South Atlantic League baseball
Hagerstown Suns
at Lexington Legends
What: Four-game series
When: Thursday through Sunday (7:05 Thursday through Saturday nights, 1:35 Sunday afternoon)
Where: Whitaker Bank Ballpark
Tickets: Call (859) 422-7867
Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Washington Nationals (Suns)
Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Thursday, RH Christian Binford (7-5, 1.95) vs. LH Nick Lee (4-2, 4.28); Friday, LH Crawford Simmons (1-3, 3.51) vs. LH Kylin Turnbull (5-4, 4.58); Saturday, RH Greg Billo (1-1, 0.42) vs. RH Pedro Encarnacion (8-7, 3.50); Sunday, RH Matt Murray (1-2, 2.34) vs. LH Brett Mooneyham (8-3, 2.25).
Derek Self
Sun to watch: RHP Derek Self (6-foot-3, 205 pounds, age 23, from Cave City, Ky.) has made 40 relief appearances this season — 23 for High-A Potomac (4-2, 4 saves, 6.29) and 17 for Hagerstown (0-2, 4 saves, 3.18). Over his last 10 games, through Tuesday, he compiled two saves and a 1.98 ERA over 13 2/3 innings. Overall, he has struck out 43 and walked 13. Selected in the ninth round of the 2012 draft, out of the University of Louisville, Self broke in with Auburn of the New York-Penn League last year, going 1-3 with 14 saves and a 3.27 ERA over 26 outings and 33 innings. He struck out 25 and walked eight. According to Baseball America, Self increased his fastball from 87-91 mph in 2011 to 92-95 in 2012.
Alex Hudak
Legend to watch: OF Alex Hudak (5-11, 200, 23, bats left, throws right, from Mansfield, Ohio) leads the team with a .280 batting average over 21 games. He opened the season with Wilmington of the Carolina League, batting .202 with two homers, 10 RBI and 10 runs over 26 games. Since joining the Legends, he is 14-for-50 with four doubles, five RBI, seven runs and a pair of stolen bases. All of his hits and all but five at-bats have come against right-handers. In 17 games since the all-star break, Hudak is 12-for-37 (.324). Signed June 12 of last year as a non-drafted free agent, he is a 2008 graduate of Mt. Dora (Fla.) High School. He played one season for Stetson, one for Seminole State College and two for Florida Atlantic. He earned second-team all-Sun Belt honors in 2011, finishing second in the conference with a .360 average. Last year, his first as a pro, he played 14 games for the Surprise Royals of the Arizona League and 19 games for Burlington of the Appalachian League, batting a combined .275, with a homer, 11 RBI and 13 runs.
Radio: WLXG-AM 1300
