Whitecaps Sing Brian's Song

Friday, April 13 2007 @ 07:12 AM EDT

Contributed by: Mike Green

A little macabre perhaps, but it is Friday the 13th.  Brian Pettway's walk-off blast was a highlight of a 2-2 night for the farm affiliates.


Syracuse 4 @ Charlotte 5 (1st)
Syracuse 7 @ Charlotte 2 (2nd)

In the opener, the Knights scored 4 off Geremi Gonzalez in the second inning and the lead held until the top of the 7th inning. Chad Mottola reached on an error and then Kevin Barker, John Hattig and Sal Fasano went deep back-to-back-to-back. Alas, the game ended anti-climatically in the bottom of the ninth. Blaine Neal surrendered a walk with one out. The runner stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Neal struck out Josh Fields, but then wild pitched home the winning run. Brian Wolfe threw 2.1 innings of solid relief and Jamie Vermilyea a perfect inning to hold the fort early until the Chiefs could rally. Adam Lind went 2-5.

The nightcap was a scoreless pitcher's duel between Josh Banks and the obviously theatrically inclined Lance Broadway through 5 innings.  Ryan Roberts broke the tie with a 2 run belt in the top of the sixth, and then followed John-Ford Griffin's 3 run rip with another 2 run job in the top of the seventh.  Banks graciously allowed 2 mercy runs in the bottom of the seventh, but that was it in a shortened game.  Banks walked 2 and struck out 2, but best of all, allowed no homers in 6.1 innings courtesy of a healthy 12-5 groundball/flyball rate.  Adam Lind went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts, while Curtis Thigpen went 1-3

New Hampshire @ New Britain, ppd, wet grounds

Dunedin 1 @ Sarasota 3

The Gulf Coast featured another scoreless pitcher's duel through 5 innings.  Orlando Trias surrendered a three-run homer in the top of the sixth and the D-Jays could not get back into it.  Canadian Adam Calderone led the attack with 3 hits, including a double.  Dunedin did not lack for baserunners, courtesy of 8 hits and 6 walks, but 3 double plays and 11 men left on base told the tale of the game.  Anthony Hatch drove in the run with a sacrifice fly, but grounded into two of the double plays.


West Michigan 1 @ Lansing 3


Brian Pettway hit a 2 run walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth, as the Lugnuts defeated the Whitecaps in a pitcher's duel. Kyle Ginley started and went 5 strong innings, allowing an unearned run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 5. Ben Harrison, Adrian Martin, Chris Reddout and Julio Pinto finished up without blemish. Travis Snider went 1-3 with a walk. The Lugs could manage only 4 hits on the evening and whiffed 15 times, but the timely long ball will mask quite a few blemishes.

3 stars

3rd star- Kyle Ginley
2nd star- Brian Pettway
1st star- Ryan Roberts


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