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Flyers Weekly, Volume XXIV, Issue 20 - August 2, 1971

Though the Flyers won five of six last week, the Ospreys went 5-1 also, so Carolina only keeps pace with Jacksonville, still two games behind as the calendar turns to August. After finishing the homestand with three games against Atlanta (including Batting Glove Day on Wednesday), the club gets a day off before beginning a ten-game road trip with three at Tampa.


Last Week's Results

July 26 - vs MIA - W 4-2

Matt Halstead (6 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K) wins his eighth straight decision on Retro Game Day at State Fair Park, while Dale Francis hits a homer in the 3rd that also scores Russ Roderick (3 for 5).

W - Halstead (9-3)
SV - Hodgkins (25)
HR - Francis (12)

July 27 - vs MIA - L 3-4

After Keith Becker (3 1/3 IP, 3 R, 9 H, 1 BB, 4 K) makes an early exit, the bullpen of Houston (2/3 IP, 1 K), Jahnke (2 1/3 IP, 1 H, 2 K), Thorn (2/3 IP, 1 K) and Bingham (1 IP, 1 K) shut down the Meteors until Steven Robinson can tie the game in the 7th with a two-run single. Unfortunately, Justin Randolph (1 IP, 1 R, 2 H), making his sixth appearance in the last seven games, allows a single, a stolen base, and another single for a Miami run in the 9th. Francis goes 3 for 5 with an RBI in the losing effort.

L - Randolph (9-3)

July 28 - vs MIA - W 8-1

Alan Bruns (2B, 4 RBI) and Steven Robinson (2 R, RBI, 3 SB) both go 3 for 4, and Dale Francis extends a career-high twelve-game hitting streak with a 2 for 5 night, including a double, a run, and two RBIs. Fifteen Flyers hits provide plenty of scoring for Bud Fox (7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 6 K) to get his third win of the season in a game where Meteors manager Curtis Flowers is ejected arguing a play at first in the 3rd inning.

W - Fox (3-3)

July 29 - OFF

July 30 - vs TAM - W 5-4

Francis extends his hitting streak to thirteen in style with a walkoff single to left that scores Roderick (2 for 5, 2B) from second with the game winner. After George Thorn (0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB) put two on with nobody out in the 8th, Terry Bingham (2 IP, 1 H) does allow the single that scores the tying run but pitches a very quick 9th to give the Flyers a chance to win. Steven Robinson goes 3 for 4 with a double, scoring twice, while Matt Kirk is ejected in the 7th after he strikes out looking.

W - Bingham (4-1)

July 31 - vs TAM - W 1-0

Halstead (7 IP, 5 H, 3 K), Randolph (2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K), Thorn (1/3 IP, 2 H) and Hodgkins (1 IP, 1 K) combine to hold the Tomahawks without a run or a walk, while Jack Lowe's RBI-single in the 2nd stands up as the game winner.

W - Halstead (10-3)
SV - Hodgkins (26)

Before Sunday's game, the CBA Press Office announces the monthly award winners, and Carolina's Matt Halstead is named Eastern Division Pitcher of the Month! Matt was 5-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his six July starts. In 37 1/3 innings, Halstead struck out twenty-seven and walked just four for a WHIP of 0.94 last month. Overall, his 2.47 ERA tops the league, while his ten wins puts him in a three-way tie for fifth.

In transaction news, the club announces two contract extensions: a one-year deal at $1.2 million for Matt Kirk, and a three-year deal at $8.0 million for Dale Francis.

Aug 1 - vs TAM - W 3-2

Becker (7 2/3 IP, 1 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 7 K) hurls a gem while Roderick goes 2 for 3 with a double, a run and an RBI, but it's an error by Tomahawks 3B Jack Thomas that scores Francis (2 for 4) with the eventual game winner in the 8th. Hodgkins (1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 K) puts the tying run on second with nobody out in the 9th but manages to keep it there with a sacrifice fly, a punch out and a fly out to left.

W - Becker (7-6)
SV - Hodgkins (27)

Last week: 5 - 1
This month: 1 - 0 (17 - 9 in July)
Overall: 62 - 43, 2nd, -2 of Jacksonville


Who's Hot

Dale Francis
Last 6 games: 11-25 (.440), 1 HR, 6 RBI

Steven Robinson
Last 6 games: 9-21 (.429), 0 HR, 3 RBI

Alan Bruns
Last 6 games: 8-20 (.400), 0 HR, 5 RBI

Matt Halstead
Last 3 games: 3-0, 0.95 ERA, 19 IP

Calvin Thayer
Last 3 games: 2-1, 2.53 ERA, 21 1/3 IP

Who's Not

Mike Weber
Last 5 games: 2-18 (.111), 0 HR, 2 RBI

Dave Powell
Last 6 games: 3-21 (.143), 0 HR, 1 RBI


A Closer Look - Single-A Columbus

Columbus stands third amongst Eastern Division A-ball affiliates at 54-51. Anybody who could hit the ball is long since gone to Hickory, but the young pitchers are still looking good, led by left-handed starter Lowell Tincher (age 22, 8-9, 3.33, WHIP 1.27) and relievers Wilbert Cagle (age 21, 7-2, 24 SV, 2.26, WHIP 1.24) and Rick Wilhoit (age 20, 2.09 in 38 2/3 IP, WHIP 1.29).


The View From The Top (The Manager's Column)

I don't know what more we have to do to make up ground in this division! It's very frustrating to win, look up at the scoreboard, and see that Jacksonville won too... every... single... night!

Dale Francis is now on a fifteen game hitting streak that started in his second game with us. When we traded for him, he was hitting .220 in July with a .712 OPS, six runs and six RBIs. He finished July with a .290 average for the month, a .799 OPS, twelve runs and twenty-two RBIs. So I think he's worth a raise from $6.8 to $8 mil, don't you?

We also gave Matt Kirk an extension, just in case he decides not to retire. If he returns, that will be quite a bargain for $1.2 million...

Wayman and Roderick will both be free agents next year, but Putman will be starting at first in two years at most, while Davidson is the second baseman of the future.

Wayman will be returning from the DL this weekend, so we'll have all the batters healthy for the first time in a while... come down and see us before we hit the road again!