7-01 – HARRISBURG SENATORS (EL) OF MATT CEPICKY homered with four RBI in their 6-1 triumph over the ALTOONA CURVE, as he drilled a three-run shot in the first inning then launched a solo home run in the third, the tail end of back-to-back homers. The 24-year-old now has 18 multi-RBI performances this season. A fourth- round selection of the MONTREAL EXPOS in 1999, the left-handed slugger is hitting .294 with 94 hits, 23 doubles, 15 home runs and 61 RBI through 81 games of his fourth season as a professional. RHP JUSTIN WAYNE yielded a run and scattered four hits over seven innings for his fourth straight victory.
7-02 – AUBURN DOUBLEDAYS (NYP) C PAUL RICHMOND finished 4-for-4 with a home run and a career-high six RBI in a 6-3 triumph at the JAMESTOWN JAMMERS. Richmond, a recent 28th-round selection, slapped a two-run single in the second inning and had a run-scoring base hit and stole second in the fourth. He also connected on his first professional homer in the sixth, a two-run shot, and slapped out an RBI single in the eighth. He is now batting .281 with 13 RBI in his first 10 contests.
7-02 – KINSTON INDIANS (CAR) OF GRADY SIZEMORE went 4-for-5 and drove in three runs to lead his new team past the PATOMAC CANNONS, 9-2. The 19-year-old, one of four players traded by the MONTREAL EXPOS for BARTOLO COLON on 27 June, hit his fifth triple of the season in the third inning and led off the sixth inning with a base hit. In the seventh, he belted a three-run homer and ripped a single in his final at-bat in the eighth. LHP DEREK THOMPSON, a first-round selection from the 2000 draft, scattered four hits, issued a pair of walks and struck out three batters over eight scoreless innings to earn the win.
7-02 – MEDICINE HAT BLUE JAYS (PIO) 1B JASON PERRY homered in his third straight game, their team's 8-6 victory over the MISSOULA OSPREY. Perry, who finished 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two walks, cut their deficit to a run with a three-run blast in the seventh. OF MICHAEL GALLOWAY tied the score 6-6 in the eigth with a leadoff homer and 3B SCOTT DRAGICEVICH lined a two-run triple five batters later for the Blue Jays. Perry, a sixth-round selection in the June 2002 draft, is batting .444 with 12 RBI and eight runs scored in his first seven professional games.
7-02 – The HARRISBURG SENATORS announced that RHP JOSH KARP was added to the FUTURES All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, July 7th, at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Karp, in his first professional season after being selected in the 1st round of last year's draft by the MONTREAL EXPOS, after an outstanding college career at UCLA, has split time between the BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES of the FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE, where in seven starts he was 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA. Now he is 1-2 with a 3.72 ERA since arriving in Class-AA with the Senators in just four starts, having spent some time on the disabled list.
7-02 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ went 1-for-4 to hit safely in his 20th consecutive game, in their 6-4 victory at the PAWTUCKET RED SOX. Chavez, who started the game-0-for-3, opened the eighth inning with a single into left field. He later scored during a four-run frame where Ottawa took the lead. Chavez, now batting .365 during his streak, is the sixth minor leaguer to notch a htting streak of at least 20 games this season. OF LOU COLLIER finished 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs for the winners. He tied the score at 2-2 with a two-run shot in the fourth inning and connected on the tail end of back-to-back homers with 1B JOE VITIELLO in the eighth.
7-02 – TENNESSEE SMOKIES (SL) SS DANNY SOLANO hit a three-run homer in the top of the 16th inning to propel their squad to a 5-2 win over the CAROLINA MUDCATS. in the longest game in the SOUTHERN LEAGUE this season. With two outs and runners on first and second, Solano connected on his first home run in 73 at-bats and just his third of the season. The 26-year-old, who has never had more than seven longballs in a single season, has homered just 24 times in 479 career games.
7-03 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ had a pair of hits and an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 21 games in their 4-3 triumph over the PAWTUCKET RED SOX. Chavez opened the contest with a base hit, then singled home a run in the second. He is now tied with two other players for the third longest streak in the minors this season, ranking second in the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE with a .351 batting average, having scored 40 runs in 58 games to this point in this campaign.
