Two stellar pitching performances distinguished the five games on the farm tonight, as two teams prepare for the playoffs and one still strives to qualify.
Las Vegas 4, Tacoma 8
Brett Cecil started and pitched three scoreless innings but was tossed after one batter in the 4th after arguing with the Ump about a close play at 1st base - a play in which the announcing crew suggested he was slow in getting to the bag on what should have been a routine play.
He was relieved by Clint Everts who put up two scorelss frames but ran into trouble in the sixth. A single and a double put two men on and Everts in the showers, Nate Robertson came on and contributed to the problem. A walk loaded the bases and a ground out scored one of those runs and Robertson was relieved by Jim Hoey and threw gasoline on the fire. A sac fly scored a run, and back to back two-out homers added three more. Hoey would be charged with three more runs by the time the seventh was over. More than enough to defeat the 51's.
Offensively, the lineup manufactured 2 runs in the bottom of the third but were quiet as the Rainers piled up 8 runs. Yan Gomes and Kevin Howard responded with solo homers in the seventh and eight respectively but it was too little, too late. Those were the only two XBH for the 51's and only howard recorded more than one hit.
New Hampshire 6, Portland 1
Big Lefty Sean Nolin continues to increase his prospect status with every appearance. Tonight he tossed 6 innings of one-run ball, ringing up seven while allowing 2 hits and a walk. Nolin is now 7 innings short of his 2011 total in Lansing (in what would presumably be his last appearance of the season) and hes given up 19 fewer earned runs. He has a very similar walk and K rate but has allowed considerably fewer hits (8.47 H/9 in 2011 and 7.19 H/9 in 2012).
Joel Carreno came on and delivered two excellent shutout innings and Trystan Magnuson finished the game with a scoreless frame of his own.
Jake Marisnick is trying to close out with a somewhat warm streak, he was 2 for 4 tonight and he's 9 for his last 23 and after his rough adjustment to AA it would be good for him to finsih strong heading to Arizona. Brad Glenn was also 2/4 and had a double, as did Ryan Schimpf and Joel Gallaraga. the big hit of the night was Gabe Jacobo's 3 run homer in the second.
Dunedin 2, Clearwater 4
When Jesse Hernandez was promoted to Dunedin the first time he was roughed up badly in his first four appearances (17 earned runs in 10 IP) but then found his footing and reeled off five appearances (including three starts) in which he accumulated 23.2 IP allowed a mere 3 ER and struck out 26 against 3 walks. As a reward he was sent back to Lansing to fill the gap when Aaron Sanchez was injured.
His second stint in Dunedin is begining in similar fashion to the way the previous tour began.This was his third turn since his most recent recall was...not good. He was touched for four earned runs in five IP and has now allowed 15 runs in 14 IP over those three starts. You can't really say, from stats alone, which is the real Hernandez.
Jason Frasor made his first re-hab appearance and if he suffers no setbacks we may assume he'll join the Jays on September 3 if not before.
On offense, it was - as it so often is - all about Kevin Pillar.The Arizona bound outfielder was 3 for 4 and no one else had more than one hit. Kevin Ahrens and Justin Jackson doubled.
Lansing 3, South Bend 9
Since coming off the DL, Aaron Sanchez has been effective but not dominant. On Thursday he was neither. Though he struck out five and walked only 1 in 4 IP, he was touched for 8 hits and allowed three runs to score. That said, the trouble was largely limited to the third, where three singles, a walk and a ground out plated three Silver Hawks.
The wheels well and truly came off in the 8th thanks to the ineffectivness of recent call up Tim Brechbhuehler who got through a scoreless 7th but was pounded for five runs while recording only one out in the 8th.
Among the hitters, only Nick Baligod's 2 run homer is worthy of comment.
Vancouver 7, Yakima 1
The Canadians remain alive in the playoff hunt with a win tonight. With two games remaining on their schedule, they still sit a half game back of division leader Eugene. with so much on the line the Vancouver effort was in good hands with Taylor Cole on the mound. Cole responded with his best effort yet, throwing 7.2 perfect innings while striking out six hitters. Newcomer Griffin Murphy finished out the game.
On offense, outfielder Matt Newman was 3/4 with 2 triples, Art Charles was 2/4 with a double and a homer, Jorge Flores and Carlos Ramirez also had 2 hits each.
