August 27, 200422 yr Jason Vargas pitched 7 innings of no-hit ball and Nathan Nowicki and Carlos Martinez each pitched an inning of no-hit ball to combine for a no hitter here in Greensboro. Vargas had 10 K's and the Bats won 3-0. This is the best news to come out of Greensboro all year.
August 27, 200422 yr Author Also Josh Wilson and Josh Willingham were named to the All-Southern League team today.
August 27, 200422 yr I was just about to post this. I was keeping track of this game on Greensboro's live web cast occasionally. Vargas is a stud.
August 27, 200422 yr Wow, Vargas has been impressive so far. Nice to see we signed some strong pitching this year.
August 27, 200422 yr Author Willingham went 3-5 with a walk a homer and 2 RBI tonight in the extra innings win for Carolina.
August 27, 200422 yr Vargas seems like he is going to be real good. Hopefully he can play well in winter ball, and maybe even start next year in AA
August 27, 200422 yr Author Jeremy Hermida was 2-4 with a walk and a solo homer tonight in a 4-0 Hammerheads win. Scott Olsen pitched 4.2 scoreless innings.
August 27, 200422 yr Did Vargas get the win, or did the Greensboro batters pile up 30 strikeouts and lose in extras? WILLINGHAM :notworthy He'll be a solid contribuor next year.
August 27, 200422 yr Author Did Vargas get the win, or did the Greensboro batters pile up 30 strikeouts and lose in extras? WILLINGHAM :notworthy He'll be a solid contribuor next year. 528159[/snapback] He got the win and they won 3-0.
August 27, 200422 yr Author Here's a good article from my local paper. Vargas? answer to bunt: No-no 8-27-04 By Keith Tolbert, Special to the News & Record News & Record GREENSBORO ? Jason Vargas wasn?t about to back down with a no-hitter on the line. Vargas, the starting pitcher for the Greensboro Bats Thursday night, had thrown a near perfect game through six innings, but the Savannah Sand Gnats? Reggie Fitzpatrick tried to break up the no-hitter with a bunt to lead off the seventh inning. The bunt went foul and the next pitch went high over everyone?s head to the backstop. ?That (bunting to break up a no-hitter) is just something you don?t do.? Vargas said. Fitzpatrick laid a bunt down again anyway and was thrown out. Vargas stared at Fitzpatrick as he trotted back to his dugout as the nearly 4,000 fans cheered. Vargas, pitching in only his second game for the Bats, completed the seventh and was pulled because he had exceeded his pitch count, but relievers Nathan Nowicki and Carlos Martinez completed the no-hitter ? a 3-0 win for the Bats (24-35) over Savannah. It was their season-high sixth consecutive win, and it came as the Bats began their final series at War Memorial Stadium. Vargas, a second-round draft pick earlier this year from Long Beach State, was in total command for his seven innings, walking with confidence to and from the mound each time out. His fastball was consistently clocked in the high 80s and low 90s, finishing with 10 strikeouts and just two walks. ?I threw a lot of fastballs, but I mixed in my changeup and slider,? Vargas said. ?I felt like I had control of all my pitches. I just came here to do the same thing that I did in college. A combined no-hitter is great for the team, and I?m proud to be a part of it.? Vargas was 7-7 in his last college season and felt he pitched well, but had gotten some bad breaks. ?I?ve improved (since going pro), but things I did in college have helped me out a lot here,? Vargas added. Bats manager Steve Phillips said every starting pitcher is on a pitch count and he actually let Vargas exceed his limit in his first outing. He said with Vargas having just completed a college season before he turned pro, there is no way to know how many innings he has pitched already this year. ?We look at the pitch count for every guy,? Phillips said. ?If a starter has thrown 175 innings, you get him rested and get him ready for next season.? The thing that impressed Phillips the most about Vargas during his no-hit performance was his command. He said that college records don?t really mean a lot because with aluminum bats a hit that would normally be an out may extend the inning and add to the pitchers fatigue. ?He?s shown us he is capable of locating his pitches,? Phillips said. ?When they?re (starting pitchers) capable of locating their pitches and throwing strikes, they have success.? Vargas also proved that he could field his position well. The game?s lead-off man hit a slow grounder that Vargas fielded one-handed and threw the runner out. Later, in the sixth inning, he covered the bag on a slow roller to first baseman Ryan Bear. ?He played first base in college and hit in the middle of their order,? Phillips said. ?He?s an athlete. He gets off the mound and makes plays.? The Bats offense started a little slow, but came through when it was needed. In the fourth inning, Ryan Blake walked, reached second on a wild pitch and scored on third baseman Pablo Sosa?s double to right field. Greensboro added to its lead in the fifth when Ryan Schade led off with a single and Xavier Arroyo laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Schade in scoring position. When Kevin Randel singled up the middle, Schade never stopped running even though the ball never left the infield and Schade was safe on the play at the plate for a 2-0 lead. The Bats scored their final run in the seventh inning when Jai Miller leadoff with a single and was sacrificed to second by Schade. Randel knocked Miller in with a rocket over the center fielder?s head. ?The guys are coming up with big hits,? Phillips said. ?When we need it, somebody?s coming up with an RBI hit.?
August 27, 200422 yr The bunt went foul and the next pitch went high over everyone’s head to the backstop. Love it. :notworthy
August 27, 200422 yr The bunt went foul and the next pitch went high over everyone?s head to the backstop. Love it. :notworthy 528838[/snapback] Vargas is now my favorite minor league pitcher because of this.
August 28, 200422 yr The bunt went foul and the next pitch went high over everyone?s head to the backstop. Love it. :notworthy 528838[/snapback] Vargas is now my favorite minor league pitcher because of this. 528862[/snapback] Balls out.....gotta love it.
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