6 July 2007

Who’s hot in the CCBL

By Matt Rice
GateHouse News Service
Fri Jul 06, 2007, 06:00 AM EDT 

Brewster - Batters:
    Addison Johnson (Chatham)- The A’s center fielder is on fire lately, riding an eight-game hitting streak and scoring a league high 14 runs so far this season. During the past eight games, he’s batted .424 (14-33) with nine runs scored. He’s currently batting .323 and leads the team with 20 hits and five stolen bases. 

    Yonder Alonso (Brewster)- Playing in 11 games for the Whitecaps this summer, Alonso went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored during Brewster’s 5-3 win over East division leader Y-D on Wednesday. The Brewster first baseman is currently second in the league with six doubles and currently carries a .333 average, which is second in the division behind Y-D’s Jason Castro. He’s first in the East with a .459 on-base percentage.

    Dennis Raben (Orleans)- With the Cardinals dead last in the league in team batting (.207), Raben has cemented himself as their top offensive producer. He currently leads the team in average (.276), runs (11), hits (16), total bases (35), RBI (16), slugging (.603) and on-base percentage (.380). He also has four homeruns on the season and in 17 games in the Orleans outfield, hasn’t committed an error.

    Steve Strausbaugh (Harwich)- Making his second appearance in the Cape League, Harwich outfielder Strausbaugh is second on the team with a .281 average (16-57) and leads the team with nine RBI. Last year, as a member of the Y-D Red Sox, he batted .225 after a hot start, but knocked in a league high four RBI during the teams championship run. In 16 games in the outfield for the Mariners so far this year, he’s only committed one error.

Pitchers:
    Ben Hornbeck (Brewster)- In seven games pitched this season, Whitecaps reliever ranks fifth in the East division with a 1.32 ERA after giving up only two earned runs in 13.2 innings pitched.
During Brewster’s 5-3 win over Y-D on Wednesday, Hornbeck pitched a perfect two innings of relief of starter Ryan Cook. Hornbeck entered the game in the sixth and proceeded to strikeout five batters in two innings while giving up one hit. He’s struck out 16 hitters compared to walking just eight so far this summer.

    Nick Christiani (Orleans)- The league’s saves leader with four, Christiani hasn’t given up an earned run in seven appearances. In nine innings pitched, he’s allowed just four hits while striking out 10 and walking two. Against Cotuit on Monday, Christiani picked up the loss after allowing an unearned run to cross the plate in the top of the ninth during the Cardinals 1-0 loss. 

    Kevin Couture (Chatham)- One of the A’s top relievers, Couture gave up his first earned run of the season during Chatham’s 4-3 win over Falmouth on Tuesday. Despite allowing the run, his ERA currently stands at .63 in six games pitched, good for fourth in the league. In more than 14 innings pitched, he’s allowed eight hits while striking out 10 batters and walking two. 

    Evan Crawford (Harwich)- The Mariners reliever has been lights out so far this season, allowing just one earned run in seven games pitched. He has a team-low .61 ERA, which is third in the league. He’s also third in the league with 24 strikeouts. Crawford pitched two hit-less innings during the Mariners 2-0 win over Brewster on Tuesday. He struck out three while walking a batter. In just over 14 innings pitched, the junior from Auburn has given up just five hits.