Three Stars-
3. Kevin Pillar
2. Sean Nolin
1. Taylor Cole
Las Vegas 4, Tacoma 8
Brett Cecil started and pitched three scoreless innings but was tossed after one batter in the 4th after arguing with the Ump about a close play at 1st base - a play in which the announcing crew suggested he was slow in getting to the bag on what should have been a routine play.
He was relieved by Clint Everts who put up two scorelss frames but ran into trouble in the sixth. A single and a double put two men on and Everts in the showers, Nate Robertson came on and contributed to the problem. A walk loaded the bases and a ground out scored one of those runs and Robertson was relieved by Jim Hoey and threw gasoline on the fire. A sac fly scored a run, and back to back two-out homers added three more. Hoey would be charged with three more runs by the time the seventh was over. More than enough to defeat the 51's.
Offensively, the lineup manufactured 2 runs in the bottom of the third but were quiet as the Rainers piled up 8 runs. Yan Gomes and Kevin Howard responded with solo homers in the seventh and eight respectively but it was too little, too late. Those were the only two XBH for the 51's and only howard recorded more than one hit.
New Hampshire 6, Portland 1
Big Lefty Sean Nolin continues to increase his prospect status with every appearance. Tonight he tossed 6 innings of one-run ball, ringing up seven while allowing 2 hits and a walk. Nolin is now 7 innings short of his 2011 total in Lansing (in what would presumably be his last appearance of the season) and hes given up 19 fewer earned runs. He has a very similar walk and K rate but has allowed considerably fewer hits (8.47 H/9 in 2011 and 7.19 H/9 in 2012).
Joel Carreno came on and delivered two excellent shutout innings and Trystan Magnuson finished the game with a scoreless frame of his own.
Jake Marisnick is trying to close out with a somewhat warm streak, he was 2 for 4 tonight and he's 9 for his last 23 and after his rough adjustment to AA it would be good for him to finsih strong heading to Arizona. Brad Glenn was also 2/4 and had a double, as did Ryan Schimpf and Joel Gallaraga. the big hit of the night was Gabe Jacobo's 3 run homer in the second.
Dunedin 2, Clearwater 4
When Jesse Hernandez was promoted to Dunedin the first time he was roughed up badly in his first four appearances (17 earned runs in 10 IP) but then found his footing and reeled off five appearances (including three starts) in which he accumulated 23.2 IP allowed a mere 3 ER and struck out 26 against 3 walks. As a reward he was sent back to Lansing to fill the gap when Aaron Sanchez was injured.
His second stint in Dunedin is begining in similar fashion to the way the previous tour began.This was his third turn since his most recent recall was...not good. He was touched for four earned runs in five IP and has now allowed 15 runs in 14 IP over those three starts. You can't really say, from stats alone, which is the real Hernandez.
Jason Frasor made his first re-hab appearance and if he suffers no setbacks we may assume he'll join the Jays on September 3 if not before.
On offense, it was - as it so often is - all about Kevin Pillar.The Arizona bound outfielder was 3 for 4 and no one else had more than one hit. Kevin Ahrens and Justin Jackson doubled.
Lansing 3, South Bend 9
Since coming off the DL, Aaron Sanchez has been effective but not dominant. On Thursday he was neither. Though he struck out five and walked only 1 in 4 IP, he was touched for 8 hits and allowed three runs to score. That said, the trouble was largely limited to the third, where three singles, a walk and a ground out plated three Silver Hawks.
The wheels well and truly came off in the 8th thanks to the ineffectivness of recent call up Tim Brechbhuehler who got through a scoreless 7th but was pounded for five runs while recording only one out in the 8th.
Among the hitters, only Nick Baligod's 2 run homer is worthy of comment.
Vancouver 7, Yakima 1
The Canadians remain alive in the playoff hunt with a win tonight. With two games remaining on their schedule, they still sit a half game back of division leader Eugene. with so much on the line the Vancouver effort was in good hands with Taylor Cole on the mound. Cole responded with his best effort yet, throwing 7.2 perfect innings while striking out six hitters. Newcomer Griffin Murphy finished out the game.
On offense, outfielder Matt Newman was 3/4 with 2 triples, Art Charles was 2/4 with a double and a homer, Jorge Flores and Carlos Ramirez also had 2 hits each.
Three Stars-
3. Kevin Pillar
2. Sean Nolin
1. Taylor Cole
