To make things easier for our loyal suscribers we will adopt a new format of
providing news involving AUSTRALIAN Players in yellow text, while 
news about former AMLB IMPORT Players will be in white text.

4 MAY 2008 - HUBER & RRS IN ACTION AGAIN!

Ryan
Rowland-Smith

Justin Huber

Paul LoDuca

Australian relief pitcher RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH may not have enjoyed his outing yesterday, but he will have the privilege of recounting for his grandchildren many years into the future how he played at the famous Yankee Stadium in its final year of existence. Ryan took over to start the bottom of the eighth inning for the Seattle Mariners and, unfortunately, he allowed the game to slip further away in what was to be a 1-5 loss to the moderately performed 2008 New York Yankees' team. It all started a little unfortunately for him when veteran slugger Bobby Abreu poked a soft floater that dropped in front of M's centre fielder Ichiro Suzuki. He had two on board when next batter Shelley Duncan lined a single to left field. It looked a little better when when he out-battled Japanese hero Hideki Matsui for a nine pitch swinging strike out, but he quickly loaded the bases when he "lost" left hand hitter Jason Giambi on a six pitch full-count walk. He couldn't complain too much when he handed over a one out, bases loaded jam to righty bullpen mate Sean Green who promptly banked two earned runs for our Rowland-Smith. Green allowed a RBI single to Morgan Ensberg, then another of Ryan's runs when Jose Vidro lifted a sacrifice fly. His not-so impressive line yesterday was ultimately recorded as 0.1ip 2h 2er 1bb 1k (6.23ERA). 

Aussie hitter JUSTIN HUBER would also have liked to have contributed more for the San Diego Padres after starting at left field and batting in the #7-hole in their 4-6 loss to the Florida Marlins. Justin couldn't seem to square up the fastball offerings of 'Fish' lefty starter Mark Hendrickson yesterday. It all started in the top of the third when he led off the inning with a fly out to left field then, similarly, when he flied out to centre field on his first pitch with none on and one out in the top of the fifth. His unproductive day ended when he was jammed on an inside fastball and he flied out softly to the short stop with none on and one out in the top of the seventh frame. His season record slumped with his 0-3 (.200) game yesterday.

In other MLB action:

Toronto Blue Jays slugger VERNON WELLS (Sydney Storm 1999) has enjoyed an upsurge in his hitting against the Chicago White Sox with two great performances this past weekend. Wells batted a massive 3-5 (.271) with three RBI's for the BJ's in their 5-2 win today and 2-3 in their 2-0 victory yesterday. 

PAUL LoDUCA (Adelaide Giants 1995) returned to big league action with the Washington Nationals for the weekend series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates with some success. 'Paulie' batted 1-1 as a pinch hitter in their 4-11 loss yesterday, then 1-3 (.231) in their narrow 9-8 win today. 

Los Angeles Angels outfielder GARY MATTHEWS JNR. (Brisbane Bandits 1997) batted what would appear to be a miserable 0-3 (.223) today but, as a baseball lesson for the uneducated, he did deliver two of his team's game-winning RBI's in a tough 3-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. His two runs came via a neat sacrifice fly and a hard-hit fielder's choice out. You don't have to hit safely to play a big offensive role!

1 MAY 2008 - HUBER & ROWLAND-SMITH IN ACTION!

Ryan
Rowland-Smith

Kevin Millwood

Justin Huber

Aussie reliever RYAN ROWLAND-SMITH was back in action today for the Seattle Mariners, mopping up the last inning of their 3-8 defeat by the Cleveland Indians. Rowland-Smith put plenty of pressure on himself starting when Jason Michaels crushed a leadoff double on a fly ball to left field in the bottom of the eighth. He then loaded the bags with none out by issuing a full-count walk to Asdrubal Cabrera, followed by a five pitch walk to Grady Sizemore. After a coaching visit to the mound he then eased the pressure a fraction by getting Jamey Carroll to pop up with an infield fly to the short stop. This allowed him to escape the jam in impressive fashion when he had hard-hitting catcher Victor Martinez ground out into an inning ending double-play to the third baseman. Ryan’s line today was 1.0ip 1h 0er 2bb 0k (4.32ERA).

In today’s other MLB action:

Veteran starter KEVIN MILLWOOD (Melbourne Monarchs 1997) collected his second win of the season with 6.1ip 7h 5er 2bb 2k to help his Texas Rangers to top the Kansas City Royals in a high scoring 11-9 game. His record improved to 2-2, 3.86ERA.

MATT HERGES (Adelaide Giants 1999) also pitched short relief with 0.2ip 1h 0er 0bb 0k (2.08ERA) for the Colorado Rockies during their 2-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

… and from yesterday’s MLB games:

Australia’s 20th major leaguer JUSTIN HUBER made another start for the San Diego Padres today, playing at left field and batting in the #6 slot during a 4-7 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Justin had three plate appearances facing Phillies’ ace starter Cole Hamels, before being substituted for pinch hitter Paul McAnulty with one on and one out in the top of the ninth inning. His first plate appearance resulted in a five pitch walk with two out in the top of the second inning. Huber next grounded out to the second baseman in the top of the fifth before striking out swinging at a nasty change-up with two out in the top of the seventh inning. It ended a 0-2 (.227) day for him on this occasion.

RON MAHAY (Gold Coast Cougars 1996) pitched a very useful 2.1ip 2h 0er 0bb 0k (2.02ERA) in long middle-relief for the Kansas City Royals to help them to overcome a early exit for their starter Brett Tomko in a 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers.

Helping his Los Angeles Angels to blank the Oakland A’s in a 2-0 shutout was GARY MATTHEWS JNR. (Brisbane Bandits 1997) who batted 1-4 (.234) with one of his team’s vital RBI’s.

GEOFF BLUM (Hunter Eagles 1995) smacked a huge three-RBI double while batting 1-4 (.208) for the Houston Astros in their 6-4 win over the high-rolling Arizona Diamondbacks.