KONERKO TEES OFF

Konerko punched a hole in the BARB record books

May 22: The St. Francis Friars traveled to Southern California for a showdown against the cellar-dwelling Los Angeles Wolverines. What transpired was an exercise called “batting practice” for the Friars—and just plain exercise for Wolverine pitchers and fielders.

The barrage began on the second pitch from LA starter Jordan Zimmerman (2-4, 5.40). Kelly Johnson, after taking a strike, drove a single right back through the box. Kevin Youkilis also singled, moving Johnson to third base. Shin-Soo Choo scored Johnson on a force play at second and just beat out the return throw to first, which brought up Paul Konerko. The first baseman, who began his career with the Dodgers, planted a Zimmerman pitch in the left-center bleachers at Chavez Ravine for a quick 3-0 lead.

Youkilis led off the third inning with a homer to almost the same spot as Konerko’s blast. Wolverine management decided Zimmerman had done enough, and Tom Gorzelanny was brought in. The lefty immediately got fly outs from Choo and Konerko. Jose Bautista, however, beat out a slow roller before advancing to second base on a Chris Coghlan error that would have ended the inning. Felix Pie took advantage of the mistake, singling in Bautista. A.J. Pierzynski then doubled into the left field corner to score both Chris Young and Pie, and the St. Francis advantage was 7-0.

Gorzelanny started the fourth and faced both Choo and Konerko a second time, but this go-‘round he didn’t have the success of the previous inning. The inning began well, with Johnson striking out. Youkilis took one of his trademark walks, however, and Choo lined a single to right. That brought up Konerko, who blasted an “oppo” shot—halfway up the right field bleachers! That made it 10-0. The normally late-arriving fans were just getting in their seats, and already the home team was in a nearly-insurmountable hole.

Roy Oswalt, meanwhile, was cruising through the young, but talented, Wolverine lineup. Through four innings, Oswalt scattered two singles, struck out three and induced a double play. With the big lead, he was able to go into cruise control, though he did get into trouble in the fifth, when it was already 15-0.

That was because the Friars scored another five runs in the top of the fifth inning. Jeff Francis, who replaced Gorzelanny in the fourth, sandwiched a fly out and strikeout around a single. Youkilis singled again, but Francis appeared to be out of the frame when Choo grounded one to the left of second base. Normally sure-handed Starlin Castro, however, let this one bounce off his glove and everyone was safe. Konerko, up next, was held in the park, but he still blooped one into center for two runs. The next batter was Bautista, and this time he let his uppercut swing do its work. The ball was hit into the left field stands, a three-run home run.

In the bottom of the fifth, Los Angeles finally got on the board. Lance Berkman knocked in Nick Swisher and advanced to second base on a Young error before Mark Reynolds doubled him in.

The sixth went quietly, but in the seventh inning Brian Fuentes allowed Konerko’s third clout of the game, a two-run shot to make the score 17-2, which would be the final.

How big was Konerko’s day? His nine runs batted in are tied for fourth-best in a game in BARB since 2005 (2003 and 2004 records are not available, unfortunately). His three home runs marked the second time in his BARB career he’d accomplished that feat. Amazingly, the 17 Friar runs were seven short of their team record. In July of 2010, Scott Hatfield’s squad put up 24 on the Arizona Thunder…

In other BARB action:

FROSTBITE FALLS 13, BROOKLYN 2

WP: Brett Anderson (2-2, 4.53)

LP: Jon Lester (4-2, 3.91)

The Flying Squirrels had one of their biggest scoring outbursts of the season with an eight-run fourth inning in support of Brett Anderson’s complete game. Rickie Weeks, Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes all homered, although none of them came in the fourth, and Reyes and Jayson Werth drove in three runs apiece. Anderson allowed eight hits and two walks as part of his 118-pitch outing (84 for strikes), and he struck out six Moabs. Troy Tulowitzki had both Brooklyn RBI on a single in the sixth.

LOS ANGELES 9, CASSELTON 3

WP: Trevor Cahill (2-6, 6.46)

LP: R.A. Dickey (2-5, 5.91)

Just two days before Konerko’s outburst, the Wolverines had their own three-home-run game. Mark Reynolds somehow made contact in every at bat, going 3-for-3 in addition to a walk. Reynolds, however, hit three solo shots, which is a record for the franchise’s time in Los Angeles. Two of the home runs were down the left field line, and one was to right-center field. Trevor Cahill benefitted from the power show, throwing eight strong innings while appearing to start to live up to the level at which most people thought he’d perform.

NEW ENGLAND 7, YUMA 6 (15)

WP: Craig Breslow (2-0, 9.88)

LP: Tyler Clippard (2-1, 1.37)

“Western” Division rivals New England and Yuma had a marathon of a game, with the host Yankee Stompers prevailing in the bottom of the 15^th when a two-out Torii Hunter ground ball went through the legs of defensive replacement Felipe Lopez at second base. New England scored twice on a double by David Ross (a former Yuma backstop) to tie the game in the ninth, and both teams scored two in the 10^th before zeros from the 11^th through 14^th. Newly-acquired Craig Breslow earned the victory after getting one out to close the top of the 15^th.