Former Colonel hits first major league HR

Nathan Hutchinson
Register Sports Editor

RICHMOND September 03, 2008 02:38 am

— Josh Anderson’s first major league home run set the tone for what turned out to be a bizarre game Tuesday in Miami.
The former Eastern Kentucky University standout and Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year ripped a lead-off homer to right field in the top of the first and the Atlanta Braves eventually held on for a 16-14 win over the Florida Marlins.
Anderson finished two-for-six with two runs scored, a double, a stolen base and an RBI and also made a diving catch in center field.
“This game was tough,” Anderson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It takes everything out of everybody. [But] we never stopped.”
Anderson is hitting .333 in 17 games this season with the Braves. He saw action in 11 games earlier this year and was recalled Aug. 27 after outfielder Mark Kotsay was traded.
In 37 career major league games, Anderson has a .345 batting average.
In 121 games this season at Class AAA Richmond (Va.), Anderson batted .314 with a team-leading 77 runs and 154 hits, which was second-best in the International League. The speedy center fielder also had 42 stolen bases and put together a 27-game hitting streak.
Anderson was recently named an International League All-Star.
Anderson made his major-league debut late last season and in 21 games hit .358 and broke several team records.

Friedrich back on track
After two shaky outings, former EKU left-hander finished the regular-season with a strong performance Monday in Asheville’s (Class A Carolina League) loss to Augusta.
The Evanston Ill., pitched five innings, allowing only one run on four hits and two walks while striking out six. In three starts with the Tourists, Friedrich was 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in 12 innings with 15 strikeouts.
Ashville qualified for the SAL Playoffs and is set to take on Augusta this week (today and Friday). The team has not released its pitching rotation for those games.
Friedrich started his professional career earlier this summer at Tri-City in the Northwest League and went 2-1 with a 3.25 earned run average in eight starts.