Lansing continued their slugging ways as utility player Raul Barron led the way with four hits. Dunedin also got into the winning way with fifteen hits. The two senior teams, Syracuse and New Hampshire, continued to struggle.
Josh Banks had a "Josh Banks" type start. He pitched well for stretches but gave up his share of ground ball hits and big blows. After six up and six down to start the game Banks gave up three runs in the third on a ground ball single, a hit batter, a double and an error by Velandia. In the sixth a ground ball single, a double and a sac fly scored another run and in the seventh a solo home run ended Banks' night. Banks went six innings and gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits.
The Chiefs took the lead in the second when Robinzon Diaz reached on an error and scored on a double from Sergio Santos. Syracuse made it a 3-2 game in the fifth with a Chip Cannon walk and singles by Velandia and Joe Inglett. After Indy made it 4-2 in the top of the sixth Adam Lind tripled to lead off the sixth, with one out Diaz doubled him home but the Chiefs could not tie the game. Jordan DeJong gave up a two run home run in the eighth to seal the loss.
Syracuse had eight hits, Inglett had two. Diaz threw out two base stealers.
The Fisher Cats ran their record to 0-5 but this was a close game and a tough one to lose. AJ Wideman always allows a lot of baserunners and he did that to start the game with a lead-off walk and a single. Wideman then did himself no favour by throwing wildly on a pickoff allowing the first run to score. Eric Kratz, making a rare start, homered in the second inning to tie the game.
New Hampshire took the lead in the third but they could have done more. With one out Aaron Mathews singled and Ryan Klosterman reached on an error. Eric Nielsen singled to centre but Mathews was thrown out at home. Josh Kreuzer followed with another single to score Klosterman but Butler flew out to end the inning. New Hampshire had three hits and an error but only scored one run. The lead was gone in the third when the first three hitters reached but Wideman did a great job of getting out of a "second and third with no-one out situation" without allowing another run. He was helped by a pick-off at first base. However Brock Peterson, who Wideman picked off, got his revenge in the fifth with a solo home run to put New Britain back in front.
New Britain added an insurance run in the eighth off Daryl Harang and Sean Stidfole. Trailing by two in the ninth Jacob Butler led off with a triple and scored on an error that put Ryan Patterson on first. Kratz singled to put the tying run at second but Anthony Hatch struck out, Chris Gutierrez flew out and Mathews struck out to end the game.
Wideman pitched five innings allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. Mathews, Nielsen, Butler and Kratz each had two hits for the Fisher Cats.
Dunedin scored first in the third inning, Chris Emanuele walked, Sean Shoffit singled and Brian Dopirak had an RBI single. Robert Ray started and retired the first six hitters until the lead-off hitter in the third reached on an error by Luis Sanchez. Ray walked the next hitter and a double then scored both runners. The Jays reclaimed the lead in the fourth, Al Quintana singled with one out, Sanchez then walked and a wild pitch moved up the runners. Shoffit then singled home both runners to make it 3-2 Jays.
Brad Emaus hit a two run home run in the fifth to make it 5-2, Paul Philips relieved Ray but gave up a run in the fifth. BJ Ryan pitched a 3 up, 3 down sixth, Armando Benitez did the same in the seventh. Dunedin added two more in the seventh on four singles and a walk and another in the eighth. Chad Blackwell pitched the final two innings allowing one run.
The Jays had 15 hits, Brian Dopirak, Cory Patton and Al Quintana had three hits each.
As they have been doing all season Lansing jumped out to the lead in the first inning. Raul Barron, playing for Justin Jackson, started the first off with a single. Kevin Ahrens and Darin Mastroianni walked to load the bases. CJ Ebarb hit a sac fly, John Tolisano grounded out to score another and Manny Rodriguez singled to make it 3-0.
Kyle Ginley returned to Lansing this season, presumably to work on his off-speed pitches and not rely so much on his fastball, and in this start was hit hard. Ginley lasted five innings but the second inning was his worst, four runs allowed on four hits and an error. Ginley gave up another run in the third and an out at home saved him in the fourth. In his five innings Ginley allowed five runs, two earned on eight hits with seven K's.
Lansing tied the game in the fifth, again Barron tgot it going with a double; Ahrens singled him home and went to second on the throw, and Mastroianni singled Ahrens home. Edgar Estanga shut down South Bend on one hit over three innings until the Lugnuts could put a rally together in the eighth. Ebarb singled and John Tolisano hit his first home run of the season. Johermyn Chavez then walked, Michael McDade, moises Sierra and Barron each singed
and then Ahrens walked to force in the fourth run of the inning. Brian Pettway pitched the ninth and gave up one run on two hits.
Barron went 4-5 and was the only multi-hit batter.
3 star selection
3rd star - Sean Shoffit
2nd star - Edgar Estanga
1st star - Raul Barron
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