Pitching Matchups/Game of the Day 6/24/11

6:35pm
Trenton Thunder (Phil Hughes NR)
vs. New Britain Rock Cats (Bobby Lanigan 5-5, 3.77)

7:00pm
Lowell Spinners (Raynell Velette 0-0, 0.00)
vs. Tri-City ValleyCats (Jonas Dufek 0-0, 0.00)

7:05pm
Portland Sea Dogs (Stolmy Pimentel 0-8, 9.42)
vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Chad Jenkins 1-1, 3.86)

Connecticut Tigers (Wilsen Palacios 0-0, 0.00)
vs. Vermont Lake Monsters (Argenis Paez 0-1, 5.79)

7:15pm
Pawtucket Red Sox (Kyle Weiland 5-6, 3.31)
vs. Indianapolis Indians (Brad Lincoln 6-6, 3.82)

Game of the Day – Thunder vs. Rock Cats – The Trenton Thunder pull into New Britain with a one game lead over the Rock Cats for second place in the E.L.’s Eastern Division. New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes will be making his second rehab start since a “dead arm” sidelined him back in mid-April. He is expected to throw 75 pitches or 5-6 innings depending on how things go. Hughes made his first rehab start with the short season Class-A Staten Island Yankees this past Sunday and threw in the mid-90s, showing renewed strength in an arm that won 18 games with the big club last season. New Britain will have Bobby Lanigan on the bump. Thus far this season, Lanigan has been an innings eater for the Cats, logging at least 6+ frames in 8 of his 13 starts. But despite the fact that he has only walked 17 batters over 76 1/3 total innings of work, he has allowed 67 hits, 6 home runs and opponents are hitting .288 against him. He has also plunked 6 batters, which is tied for third most in the league. The Rock Cats have endured back-to-back rain outs, but are still in the midst of a four game win streak. Trenton has gone 2-6 over last eight and recently dropped 2 of 3 to Portland (the second worst team in the league) before moving on to Connecticut. Tonight is the first of eleven meetings between these two teams in 2011.

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