Brooks Hatch Blog: Holiday Inn Express Baseball Giveaway Tonight!

Happy Thursday, everyone, from the world-wide headquarters (WWHQ) of the Corvallis Knights, your 2016 West Coast League champions!

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The Knights lost 3-1 to Gresham on Wednesday in Game 1 of their three-game South Division series at Goss Stadium. The series resumes at 6:40 tonight; righty Dakota Donovan (1-1, 3.85) is the projected starter for the Knights, opposed by Lewis & Clark College righty Robert Reaser (1-4, 3.21).

The series concludes on Friday. UC Irvine righty Cole Spear (2-1, 5.22) goes for Corvallis, opposed by UC Davis lefty Chris Brown (2-0, 4.17).

The five-game homestand end at 6:40 p.m. Saturday with a nonleague game against the Oregon Collegiate Baseball League all-stars.

We have lots of promotions planned.

• Tonight is Holiday Inn Express Baseball Giveaway Night. The first 500 fans will receive a baseball. It is also a Thirsty Thursday; enjoy specially-priced beverages at the ballpark.
• Friday is Les Schwab Portland Trail Blazers Night, presented by Washington Park Advisors. It’s also a Fred Meyer Family Friday. Families can get vouchers at Fred Meyer stores in Corvallis and Albany to be redeemed on Fred Meyer Family Fridays for four reserved seats, four soft drinks, four hot dogs and four popcorns for only $44.
• Saturday is Cap Night, presented by Alyrica Internet. The first 750 fans will receive Knights’ caps.

See you at Goss!

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Tickets for our WCL Divisional Series home playoff game set for Wednesday, Aug. 9, are now available. The WCL playoffs are powered by Pioneer. For tickets, click here; for more information, click here.

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Left-handed pitcher Ross Massey of Tulane has returned to Louisiana to attend a family matter and will not be back with the Knights for the balance of the season. The Baton Rouge native was 1-1, 4.90 in six games, with 16 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. He won his last start, at Port Angeles on July 15.

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Another success story for our intern program; 2017 intern Kenda Griffin has been hired as a client sales and services associate by the Seattle Mariners. She starts her new job on Aug. 14. Kenda graduated from Washington State earlier this year with a degree in sport management.

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Wednesday’s game with Gresham drew a crowd of 1,192. That raised our season attendance to 37,448 in 26 dates, an average of 1,440 per opening. We are 1,345 fans behind last year’s attendance through a corresponding number of home dates.

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Time to update the stats of our alums in the minor leagues. We’ll do the position players today, and the pitchers on Friday.

TAYLOR ARD (AA Jacksonville, Marlins): The utility player from Mt. Hood/Washington State (2009) is hitting .225 (64-284) in 93 games, with eight homers and 38 RBIs.

ANDY COSGROVE (R Elizabethton, Twins): The catcher from Washington/North Carolina State (2014) is hitting .184 (7-38) in 10 games, with no homers and five RBIs.

BLAKE DRAKE (A Palm Beach, Cardinals): The outfielder from Concordia (2013) is hitting .256 (54-211) in 55 games, with six homers and 21 RBIs.

NATE ESPOSITO (A Lakewood, Royals): The catcher from Oregon State (2012) is hitting .267 (44-165) in 49 games, with no homers and 14 RBIs.

ROCKY GALE (AAA El Paso, Padres): The catcher from Portland (2007, 2009) is hitting .293 (73-249) in 76 games, with a homer and 29 RBIs.

ROMAN GARCIA (R Greeneville, Astros): The first baseman from San Diego (2016) is hitting .233 (20-86) in 24 games, with three homers and 15 RBIs.

CADE GOTTA (AA Montgomery, Rays): The outfielder from San Diego Christian (2011) is hitting .305 (70-233) in 62 games, with five homers and 39 RBIs.

KJ HARRISON (R Helena, Brewers): The first baseman from Oregon State (2015) is hitting .295 (13-44) in 12 games, with no homers and four RBIs.

DANNY HAYES (AAA Charlotte, White Sox): The first baseman from Oregon State (2010) is hitting .232 (78-336) in 95 games, with 16 homers and 58 RBIs.

LOGAN ICE (A Lake County, Indians): The catcher from Oregon State (2014) is hitting .229 (52-227) in 66 games, with eight homers and 28 RBIs.

DALTON KELLY (AA Montgomery, Rays): The outfielder from UC Santa Barbara (2014) is hitting .344 (32-93) in 25 games, with seven homers and 23 RBIs.

CHRIS RABAGO (A Lancaster, Rockies): The catcher from UC Irvine (2012-13) is hitting .256 (55-215) in 64 games, with one homer and 34 RBIs.

CHRIS SHAW (A Delmarva, Orioles): The catcher from Midland CC (2014) is hitting .205 (18-88) in 23 games, with two homers and 13 RBIs.

ANDREW SUSAC (AAA Colorado Springs, Brewers): The catcher from Oregon State (2009) is hitting .19 (31-156) in 47 games, with seven homers and 31 RBIs.

NICK TORRES (AA San Antonio, Padres): The outfielder from Cal Poly (2012) is hitting .270 (87-322) in 84 games, with eight homers and 43 RBIs.

PETER VAN GANSEN (AAA El Paso, Padres): The infielder from Cal Poly (2013) is hitting .333 (7-21) in six games, with no homers and five RBIs.

KEVIN WATSON (ARL DIAMONDBACKS): The outfielder from Beaverton HS (2017) is hitting .100 (1-10) in three games, with no homers or RBIs.

CALEB WHALEN (A Wisconsin, Brewers): The infielder from Portland (2012) is hitting .211 (16-76) in 25 games, with a homer and seven RBIs.

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Montgomery (AA Southern, Rays) outfielder Cade Gotta (2011) was 4-for-5 with two runs, raising his average to .305, in a 5-4 win over Tennessee on Wednesday night to earn Corvallis Knights Minor League Player of the Day honors. He played at San Diego Christian. Cal Poly.

Honorable mention goes to:

• Montgomery (AA Southern, Rays) first baseman Dalton Kelly (2014) was 1-for-4 with a run, an RBI and a triple in a 5-4 win over Tennessee. He played at UC Santa Barbara.
• Hartford (AA Eastern, Rockies) reliever DJ Johnson (2008-09) pitched a scoreless inning and lowered his ERA to 2.92 in an 8-4 loss to Trenton. He played at Mt. Hood CC.
• Lakewood (A Carolina, Royals) catcher Nate Esposito (2012) was 1-for-2 with a triple, a walk and a run in a 7-2 win over Salem. He played at Oregon State and Concordia.
• Athletics (Arizona Rookie League, A’s) pitcher Slater Lee (2015) allowed no earned runs in two innings and had four strikeouts in a 7-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. He played at Cal Poly.

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That’s all for today. Have a great day, see you at the ballpark tonight, and back here on Friday.