7-03 – LOUISVILLE BATS (IL) 1B KEVIN WITT hit a game-winning home run in the 10th inning to lift his team over the INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS, 8-5. Witt, who finished 3-for-6 with five RBI, connected for his 16th homer, a three-run blast, with two outs in the 10th, also singling home a run in the first inning and tying the score at 4-4 in the seventh with a run-scoring base hit.
7-04 – CLINTON LUMBERKINGS (MID) 1B CLYDE WILLIAMS homered and collected a career-high five RBI to help his team down the DAYTON DRAGONS, 19-8. The 22-year-old, who went 5-for-6 with three runs in the game, led off the fourth inning with his eighth round-tripper of the season. The Florida native singled home two runs and scored to highlight a six-run sixth inning and slapped a two-base hit that capped an eight-run eighth, and is now batting .536 with 15 hits, three homers and nine RBI in his last eight games.
7-0 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 18 games and drove in two runs to lift his team over the CHARLESTON ALLEY CATS, 11-6. The 6'3", 205-pound Canadian-born infielder, doubled, scored and collected a single to highlight an eight-run fourth inning and knocked out a two-base hit in the eighth. Thorman, a first-round selection of the ATLANTA BRAVES in the 2000 draft, is batting .500 (33-for-66) with 13 doubles and 16 RBI during his current streak.
7-04 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ hit safely in his 22nd straight game in their 5-1 loss to the SCRANTON-WILKES BARRE RED BARONS. Chavez belted his fourth home run of the season in the third inning to keep his streak alive. He now owns the longest streak of its kind in the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE since 1999. The 24-year-old is batting .366 (34-for-93) with six doubles, two homers, 12 RBI and five stolen bases during his streak, which began on 8 June. For the season , he is batting .349 with 82 hits and 41 runs scored through 59 games.
7-05 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) RHP ADAM JOHNSON won his fifth straight start and 1B TODD SEARS had five RBI in their 11-7 victory at the SACRAMENTO RIVER CATS. Johnson, who allowed two runs or less over his last four starts, gave up four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and five walks issued over five frames. The 22-year-old, who is now 7-5 with a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts to this point, has a 3.15 ERA over his last five starts despite his tough outing last evening. Selected second overall by the MINNESOTA TWINS in the 2000 free-agent draft, he struck out a career-high 13 batters in a two-hit shutout during his first season as a professional. Sears lined a two-run double and scored in the third inning, singled home a pair of runs and scored in the fourth, then slapped a run-scoring base hit in the eighth for his 17th multi-RBI game of this season. The 26-year-old is now batting .352 with 102 hits and 64 RBI in 79 games. 2B JAY CANIZARO homered in his third consecutive game for the Trappers.
7-05 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN doubled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 13th inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games for his squad in a 1-0 win over the SOUTH GEORGIA WAVES. The 20-year-old, who did not have a hit in his previous five at-bats in this contest, sent his 26th double of the current campaign down the right field line with two outs in the 13th to drive in the only run of the game and gave him 34 hits, 14 doubles and 17 RBI sicne 13 June.
7-05 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ doubled to open the contest and tripled and scored in the eighth to extend his hitting streak to 23 straight games, in their 8-3 loss to the SCRANTON-WILKES BARRE RED BARONS. Chavez is batting .371 (36-for-97) with 12 RBI during this streak, which began on 8 June.
7-06 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN hit safely in his 20th straight game in his Braves 7-5 loss to the SOUTH GEORGIA WAVES, finishing 1-for-5 with a third inning double, and is currently hitting at a .455 clip (35-for-77) with 15 doubles and 17 RBI since this streak began.
7-06 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ extended his hitting streak to 24 games in their 5-4, 10th inning victory over the ROCHESTER RED WINGS, as he singled in the third, drew a walk and scored in the fifth, then singled and scored in the seventh. The 24-year-old is now batting .376 (38-for-101) with seven doubles, two homers, 12 RBI and six stolen bases during this streak, which is now the longest streak in the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE since 6 July through 2 August 1999.
