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The weather didn’t completely let up as two of the eight scheduled games were either cancelled or postponed. The other six games went ahead as the affiliates went 4-2. There were several fine pitching performances, including a fantastic game by Brad Mills in his return to Triple-A, and an offensive explosion at Double-A.3

Reno 0 @ Las Vegas 2Boxscore

Brad Mills returned to Triple-A with a flourish and picked up his second win of the year with his second scoreless start for Las Vegas. Mills went 8 innings and only surrendered two hits and a walk. He struck out seven and got fourteen of his seventeen outs on balls in play on the ground. It was a busy night for Joe Inglett, Jonathan Diaz and the other 51s infielders.

Inglett doubled to leadoff the bottom of the first and Aaron Mathews followed with another double. Mathews advanced to third on a groundout and scored on Brett Harper’s sacrifice fly. Inglett was the only 51 to have a multihit game, going 2 for 4. Randy Ruiz, Kevin Howard and Diaz all added singles. Jason Lane picked up Las Vegas’s only walk of the game. As noted in yesterday’s thread, David Dellucci did not play today and Travis Snider returned to the lineup with a 0 for 3 evening.

New Hampshire 12 @ Binghamton 1Boxscore

Luis Perez managed to scatter nine hits and a pair of walks over 6.1 innings, but only allowed one run. Perez induced two of New Hampshire’s three double plays over his six innings and was also helped by Nick Gorneault’s outfield assist at home plate. Binghamton also managed to strand runners in four of their first six innings.

Every Fisher Cat hitter reached base multiple times, except for Darin Mastroianni who had a forgettable 0 for 6 game. Adam Calderone went 1 for 4 with a double, a walk and two runs scored. Brian Dopirak went 3 for 4 with a double, a homer anda walk. David Cooper and Brian Jeroloman each had a pair of singles, with Cooper scoring twice and Jeroloman also drew a walk, added an RBI and scored a run. Brad Emaus had three singles and scored three runs. Nick Gorneault had a single, a triple, a run and 2 RBI and Bryan Kervin had a single, a two-run homer and a walk. Al Quintana had four hits, which included three doubles. Binghamton centrefielder Jonathan Malo threw out two Fisher Cats at third base or else the score could have been even more one-sided.

St. Lucie 4 @ Dunedin 5 (Gm 1 – 5 innings)Boxscore

A three-run bottom of the fourth propelled Dunedin to victory in this rain-shortened contest that only lasted five innings. Dunedin first got on the scoreboard in the second when Matthew Liuzza walked and Jesus Gonzalez homered to left. In the fourth, following St. Lucie’s four-spot in the top of the inning, Moises Sierra doubled and was cashed by Liuzza, who also doubled. Kevin Ahrens flew out, but then Jesus Gonzalez singled to center to score Liuzza. Jonathan Jaspe flew out, but with two out Adam Loewen got the game-winning RBI with a double that scored Gonzalez from first.

Charles Huggins started for Dunedin and cruised through the first three innings without significant difficulty. However, it all came undone in the fourth when St. Lucie touched him for four runs. Huggins was undone by his control problems last night, as he walked more batters than those who got hits off him. He hit a batter and then gave up a two-run shot and then, later in the inning, walked a batter before another hitter touched him for a two-run homer. Dumas Garcia pitched the last 1.1 innings and only allowed one walk.

St. Lucie @ Dunedin (Gm 2)

Cancelled.

Lansing 2 @ Great Lakes 4 (Gm 1 – 7 innings)Boxscore

Joel Carreno took his first loss for Lansing in the first game of a doubleheader. He went 5.1 innings and surrendered four runs on four hits and a walk. Great Lakes hit two solo homers and the other runs were manufactured after a double and a walk. Old friend Anthony Hatch, fresh off a fine half-season at Dunedin and a poor half-season at New Hampshire, played for Great Lakes and went 0 for 3 with an RBI.

Lansing outhit Great Lakes with six base raps, but couldn’t push home most of the runners. The only runs came when Brian Van Kirk homered in the sixth after Tyler Pastornicky singled. Luis Fernandez singled twice in the leadoff spot and Yohermyn Chavez and Balbino Fuenmayor also had hits.

Lansing 3 @ Great Lakes 1 (Gm 2 – 7 innings)Boxscore

Chad Beck got his first win of the year with a complete game victory over the Loons. Beck surrendered four hits and a walk with five strikeouts. Matt Wallach, Tim’s son, touched Beck for a solo homer

Luis Fernandez went 1 for 3, as did Tyler Pastornicky. Pastornicky scored a run and stole his 36th base of the year. Johermyn Chavez singled home Pastornicky and then Chris Emanuele scored Chavez on a two-run homer.

