Lynchburg third baseman Kyle Kubitza was having the kind of month that makes careers go away. But Kubitza, who has been a regular since his drafting in 2011, might have things back on track just that quickly.
Kubitza, a third-round pick out of Texas State in 2011, was a constant in a turbulent season at Rome in 2012, hitting .239 with nine homers and 59 RBIs after a .321 debut year at Danville. A prototype third baseman at 6-3, 180, he was moved to Lynchburg for 2012 and after an average April (.268, albeit with no homers), his month of May has been an unmitigated disaster.
Going into Wednesday's game Kubitza was 1-for-25 for the month with zero RBIs.
But Wednesday provided the best kind of kick-start. In his first at-bat, a clean single through the hole drove in the Hillcats' first run. He then batted with the tying run on second in the ninth and came through with a game-winning, walk-off two-run homer. He had another RBI Thursday -- his only RBIs of the month.
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There's been a setback for Tennessee Wesleyan product Jeremy Fitzgerald. Last June's 21st round pick, who began the 2013 season at Class A Rome, has been demoted to the short-season Danville roster after posting a 9.64 ERA in four appearances. Last year, he had a strong showing for Danville in the late innings (1-0, 2 saves, 2.45 in 16 games) after signing.
CLASS AAA
Pawtucket 5, Gwinnett (16-27) 4 Brentz walk-off 3-run HR
LP: Obispo (BS, 0-2) 0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 HR. SP: D. Rodriguez 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K.
Leonard 2-4, R, SB; Constanza 3-5, R, 3B; Pastornicky 1-4, 2 RBI, SB.
CLASS AA
Jacksonville 2, Mississippi (25-16) 1
SP: Martin 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K. LP: Jaime (BS, 0-1) 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K.
Martinez 1-3, HR (3rd), RBI; Bethancourt 2-4, 2B, SB (.320); La Stella 1-3, 3B (.349).
ADVANCED CLASS A
Lynchburg (22-17) 7, Carolina 6 (11) Weaver walk-off RBI 1B
WP: Cornely (1-0) 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K. SP: Ross 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. Rivera 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K.
Beckwith 1-5, HR (8th), 2 RBI; Hefflinger 1-5, HR (10th), RBI; Weaver 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Kubitza 2-3, 2 R; Heffley 2-5, 2B, R; Rohm 2-5, 2B, 2 R (.321).
CLASS A
Asheville 0, Rome 0 (3rd, susp.)
SP: Scoggin 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.