Starting lineups for Thursday’s Eastern League game between the Richmond Flying Squirrels and the Erie SeaWolves at Jerry Uht Park:
Richmond Flying Squirrels (53-52): 1. Gary Brown CF, 2. Ehire Adrianza SS, 3. Daniel Mayora 3B, 4. Tommy Joseph C, 5. Mark Minicozzi 1B, 6. Juan Perez RF, 7. Ryan Cavan 2B, 8. Luke Anders DH, 9. Nick Liles LF.
Starting pitcher: Daryl Maday RH (3-6, 3.30 ERA).
Erie SeaWolves (46-58): 1. Jamie Johnson LF, 2. Niuman Romero SS, 3. Nick Castellanos RF, 4. Jordan Lennerton 1B, 5. Avisail Garcia CF, 6. Rawley Bishop 3B, 7. Tony Plagman DH, 8. Brandon Douglas 2B, 9. Luis Sanz C.
Starting pitcher: Kelvin De La Cruz (5-8, 4.86 ERA).
– Mike Copper
The SeaWolves return to Uht Park for a four-game homestand after a disastrous 1-7 road trip to Altoona and Akron. Their current seven-game losing streak includes rare back-to-back doubleheader sweeps by the Curve.
Erie’s win drought has the team last in the league’s Western Division. New Hampshire, cellar dwellers in the Eastern Division at 41-64, has the only league record that’s worse.
This series comprises Richmond’s only appearance at Uht Park for 2012, even though the teams compete in the same division. The SeaWolves won two of three when they played the Flying Squirrels in Virginia in early June.
Richmond’s roster includes outfielder Gary Brown and catcher Tommy Joseph. They comprise the San Francisco Giants’ top two prospects according to Baseball America’s 2012 handbook.
The teams have 7:05 p.m. first pitches scheduled today through Saturday. Sunday’s finale has a 1:35 p.m. start time.
Probable starters for the series are: Richmond RH Daryl Maday (3-6, 3.30 ERA) vs. Erie LH Kelvin De La Cruz (5-8, 4.86 ERA) today; LH Mike Kickham (8-7, 2.71) vs. LH Jared Wesson (5-6, 6.45) Friday; RH Justin Fitzgerald (6-7, 3.86) vs. RH Patrick Cooper (2-5, 5.11) Saturday; and LH Chris Gloor (2-2, 1.99) vs. Erie to be determined Sunday.
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The SeaWolves will start De La Cruz after he cleared today’s 1 p.m. waiver deadline for other franchises to claim him.
The parent Detroit Tigers designated De La Cruz for assignment Monday, which meant they had 10 days to waive, trade or release him. The 23-year-old had been on the disabled list since July 17 because of arm soreness.
Had De La Cruz been claimed, Cesar Carrillo would have started for Erie in its opener against the Squirrels. Although the SeaWolves list Sunday’s starter as undetermined, Carrillo is expected to be that pitcher.
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De La Cruz’s return to Erie’s active roster also resulted in the demotion of third baseman Corey Jones to Single-A Lakeland (Fla.) Jones hit .226 in 57 games for the SeaWolves.
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Denny McLain, the last Major League Baseball pitcher to win 30 games in one season, will appear at Uht Park to start the SeaWolves’ next homestand.
McLain will sign free autographs during Erie’s 7:05 p.m. game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He’s the second former major league MVP to come here this season, following Dave Parker’s July 5 appearance.
McLain, 68, recorded 31 of his 131 major league victories for Detroit en route to its 1968 World Series title. In “The Year of the Pitcher,” he was the American League’s Cy Young and MVP recipient.
McLain also received the AL Cy Young award after the 1969 season. However, it was around that same time his life on and off the field became unhinged.
Commissioner Bowie Kuhn twice suspended McLain during the 1970 season, the former for his involvement in bookmaking activities and the latter for dousing water on two Detroit sportswriters.
McLain served separate prison sentences for drug trafficking and embezzlement after his MLB career ended in 1972.
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Family Services of Northwest Pennsylvania and Wendy’s will combine to sponsor their fifth annual adoption awareness night during Friday’s game at Uht Park. The event was created to help match foster children with potential families.
For information, call Erik Perrino at 814 866-4500 or e-mail him at eperrino@fsnwpa.org.
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Portland outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker and Reading right-hander Austin Hyatt are the league’s latest recipients of its player and pitcher of the week awards.


