Lansing Lugnuts at South Bend SilverHawks
April 4th, 2002
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E-Lopez, Haydel, LOB LAN-8, SB-2, 2B-Cedeno, Coats, Loeb, SACB-Lopez, SACF-Johnson
WP-Ellis, Holsten, HBP-Vugteveen (Guzman), SO-Haydel, Janz
U-Hanson, Barry
T-2:12, A-1,017
South Bend Tribune
by Forrest Miller
As the temperature dropped from 36 degrees at the start to 33 at the finish. Lansing rightt hander Angel Guzman heated up.
A 6 fot 2, 20 year old native of Venezuela, Guzman allowed only two hits through eight innings, struck out eight and walked no one, pitching the Lansing Lugnuts to a 2-1 victory over South Bend in the Midwest League baseball opener Thursday night at Coveleski Stadium.
"I didn't expect him to pitch like that, but he was aggressive and did a great job under these conditions." said Lansing manager Julio Garcia, "He had some quick innings and kept his pitch count down. We had him on an 85 pitch count."
Guzman threw only 76 pitches before turning things over to Steve Ellis in the ninth.
South Bend centerfielder Lino Garcia greeted Ellis with a single and advanced to Mike Lopez's sacrifice. Garcia went to third on a wild pitch, but Ellis struck out Rick Haydel and Jeramy Janz to end it.
About 200 fans braved the weather. The announced attendence which includes ticket sales was 1,017
Many of the SilverHawks, including pitching coach James Keller, had seen Guzman before. He pitched for Boise in the Northwest League last year.
"He makes you hit his pitch, he keeps the ball down and throws strikes," noted Keller, "He pitched tonight just like he did in Boise." He made the Northwest League all star team on the way to a 9-1 record and a 2.23 ERA in 77 innings.
The hard luck loser was Ryan Holsten, who would take this kind of performance everytime out. A graduate of Fairfield College in Connecticut, he's used to the cold.
"I knew we weren't going to score a lot of runs in this weather, but we've got a lot of good bats on this team, and we will score a lot. Our defense really played well. In college, I usually didn't get to pitch outdoors untill our season started. I know how to pitch in the cold. I know what batters don't like," said Holsten, who signed quickly after being drafted in the 22nd round, and in a couple of days was on a plane to Missoula, Mont. were he led the Pioneer League in innings pitched.
"I had used up my eligibility, so I didn't have many options, " added Hosten who threw just 79 pitches in six and two thirds innings.
"Ryan had a good spring, and took it right into the season," said South Bend manager Dick Schofield, "He pitched like this all of last summer"
The only time the SilverHawks were able to dent Guzman was in the second inning. After two were out, Dustin Vugteveen was nicked by pitch, and Bryan Loeb drove a RBI doubel down the left field line.
THe only other hit off Guzman was a single by Kyle Nichols in the seventh. The Hawks hit only three fly balls off Guzman, who signes as a non drafted free agent by Kansas City in 1999. The contract was voided a couple of months later and the Cubs signed him later that year.
Ronny Cedeno's double and J.J. Johnson's RBI singles enabled the Luggies to tie it in the fourth. After on out in the seventh, Corby Slavik singled. He tried to reach third when Hector Millano reached on an error by Lopez, but was shot down by left fielder Janz.
Buck Coats greeted reliever Heath Heiberger with an RBI single that plated the go ahead run. As it turned out, it was also the winning run. Coats and Brad Bouras had two hits each for Lanisng.