The GCL Jays won their semi-final today thanks to good pitching from Justin Maese and timely hitting by Jake Thomas and Juandy Mendoza. New Hampshire won in extra innings, Jack Murphy had the big hit. Richard Urena led Lansing to victory. Vancouver came from behind while Bluefield had to hang on despite conceding a six run ninth. Buffalo were the only losers, Dunedin's game was suspended.
Scranton 2 Buffalo 0
Chris Capuano and two relievers held the Bisons to just six hits, all singles. Matt Hague, who else, was the only hitter with two.
Scranton scored their two runs off Chad Jenkins who didn't finish five innings. He did concede eight hits. Ben Rowen, Aaron Loup and Steve Delabar were perfect the rest of the way.
New Hampshire 5 Binghamton 3 - 10 innings
Jack Murphy came to bat in the tenth inning with one out and the bases loaded. He doubled in two runs to get the win for the Fisher Cats. Murphy also had a sac fly for the third run. Dwight Smith drove in the first two runs. Smith had two hits and is hitting better in August. Melky Mesa and Derrick Chung also had two hits.
Casey Lawrence had a quality start, three runs on six hits in six innings. Chad Girodo continued his excellent run, two innings, four K's. Blake McFarland pitched the last two for the win.
Tampa 3 Dunedin 0 - suspended
This game was suspended in the top of the fifth when the rains came. Derek Blacksher was hit around a little, eight hits and four runs before the rains came.
The Jays had just two hits in four innings. This game will be finished tomorrow before the regularly scheduled game.
Fort Wayne 3 Lansing 8
A four run first inning put Lansing ahead to stay. It was a team effort in that inning, after the first out Lansing had five straight singles, then a hit batter, followed by another single. Four runs in. Richard Urena homered in the second to make it 5-0. Fort Wayne scored three in the third to make it close until the eighth when the Lugnuts added three including a two run home run by Jason Leblebijian.
The first six hitters had 14 of the Lugnuts 15 hits. Urena and Ryan McBroom each had three hits. Chris Carlson, Lelblebijian, DJ Davis and David Harris had two. Justin Shafer started and went six innings, he was charged with all three runs. Colton Turner pitched the final three with just one hit off him.
Vancouver 3 Spokane 2
Trailing 2-0 in the sixth, the C's scored three runs and hung on for the win. That sixth inning started with an error. Justin Atkinson followed with a single then Ryan Hissey delivered an RBI double. Gunnar Heidt grounded into a double play to bring in a second run then Connor Panas singled to score run number three. Atkinson had two hits to lead the C's.
Turner Lee started but didn't finish five to get the win. Three relievers, Bob Wheatley, Stuart Holmes and Andrew Case pitched shut down relief.
Burlington 9 Bluefield 10
The Jays led 10-3 heading to the ninth. Reliever Christian Cox could only get one out and left after three runs were in. Alberto Guzman came on and immediately gave up a three run home run before getting the final two outs. The Jays had used three pitchers to get to the ninth. Starter Dan Lietz only lasted 2.2 innings.
For the offense Christian Williams was 4-5 with a double. Deiferson Barreto and Dave Pepe each had two hits.
GCL Braves 1 GCL Jays 7
The Jays scored two runs in each of the first three innings to secure their spot in the GCL final. Although the Jays scored seven, starting pitcher Justin Maese, 18 years old, was the anchor. He went six innings with just four hits allowed and ten K's. Jose Espada got the early plaudits but Maese has gotten better each start. Griffin Glaude pitched three relief innings for the save.
Two home runs paced the offense. Jake Thomas, 22 years old, hit a two run shot in the first inning. Juandy Mendoza, 20 years old, hit another two run shot in the third. The runs in the second inning came on an error, and RBI singles from Reggie Pruitt and Cliff Brantley. Thomas and Mendoza combined on the seventh runs, Thomas, doubled, Mendoza singled and a sac fly by Bryan Lizardo scored the run. Thomas and Mendoza each had three hits.
3 Stars
3rd star: Jake Thomas and Juandy Mendoza
2nd star: Jack Murphy
1st star: Justin Maese
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20150830231510240