Tag Archives: Bragan Field

Hendricks reflects on All-Star experience

Tennessee Smokies starter Kyle Hendricks gave up two earned runs in one inning during Wednesday's Southern League All-Star Game. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

Tennessee Smokies starter Kyle Hendricks gave up two earned runs in one inning during Wednesday’s Southern League All-Star Game. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

Kyle Hendricks’ first moment at Bragan Field was a memorable one. With adrenaline flowing in front of a record crowd of 9,373 fans Wednesday night, the Tennessee Smokies hurler made his first career All-Star start for the Southern League’s North Division team in Jacksonville.

The 23-year-old right-hander ran into trouble in the opening frame as he faced five batters and allowed two earned runs on 15 pitches. Hendricks, who is 9-3 on the season with a 2.03 ERA, said the South Division lineup made contact on what he felt were good pitches.

“I was just trying to go up there and throw my two-seam, get it to sink and get a couple of ground balls,” Hendricks said. “They hit a couple of good pitches and there’s nothing you can do about that. That happens some days.”

Hendricks raved about the All-Star lineup he faced, in particular Jacksonville Suns outfielder and Miami Marlins fourth-rated prospect Jake Marisnick.

“He’s a really good ballplayer,” Hendricks said. “We’ve never faced him before so I didn’t know anything about him and he hit a ground-ball single up the middle off me but watching him these last two games, he’s going to be a really good ballplayer in the future.”

In his first year with pitching coach Jeff Fassero (right), Hendricks is 9-3 with a 2.03 ERA. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

In his first year with pitching coach Jeff Fassero (right), Hendricks is 9-3 with a 2.03 ERA. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

Marisnick led the game off for the South Division with a single to center field, setting the table for Mobile BayBears outfielder Justin Greene, who took advantage of a 2-1 pitch and laced it to right field for a triple to score Marisnick and give the South a 1-0 edge. Mobile third baseman Nick Evans followed in the next at-bat and scored Greene on a RBI-single to put Hendricks and the North in a 2-0 deficit. The Tennessee ace induced a 5-4-3 double play from Mississippi Braves third baseman Edward Salcedo to end the inning.

Despite taking the loss in a 6-0 defeat at the hands of the South Division, the first-year Southern Leaguer left the All-Star festivities impressed by what he saw.

“This [All-Star game] was awesome,” Hendricks said. “You know it’s kind of weird being around the guys you compete against when you go out there. You’re trying to get these guys out, or our position guys are trying to get hits off these guys, and then you’re buddies. It’s kind of weird in the beginning but it was an awesome experience. All the events [Jacksonville] threw were great and just to play in the game it was an honor.”

Hendricks earned the starting honor due in part to his success at Smokies Park. In eight starts at home, the righty is 5-1 with a 0.68 ERA while having allowed just four earned runs.

Hendricks will make his first start since the All-Star game and this Monday, as Tennessee hosts Jacksonville for the final game of their five-game series. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.

To stay current with all the latest news, follow Smokies on Radio on Twitter and like the Smokies on Radio Facebook page.  Nick Roark is a Broadcast & Media Assistant for the Smokies Radio Network.  You can follow him on Twitter here: NickRoark4.

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Filed under 2013 Smokies Feature, Game Preview, Game Recap

Smokies, North All-Stars fall in Southern League All Star Game

Smokies teammates Rafael Lopez and Kyle Hendricks talk during the 2013 Southern League All Star Game. (Photo courtesy: Jacksonville Suns)

Smokies teammates Rafael Lopez and Kyle Hendricks talk during the 2013 Southern League All Star Game. (Photo courtesy: Jacksonville Suns)

The Southern League South Division All Star team defeated the North Division 6-0 Wednesday night at Bragan Field in Jacksonville.

Smokies pitcher and North Division starter Kyle Hendricks took the loss after giving up two runs on three hits in the first inning. Smokies pitcher Alberto Cabrera pitched a scoreless third inning, striking out one batter. Mobile pitcher and South Division starter David Holmberg got the win.

At the plate, the four Smokies’ position players were held hitless. Both leadoff hitter Matt Szczur and shortstop Arismendy Alcantara went 0-for-2. Szczur grounded out in the first inning and popped out to Mississippi catcher Christian Bethancourt in the fourth. Alcantara grounded out twice.

Third baseman Christian Villanueva went 0-for-3 and left three runners on base. He grounded into a double play in the second, grounded out to Pensacola pitcher Tim Crabbe in the fifth and popped out to Montgomery first baseman Cameron Seitzer in the seventh.

Villanueva competed in the home run derby prior to the All Star Game. He was eliminated in the first round after failing to hit a home run.

Reserve catcher Rafael Lopez went 0-for-1 with a fly out to Jacksonville outfielder Jake Marisnick in the 8th inning.

The Smokies return to Smokies Park tonight to begin a five-game series with the Jacksonville Suns. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

To stay current with all the latest news, follow Smokies on Radio on Twitter and like the Smokies on Radio Facebook page. Matthew Osborne is a Broadcast and Media Intern for the Smokies Radio Network. You can follow Matthew on Twitter here: @themindoftheoz

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Kyle Hendricks named North Division starting pitcher

Tennessee Smokies pitcher Kyle Hendricks was named the Southern League North Division starter Monday afternoon. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

Tennessee Smokies pitcher Kyle Hendricks was named the Southern League North Division starter Monday afternoon. (Photo Courtesy: Roger C. Hoover)

Tennessee Smokies starter Kyle Hendricks was announced as the North Division starting pitcher Monday afternoon for the Southern League All-Star Game on July 17th in Jacksonville. Hendricks is 8-3 on the season with a 2.13 ERA

This is the first Southern League selection for Hendricks after the right-hander spent the first two seasons of his professional career in the Texas Rangers organization.

“It’s a great honor to be able to start the All-Star game,” Hendricks said Monday evening. “It’s not really a goal you had in mind but just making the All-Star team is great and, on top of that, being able to start is a huge honor.”

Monday’s announcement is the latest honor for Hendricks, who was named the Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Month in May and Southern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 10th.

This year marks the second career All-Star selection for Hendricks, who was named a 2012 Carolina League Mid-Season All-Star while with Class-A Myrtle Beach. The righty did not start the game but pitched the seventh inning and allow no hits while striking out Cincinnati Reds prospect Billy Hamilton.

“It’s definitely a step up getting the start [this year],” Hendricks said. “It’s a testament to our whole team though. I mean you’ve got to have guys behind you making plays and you’ve got to have runs scored to get the win so it’s pretty much a team effort to get me there.”

Hendricks, who came to the Cubs organization in the Ryan Dempster deal, is 7-2 in his last 12 starts with a 1.80 ERA.

Hendricks will be opposed by South Division starter and Mobile’s David Holmberg. Holmberg is 5-4 on the season with a 2.41 ERA in 18 starts. Jacksonville has not hosted the Southern League All-Star Game since the 2003 season a decade ago.

To stay current with all the latest news, follow Smokies on Radio on Twitter and like the Smokies on Radio Facebook page.  Nick Roark is a Broadcast & Media Assistant for the Smokies Radio Network.  You can follow him on Twitter here: NickRoark4.

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Filed under 2013 Smokies Feature, 2013 Southern League Player Feature