KANNAPOLIS ~ Piedmont’s Greg Kubes was expecting a pitchers’ duel. What he got
was a lot of support from his teammates for a 7-1 win that made the tall left-hander the
first 10-game winner on the Boll Weevils’ strong pitching staff.The 6-foot-6 Kubes allowed the Charleston
Alley Cats only three hits over five innings under extremely hot and humid conditions at
Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, then got one-hit relief help from right-hander Jeremy Wedel
over the final four innings.
The victory was the second in two
nights for Piedmont on the current home stand and the third straight win in three nights
against the Alley Cats, who will play the Boll Weevils again here today at 2:05 p.m.
``It was kind of hot out
there,’’ said Kubes, pitching in the evening when the temperature reached 100
degrees earlier in the day. ``I was a little dizzy at first, but I kind of pulled through.
I got a lot of help from Carlos (Arroyo, the Boll Weevils’ pitching coach), putting
that towel on my head (between innings). That helped me out a lot. ... I was trying to go
out there and compete the best I could. After that first two innings ... the sun was going
down and I felt a little better out there.’’
He allowed no hits, walked two
batters and struck out four during those first two innings, then allowed the only run on a
walk, single, two stolen bases and an infield out in the third. He allowed two more hits
over the next two innings, then gave way to Wedel, who picked up his second save.
``The whole pitching staff’s
been doing a good job. Wedel picked me up today big-time, going those four innings and
giving up one hit. You can’t ask for anything better than that out of the
bullpen,’’ said Kubes, who now has one more victory than right-hander Brad
Baisley (9-7), who pitches this afternoon, and right-hander Derrick Turnbow (9-6).
``I was getting tired, and my arm
was pretty much getting tired too,’’ said Kubes (10-9), who praised his
teammates for both the defense behind him and the hitting against Charleston ace Jeremy
Affeldt (6-5), another southpaw. With Affeldt and his 3.12 earned run average on the mound
for the Alley Cats, Kubes, who has a 2.68 ERA, expected a low-scoring game.
``That guy: He throws the ball
good. I think he tired out too. He did good the last time we faced each other. He pitched
seven innings and gave up a run.... Our team: We were doing a good job of hitting him
today. We came out there and really hit the ball and made some good plays. ... I
can’t complain about us scoring seven runs,’’ said Kubes.
Alejandro Giron had his second
straight three-hit night, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs batted in to lead the
Boll Weevils’ 13-hit attack. Giron, 3-for-5 against the Alley Cats on Friday, has six
of Piedmont’s 29 hits off seven Charleston pitchers in the two home games.
``I’m feeling better (about
his hitting),’’ said the outfielder from the Dominican Republic after raising
his average to .285 and moving ahead of outfielder Jason Johnson (.282) to lead
Piedmont’s regulars. ``I’m trying to hit the ball the other way.
Everything’s better right now.’’
The right-handed hitter drove in a
run with a single to the opposite field in the first inning, got another RBI with a single
up the middle in the fifth and tripled to the gap in right-center to led off the seventh.
Ambiorix Reyes went 2-for-4 for
the winners, while Johnson and Alex Fajardo were each 2-for-5.
The Boll Weevils, who squared
their second-half record at 16-16, host the Alley Cats again Monday night in the finale of
the four-game series. A five-game road trip to Asheville and Charleston, S.C., will follow
Tuesday’s open date. |
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