SHOREBIRDS GAME NOTES: 6/14 vs. KANNAPOLIS

PREVIEW: The Shorebirds play game one against Kannapolis following their third off day of the season on Sunday. The Shorebirds lost two heartbreakers to the Legends at Applebee’s Park over the weekend. The ‘Birds have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention; eleven games back with seven to go.

FIRST SWEEP: The Shorebirds were swept for the first time all season this weekend. They will look to avoid tying their season high for consecutive losses (4).

STAMPONE STELLAR: Tyler Stampone takes a four-game hitting streak into game one against the Intimidators. He had six hits in the three-game set against Lexington. The Meadowbrook, Pa. native has five RBIs in the series as well.

BELOW .500: The Shorebirds will finish below .500 in the first half of the season for the first time since the 2005 season. The ‘Birds have had winning records in the first half the last four years; 2009 (36-33), 2008 (38-31), 2007 (34-33) and 2006 (37-31). The best the ‘Birds can do is 33-36.

BULLPEN WOES: The ‘Birds bullpen had some difficulty in the Lexington series. In eleven total innings, the pen allowed eight runs. The ‘Birds squandered a 5-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning in game one.

SEVEN-IN-A-ROW: The last Shorebirds player to record an RBI in seven consecutive games was Mark Fleisher back in 2006. Fleisher recorded at least one RBI between May 13 and 21 of 2006. He recorded 14 RBIs during the stretch. Kieron Pope has recorded an RBI in six straight games. Fleisher finished the year with 67 RBIs.

JUSTIN COLLOP: Kannapolis starter Justin Collop was a 6th rounder in 2009 out of Toledo. In 2009, he posted a 4-7 record with a 6.51 ERA in 13 starts for the Rockets.

153 CAREER K’S: Nathan Moreau leads the Shorebirds staff with 58 strikeouts and has 153 for his two year career with the Shorebirds. Moreau struck out 95 batters in 2009. Moreau passed his pitching coach Troy Mattes on the career strikeout list. Mattes fanned 151 batters back in 1996. Javier Vazquez struck out 173 batters in 1996. Jayme Sperring struck out 250 batters in his four-year career with the Shorebirds from 2000-2003.

1 of 5: Brian Conley is one of only five players in the South Atlantic League with more walks than strike outs on the season. Conley has 44 walks on the year to 42 strike outs. The other four players are: Zach Gentile (Greenville) 22 BB: 15 SO, Kevin Dubler (Kannapolis) 14 BB: 11 SO, Dock Doyle (Savannah) 13 BB: 9 SO, Sam Honeck (6 BB: 4 SO). Conley has by far the most at-bats of the group (201 AB’s).

BUMBRY OVER LAST 10: Steve Bumbry is hitting .382 over his last 10 games (13-34). He also has five RBIs during the stretch.

T.J. BAXTER LEADS SYSTEM: Baxter leads the Orioles farm system in stolen bases with 18 steals on the season. Baxter has accounted for six of the 12 Shorebirds total stolen bases in the month of June.

.311: Over a four-game series, the Intimidators hit .311 against the Shorebirds at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium (May 12-15). Brady Shoemaker, Kyle Colligan and Jesus Villegas each had five hits in the series.