These shots are from “Meet AND BEAT the Bees” at FunCity last night. You might say it was a “funtastic,” “funbelievable” event.
Your Bees are on the road to Grand Chute, Wisconsin, where they will try to extend their three-game winning streak. The Bees and the Timber Rattlers will play at 7:05 each of the next two nights.
The team’s back in town Saturday, starting a rare six-game series with Cedar Rapids. We’ll be making up a couple games that were snowed out at Cedar Rapids on April 11 and 12.
Infielder Kurt Mertins stands at third, next to manager Jim Gabella, after tripling in the Bees’ six-run second inning this afternoon against Wisconsin. Mertins also drove in the game-winning runs with a homer, and he went 3-for-3, with two walks and two RBI in the team’s third-straight win.
Catcher Jeff Howell also homered, collected three hits, and drove in two runs. The top three hitters in the batting order — outfielder Derrick Robinson and middle infielders Jeff Bianchi and Chris McConnell — each collected two hits.
Winning pitcher Aaron Hartsock (2-1) pitched the final 2.1 innings, giving up his first earned run of the month, and stranding the potential tying run at third to end the game.
The Bees and the T-Rats wrap up this four-game series with two contests in Wisconsin. Your Bees will be back in town Saturday for a 6 p.m. doubleheader against Cedar Rapids.
The Kansas City Royals have promoted Jason Godin to the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The right-handed pitcher is the third Bee who has been promoted to KC’s high-A affiliate in the Carolina League. Godin joins former Bees teammates Marc Maddox and Yovany D’Amico in Delaware.
In seven appearances for the Bees, Godin was 1-1 with a 1.84 ERA. He struck out 20 batters in 29.1 innings. Opponents hit just .175 against him; right-handed batters just .103.
Right-handed pitcher Ed Cegarra joins the Bees today. The 18-year-old made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, going 3-1 with a 1.39 ERA in 11 games. Cegarra, who has been at extended spring training, is the youngest player on the Bees’ roster. He will work out of the bullpen.
Brady Everett homered, doubled, and scored two runs in the Bees’ 6-4 win over Wisconsin on Tuesday night.
The Bees also got solo homers from Matt Morizio and Michael Thompson (his 10th).
These students from Franklin (Illinois) High School made Tuesday night’s Bees game part of their senior-class trip to Burlington. The group from three hours away hit several other destinations around town, including FunCity, Starr’s Cave, Crapo Park, and Snake Alley.
These fans were rightfully proud after catching a foul ball in the Budweiser Party Deck.
Your Bees avoided a series sweep yesterday afternoon at Clinton, shutting out the LumberKings, 3-0, on Memorial Day.
Mario Santiago pitched six innings of two-hit ball, and Matt Campbell followed up with three shutout innings, giving the Bees their league-best seventh shutout of the season.
Kurt Mertins broke up the scoreless game when he doubled in O.D. Gonzalez, who had doubled to lead off the eighth inning.
In the ninth inning, Jeremy Jirschele cushioned the Bees’ margin with a two-run shot to left — his second home run of the season.
The Bees are back in town, welcoming the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for a couple games. The teams play tonight at 7 and tomorrow at noon on Work Release Wednesday, then they take the series north for a couple games in Grand Chute.
All children are invited to challenge the Bees players in the games at FunCity this Wednesday evening from 6 to 7:30.
“Meet AND BEAT the Bees” includes bowling, lazer tag, go-cart racing, pop-a-shot basketball, and arcade games. It’s your chance to hang out with the Bees, and it’s absolutely FREE!
Earlier that same day, we’re hosting Work Release Wednesday — a special NOON-START game. Break out of your mid-week routine and come kick back at The Hive as your Bees host Wisconsin. If you’re like most people, you’re probably going to eat lunch that day, so you might as well do it here at the ball park while you take in a Bees game. Gate opens at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
For the second game in a row, the Clinton LumberKings used a three-run inning to edge the Bees here at The Hive.
Last night, the LumberKings brought all of their runs across in the second frame en route to a 3-2 win. Both of the Bees’ runs came on a home run by first baseman Jase Turner in the ninth inning.
The teams move their series to Clinton for two games: 2 o’clock starts each of the next two days at Alliant Energy Field. If you’re not making the trip, why not tune in to Randy and spend a nice relaxing holiday-weekend afternoon listening to the Voice of the Bees’ play by play? As always, you can follow the action on the Bees Radio Network — 1490 KBUR and 1360 The Ticket — or at www.gobees.com.
Your Bees are back in town come Tuesday, when we welcome Wisconsin for a couple games, wrapping up the 19-game home schedule for the month of May.
The next three home games, you can head to the souvenir store and vote for the “Player of the Month,” sponsored by The Drake Restaurant & Bar. When you vote, you’re giving yourself a chance to win a free meal to our upcoming “Baseball Day at The Drake Courtyard” on Sunday, June 3rd at 6 p.m. More on that in future posts.
Here are your candidates, listed with their May stats through last night:
Brady Everett
#8 Catcher
.298 average, 14 hits, 7 runs, 6 RBI in 15 games
Aaron Hartsock
#11 Right-Handed Pitcher
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 8 strikeouts in 13.2 innings pitched
Michael Thompson
#44 Third Baseman
.241 average, 20 hits, 5 home runs, 10 runs, 13 RBI
We’ll announce the May Player of the Month in a ceremony before our June 2 game.
Three is Clinton’s magic number
The Clinton LumberKings scored three runs in the third inning, and that’s all they needed last night, defeating the Bees 4-2 on Fireworks Friday.
Jeff “Howl for” Howell drove in both Bees runs and hit a solo shot in the ninth inning.
Your Bees and the L-Kings play here at 6 tonight. We’re giving away Luke Hochevar posters, sponsored by Doran & Ward Printing. It’s Educator Appreciation Night. All school employees are encouraged to celebrate the end of the school year here: free admission with school I.D. at the main gate. It’s also Long John Silver’s/A&W Friends and Family Night Saturday.
Being Memorial Day weekend, it seems like a fitting time to post these photos from the Armed Forces Day tribute here a week ago. We thank Dan Hockett for sharing his photographs with us.
Thank you to World War II combat vet. Newt Colburn, Sr. (pictured here with Buzz), who was instrumental in coordinating a well-organized pre-game ceremony of our troops and veterans.
Thanks again to Linda Long and the members of Supporting Our Families and Troops (S.O.F.T.) for putting so much into Armed Forces Day 2007!
All the above photos by Dan Hockett
Start your Memorial Day weekend off right. Come cheer on your Bees and see if they can extend this two-game winning streak.
We wrap up this 10-game home stand with games tonight and tomorrow night against Clinton here at The Hive.
Join us tonight at 7 for FIREWORKS FRIDAY, sponsored by Budweiser, J&M Displays, the Hit Music Channel Hot 97 Dot 3, and Big Country 103.1. It’s also Sponsor Appreciation Night, when we thank all of the area businesses who keep their name in the community by supporting Bees baseball.
Tomorrow at 6, we’re giving away LUKE HOCHEVAR POSTERS to the first 1,000 fans through the gate. Here’s a preview of this 10″x13.5″ poster, sponsored by Doran & Ward printing. Hochevar made history last season as the only first-overall draft pick to play for your Bees.
Saturday is EDUCATOR APPRECIATION NIGHT. All school employees get in free when they show their school I.D. at the main gate! It’s also FRIENDS AND FAMILY NIGHT. After the game, all fans can run the bases, sponsored by Long John Silver’s/A&W and KCPS 1150 AM.
