Game #44: Preview

Game three of the Zs thus far successful series in Portland, where they're proving that they just may be better than someone else in the Pacific Coast League. The Zs have easily swept the first two, and they'll try to keep it up during an 11 AM local time game today, Patriots Day style. Intermittent showers are in the forecast; in Portland, it remains what Lorenzo Scott called "football weather" yesterday.

The Teams:
May 26, 1:05 CT
New Orleans Zephyrs: 19-24, last in the PCL South (but only a game back of Round Rock!)
Portland Beavers: 18-27, last in the PCL North

The Pitching Matchup:
Rick VandenHurk (4.06 ERA) vs. Will Inman (3.53 ERA)
The Dutchman Henricus VandenHurk is no Bert Blyleven, but he's had four straight solid starts, including a seven-inning, two-hit performance May 16 against Sacramento where he induced ground balls and struck out seven batters, matching his season-high (equaled in his most recent start against Tacoma). VandenHurk has tasted the show in each of the last three seasons, and if he's planning on getting back to Florida (perhaps to steal Nate Roberton's spot?), he needs to prove that he's consistently better than AAA hitters.

Before last year's promotion to Portland, righty Will Inman had put up nice numbers in the lower minors and at AA San Antonio. Last year in Portland, he gave up 20 HRs and his strikeout totals decreased sharply, suggesting that AAA hitters weren't biting at his offspeed stuff off the plate. Also, uh, he has a blog.

In-game updates beginning at 1.