7-07 – The 2002 Futures All-Star Game was played at Miller Park at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before over 25,000 in attendance in the fourth annual contest, with the World squad downing the USA team by a 5-1 final, evening the matches at two games apiece, and representing the World Team was the BALTIMORE ORIOLES LHP ERIK BEDARD, selected for the World team for the second consecutive year but who has yet to participate in either game. He was placed on the DL at Double-A BOWIE BAYSOX with a torn ligment in his left elbow and will be inactive over the next six weeks in hopes that will allow him to avoid TOMMY JOHN surgery, after nursing a sore shoulder last season, even though he still made the trip out to Seattle in 2001 to attend the festivities. On the USA team was RHP JOSH KARP, who also was kept out of action by the MONTREAL EXPOS for precautionary reasons, having spent some time on the DL earlier in this 2002 season but is healthy at the present time. The lone USA run came in the bottom of the third on an RBI double from 2B ORLANDO HUDSON, of the BLUE JAYS. Former Expos SS BRANDON PHILLIPS, recently involved in the BARTOLO COLON trade, played for the AL side as he is now on the INDIANS Triple-A team playing with the BUFFALO BISONS. JACKIE MOORE, manager of the ROUND ROCK EXPRESS, coached for the USA side for the third consecutive year, after being named as the BASEBALL AMERICA 2001 MINOR LEAGUE MANAGER of the YEAR.
7-07 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ extended his hitting streak to a franchise best 25 games in their 9-4 loss to the ROCHESTER RED WINGS. Chavez, who finished the contest 2-for-5, singled home a run during a four-run second inning. The 24-year-old has had 12 multi-hit games during the streak, batting .377 (40-for-106) with seven doubles, a triple, two home runs and 13 RBI. Chavez is now just the third player in the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE over the last 11 years to reach 25 games and has the longest streak since CLEVELAND INDIANS farmhand ALEX RAMIREZ hit in 28 straight in 1998. (see 7-12)
7-07 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN extended his hitting streak to 21 games in their 2-1 loss to the SOUTH GEORGIA WAVES. Thorman singled and was left stranded in the fifth inning before finishing 1-for-4. The Canadian-born infielder has collected a lone hit nine times during the streak, including his last three games. (see 7-08)
7-07 – TENNESSEE SMOKIES (SL) OF RYAN FLEMING went 2-for-4 with five RBI to help his side win their ninth straight game, 8-7, over the CHATTANOOGA LOOKOUTS. Fleming capped a six-run fifth inning with a three-run double, tying the score at 6-6. In the seventh with Tennessee trailing by one, the Ohio native laced a two-run single. He has hit safely in seven straight games, since returning from the DL with a fractured right hand, driving in 10 runs. The Smokies had three one-game victories over their win streak.
7-07 – COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (IL) RHP MIKE THURMAN hurled a season-high 8.1 innings in his 2-0 shutout victory over the LOUISVILLE RIVERBATS, his first since pitching his only complete-game shutout with the JUPITER HAMMERHEADS last season, allowing only 4 hits, setting down five on strikeouts while issuing a pair of walks.
7-08 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN, who popped up twice and struck out, finished 0-for-4, snapping his hitting streak at 21 games, in the Braves' 1-0 shutout win over the SOUTH GEORGIA WAVES. (see 7-07)
7-08 – LHP ALLEN DAVIS was released from the HARRISBURG SENATORS after spending most of the last two seasons there, where he had spent much of the 2001 and 2002 campaigns on the disabled list.
7-10 – Representing the SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS at the AAA All-Star Game, played at SBC Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, were 2B ORLANDO HUDSON, who went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and C KEVIN CASH, replacing C JOSH PHELPS who had been called up to the TORONTO BLUE JAYS a few days before, who went 0-for-1. OF ENDY CHAVEZ, of the OTTAWA LYNX, also was selected for this group, along with former BLUE JAYS farmhands RHP DOUG LINTON, now with the RICHMOND BRAVES, and 1B KEVIN WITT, who is with the LOUISVILLE RIVER BATS this season. On the PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE squad were Canadian-born players, RHP AARON MYETTE, with the OKLAHOMA CITY RED HAWKS, who was voted pitcher of the game after striking out three in the top of the first inning, and OF AARON GUIEL, with the OMAHA ROYALS. They were joined by former BLUE JAYS farmhand, 3B MIKE COOLBAUGH, who is with the MEMPHIS REDBIRDS this 2002 season. Linton was voted the INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE player and pitcher of the game after fanning three and allowing only one hit in the first two innings. "I felt pretty good on the mound. I played in the PCL three years ago and this stadium is my favorite in the league. I wasn't really nervous. This is my 15th year in pro ball and I was able to throw strike one in the first inning and went from there."
