The farm affiliates went 2-2 on Thursday night.
Syracuse 3 @ Toledo 7
Davis Romero's triple A debut started off swimmingly. Kevin Barker's 2 run shot in the 1st inning staked him to a 2-0 lead, and Romero made it stand up through 4 innings, striking out 4, walking nobody, getting 7 ground outs and allowing one ground single. Everything came apart in the 5th inning. An infield single, a sharp line single, a blooper, and another line single brought in 2 runs, and a bunt single delivered the third. Romero then struck out the next 2 batters, before walking Ryan Raburn on a 3-2 pitch that the radio crew thought was a strike. Ryan Houston came on, and surrendered a 2 run single, and that effectively was the game. The Chiefs outhit the Mud Hens 12-10, but couldn't seem to bunch 'em. Barker went 3-4, while Ryan Roberts, Chad Mottola, and Luis Figueroa had 2 each.
New Hampshire 4 @ Trenton 2
Eric Arnold's 10th inning double, his 3rd hit of the night, was the game-winner as the Fisher Cats waited out the Thunder. Dave Purcey made his first start since returning to double A, and went 5.1 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits and only 2 walks and strikeouts. Brian Wolfe and Tracy Thorpe were outstanding in relief with Thorpe earning the win by throwing 2 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts. Adam Lind had 2 singles in 4 plate trips, while Curtis Thigpen caught and took an 0 fer.
Clearwater 3 @ Dunedin 6
The D'Jays arrived at the All-Star break with a 1 and 1/2 game lead over Lakeland courtesy of a 4 game winning streak. Ryan Klosterman's 6th inning homer was the gamebreaker. Eric Fowler started and went 5 innings, and left with a 3-2 lead. He allowed 6 baserunners and struck out 3 in a workmanlike performance. Danny Core surrendered the tying run in the sixth on 3 hits, but vultured the win courtesy of Klosterman. Daryl Harang and Milton Tavarez finished up in fine fashion. Klosterman led the attack with a single, double and homer in 4 trips, while Ryan Patterson doubled in 4 appearances, and Robinson Diaz had 2 hits. Dustin Majewski's 8th inning solo shot provided a late insurance run.
Lansing 3 @ South Bend 4
The Lugnuts could not quite make it all the way back from a 4-0 deficit after 6 innings. Billy Carnline started and went 6 innings. Carnline was touched for 2 homers that proved the difference in the game, but struck out 7 and walked only 1. In the 7th inning, the Lugnuts rebounded for 3 runs on an Anthony Hatch single, a Josh Bell single, a Yuber Rodriguez walk, a Sean Shoffit bases-loaded walk and a 2 run single by Jacob Butler. In hindsight, the Lugs' inability to bring in a Brian Pettway leadoff triple in the 2nd inning proved costly, as after the 7th inning, they went quickly and quietly.
3 star selection
3rd star- Kevin Barker
2nd star- Eric Arnold
1st star- Ryan Klosterman
Syracuse 3 @ Toledo 7
Davis Romero's triple A debut started off swimmingly. Kevin Barker's 2 run shot in the 1st inning staked him to a 2-0 lead, and Romero made it stand up through 4 innings, striking out 4, walking nobody, getting 7 ground outs and allowing one ground single. Everything came apart in the 5th inning. An infield single, a sharp line single, a blooper, and another line single brought in 2 runs, and a bunt single delivered the third. Romero then struck out the next 2 batters, before walking Ryan Raburn on a 3-2 pitch that the radio crew thought was a strike. Ryan Houston came on, and surrendered a 2 run single, and that effectively was the game. The Chiefs outhit the Mud Hens 12-10, but couldn't seem to bunch 'em. Barker went 3-4, while Ryan Roberts, Chad Mottola, and Luis Figueroa had 2 each.
New Hampshire 4 @ Trenton 2
Eric Arnold's 10th inning double, his 3rd hit of the night, was the game-winner as the Fisher Cats waited out the Thunder. Dave Purcey made his first start since returning to double A, and went 5.1 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 6 hits and only 2 walks and strikeouts. Brian Wolfe and Tracy Thorpe were outstanding in relief with Thorpe earning the win by throwing 2 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts. Adam Lind had 2 singles in 4 plate trips, while Curtis Thigpen caught and took an 0 fer.
Clearwater 3 @ Dunedin 6
The D'Jays arrived at the All-Star break with a 1 and 1/2 game lead over Lakeland courtesy of a 4 game winning streak. Ryan Klosterman's 6th inning homer was the gamebreaker. Eric Fowler started and went 5 innings, and left with a 3-2 lead. He allowed 6 baserunners and struck out 3 in a workmanlike performance. Danny Core surrendered the tying run in the sixth on 3 hits, but vultured the win courtesy of Klosterman. Daryl Harang and Milton Tavarez finished up in fine fashion. Klosterman led the attack with a single, double and homer in 4 trips, while Ryan Patterson doubled in 4 appearances, and Robinson Diaz had 2 hits. Dustin Majewski's 8th inning solo shot provided a late insurance run.
Lansing 3 @ South Bend 4
The Lugnuts could not quite make it all the way back from a 4-0 deficit after 6 innings. Billy Carnline started and went 6 innings. Carnline was touched for 2 homers that proved the difference in the game, but struck out 7 and walked only 1. In the 7th inning, the Lugnuts rebounded for 3 runs on an Anthony Hatch single, a Josh Bell single, a Yuber Rodriguez walk, a Sean Shoffit bases-loaded walk and a 2 run single by Jacob Butler. In hindsight, the Lugs' inability to bring in a Brian Pettway leadoff triple in the 2nd inning proved costly, as after the 7th inning, they went quickly and quietly.
3 star selection
3rd star- Kevin Barker
2nd star- Eric Arnold
1st star- Ryan Klosterman
