Balcom-Miller traded to Boston

On Tuesday, just prior to the September 1 roster deadline, the Colorado Rockies acquired RHP Manny Delcarmen from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for former Ghost, and last season’s Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year Chris Balcom-Miller.

Balcom-Miller will stay in the South Atlantic League with the Red Sox affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina. He had been with the Asheville Tourists, who he started 19 games for this season, and compiled a record of 6-7 with a 3.31 ERA. He walked just 19 batters in 108.2 innings, and held opponents to a .214 batting average. The right-hander was the South Atlantic League’s Pitcher of the Week for the period from June 28- July 6.

“We pick up a nice future asset, a guy we liked in the draft a lot last year and probably should have taken,’’ Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein told the Boston Globe. “We let him sit on the board a little too long. He’s gone out and really performed. We had some recent looks from some scouts. We like his stuff and we like his projectability.”

The 22-year old was selected by the Rockies in the sixth round of the 2009 draft out of West Valley College in California. He went 4-0 with a 1.58 ERA in 11 starts with the Ghosts. He allowed just 37 hits in 57 innings, while walking only 10 and striking out 60.

Before this season, Baseball America had Balcom-Miller ranked as the 16^th best prospect in the Rockies minor league system.

Casteel named Player of the Week

Ghosts catcher Ryan Casteel finished the month of August on a tear, and it resulted with him being recognized as the Pioneer LeagueÕs Player of the Week for the week of August 23-29. Casteel had 22 at bats in that span, and hit .545 with a homer and 8 RBI. Five of Casteel's 12 hits were for extra bases, and he only struck out twice.

Casteel's week capped off a month of August when the 19-year old hit .394 (26x66) with two home runs and 10 runs batted in. He had two extra base hits combined in June and July, in August, he had nine, including his first two professional home runs.

The 19-year old from Cleveland, Tennessee was drafted by the Rockies in the 17th round out of Cleveland State College. Entering Wednesday's doubleheader in Orem, he has appeared in 35 games, and is hitting .345 (49x142) with two homers and 16 RBI. He has been clutch this season with a .341 batting average with runners in scoring position.

He becomes the second Ghosts recognized by the Pioneer League this season. Albert Campos was named the league's Pitcher of the week during the period from August 9-15.

Ogren Park at Allegiance Field

Ghosts lose in Helena, Powers promoted,Gibson activated, and other notes

The Ghosts lost the finale in Helena last night 12-2. It was close early on, but the Ghosts started hit 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, all of those at bats came when the game was in reach, so they had a chance, but Helena took advantage seemingly of all its chances.

Two brights for the Ghosts last night were Ryan Casteel and Will Swanner. Casteel went 3-for-4, and Swanner had two hits, including his first pro homer in the second inning.

Here are some other notes going into tonight's series opener in Missoula:

• RHP Trevor Gibson was activated from the disabled list. He has been rehabbing from an elbow injury.

• Catcher Josh Powers was promoted to Tri City in the Northwest League after the game last night. He is the second Ghosts catcher to be promoted this season.

• Speaking of catcher, Swanner will start behind home plate for the first time this season. Ryan Casteel will DH.

First pitch tonight is 7:15. It will be the same on tomorrow night, and Sunday's game will start at 5:15. All times are mountain.

Helena's Kindrick Legion Field

Ortega, Roberts lead Ghosts to win in Helena

Rafael Ortega drove in four runs, and had three base hits for the second straight as the Casper Ghosts defeated the Helena Brewers 8-6 in game three of a four game series at Kindrick Field.

Ricardo Ferrer made his second start of the season, and the Brewers took an early lead against him, as they scored a run on a wild pitch to take a 1-0 lead. They had runners at the corners with one out, but Carlos George grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the third, the Ghosts came back to take the lead. Corey Dickerson was hit by a pitch, with one out, and after Brett Tanos flew out to left, Blake McDade homered on the first pitch from Austin Ross to give the Ghosts a 2-1 lead, but it wouldn’t last long.

Helena answered in the bottom of the inning with two run as Cody Hawn homered to right with Robbie Garvey on base to make the score 3-2 Brewers.

It would remain 3-2 until the sixth when the Ghosts would strike back. Austin Ross left the game after throwing five innings, striking out 10. He was replaced by Rob Currie. With Will Swanner on at first with two away, Yafistel Roja singled to get him over to second base. Then Jeff Squier loaded the bases with an infield single. That brought up Rafael Ortega who cleared the bases to give the Ghosts a 5-3 lead, but once again, the lead wouldn’t last long.

Kyle Hancock walked the bases loaded with two out, and Gerald Ogrinc tied the game with a 2-run single.

Both teams traded zeroes in the seventh, but the Ghosts grabbed the lead in the eighth. Michael Ramirez walked with one out, then Roja singled him to third. The Ghosts took the lead on a bunt single by Squier, and Ortega drove in Roja with a double, and Squier scored on the play after an error on the rightfielder John Dishon to make the score 8-5 Casper.

The Brewers added a run in the bottom of the eighth to get within two, but that was the closest they got.

Kenneth Roberts picked up his third win of the season. He allowed one run in 3 1/3 innings.

Will Swanner had two hits in his professional debut.

The Ghosts and Brewers will play the finale of the four game series on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:05.

Ghosts win wild game in Helena

The Casper Ghosts scored 10 runs in the first four inning on Tuesday night to take a 10-2 lead against the Helena Brewers, but they slowly allowed Helena to comeback and tie the game at 10 in the 8th sending the game to extra innings. The Ghosts would win the game 11-10 in eleven innings, their first win in extra innings in five tries.

Matt Miller, the league leader in wins, the holder of the league’s fourth best ERA started for the Brewers, and he allowed a first inning run, but the Ghosts blew the game open in the second. Six consecutive batters singled, and all 6 scored to make it 7-0.

Helena would add a couple of runs in the bottom of the inning to get on the board, but again, the Ghosts went back to work with three runs in the fourth. The first came on Rafael Ortega’s fifth homer of the season, and later in the inning Robert De La Cruz doubled in two runs to make it 10-2.

In the bottom of the fourth with a run in, Cody Hawn doubled in two runs to cut the lead to 10-5, and they brought the lead down to four after an error in the sixth.
The Brewers rallied in the seventh with two outs and scored two runs to make it a 10-8 game, and they tied it in the 8th on a 2-run homer by Brandon Sizemore.

That sent the game to extra innings, and both teams traded zeroes in the tenth, but that changed in the eleventh.

With one out, Ryan Casteel reached first when second baseman Shea Vucinich dropped a pop up. Jeff Squier was brought off the bench as a pinch runner. He stole second, and he scored on a close play at the plate after a Yafistel Roja single.

Taylor Reid threw a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.

The Ghosts earn a split of the first two games of the series against Helena. The two teams will play game three on Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 7:05.