7-10 – The AA All-Star Game was played at Dodd Memorial Stadium in Norwich, Connecticut, and on the AMERICAN LEAGUE team were Canadian-born RHP ERIK BEDARD of the BOWIE BAYSOX, RHP VINNIE CHULK and OF DeWAYNE WISE, both of the TENNESSEE SMOKIES. Selected for the NATIONAL LEAGUE side was RHP CLIFF LEE, but as he was traded a few short days before this exhibition was then replaced by RHP JUSTIN WAYNE, who joined his HARRISBURG SENATORS teammmate, OF TERMEL SLEDGE, on the roster. In the game Sledge swung a hot bat, going 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored, although the AL side downed the NL squad by a lop-sided 11-2 victory in the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION's first-ever combined Class-AA All-Star Game. DEWAYNE WISE contributed with a single in the nine-run seventh inning and was selected as the SOUTHERN LEAGUE MVP receiving the SPORTSTICKER "STAR OF STARS" Award for the game, attended by 8,009, which set a franchise record for Norwich, bettering their previous high by 567. Wise capped the big inning when he ripped a pitch into the left centerfield gap that eluded one diving outfielder and Harrisburg's Sledge, for an inside-the-park homer. "It was my second one of the year," said Wise of his inside the park effort. "I hit one in Orlando, too. I was glad everybody kept hitting that inning so I could get up again." He also made a spectacular diving catch in the top of the seventh. "It was pretty much routine," Wise laughed. "I got a good jump on it and will probably hear about it from (Mike) Collins since we play in the same league."
7-10 – OGDEN RAPTORS (PIO) 1B PRINCE FIELDER hit a pair of home runs with three RBI in their 10-5 victory over the MISSOULA OSPREY. Fielder crushed a two-run homer in the first inning, drew a walk and scored in the third, drilled a solo shot in the fourth, and singled in the sixth for his first career multi-homer game and fifth multi-RBI performance though 22 games of his rookie season. The 18-year-old, selected seventh overall by the MILWAUKEE BREWERS in last month's free agent draft, has a team-leading .358 batting average, with 29 hits, 20 RBI, 18 walks and a team-high four homers, with the third-best on-base percentage in the PIONEER LEAGUE (.490).
7-12 – HARRISBURG SENATORS (EL) RHP JOSH KARP struck out a career-high 10 batters in their 2-0 shutout of the READING PHILLIES. Karp yielded one hit, issued a walk and hit a batter over six innings, retiring 17 of the 20 batters he faced to improve to 2-2 with a 2.64 ERA in six starts with Harrisburg. The 22-year-old fanned the first four batters and recorded a strikeout in each of the following four innings, including two in the fourth and fifth innings. Selected sixth overall by the MONTREAL EXPOS in 2001, the 6'5", 210 pound hurler began his career this season pitching for the BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES of the Class-A FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE. The Washington native was 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA over seven starts, allowing only 31 hits and striking out 43 in 45.1 innings before his promotion to the Senators.
7-12 – OTTAWA LYNX (IL) OF ENDY CHAVEZ saw his hitting streak halted at 25 games in his squad's loss to the DURHAM BULLS, 1-0. He grounded out in the first and third innings and hit into an inning-ending double-play in the fifth. He lined out to center in the seventh and grounded out to first base in the ninth. The 2002 INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE All-Star is currently batting .348 with 88 hits and 44 runs scored in 63 games so far this season. The 24-year-old had the second longest hitting streak in the minors so far this season, second only to SS FREDDY SANCHEZ, of the TRENTON THUNDER, who had hit in 27 straight games earlier this season. (see 7-07)
7-13 –VANCOUVER CANADIANS (NOR) 1B BRANT COLAMARINO drove in five runs to lift his team over the EVERETT AQUA SOX, 8-6. Colamarino, a seveth-round draft selection by the Oakland Athletics out of the University of Pittsburgh, singled home two runs in the sixth ining, extending his hitting streak to seven games, launching a three-run homer in the eighth for his second longball of the season, which sees the 21-year-old batting .328 with 20 hits and 17 RBI in 18 games.