Auburn 3 @ State College 4Boxscore

Evan Crawford’s third start for Auburn was also his worst to date. Crawford gave up three runs over 4 innings, but he struggled with three bases on balls and seven hits allowed. Four of those hits came in the bottom of the second when State College touched Crawford for three runs. Willy Mendez pitched 2 innings and gave up a hit and then Austin Armstrong came into the game and went through his first two innings without incident.

Chris Hopkins was 1 for 3 with a double, a run and a walk in the leadoff spot, while Eric Eiland batted second and went 1 for 4 with a triple, a run and an RBI. Wellinton Ramirez had a pair of sacrifice flies; one in the first to score Hopkins and one in the sixth to score Eiland. Karim Turkamani had singled and already come around to count on Eiland’s triple. Bradley Glenn added a single and Kyle Gilligan was 2 for 4 with a double.

Armstrong began his third inning in the bottom of the ninth with the game knotted at three. Armstrong got the first batter but walked the second batter and was pulled from the game for Casey Beck. Beck also walked a batter before he struck out Kyle Morgan. With two on and two out Beck surrendered a single to left to David Rubinstein, which scored the winning run.

GCL Blue Jays @ GCL Pirates

Postponed.

Three Stars:
3rd Star – Brian Dopirak, 3-4, R, 2B, HR, BB, 3 RBI, 7 TB
2nd Star – Al Quintana, 4-5, R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 7 TB
1st Star – Brad Mills, 8 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Magnificent Mills | 8 comments | Create New Account
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John Northey - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 09:14 AM EDT (#202022) #
Figures.  One start too late Mills figures it out.  Wonder if going to the bigs for a brief trial helped?  A brief taste of the majors would give a push to a kid one would think.
Gerry - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 09:28 AM EDT (#202023) #

Mills is very smart so if anyone could learn from a brief major league exposure it should be him.  The most encouraging thing about his start is the ground balls, in Toronto it was all air outs.  If he can pitch down in the zone he can be very effective.

Nice to see Emaus go 3-3 as well, hopefully he can find his April form soon.

John Northey - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 10:47 AM EDT (#202032) #
Looking at AA I'd say it is past time for Brian Dopirak to move to AAA or the majors. 319/380/601 at DH/1B is plenty of offense.  Brett Harper in AAA has slowed down to 268/312/454 and at 27 isn't a prospect anymore while 31 year old Randy Ruiz has hit well 322/381/572 but again isn't a prospect and if he isn't getting a shot vs Kevin Millar then him missing playing time isn't a big deal in the long run (unless you are a Vegas fan of course).  Same if Russ Adams loses some playing time Aaron Mathews or Jason Lane or anyone else who is in that 27+ zone.  You keep the 25 and unders going and given Dopirak is 25 now you better move him to AAA fast if you want to get value out of him.
ayjackson - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 11:09 AM EDT (#202034) #

Adam Loewen's post allstar line is looking promising.  .365/.529/.615 over nine games.

I agree about Dopirak.  I'd go one further though - he should be summoned today along with Dellucci, with Adams demoted and Millar jetisoned.

ayjackson - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 11:19 AM EDT (#202036) #

At what point does a young hitter give up switch hitting?  Tolisano has been really good from the port side this year, but dreadful against left-handers.  I'm not sure if this was the case in previous years.  Any insight on this Gerry?

vs. RHP  .286/.349/.488

vs. LHP  .154/.220/.231

#2JBrumfield - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 11:36 AM EDT (#202040) #
I listened to some of the 51's game last night and Mills actually had a no-hitter going until the leadoff man singled to start the seventh past a diving Jonathan Diaz at short .  Las Vegas play-by-play man Russ Langer said Mills had all his pitches working last night. 
LouisvilleJayFan - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 11:44 AM EDT (#202042) #
I wish Mills could've made his second MLB start against someone other than the Phillies. He had to face the best hitting team in the NL twice. Not to mention, they already tore him up the first time and that had to be somewhere in the back of his mind for the second start.
Gerry - Friday, July 03 2009 @ 07:07 PM EDT (#202072) #
The Fisher Cats have added three players to the DL, Scott Campbell, Randy Boone and Brandon Magee.  Kenny Rodriguez has been promoted to AA for a second chance there.  No move to Dunedin has been announced, Kyle Ginley could move back into the rotation.
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