Guest markotsay7 Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...C0105/604100311 GREENSBORO -- Gaby Sanchez didn't hit a ninth-inning home run for the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Sunday evening. Then again, his team didn't need him to try. Relying on a more conventional, less dramatic means of victory, the Hoppers did away with the Hagerstown Suns 3-0 behind Sean West's strong six-inning start and effective work from three relievers. "I didn't want Gaby to have to hit another walk-off home run," cracked West, a 6-foot-8 left-hander making his first appearance for a full-season pro team. "I just pitched today." Greensboro (4-0) completed the sweep of the New York Mets' entry in the South Atlantic League while Sanchez generally watched along with 4,940 chilly spectators. Entering Sunday, the first baseman from Miami led all of American professional baseball -- approximately 2,300 position players -- in RBIs with 10. He had ended the previous two games with ninth-inning blasts, and by Sunday, the Suns determined they were tired of that. They walked him three times by the fifth inning. In Sanchez's forced absence, Agustin Septimo belted one onto Eugene Street to make it 2-0 in the third inning. West didn't need much else. West, who was throwing for Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, La., this time last year, was the last of five pitchers taken by the Florida Marlins in the first round and compensatory phase of the 2005 draft. That, of course, still placed him 44th overall among more than 1,200 amateurs selected, and he looked like a leader on Sunday. He clouded the Suns with sliders and faced only two batters more than the minimum in his six innings. "He set a good tempo, threw strikes and kept them off-balance," Greensboro manager Brandon Hyde said. "I thought he did a great job. Pretty impressive first full-season start." Per Marlins' policy, Hyde lifted West after 85 pitches. "I'm not going to be the one to lose his job because I want a shutout," Hyde said. He got one anyway when Jason Iehl, Mauro Zarate and Blake Jones finished the job. Jones picked up the save. "I realize we have freakin' 20 other pitchers and I'm only a starter," said West, who was 2-5 with a 3.99 ERA between the Gulf Coast League and Jamestown last summer. "I can't expect to go the whole game. Other guys have to get their work in." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malman Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 "He set a good tempo, threw strikes and kept them off-balance," Greensboro manager Brandon Hyde said. "I thought he did a great job. Pretty impressive first full-season start." Per Marlins' policy, Hyde lifted West after 85 pitches. "I'm not going to be the one to lose his job because I want a shutout," Hyde said. :notworthy Awesome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.