Blackburn turning the corner in new month

By Ken Lipshez
New Britain Herald Press

NEW BRITAIN - The spring that Rock Cats right-hander Nick Blackburn is enduring validates the parallel between confidence and success.

Blackburn, who had a 1.84 ERA in seven starts during a whirlwind visit here last year, finished April with an 0-4 record and a bloated 7.71 ERA.

After two decent May starts, Blackburn was handed a 2-0 lead in the second game of Saturday's rain-swept twinbill against the Connecticut Defenders but was banged around for two runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Blackburn, generally soft-spoken, returned to the dugout and promptly announced that the Defenders would get no more. While it may not be akin to Babe Ruth calling his shot, the 6-foot-4 Oklahoman didn't allow a hit the rest of the way in completing a complete-game three-hitter.

"I told the guys I wasn't going to give up any more after giving up those two runs," Blackburn said. "They put a lot more on the board and let me relax a little more. I just kind of zoned in and found myself."

Blackburn is 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in three May starts. His confidence has returned.

"I'm feeling a lot better about the way I've been throwing," Blackburn said. "I've been working in my offspeed and breaking balls. It helped out a lot after that inning. I could come back and battle."

Defenders leadoff man Alex Requena greeted Blackburn with a double. Nate Schierholtz was hit by a pitch. Tyler Von Schell and Randy Walter cracked successive run-scoring singles. Blackburn retired the next two hitters then made his dugout pledge.

"It kind of surprised me because he's a low-key guy," manager Riccardo Ingram said. "It was refreshing. There was fire there. As a manager you say, 'That's what I'm talking about.' He backed it up."

Blackburn retired 15 straight before issuing a one-out walk in the sixth. He set down the next two, and notched his fourth strikeout to begin the seventh and final frame, before he yielded another walked. He slammed the door by setting down the last two hitters.

"He doesn't show much outward emotion so maybe this was a good sign," Ingram said. "At some point, everyone is going to struggle in this game. It's a matter of mental toughness to get out of it."

Catching shortage

The Twins' organization is rather thin in the catching department.

When veteran Chris Heintz went on the disabled list in Triple-A, Rock Cats reserve Steve Lomasney was shipped to Rochester. That left slumping Jose Morales as the only true receiver for Saturday's doubleheader. Danny Matienzo, who caught at the University of Miami and at the outset of his pro career, would have donned the equipment in an emergency.

Jose Leger, who reported from Fort Myers Sunday, was a third baseman predominantly before being converted to catcher recently. Ingram expects to just use him filling in until Lomasney returns. Leger had caught in only three games professionally.

"(Leger's) a back up guy," Ingram said. "He's here in case of emergency."

Morales, who missed most of last year with a back injury, had dropped as low as .092 (6-for-65) when he cracked a two-run double in support of Blackburn in the nightcap. In 22 games, he's at .104 with two extra-base hits and 21 strikeouts.

"You hope he doesn't get too mentally down on himself," Ingram said. "We had a one-on-one in the batting cage the other day and worked on some things. I hope he can transfer it into games but game situations are different. I knew the time off he's had can rear itself but not to this magnitude. He has to be patient and take small steps."

Lomasney had hit in 10 straight games - a Rock Cats best - when he got the call. He was hitting .240 with a homer and seven RBI in 17 games. He went 1-for-3 with an RBI against Syracuse Sunday.