Two wins and two losses, and two teams a total of two wins from two milestones. Two more are waiting for the playoffs. Oh, and David Purcey threw two-thirds of a perfect freakin' game.
It was a good day.
Syracuse - Off Day
The SkyChiefs had Wednesday off. They are home for five more games, three against Scranton and two against Ottawa. Syracuse trail Ottawa by one game for fourth in the North Division.
Norwich 2 New Hampshire 1
Canadian Olympian Chris Begg returned to action and shut down the Fisher Cats, getting the win on an eighth-inning RBI single by Norwich leadoff hitter Carlos Valderrama. The Cats could only manage four hits, with the largest blow being an RBI double by Maikel Jova.
The encouraging news was that Jason Arnold pitched extremely well for New Hampshire, giving up just three hits, one run and one walk in 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven. Ryan Houston relieved Arnold and took the loss.
New Hampshire finish this series off today and then head to Maine for four games against Portland this weekend to finish their regular season. They have clinched a playoff spot and their magic number for the Northern Division title is one.
Box score
The Game story explains that the Cats' champagne-in-waiting is Korbel. So it's not really champagne.
Tampa 8 Dunedin 1
The D-Jays were also able to scratch out only four hits and one run, a dinger by Biiiig Vito Chiaravalloti. Eric Abreu started for Tampa and continued his impressive showing in the FSL, though Vito's blast inflated his ERA all the way to 1.06.
Dunedin was never in the game; a seven-run second inning saw to that, with all the scoring coming at the expense of Neomar Flores. I can hear the doom-laden chords of the Imperial March as we speak. The relievers pitched well, as Tommi Ozuna, Tracy Thorpe, and Bubbie Buzachero combined to limit the Yanks to one further run in 6.1 innings. Jayce Tingler and Ryan Roberts reached base twice.
Dundein are home to Fort Myers today and tomorrow, and will travel to Sarasota this weekend to wrap up their regular season. The D-Jays are in the playoffs thanks to their first-half victory, but are still within striking distance of the West Division second-half title, three games behind Tampa.
Box score
The Game story is classified.
Charleston 9 Kannapolis 8
Mike MacDonald continued his rise through the system. Though his ERA rose all the way to 1.55, MacDonald secured another win for the Alley Cats as they disposed of Kannapolis. The bullpen did its best to dispose of MacDonald's victory, giving up seven runs after MacDonald left after the fifth inning, but the Alley Cat bats had staked their starter to a big lead.
The main damage came from the second part of the order, as David Smith, Rodney Medina, and Christian Snavely each had two hits, and Juan Peralta went 4-for-5. The Alley Cats were helped enormously by seven Kannapolis errors.
The Alley Cats are home this weekend to Lake County to finish their regular season. They could still finish first in the Northern Division in the second half, but are already in the playoffs thanks to their first-half finish.
Box score
Game Story very terse.
Auburn 4 Oneonta 3
Despite stranding 11 runners on the basepaths, the Doubledays managed to put four across the plate, and with the brilliant David Purcey on the mound it was enough to get by Oneonta.
Purcey showed why he was the Jays' first-round selection by throwing six perfect innings at the Tigers. 18 hitters came up, and 18 sat down again. Purcey really opened the throttle in his final inning, striking out the side looking-swinging-looking to finish with numbers of 6 0 0 0 0 5. Purcey knew throughout the game that he was on a pitch count (65 pitches).
Kristian Bell came in and immediately lost the perfecto, and very nearly the game, allowing three runs without getting an out. But Joey McLaughlin saved the day, and Scott Roy struck out two in the ninth for the save.
On offense, Adam Lind and Ryan Klosterman each had three base knocks, and Klosterman's fifth home run complemented a single and a double. Lind's three hits included two doubles.
Auburn are at home to Jamestown this weekend to complete their regular season. They are in the playoffs; their magic number to clinch first overall in the NYPL is one.
Box score
The Game Story from the Oneonta Daily Star focuses on Purcey's magnificent effort.
Pulaski finished 41-27, 2nd in the Northern Division
Three-Star Selection
Third Star : Jason Arnold, a very solid starting effort (6.2 3 1 1 1 7) and a tough no-decision.
Second Star : Ryan Klosterman, single-double-homer with two runs scored and two RBI, and his 16th stolen base. Warning! Warning! Five-tool college player! (Gee, I thought from all the criticism that such a player didn't exist in the college ranks...)
First Star : David Purcey, the first of many First Stars to come. Eighteen hitters up, eighteen hitters down.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040902092613999