Sacramento Bee: Grizzlies top River Cats by two touchdowns

Lenny DiNardo’s line: 3 IP, 14 H, 15 R, 1 SO, 2 BB, 2 HRa

[AAA Sacramento] River Cats manager Todd Steverson said he didn’t agree but it sure looked like Lenny DiNardo was taking a hard hit (or several, for that matter) Saturday night to save the team’s bullpen from abuse. Why else would DiNardo be left on the mound to give up 14 hits and 15 earned runs in just three-plus innings of Fresno’s 15-0 thrashing of the River Cats before an announced crowd of 13,028 at Raley Field?
...
DiNardo mercifully was removed after 81 pitches and received a smattering of applause from fans that recognized he’d hung in as long as he could.

Steverson explained how DiNardo wasn’t hit hard early in one of the innings when he “gave up seven or eight runs.” He was serious, too.

The bottom line, though, was DiNardo helped save a bullpen preparing to defend a Triple-A crown this week in the playoffs.