7-13 – CLINTON LUMBERKINGS (MID) RHP DON LEVINSKI registered seven solid innings for his side in their 2-1 triumph over the PEORIA CHIEFS. The 19-year-old native of Texas, struck out five of the eight batters he faced between the fifth and sixth frames, yielding one run and four hits with four walks, fanning nine total batters in the victory, to raise his record to 11-4. A second-round selection of the MONTREAL EXPOS in the 2001 June draft, he is now 6-0 with an ERA of just 0.85 since June 13.
7-14 – NICHOLAS LANDRY drew smiles and high fives as he paced outside OLYMPIC STADIUM today, wearing a sandwich board, at a rally to save the embattled MONTREAL EXPOS. A large crowd was filing in to see the visiting ATLANTA BRAVES on TIM RAINES bobblehead doll giveaway day and many fans stopped to sign a petition or to buy a T-shirt denouncing MLB commissioner BUD SELIG and his plan to move or eliminate the team through contraction. "Im still optimistic that they'll stay," said Landry, one of the team's too-few, die-hard fans. "They said they were going last year and they're still here." Organizers of the SAVE THE EXPOS rally were upbeat and further rallies are now planned for every Sunday home game for the rest of the 2002 season.
7-14 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) OF MICHAEL RESTOVICH, fresh off his strong performance in the 2002 Futures Game home run hitting contest, hit a pair of home runs totalling five RBI in their 7-6 loss to the CALGARY CANNONS. Restovich belted a two-run shot in the fourth inning, then notched a three-run blast in the fifth, doubling in the eighth for his third multi-homer game and second five-RBI performance of the season. The 23-year-old is batting .303 with 104 hits, including 24 doubles and 20 home runs, and 72 RBI through 91 games of his first season in Triple-A. 1B TODD SEARS reached base safely in his 37th consecutive game with the Trappers. The 26-year-old is hitting .404 with 11 doubles, seven homers, 29 RBI with 24 walks during his streak, beginning May 27.
7-15 – DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS (FSL) LHP DAVE GASSNER pitched a three-hit shutout at the BREVARD COUNTY MANATEES, 4-0, allowing just one base hit, a walk, while striking out four in winning his third straight start and improving to 9-5 with a 3.77 ERA. After yielding back-to-back hits with one out in the fifth inning, the 6'2", 190 pounder set down 14 of the final 15 batters he faced to record his first career shutout in two pro seasons. In his three outings in July, Gassner has limited opponents to just one run, 12 hits, two walks, while fanning 14 over 24.1 innings.
7-15 – MACON BRAVES (SAL) 1B SCOTT THORMAN knocked out a pair of homers and drove in six runs in a 10-0 win over the AUGUSTA GREEN JACKETS. The Canadian-born Thorman, who had a 21-game hitting streak stopped on July 8, connected on a three-run homer in both the first and fifth inning. A first-round pick of the ATLANTA BRAVES in 2000, Thorman homered twice and knocked in more than four runs for the first time in his career. RHP ZACH MINER struck out 10 batters over seven scoreless innings for the win, fanning the side in order in the fourth inning and struck out four of five batters between the sixth and the seventh innings. Overall, he allowed three singles and a walk to even his record at 6-6 with a 2.92 ERA. The 20-year-old has now tossed seven scoreless innings with three hits or less in three of his last four starts.
7-15 – OGDEN RAPTORS (PIO) 1B PRINCE FIELDER homered in the top of the 14th to lift his team over the BILLINGS MUSTANGS, 3-2. Fielder, who drove home a run on a groundout in the sixth, broke out of an 0-for-4 night with a leadoff shot over the centerfield wall, his fourth round-tripper in his last five games. The seventh player selected in last month's draft, he is batting .343 with 14 extra-base hits and 24 RBI in his first 26 games.
7-17 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) RHP SCOTT RANDALL won his 10th consecutive decision in their 10-1 rout over the PORTLAND BEAVERS, as he scattered six hits, issued one walk and fanned three batters over eight scoreless innings to improve his record to 10-0 with a 3.71 ERA in 15 starts since joing his new team. 1B TODD SEARS extended his streak of reaching base safely to 40 games, as he slapped an RBI single in the first inning and doubling home a run in the seventh, and is now batting .389 (58-for-149) with 12 doubles, seven homers and 31 RBI during his streak, which began on 27 May. OF MIKE RYAN smacked a pair of home runs with 4 RBI for the victors.
