With Matt Albers on the disabled list and facing season-ending labrum surgery, a golden opportunity has opened for Hayden Penn. If only he could take advantage of it.
Penn lasted two innings tonight in Game 1 of Triple-A Norfolk's doubleheader against Durham. He allowed three runs and four hits, and threw 58 pitches.
Mike Costanzo had a three-run double for the Tides in the fifth that broke up Jeff Niemann's no-hitter. Rocky Cherry tossed three scoreless innings in relief.
Meanwhile, Daniel Cabrera retired 11 in a row before walking former Oriole Willie Harris in the seventh. The Nationals scored twice to take a 4-2 lead and leave Cabrera winless since May 20.
Fernando Cabrera is pitching in the eighth, and the plate is moving on him again, just as it kept doing last season. He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches and Felipe Lopez on five. I'm looking for the nearest exit.
Lopez failed to cover second base on Aubrey Huff's two-out grounder in the eighth, which I'm told is a typical effort. Lopez has completely lost interest.
