-off man, shortstop Andres Giminez, struck out swinging, putting the potential for history just one out away.  Second baseman Luis Carpio then drew a walk.

With his pitch count at 113 on the evening and the game on the line, Lakewood skipper Marty Malloy made the call to his bullpen.  Right-hander Trevor Bettencourt would record the final out on a strike out of designated hitter Michael Paez to notch his second save.

Bettencourt, a 25th round draft pick last year, felt some added pressure locking down the final out on Saturday night.

"I had to calm myself down," Bettencourt stated on the phone Saturday night.  "It was the first time this year that I had to physically stop and take a breath on the mound and slow myself down.  But it was cool especially 'cause me and Fanti are roommates back home in New Jersey and on the road in hotels.

"The first thing he did, he came out, gave me a hug and said, 'That's roommate love right there!'"

The 22-year-old UC Santa Barbara product, Bettencourt, wasn't surprised with the game's result.

"I think this is definitely huge, but I think it was just a matter of time before someone did it," Bettencourt said, expressing his confidence in his team's pitching staff. 

The BlueClaws' pitching staff leads the Class A Sally League in ERA with a 2.63 mark.
Lakewood won by a final score of 1-0.  Shortstop Jose Antequera plated the game's lone run on a sacrifice fly in the 8th inning.

It was the fifth no-hitter in BlueClaws history.  The four previous no-no's: Keith Bucktrot (2001), Gavin Floyd (2002), Carlos Carrasco & Andy Barb (2006), and Jeb Stefan, Ramon Oviedo, and Chris Burgess (2013).

The outing for Fanti takes his season numbers through five starts to a 2-0 record with a 1.48 ERA, a 9.2 K/9 mark and a .133 batting average against.

For Lakewood, the victory was the team's seventh consecutive win.  With a record of 18-12, the BlueClaws are in second place in the South Atlantic League's Northern Division, 1/2 game behind Hagerstown.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mike McGuire Living a Dream With Favorite Team

By
LAKEWOOD, NJ- Every young ballplayer grows up wishing he could play for his favorite team. Mike McGuire has an opportunity to do just that after signing with the Phillies organization in July. McGuire was a 43rd round draft pick taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 amateur draft out of the University of Delaware. Early scouting reports liked McGuire's abilities, despite some arm trouble. He advanced as far as High A Level Kinston last season. While there, he posted an 0-3 record with a 5.46 ERA in 9 games, 8 of which were starts. The Indians weren't happy with McGuire's efforts this spring and released him. McGuire caught on with the Sussex Skyhawks of the independent Can-Am League, where he stayed in shape and pitched against other formerly affiliated minor leaguers. As a starter with the Skyhawks, McGuire went 3-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 8 outings. From there, just as all players in those independent leagues hope for, the 24-year-old McGuire got noticed. The Phillies wer...
3 comments
Read more

Harry's Plaque Has Misprint

By
At the ballpark today for the first time since Harry Kalas was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, I noticed an error in the text on his plaque. Verbage on the plaque reads like this... Voice of Phillies baseball on radio and TV for 39 seasons. Teamed with Richie Ashburn from 1971 until 1997. Harry was on the air for all of Mike Schmidt's 548 home runs, five Phillies no-hitters, seven National League Championship Series, three World Series, the first and final games at Veterans Stadium and the Citizens Bank Park 2004 opener. Received the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award in 2002 for "Major Contributions to Baseball" and was inducted into the broadcasters' wing at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. His calls were legendary, especially his signature home run call, "Outta heeere." On October 29, 2008, he brought utmost joy to Phillies fans: "The 0-2 pitch, swing and miss , struck him out. The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 Worl...
4 comments
Read more

Series Preview: Braves @ Phillies 5/7-5/9

By
The Braves make their first visit to Philadelphia this weekend, as the Braves (12-16) will face the Phillies (17-11) in a 3-game series. The series opener will see the 2nd meeting of Derek Lowe and Jamie Moyer this season. The first match up saw Moyer come out on top, when he pitched 6 shut out innings in Atlanta. That win clinched the series victory for the Phils. Off to a good start after winning that series opener against the Phils, the Braves have lost 11 of 15 games since then. The Braves won 5 of the 9 games against the Phils at Citizens Bank Park last season. Atlanta is currently in last place, 5 games behind the division leading Phillies. Read ahead for pitching match ups and other key stats from this series. Friday, 7:05pm. Derek Lowe (4-2, 5.81 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (3-2, 5.70 ERA). Lowe is 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in five career starts at Citizens Bank Park. Lowe is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 career games against Philadelphia. Raul Ibanez is 2-for-28 (.071 avg) in his career again...
Post a Comment
Read more