7-17 – OGDEN RAPTORS (PIO) 1B PRINCE FIELDER homered in his third consecutive game, a 15-7 win over the GREAT FALLS DODGERS, as he connected on a three-run homer in the third inning, his seventh longball of his first professional season, drawing a bases-loaded walk in the fourth. The 18-year-old, who had seven RBI over his last three games, is hitting .340 with 28 RBI, 22 runs and 20 walks over 27 games.
7-18 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) 1B TODD SEARS reached base safely in his 41st straight game, helping his team down the PORTLAND BEAVERS, 9-1, He was hit by a pitch in his first two plate appearances, but with one out in the seventh inning he crushed a three-run blast that extended his streak that began on 27 May, and is now batting .388 (59-for-152), with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 34 RBI over his last 41 games. LHP BRAD THOMAS allowed a run on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk issued over eight innings to pick up the win for their side.
7-19 – BUFFALO BISONS (IL) LHP CLIFF LEE pitched well in his Class-AAA debut as his group defeated the OTTAWA LYNX 3-2, allowing a run off six hits, striking out and walking three over six innings, for the win, being successful in his first contest against his old organization, improving to 3-1 with a 4.37 ERA in four starts since the deal with the CLEVELAND INDIANS that sent BARTOLO COLON over to the MONTREAL EXPOS.
7-20 – CALGARY CANNONS (PCL) OF ANDY ABAD went 3-for-3 with three doubles and five RBI in an 8-2 triumph at the NASHVILLE SOUNDS, as he had a pair of walks and scored a run, ripped a two-run double in the first inning, lined a run-scoring two-bagger in the fifth then collected another two-run double in the ninth, and now has 21 doubles in 76 games so far this 2002 season, one short of his career high.
7-21 – TACOMA RAINIERS (PCL) C PAT BORDERS homered twice and drove in four runs in a 15-5 loss to the MEMPHIS REDBIRDS.
7-22 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) RHP SCOTT RANDALL won his 11th consecutive decision in their 4-3 victory over the NEW ORLEANS ZEPHYRS, allowing two earned runs, scattered seven hits, issued one walk while fanning two batters in his fifth complete game, improving to 11-0 in 199 appearances this season, over 10 starts where he has posted a 9-0 record, with a 3.06 ERA.
7-22 – CALGARY CANNONS (PCL) RHP KEVIN OLSEN spun a three-hit shutout to help his side blank the NASHVILLE SOUNDS, 2-0, issuing a walk and fanned five, improving his record to 1-2 with a 2.76 ERA in four starts with the Cannons. The 25-year-old retired the first six batters and 13 of the final 14, inducing 17 flyouts overall in the second shutout of his career. Olsen started the 2002 season with the FLORIDA MARLINS, going 0-5 with a 4.53 ERA over 17 games before being optioned to Calgary.
7-22 – DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS (FSL) OF ALEXIS RIOS collected a career-high five hits and drove in a run to help his side defeat the LAKELAND TIGERS, 3-1. Rios, a first-round draft selection in 1999, recorded five singles, including a run-scoring base hit in the fifth inning, to raise his batting average to .321 with 105 hits and 48 RBI over 79 games.
7-22 – GULF COAST EXPOS (GCL) RHP DAVID THORNE struck out 10 batters over six innings for his side in a 3-2 triumph over the GULF COAST BRAVES, as the 20-year-old yielded two runs, one earned, scattering four hits with three walks to earn his first career win as a professional. Thorne, a native of Hornsby, Australia, fanned two batters in five of his six innings pitched and has a 1.50 ERA in six starts so far in the current campaign.
7-22 – CLEVELAND INDIANS utilityman IF/OF JOLBERT CABRERA was traded to the LOS ANGELES DODGERS in exchange for minor league LHP LANCE CARACCIOLOI, a 24-year-old, who had split the 2002 season between Class-AA JACKSONVILLE SUNS and the Class-AAA LAS VEGAS 51s. He started the season in Double-A, going 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA over 10 games and was 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA in five games at Triple-A. In 2001, Caraccioli was 10-5 with Class-A VERO BEACH DODGERS and Class-AA Jacksonville. Cabrera, 29, older brother of ORLANDO CABRERA of the MONTREAL EXPOS, and one of the most popular TRIBE players, spent most of this season in rehabilitation, in his efforts to recover from a bullet wound suffered during an off-season attempted carjacking in Colombia, playing at Triple-A BUFFALO BISONS, and his recovery had been slow. Now in his fifth season in the Indians orgnization, Cabrera appeared in only 38 games, batting a lowly .111 with just seven runs batted in, in two stints with the big league club. He had played in only 22 games for Buffalo, batting .264 with seven RBI.
