South Atlantic League honors Intimidators pitcher

By Bill Kiser
Kannapolis Citizen
Kannapolis starter Johnnie Lowe became the first Intimidators player to earn a league honor this season after he was named the South Atlantic League’s pitcher of the week.
The 23-year-old righthander did not give up an earned run in 12 innings over two appearances for the period between April 28 and May 4, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out 10 batters.
Lowe, a sixth-round pick by the Chicago White Sox in the 2007 Draft, opened the week with six shutout innings against Lakewood (N.J.) on April 29, giving up four hits and three walks while striking out six. However, Lowe did not get the decision as the Blue Claws rallied in the ninth inning for a 5-4 win.
But Lowe topped that in his next start against Lake County on May 4, throwing a two-hit shutout over six innings during Kannapolis’ 1-0, seven-inning victory over the Captains in the first game of a doubleheader.
For the season, Lowe is 2-3 with a 3.99 ERA in six starts, with 25 strikeouts and 12 walks over 291⁄3 innings.

I’s set season highs
The Intimidators set season marks for runs scored and hits during a 13-8 win over Lake County (Ohio) on May 5.
Kannapolis pounded out 17 hits against five different Captains pitchers, with six Intimidators finishing with two or more hits each.
Three players — Jim Gallagher, Logan Johnson and Jose Martinez — had three hits apiece, with Sergio Morales, John Curtis and Christian Marrero getting two each.

I’s roster moves
Kannapolis made a pair of roster moves last week, putting pitcher Leroy Hunt on the disabled list at the same time as pitcher Miguel Socolovich came off it.
Hunt, a reliever, was 1-1 with two saves and a 1.29 ERA in seven appearances for the Intimidators before going on the DL on April 30.
Socolovich, who was put on the disabled list on April 18, was 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA in three starts. He also had nine walks and nine strikeouts in 10 innings.

Who’s hot, who’s not
HOT: The Intimidators — have won four out of five games in the month of May, getting back-to-back wins on May 1-2 to split a four-game series with Lakewood, then taking two of three from Lake County.
NOT: Kannapolis’ hitting — despite the recent run of wins, the Intimidators are still at the bottom of the South Atlantic League with a .234 batting average.
HOT: Logan Johnson — the Intimidators’ third baseman leads the team with a .333 batting average (tied for ninth in the South Atlantic League), four home runs and 14 RBIs.
NOT: Greg Paimi, Andrew Mead and Danny Jordan — all three Kannapolis players are hitting below the “Mendoza line.” Paimi currently has a .195 batting average, Mead is at .155 and Jordan is at .143.