South Atlantic League baseball
Lexington Legends
at Greenville Drive
What: Four-game series
When: Friday through Monday (7:05 Friday through Sunday nights, 2:05 Monday afternoon)
Where: Fluor Field (Greenville, S.C.)
Major League affiliates: Kansas City Royals (Legends), Boston Red Sox
Probable pitchers (Legends listed first): Friday, LH Cody Reed (3-8, 5.65) vs. RH Teddy Stankiewicz (10-8, 3.85); Saturday, RH Pedro Fernandez (1-7, 4.89) vs. LH Trey Ball (4-10, 4.98); Sunday, RH Matt Alvarez (5-7, 5.32) vs. LH Daniel McGrath (5-6, 4.14); Monday, RH Niklas Stephenson (1-0, 0.00) vs. RH Ty Buttrey (0-5, 7.43).
Elier Hernandez
Legend to watch: OF Elier Hernandez (6-foot-3, 197 pounds, age 19, bats and throws right, from San Cristobal, Dominican Republic) is winding up the season on a hot streak. He’s riding an 11-game hitting streak, during which time he is 25 of 45 (.556), with two homers and five RBI. For the season, Hernandez is batting .261 with nine homers, 33 RBI and 53 runs. For 24 games in August, he’s batting .344. Signed for $3 million as a non-drafted free agent July 2, 2011, he spent the last two seasons with Idaho Falls. He hit .208 with 34 RBI in 2012, then improved last year to .301 with 44 RBI and three homers. He led the Pioneer League last year with eight triples, and was rated by Baseball America as the 11th-best prospect in the league.
Teddy Stankiewicz
Drive to watch: Friday night starter Teddy Stankiewicz (6-4, 200, age 20, bats and throws right, from Keller, Texas) leads Greenville in innings pitched (133 1/3), wins (10) and strikeouts (99). At 10-8, 3.85 over 24 starts, he has walked 29. A 2012 second-round draft pick of the New York Mets, he opted not to sign and went to Seminole State (Okla.) Junior College. The Red Sox took him in the second round of the 2013 draft, signing him for a bonus of $915,000. Coming into the season, Baseball America rated him as the 19th-best prospect in the Boston system. Last year, with Lowell of the New York-Penn League, Stankiewicz had no decisions and a 2.29 ERA over nine starts and 20 innings. He struck out 15 and walked two.
Radio: WLXG-AM 1300