7-23 – OGDEN RAPTORS (PIO) 1B PRINCE FIELDER finished 4-for-5 with three extra-base hits, totalling 3 RBI, in their 11-2 downing of the MEDICINE HAT BLUE JAYS. Fielder lined an RBI double in the first inning, singled and scored in the third, then led off the seventh with his ninth professional homer of the season, ripping a run-scoring double in the eighth and later scored his third run of the game. Overall, he collected an RBI in his eighth consecutive game, batting .353 with five home runs and 14 runs driven in over that span, and is currently eighth in the PIONEER LEAGUE in hitting with a .350 average, is second in homers and runs batted in (35) and third in slugging percentage (.650) and extra-base hits (19).
7-24 – 2B ORLANDO HUDSON made his long-awaited debut with the BLUE JAYS, starting in their 5-2 win over the BALTIMORE ORIOLES, committing an error on the first ball he fielded he also went 0-for-4 at the plate. Known as "O-DOG", he had been flying high with the SYRACUSE SKYCHIEFS, hitting .306 with 10 home runs and 37 runs batted in over 98 games. To make room on the Toronto roster JOE LAWRENCE, who had been hitting only .180 with 2 homers, was sent down to Triple-A. "He's going to be a good player. He has fun when he's playing the game and there's something to be said for it," stated BLUE JAYS GM J.P. RICCIARDI on profiling Hudson.
7-24 – OGDEN RAPTORS (PIO) 1B PRINCE FIELDER drove home a run in his ninth consecutive game, an 8-7 loss to the MEDICINE HAT BLUE JAYS. He finished the contest 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in and two walks, knocking home a run in the first inning on a groundout and slapped out an RBI single in the third inning, and now has 16 runs batted in over this stretch.
7-25 – PORTLAND SEA DOGS (EL) RHP JUSTIN WAYNE pitched his first career shutout in their 2-0 win over the BOWIE BAYSOX, yielding just two hits and striking out six batters without issuing a walk in his first-ever nine-inning complete game over his three-year career and third overall, retiring nine of the first 11 batters, surrendering only a single in both the first and fourth frames, then setting down the next 16 batters in order before one reached base on an error with two outs in the ninth. He then ended the contest appropriately by striking out the final batter with two outs in the ninth. Since joining Portland Wayne is 2-1 with a 1.99 ERA in three starts, and on the season has posted a record of 7-3 with a 2.30 ERA in 20 starts with just 89 hits allowed and 62 strikeouts over 112.2 innings.
7-25 – MEDICINE HAT BLUE JAYS (PIO) RHP CHARLES TALANAO threw a three-hit shutout at the MISSOULA OSPREY, 2-0, striking out a career-high 12 and did not issue a walk over nine innings to improve to 2-1 with a 4.96 ERA in eight starts. He struck out six of seven batters between the second and fourth innings and induced a total of 12 groundball outs. The 21-year-old had control problems in his first pro season with Medicine Hat last year, walking 33 and surrendering 65 hits in 55 innings. However, this season he has turned things around, recording 48 Ks and just 11 walks through 45.1 innings.
7-26 – TORONTO BLUE JAYS (AL) C DARRIN FLETCHER announced his retirement after playing in 1245 games in the big leagues. In 45 games this season, he had batted just .220 with three home runs and 22 runs batted in. "He is a true professional and we wish him and his family all the best," said BLUE JAYS GM J.P. RICCIARDI. "We know that this was a tough decision for Darrin, but he felt it was in the best interests of himself, his family and the team." The 6'2, 210-pounder joined the Toronto organization for the 1998 season, appearing in 540 games, batting .276 with 61 home runs and 268 RBI, after having played previously, from 1992 through 1997, with the MONTREAL EXPOS.
