Compiled by SportsTicker-Boston
For games of August 30, 2003

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE CHARLOTTE (INT) C MIKE RIVERA finished with four hits, homered twice and drove in a season-high six runs to help the Knights defeat the Durham Bulls, 9-6. Rivera, who was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox on June 9, slugged a two-run homer in the second inning, ripped a three-run shot to highlight a five-run sixth frame and singled in a run in the seventh to give Charlotte an 8-1 lead. The 26-year-old Puerto Rico native has scored a run in eight straight games, hitting .333 (11-for-33) with three homers and 12 RBI over that stretch. After hitting just .160 over 13 games with Portland in the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, the Troy State product has been a solid addition to the Charlotte lineup. In 66 games, Rivera has produced a .309 batting average, connected on 12 home runs and collected 48 RBI with a .476 slugging percentage.

PAWTUCKET (INTL) LHP BRUCE CHEN combined with three relievers on a one-hit shutout to help the Red Sox blank the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, 2-0. Chen, who was claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox on May 7, retired seven straight batters to start the game before yielding a one-out single to 2B JUAN SOSA. After the base hit, the 26-year-old southpaw sat down the next 14 hitters in order before leaving with Pawtucket leading 1-0. The Panama native did not issue a walk and matched a season-high with eight strikeouts in the seven innings to pick up his first win in his last five starts. Playing in his seventh organization in four seasons, Chen has produced a 4.24 ERA and struck out 73 batters while going 5-5 in 15 starts for Pawtucket.

LAKE COUNTY (SAL) OF BEN FRANCISCO homered twice and drove in five runs to lead the Captains to an 11-5 triumph over the Lexington Legends. Francisco, who had not driven in a run in his last 11 games, lifted a sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning and led off the third with a home run, his first in 15 outings, to give Lake County a 6-0 lead. After flying out in the fourth, the 21-year-old singled and scored in the seventh and finished his night with a three-run blast in the eighth. Selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fifth round of the 2002 draft, Francisco is 6-for-9 (.667) in his last two games and matched a July 30 performance where he also went deep twice and knocked in five. A product of UCLA, Francisco led the New York-Penn League in 2002 with a .349 average and 55 runs scored.

LAKE ELSINORE (CAL) OF BEN JOHNSON hit a pair of homers and drove in a season-high five runs as the Storm crushed the High Desert Mavericks, 14-1. Johnson, who has three homers in his last two games, struck a two-run homer in the four-run fifth inning, doubled and scored in the seventh, and added a three-run blast in the eight to cap 16-hit attack for Lake Elsinore. After hitting just .181 in 44 games with Mobile in the Class AA Southern League, The 22-year-old Tennesee native has produced a .274 batting average with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 50 games with the Storm. Teammate 2B JOSH BARFIELD also hit a two-run homer in the contest to notch his National Association-leading 125th RBI. The 20-year-old slugger has posted a .341 batting average, second best in the Class A California League, and also ripped a league-leading 68 extra-base hits including 16 home runs.

MAJOR LEAGUER ON THE MEND

BOWIE (EAST) OF MELVIN MORA hit the first home run of his rehab assignment as the Baysox defeated the Reading Phillies, 6-1. Mora, who has missed a month of the season with a hand injury, connected on a three-run homer in the third inning to cap a four-run rally for Bowie. The 31-year-old Venezuela native has produced just three hits over the first four games of his rehab stint with the Baysox, but was hitting a career-best .325 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI for the Baltimore Orioles before going on the disabled list in late July.

EMERGING PITCHING PROSPECTS

JUPITER (FSL) RHP PHIL AKENS tossed his first career shutout as the Hammerheads blanked the Brevard County Manatees, 1-0, in the first game of a doubleheader. A 13th-round pick of the Florida Marlins in 2000, Akens allowed a season-low three hits, issued no walks and matched a career-high with 10 strikeouts. The 21-year-old Maryland native retired seven straight batters twice during the game and also struck out the side in order in the seventh to close out his third win in his last three starts. In the 20 innings over his recent winning streak, the 6-6, 200-pound righthander has allowed four runs, scattered 13 hits, and fanned 21 batters while walking just two. Since his promotion to the Class A Florida State League, Akens has produced a 2.88 ERA and earned six wins in just 11 starts.

LAKEWOOD (SAL) LHP NICK BOURGEOIS struck out 10 batters for the second time in three starts as the Blueclaws doubled up the Kannapolis Intimidators, 4-2. Bourgeois, who was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth-round of the 2002 draft, allowed just three hits and walked three batters over six scoreless innings to earn a win for the third consecutive start. The Tulane product fanned a pair of batters in each of the first four frames and two over the final two innings, while also inducing an inning ending double play in the fifth. In his last three starts combined, the 22-year-old southpaw has allowed just one earned run and seven hits in 20 innings, walking eight batters and striking out 23 to earn the win in all three games. Despite a 7-10 record overall, Bourgeois has recorded a team-leading 108 strikeouts and has limited opposing batters to a .229 average.

VANCOUVER (NWST) LHP JOHN PETERSON tossed a career-high eight scoreless innings to help the Canadians blank the Everett Aquasox, 8-0. A fifth-round pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2003, Peterson scattered three hits, issued a walk, and matched a career-best with nine strikeouts to halt a personal three-game losing streak and earn his first win as a starter. After giving up two hits over the first four batters, the 21-year-old Florida State product retired the next 13 hitters in order, fanning four. The southpaw also induced nine groundouts in the game and allowed just three runners to advance past first base. Over his last two starts, Peterson lowered his ERA from 4.35 to 3.33.

STREAKIN'

ROME (SAL) RHP MATT WRIGHT won his fifth straight start and seventh consecutive decision after tossing seven innings of four-hit ball as the Braves edged the South Georgia Waves, 2-1. Wright, who has not lost since July 18, allowed one run in the fifth inning, struck out four and walked three, retiring the final seven men he faced. During his five-game winning streak, Wright has posted an ERA of 0.83 with 40 strikeouts and just eight walks in 32 2/3 innings. Picked by the Atlanta Braves in the 21st round of the 2000 draft, the 21-year-old Texan has shined with Rome after a slow start with Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League, posting a 10-2 record and an ERA of 1.65, yielding one earned run or less in nine of his 13 starts.