Toronto’s minor league affiliates won two of their three games on Thursday, as all three teams were involved in contests that were decided by two runs. Las Vegas’ offence centred around the home run, Dunedin’s was powered by their 1-2-3 and 9th hitters and New Hampshire saw a very fine pitching performance by their starter and a trio of relievers.
Las Vegas 5 @ Salt Lake 7 – Boxscore
Joe Inglett got another start at shortstop and went hitless, but drew a walk. He made the turn on a double play and also made a throwing error, his third fielding miscue of the year. Six 51’s each had a hit, as JP Arencibia and Howie Clark each also went hitless. Las Vegas scored all their runs on homers, as a Scott Campbell single was followed by Randy Ruiz’s third homer of the year. In the seventh Brett Harper also hit his third round-tripper of the year to score Jason Lane. Russ Adams followed Harper with a homer of his own.
Dirk Hayhurst struggled in his second start of the year. He gave up four runs over 2.2 innings on five hits and a walk. TJ Beam came in and stranded one runner, but he gave up a run over 1.1 innings. Brian Wolfe then gave up a solo homer to the first batter he faced, Sean Rodriguez, but then he threw 3 innings and only surrendered one more hit. The game was finished by Sean Stidfole, who struck out two in the eighth.
New Hampshire 2 @ New Britain 0 – Boxscore
Luis Perez had a fine first start and he topped himself in his second with 7 innings of scoreless, two-hit ball Perez struck out six and walked two, retiring 9 of his 15 outs on balls in play on groundballs. Meanwhile, the Fisher Cats put a run across on the first with a Brad Emaus double, followed by a David Cooper single and a Brian Dopirak sac fly. Unfortunately, Nick Gorneault struck out with runners on second and third. New Hampshire doubled their lead in the fifth as Chris Guttierez doubled to lead off the inning. After Ryan Mullins retired Sean Shoffit and Luis Sanchez Todd Donovan doubled home Guttierez.
Edgar Estanga came in to pitch the eighth and struck out one of the two batters he faced. Zach Dials finished off the inning by retiring New Britain’s leadoff and number two hitters. Leon Boyd got the save with two strikeouts during a 1-2-3 inning. On the positive side, Brian Dopirak was 2-3 with a sacrifice fly, whereas on the negative side, Gorneault and Kevin Phillips were 0 for 8 with five strikeouts and the Fisher Cats were 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Dunedin 6 @ Daytona 4 – Boxscore
Dunedin and Daytona each put up two spots in the first inning. Dunedin started with three straight hits: a Justin Jackson double, a Darin Mastroianni single and an Eric Thames RBI single. The next three batters grounded out, a trend that would continue all game, but Moises Sierra’s grounder drove home Mastroianni. Brandon Magee started for Dunedin and put himself into trouble with a throwing error and a walk. He then allowed a double to Russ Frazier, which tied the game.
Dunedin scored two more runs in the fifth, as Raul Barron singled and then Justin Jackson’s speed possibly forced Daytona into a pair of errors, as the shortstop made a throwing error and the first basemen made a catching error on the same play. This pair of miscues allowed Barron to race all the way home and Jackson went to second. Jackson later scored on a Thames single.
The D-Jays scored runs in the seventh and eighth on an RBI single by Mastroianni that scored Barron and a bases loaded walk by Jesus Gonzalez that plated Matthew Liuzza. Brandon Magee was relieved by Ross Buckwalter after 5.2 innings of four-hit ball, allowing only those runs in the first inning. Buckwalter went 2.1 innings and only let one batter reach base. Chad Beck pitched the ninth and gave up a two-run homer. Dunedin’s first three hitters – Jackson, Mastroianni and Thames – were 6 for 14 with two doubles and a walk, while the next three – Liuzza, Sierra and Kevin Ahrens – were 0 for 13 with a walk. At the bottom of the order, Barron was 2 for 4 with a pair of runs scored.
Three Stars:
3rd Star – Brandon Magee, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
2nd Star – Eric Thames, 2-3, 2 RBI, BB, 3 TB
1st Star – Luis Perez, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K
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