Gators in baseball update

It was a good week for former Gators trying to earn an eventual call up to the San Diego Padres.

Portland third baseman Brett Dowdy hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run second inning, as the Beavers outslugged the Fresno Grizzlies 12-10. It was Dowdy's second home run of the season. He finished the game 1-for-6 from the plate.

Shortstop Cole Figueroa, fresh off of the disabled list with a swollen knee, went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in a 9-8 loss to Rancho Cucamonga. Figueroa missed 36 days with the knee problem, which also hampered him during his final year at UF. But he needed just two games to get his bat going again.

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Matt LaPorta had three of Columbus' 18 hits, including his sixth homer of the minor-league season, as the Clippers smacked around Norfolk, 16-3. The shot was LaPorta's first home run since being sent down on May 26. It came at the right time for LaPorta, who has batted 6-for-23 with three RBIs since returning to the minors.

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Alan Horne had a rough first start since being activated early Tuesday off of the diasbled list.

Pitching the second game of a double header for the Trenton Thunder, Horne was pulled after 2 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs, walking three and fanning two against the Bowie Baysox.

Through Tuesday’s games:

MAJOR LEAGUE FIELDERS
David Eckstein ('94-'97) San Diego: 2B, 52 games, .242 avg., 0 HR, 15 RBIs
Mark Ellis * ('96-'99) Oakland: 2B, 18 games, .206 avg., 0 HR, 9 RBIs
David Ross ('98) Atlanta: C, 21 games, .274 avg., 3 HR, 11 RBIs
Matt LaPorta * ('04-'07) Cleveland: LF, 13 games, .190 avg., 1 HR, 4 RBIs

MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHERS
Darren O'Day ('03-'06) Texas: 15 games, 0 starts, 13.0 IP, 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 save, 1.38 ERA, 12 SO, 3 BB
Josh Fogg * ('96-'98) Colorado: 5 games, 0 starts, 6.2 IP, 0 wins, 1 loss, 1.35 ERA, 4 SO, 1 BB
Bryan Augenstein * ('05-'07) Arizona: 2 games, 2 starts, 11.1 IP, 0 wins, 1 losses, 7.94 ERA, 4 SO, 4 BB

Notes
* Mark Ellis was placed on the 60-day disabled list on May 15 with a strained left calf.
* Matt LaPorta was called up to the Cleveland Indians on May 3, sent back down to Triple-A Columbus on May 26. "Matt is going to learn from his experience and go down there," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He'll be back up here."
* Josh Fogg was called up to the Colorado Rockies on May 25 and said: "Different number, different locker, somewhat different set of guys, but it's good to be back in the big leagues, with an organization I want to be in."

* Bryan Augenstein was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks from Double-A Mobile on May 13 and demoted to Triple-A Reno on May 23.

MINOR LEAGUE FIELDERS
Jeff Corsaletti * ('02-'05) Altoona (AA): OF, 17 games, .193 avg., 0 HR, 2 RBI
Pawtucket (AAA): LF, 12 games, .139 avg., 0 HR, 1 RBI
David Cash ('06) Frederick (A-advanced): OF, 31 games, .233 avg., 0 HR, 8 RBIs
Ryan Shealy ('00-'02) Omaha (AAA): 1B, 25 games, .345 avg., 0 HR, 12 RBIs
Ben Harrison * ('01-'04) Oklahoma City (AAA): RF, 16 games, .218 avg., 1 HR, 8 RBIs
Frisco RoughRiders (AA): RF, 5 games, .105 avg., 0 HR, 0 RBIs
Jonathan Tucker ('02-'04) Bowie (AA): 3B, 46 games, .267 avg., 0 HR, 19 RBIs
Brett Dowdy ('03) Portland (AAA): SS, 37 games, .243 avg., 2 HR, 13 RBIs
Mark Kiger * ('00-'02) Buffalo (AAA): 3B, 2 games, .000 avg., 0 HR, 0 RBIs
Binghamton (AA): 3B, 23 games, .246 avg., 5 HR, 3 RBIs
Gavin Dickey ('04-'06) High Desert (A): OF, 6 games, .375 avg., 0 HR, 3 RBIs
Clinton (A): CF, 5 games, .188 avg., 0 HR, 0 RBIs
Adam Davis ('04-'06) Kinston (A): 2B, 29 games, .134 avg., 0 HR, 5 RBIs
Brian Jeroloman ('04-'06) New Hampshire (AA): C, 40 games, .254 avg., 2 HR, 9 RBIs
Justin Tordi ('03-'05) Sarasota (A-advanced): IF, 38 games, .139 avg., 2 HR, 10 RBIs
Cole Figueroa ('07-'08) Lake Elsinore (A-advanced): 2B, 16 games, .233 avg., 0 HR, 8 RBIs
Matt LaPorta * ('04-'07) Columbus (AAA): OF, 27 games, .316 avg., 6 HR, 17 RBIs
Jon Townsend ('07-'08) Cedar Rapids (A): 3B, 24 games, .242 avg., 1 HR, 11 RBIs

MINOR LEAGUE PITCHERS
Josh Fogg * ('96-'98) Colorado Springs (AAA): 8 games, 8 starts, 35.1 IP, 3 wins, 1 loss, 5.80 ERA, 17 SO, 16 BB
Alan Horne ('05) Trenton (AA): 3 games, 3 starts, 14.1 IP, 0 wins, 2 losses, 7.53 ERA, 12 SO, 14 BB
Bryan Augenstein * ('05-'07) Reno (AAA): 2 games, 2 starts, 12.0 IP, 1 wins, 0 loss, 5.25 ERA, 10 SO, 1 BB
Mobile (AA): 6 games, 6 starts, 34.2 IP, 5 wins, 0 loss, 0.78 ERA, 31 SO, 6 BB
Ryan Sadowski ('02-'03) Fresno (AAA): 10 games, 10 starts, 55.1 IP, 4 wins, 2 loss, 3.74 ERA, 47 SO, 26 BB

* Notes
* Jeff Corsaletti was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates for players to be named later or cash considerations on May 17 trade and placed in Double-A Altoona.
* Ben Harrison was released from the Frisco RoughRiders on May 27.
* Mark Kiger was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo on May 21. He was placed on the 7-day disabled list with a strained left hand on May 25.
* Matt LaPorta was called up to the Cleveland Indians on May 3, sent back down to Triple-A Columbus on May 26.
* Josh Fogg was called up to the Colorado Rockies on May 25.
* Bryan Augenstein was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks from Double-A Mobile on May 13 and demoted to Triple-A Reno on May 23.