MOABS FINALLY MOVE AFFELDT

After a previous deal with Texas fell through, the Brooklyn Moabs finally succeeded in moving LHP Jeremy Affeldt by sending him (and minor-league free agent Tony Pena) to the Fresno Regulators for a pair of prospects, IF Matt Gamel and RHP Nick Blackburn.

"Clearly, Gamel offers the organization a power hitting 3B prospect, who the Brewers deemed was too valuable to the organization rather than pursuing Roy Halladay. He will report to AAA Flint Stones, where he will receive the majority of the at-bats in the five hole. And Blackburn, who's another young arm, will compete soon with Volstad and the other starters for a spot in the rotation. He is an excellent player who the organization would like to see more missed bats, meaning more strikeouts and fewer hits."

Affeldt was expendable due to the emergence of Jose Mijares and Aaron Poreda in the Moab pen. Furthermore, there are rumors within the organization that suggest Moab first round pick, Neftali Feliz, could be getting on a bus heading for Brooklyn in the near future. The organization had depth with Guerrier and Bard, who will compete immediately for late-inning duties in front of all-star Frankie. Idle on Game Day 78, the Moabs are clearly making a move, having won three straight and not sharing a piece of second place in the Eastern Division . . .



IN OTHER BARB ACTION:



YUMA 3, DARWIN 1

WP: Ryan Madson (5-1, 3.84)
LP: John Smoltz (0-2, 6.10)
SV: Thornton (2)

The Firebirds didn’t exactly blow him up, but they collected seven hits off John Smoltz in the veteran’s second bid to win a game this season after coming off the DL, the big blow an RBI double off the bat of Brian Roberts. Matt Thornton picked up a rare save with other Firebird bullpenners dealing with fatigue . . .


POTTSYLVANIA 6, FROSTBITE FALLS 2

WP: Yovani Gallardo (7-5, 3.66)
LP: Felix Hernandez (4-5, 3.94)

The Creepers cashed in errors by Victor Martinez and Michael Young to store five unearned runs in the middle innings, and Yovani Gallardo went the distance for the second time in his last three starts to help Pottsylvania (40-36) to equal visiting (but slumping) Frostbite Falls in the ‘W’ column. The Squirrels have lost four straight on the road against Central Division foes.

MADTOWN 4, BLACK MESA 2

WP: Ervin Santana (2-4, 3.14)
LP: Wandy Rodriguez (4-11, 6.11)
SV: Rivera (15)

New Murloc Chris Davis had a game-tying sac fly, and just-activated starter Ervin Santana allowed just one earned run in seven frames as the former Luchadores got good pitching to hold the league’s top offense (422 runs scored) to just two scores. With the Anomalies leading the league in runs allowed (468), insiders speculated that GM Aaron Guerra may be in the market for pitching and (perhaps) a second catcher to improve in that category.

TEXAS 5, WORCESTER 4 (14 innings)

WP: Will Ohman (6-1, 3.76)
LP: Heath Bell (1-2, 1.99)

Jeremy Hermida and new Tornado Alfonso Soriano delivered back-to-back RBI singles in the bottom of the 14th to beat visiting Worcester after the Elims had taken a 4-3 in the top of the frame on a sac fly from Hanley Ramirez. Reliever Will Ohman worked three innings of relief for the win as the Tornadoes (30-45) finally escaped the Central cellar. Derek Jeter and Jorge Cantu each had three hits in a losing cause for the Eliminators.

FRESNO 13, ST. FRANCIS 10

WP: Matt Capps (2-4, 4.20)
LP: George Sherrill (1-2, 5.83)

Pedro Sandoval walked with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run, and the Regulators would go on to score five runs in the ninth in a wild game that saw four lead changes as the Regulators reached the .500 mark (39-39) at the expansion Friars’ expense. St. Francis starter Randy Johnson had his worst outing of the year, giving up seven runs and coming out in the third complaining of shoulder soreness. With the loss, the staggering Clergymen fell into last place (31-47) in the Central.