After a disappointing week in which the BlueClaws went 2-5, the team rebounded with an extremely impressive 6-1 record this last week. In a week in which they eclipsed the Hickory Crawdads to take a two-way tie for fourth place in the SAL Northern division, the ‘Claws found themselves dropping their first game of the week before picking up the pace in their current six-game winning streak. Once again, the key to the week was pitching, as the starters posted a combined 2.65 ERA for the week.

Tuesday – Lakewood fell 3-1 to the Greensboro Grasshoppers after being stymied by Grasshoppers pitcher Kyle Kaminska. Kaminska left in the sixth inning a no-hitter still intact, striking out five and allowing only one walk to Derrick Mitchell. Any hope Kaminka had of pitching the complete game no-hitter was spoiled by his defense, who allowed four BlueClaws to reach base on errors over his six innings.

After Kaminska’s exit, the BlueClaws scattered four hits over the next two innings. Matt Rizzotti broke the no-hitter with a two-out single in the seventh inning. The ‘Claws managed a run in the eighth when Derrick Mitchell scored on Dominic Brown‘s force out, but they just weren’t able to muster enough offense to overcome the early deficit. Chance Chapman (6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) pitched well, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing two runs on an Osvaldo Martinez triple.

Wednesday – With Lakewood ace Drew Naylor on the mound, the BlueClaws got off to an early two run lead and never looked back, winning 3-2. Naylor didn’t allow a run until the sixth inning, when Justin Jacobs’s homerun put Greensboro on the board. Naylor finished with a sparkling line on the night – 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K.

Offensively, Travis Mattair had the best night of any BlueClaw, hitting 2-3 with a walk, a steal, and a run scored. Michael Taylor drove in two runs on the night, with Herman Demmink driving in Mattair in the 2nd.

Thursday – The BlueClaws and Grasshoppers saw an early offensive explosion, combining for eight runs (four apiece) in the first three innings before Lakewood won the game 5-4, tacking on the winning run in the sixth inning. Starter Walter Tejada lasted only 3.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk while striking out five. After Tejada’s early exit, the BlueClaws’ bullpen effectively shut down the Grasshoppers for the rest of the game. Zack Sterner, Sergio Escalona, and Jared Simon combined for a total of four runners (two hits, two walks) in 5.1 innings of work.

Michael Taylor and Dominic Brown each stole a base in the game, Taylor adding an RBI triple in the contest. Derrick Mitchell, Matt Rizzotti, and Joel Naughton each drove in a run apiece in the early innings. The winning run was scored by Travis Mattair on a botched double play off the bat of T.J. Warren. Joel Naughton had a standout night, going 1-2 with a double, an RBI, two walks, as well as thwarting the only Grasshoppers steal attempt, throwing out Michael Stanton at third.

Zack Sterner earned the win, and Jared Simon earned the save for the second consecutive night.

Friday – Julian Sampson, who had sustained an injury in his previous start, had been slated to pitch this game, however a last-minute trip to the DL on Thursday forced reliever Chris Kissock into the starting role as he led the BlueClaws to their first shutout of the season, a 2-0 win over the Grasshoppers. The shutout extended Lakewood to a sixteen-inning scoreless streak, a new season high.

Kissock went 3.1 quality innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while issuing five strikeouts. Those three hits would be the only surrendered by the ‘Claws in the game, as Moises Melendez and Joe Rocchio pitched 5.2 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts combined. Melendez earned the win while Rocchio took the save.

T.J. Warren opened up the scoring in the third inning, singling in Travis Mattair. Freddy Galvis had a standout night, going 2-2 with a sacrifice bunt and an RBI. The next batter in the order, catcher Jesus Sanchez also had a nice night, hitting 1-3 and swiping a base.

Saturday – The top of Lakewood’s order came up huge Saturday night, the top four batters combining to hit 9-18 in a 7-3 win in the first game of the series at the West Virginia Power. On a night in which the BlueClaws’ scoreless-innings streak ended in the first inning and Jacob Diekman (5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER. 1 BB, 3 K) went five solid, but unspectacular innings, the offense more than made up for any pitching deficiencies.

Saturday Offensive Standouts
T.J. Warren – 2-5 2 R, 1 2B
Derrick Mitchell – 2-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Dominic Brown – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
Michael Taylor – 3-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Karl Bolt – 2-4, 2 R

Besides those already listed, Jesus Sanchez was the only one to notch an RBI. The seventh Lakewood Run was scored on a throwing error on a Freddy Galvis at-bat. Ben Pfinsgraff pitched four scoreless innings striking out three and allowing two hits for the three-plus innings save.

Sunday – Behind a spectacular start by Chance Chapman (7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 8 K), the Lakewood offense built on Saturday’s output, short-circuiting the Power in a 13-2 blowout.

Every starting BlueClaw in the lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run in the total-team effort. Karl Bolt and Derrick Mitchell each homered for the ‘Claws, each driving in two runs on the night. Other than Bolt and Mitchell, the two biggest standouts on the night were Michael Taylor and Travis Mattair. Taylor went 3-4 with a run and an RBI in the game and Mattair hit 3-5 with a run, a double and two RBI.

Yen-Feng Lin entered the game in the eighth in relief of Chapman, blowing the shutout and allowing two runs in two innings on four hits and a walk.

Monday – The BlueClaws won their third straight over the Power and their sixth straight on Monday. Due to a 25 minute rain delay, Drew Naylor lasted only 2/3 of an inning, allowing a homerun to Power catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

Freddy Galvis went 4-4 on the night, scoring two runs. Michael Taylor had another big night, going 2-2 with an RBI and two walks. D’Arby Myers contributed an RBI on a triple, while the other runs were scored on a solo homerun by Derrick Mitchell, a single by Taylor, and a run-down on a double play, allowing Freddy Galvis to run home before the second out, ending the inning.

Sergio Escalona, Zack Sterner, Joe Rocchio, and Jared Simon combined for two runs (one apiece for Escalona and Simon) in relief of Naylor. Sterner earned the run and Simon earned his seventh save. We’ll wait to see how the starting situation shapes up, but Naylor will most likely make his start earlier than expected this week.

Hot (last 7 days)
– Derrick Mitchell – 8-25, 6 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI
– Michael Taylor – 11-26, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
– Freddy Galvis – 9-23, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 SB
– T.J. Warren – 6-17, 5 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI

League Leaders
– Michael Taylor – AVG (.361; 1st), OPS (.990; 1st)
– Michael Durant – HR (10; T-2nd), OPS (.871; 8th), K (58; 6th)
– Drew Naylor – WHIP (0.9; 2nd), K (71; 2nd)
– Chance Chapman – WHIP (1.1; 12th)

Notes
– Fielding: Derrick Mitchell had three errors in the week, all throwing; Travis Mattair had two errors on Sunday – a fielding and a throwing; Michael Taylor showed nice arm on Saturday, throwing out the Power’s Caleb Gindl at home
– If T.J. Warren, who just came out of Extended Spring Training, can keep up the pace he’s at right now, or even slightly below, it fogs up the outfield situation a bit. Taylor’s a definite, but between Warren, Myers, Brown, Demmink, and Karl Bolt (who has played outfield on occasion for the ‘Claws), it’ll be interesting to see how the playing time shakes out.