Norfolk 7-6 Syracuse 1-7
The Skychiefs split a doubleheader, losing the opener but coming back to take the nightcap. In the early game (a continuation of an earlier suspended match), Francisco Rosario took the loss even though he pitched decently, allowing 2 runs (just 1 earned) in 4 innings on 5 hits and no walks, striking out 2. Coming into the game presumably upon its revival, Josue Matos brought his gas can to the mound, allowing 5 runs in just 3 innings on 5 hits (including 3 homers), a walk and a strikeout. Kevin Barker’s solo homer (his 13th in just 150 Triple-A at-bats) supplied the only Syracuse offence; Barker entered the game batting .350 and slugging .685 as a Skychief.
In the nightcap, Syracuse got to work early, pounding out a pair of 3-run homers (by John-Ford Griffin and Joe DePastino) in the first inning. They’d need all that offence, because the Jamie Vermilyea, Spot Starter Experiment hasn’t been going too well lately. Vermilyea was riddled for 9 hits in his Triple-A debut and couldn’t record an out in the 4th inning, allowing 5 runs on those 9 safeties and a walk, striking out only 1. I expect he’ll see better results once returned to full-time bullpen duty. Spike Lundberg saved the day for Syracuse with 3 1-run innings of relief, allowing just 3 hits, walking nobody and whiffing 2. The newly promoted Lee Gronkiewicz, filling in for the suspended Matt Whiteside on at least a temporary basis, pitched a scoreless final frame for his first AAA save this year. After the big first inning, Skychief batters recorded exactly 1 hit.
New Britain 6 New Hampshire 2
Another decent rehab start for Dustin McGowan, who held the Rock Cats to 2 runs in 6 innings, allowing 6 hits (including a solo HR in his last inning of work), walking 3 batters and striking out 4. McGowan hasn’t returned to his dominating ways yet, but every healthy start is a step in the right direction. New Hampshire scored a run in the top of 7th to cut New Britain’s lead to 2-1, but Jordan DeJong opened the floodgates by yielding a whole lot of singles and walks (and a wild pitch) to allow 4 runs to score in the 7th, and that was the ballgame. Chip (Don’t Call Me Skip or Ed) Cannon led the offence with 2 doubles and a run scored, striking out in his other two at-bats. Ron Davenport doubled and singled, while Ryan Roberts walked twice.
Dunedin 5 Vero Beach 0
A dominant performance by Davis Romero, who fired 7 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits and striking out 4 while walking no one. Brian Reed struck out 2 in 2 perfect innings for his 4th save. Dominance was also the word for Adam Lind, who broke out of the doldrums with 4 hits (including his 8th home run), 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. The rehabbing Guillermo Quiroz drove in 2 runs of his own with a pair of singles. The previously hot Eric Arnold went hitless in 5 tries, striking out 3 times.
Southwest Michigan 5 Lansing 4
The Lugnuts fell into an early hole and couldn’t dig themselves out in time. Danny Core surrendered 4 runs in the first inning and (as it turned out) the winning run in the second, and while he settled down from there, he was tagged with the loss by allowing 5 runs in 5 innings on 7 hits (including a homer) and an ugly 5 walks, striking out just 1. Aaron Tressler did his best by firing 3 scoreless innings of 2-hit relief, striking out 3, and Scott Roy added 2 shutout frames of his own. Lansing scored twice in each of the 8th and 9th innings to draw close, but with 2 out in the 9th, Eric Nielsen grounded out with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Jason Armstrong banged out 3 hits, while Eugenio Velez and Ryan Klosterman added 2 each. The Lugnuts had 10 hits on the night, all singles.
Auburn 3 Vermont 2
The Doubledays built an early 3-0 lead and held on to win. Orlando Trias scattered 7 hits over 6 1/3 innings, allowing 2 runs with no walks and 3 strikeouts. Able relief work was supplied by Billy Carnline and Paul Phillips, who earned his first pro save. Brian Pettway tripled in 2 runs in his 3 plate appearances, while Ryan Patterson doubled, singled, and drove in the other.
Pulaski 6 Bristol 2
After a first few rocky appearances, Wilfreddy Aguirre picked up his first P-Jay victory last night. He held Bristol to just 2 runs (neither earned) on 3 hits and a walk in 5 innings, whiffing 3. Shane Benson surrendered just 1 hit in 2 shutout innings for his first save. Graig Badger reached base 3 times on 2 singles and a walk, while 2-hit nights were also supplied by first baseman Paul Franko and leftfielder Zachary Kalter, who also tripled. Shortstop Chris Gutierrez drove in 2 run with a double.
Your Three-Star Selection:
3. Wilfreddy Aguirre, Pulaski: A 3-hitter over 5 innings for his first win of the season.
2. Adam Lind, Dunedin: 4 hits, including a homer, to pace the D-Jay attack.
1. Davis Romero, Dunedin: 7 shutout innings, scattering 3 hits, for the game of the night.