7-26 – HARRISBURG SENATORS (EL) RHP GERALDO CASADIEGO recorded his first Class-AA win, tossing seven solid innings of a combined four-hit shutout in their win over the BOWIE BAYSOX, 2-0. He yielded a run and two hits with four strikeouts over six frames in his first start on 21 July, scattering four hits and issuing a walk with three strikeouts, improving to 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA in these first two starts with the Senators. The 21-year-old retired eight of the first nine batters and seven of the final eight that he faced before being replaced by RHP BRIAN HEBSON, who struck out four of the six batters he faced over the final two innings, in picking up his fourth save. A first-round selection (44th overall) of the MONTREAL EXPOS in 1997, the 6'5", 200-pound hurler is recording a standout season, going 7-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 30 appearances, including three starts, and is holding opposing hitters to a .182 average, fanning 60 in 78 innings in his fifth professional season.
7-27 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) RHP SCOTT RANDALL recorded his 12th consecutive victory in their 4-2 triumph at the TACOMA RAINIERS, in yielding two unearned runs and six hits with six strikeouts and no walks issued over eight innings, improving to 12-0 with a 3.32 ERA in 20 outings, including 16 starts, this season. The 26-year-old, who signed with the MINNESOTA TWINS on 4 February 2002, began his sixth season of professional baseball with the NEW BRITAIN of the Class-AA EASTERN LEAGUE and went 2-0 in five starts with a 3.48 ERA, allowing 25 hits, striking out 19 batters and issuing just four walks over 31 innings. Following his promotion, he made his first start with the Trappers on 4 May and has gone 10-0 in 15 outings, including 11 starts, with a 3.25 ERA, and the 6'3", 200 pound hurler has fanned 40 batters and issued just 16 walks in 83 innings.
7-27 – VANCOUVER CANADIANS (NOR) RHP CHRIS DUNWELL and RHP JARED BURTON combined to toss the NORTHWEST LEAGUE's first no-hitter since 1993, helping their team blank the SPOKANE INDIANS, 8-0. In his third start of the season, Dunwell, selected in the 15th round by the OAKLAND ATHLETICS in the June draft, issued a pair of walks and struck out two batters over five innings to capture his first victory as a professional. The 22-year-old recorded nine outs among the first 10 batters he faced and retired the side in order in the fifth, extending his scoreless innings streak to 11.2 and dropping his batting average against to 1.49 in seven games. Burton, who was selected seven rounds prior to Dunwell, came on to make his fifth relief appearance in nine games this year and allowed one walk, striking out six, in four innings in earning his first save. The 6'5", 220-pound hurler recorded a pair of strikeouts in both the sixth and seventh frames and induced a fly out from each of the final two batters to give his team its first no-hitter since joining the league in 2000.
7-30 – HOUSTON ASTROS (NL) 3B JEFF BLUM experienced one of the biggest games of his MLB career in their 16-3 drubbing of the NEW YORK METS in New York, going 4-for-6 with 5 runs batted in, scoring three times, with a two-run triple, a home run, and two doubles.
7-30 – EDMONTON TRAPPERS (PCL) 3B CASEY BLAKE recorded a career-high seven RBI and homered twice in their 10-7 win at the TACOMA RAINIERS, as he began the day hitting .320 with 11 runs batted in for July, launched a grand slam with one out in the seventh inning and crushed a three-run blast in his next at-bat, for his third multi-homer game of this season. The 28-year-old surpassed his previous single-game high of five RBI, which he has accomplished several times over his seven-year professional career. Claimed off waivers by the MINNESOTA TWINS from the BALTIMORE ORIOLES on 12 October 2001, he became the fourth player in the PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE to record seven RBI in a game since 25 July, the seventh for the month of July, and the ninth of the season, and is now batting .299 with 112 hits, 16 doubles, 44 RBI and 64 runs in 97 games with Edmonton.
7-31 – DURHAM BULLS (PCL) C PETE LaFOREST, a Canadian-born native of Montibello, Quebec, went 4-for-4 in his Triple-A debut, on 25 July, against the PAWTUCKET RED SOX and won the contest with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning. Then he followed that with a three-run blast that highlighted a season-best 10-run fourth inning against the INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS two nights later, helping his side come from behind with a three-run blast in the seven-run 7th inning against the TOLEDO MUD HENS on 30 July, and is currently hitting .407 with three homers and 10 RBI in his first seven Class-AAA games.
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