by Hugh Skrybe
Brooklyn Sports Network

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Zephyr Field R H E Iowa Cubs 2 10 0 New Orleans Zephyrs 1 8 0 BSN Video -- Boxscore -- Full Story

Metairie, LA- The New Orleans Zephyrs started the 2007 season with a 2-1 home loss to the Iowa Cubs in level AAA Minor League Baseball action. The Washington Nationals' affiliate  had trouble scoring and fell despite only surrendering two runs to the Pacific Coast League visitors. 

Starter Michael Hinckley gave up just lone runs in the first two innings before settling down to pitch six solid innings but still took the loss. Cubs starter Angel Guzman struck out 10 over 5 2/3 innings but left after experiencing discomfort in the sixth.The Zephyrs first run of 2007 came off the bat of Josh Whitesell on a long home run. Iowa got a home run from former Major Leaguer Neifi Perez and scored another run on Josh Labandeira's throwing error in the second. 

After striking out the first batter of the game Hinckley gave up a long home run to long-time Giants' regular Perez, reduced to just a handful of Major League games since 2005. Perez took an outside fastball the other way for an early Cubs lead. Hinckley struck out the next batter, Adam Everett, before running into a little bit of trouble. A throwing error allowed catcher Geovany Soto to reach first safely and Todd Hollandsworth followed with a single to right. But Hinckley got Craig Brazell swinging for his third strikeout of the inning.  

In the second it was another error that got the Zephyrs more than "in trouble", it enabled Iowa to score what would be the eventual game-winning run. After two singles to open the frame pitcher Angel Guzman moved them to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Jose Macais' grounder seemed destined to throw out Miguel Monroe trying to score but was instead thrown away in a hurried attempt by shortstop Labandeiara. The errant fielders-choice throw bounced passed catcher Craig Kuzmic, enabling the second run of the game to score.

New Orleans got their first hit of 2007 when first baseman Larry Broadway singled to left field in the bottom of the second.  Broadway, the organization's long-time top prospect at first has been joined in competition this year by Whitesell. In an effort to get both playing time Whitesell played left field. The organization insists both players will be everyday players wether it's at first, designated hotter or in the outfield.

Whitesell got his first hit in the third, two batters after pitcher Hinckley lined a single of his own up the middle, but still Iowa kept the Zephs off the board. Singles by Chad Chop and Broadway in the fourth were aided by a walk to Scott Norris to load the bases but still the net result was no runs for New Orleans. 

That changed in the fifth when Whitesell turned on a one-out inside fastball and sent it screaming to the right field bern. The homer not only got the Zephyrs on the board it cut Iowa's lead in half with half of a game yet to play.  Kuzmic followed with a walk but Guzman got Chop to strike out and Cristian Guerrero to pop out in foul territory to end the inning. 

In the sixth Norris and pinch hitter Jared Sandberg both drew two-out walks but leadoff hitter Henry Mateo struck out for the fourth time to end any threat of scoring.

In the seventh Whitesell, still getting used to left field, misplayed a single into a triple with two outs but relief pitcher Chris Schroder enduced Everett into a harmless popup to end the inning. On the flip side, in the eighth Whitesell went a long way to flag down a fly ball in the left-center gap. 

Mateo avoided the five-strikeout, "platinum sombrero" in the ninth when he managed an infield single off of closer  Ian Snell. The one-out hit gave New Orleans some hope but Whitesell struck out and Kuzmic hit a linedrive right to Mike Fontenot at second base to end the game.

NOLA Notes: New Orleans batters struck out an embarrassing 14 times in the opener. Starter Angel Guzman had 10 of them while relievers  Jason Stanford, Roberto Novoa, Jim Peters an Ian Snell each had one. Leadoff hitter Henry Mateo struck out four times while 3-4-5 hitters Craig Kuzmic, Chad Chop and Cristian Guerrero each fanned twice.

Craig Kuzmic got the start at catcher, going 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikouts. 29-year old Kuzmic is expected to share catching duties with 28-year old Baseball America top 100 prospect Jeff Bailey.

With two first-base prospects the Nationals are especially fond of vying for playing time, 26-year old Larry Broadway and 24-year old Josh Whitesell, the organization has committed to getting both of them at-bats any way possible. On days the Zephyrs play American League teams one will likely DH and on days they play fellow National League affiliates one will play in the outfield, most likely in left. Whitesell went 2-for-5 with a home run, walk and a strikeout while Broadway was 2-for-4.

The Zephyrs have five Baseball America Top 100 prospects on the roster but only one started and one didn't get in the game at all. Chad Chop started in center while Carlton Godwin pinch ran for Scott Norris in the sixth, Josh Karp pitched the top of the ninth and Jared Sandberg pinch hit for the pitcher in the final frame. Catcher Jeff Bailey was never used, only warming up the relievers.

Fri Apr 6th 7:05PM

IOW RHPJ. Ryu (0-0) 0.00 vs. NO RHP D. Gil (0-0) 0.00

Next Up: The Zephyrs and Cubs play four games in New Orleans to start the season. Game two is tomorrow at 7PM ET as Iowa's JaeKuk Ryu ('06-AAA Stats: 139.2ip 9-10 5.41) takes on Dave Gil ('06-AA: 132.0ip 12-3 1.57; '06-AAA 53.1ip 4-3 2.87) for New Orleans. Game three is Saturday at 4PM, featuring lefty John Koronka ('06-AAA: 157.0ip 7-10 3.21) vs. Darrell Rasner ('06-AAA 1257.1ip 10-8 3.38) and Sunday's series closer with Rocky Cherry ('06-AAA 153.0ip 3-10 3.47) taking on Rich Rundles ('06-AAA 168.1ip 11-12 4.49)  is at 7PM.

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