That's the truth! A perfect night all around in Toronto and for the minor league affiliates who go 4-0 Tuesday night.
Las Vegas, NV - Two runs in the third were all the 51's needed to give Brad Mills his first win of the season against the Giants affiliates. Chris "The Big" Lubanski was the dude who abides by bringing home the first run on a bases-loaded walk. The other run came in on a Kevin Pucetas wild pitch.
Batting - Only six hits for the 51's in this one and just one extra-base hit, courtesy of Brett Wallace who enjoyed a 2-for-3 night at the dish with a double and a walk. J.P. Arencibia was the only other 51 to reach base twice on a single and a walk. Jarrett Hoffpauir, Jesus Merchan and Christian Colonel (Jesus & Christian, hmmmmm!) had the other hits. Brian Dopirak and Aaron Matthews were a combined 0-for-7 with a GIDP each. The 51's were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.
Pitching - Lefty Brad Mills allowed just one run on seven hits and a walk over 5 1/3 innings while getting five groundouts and punching out nine Grizzlies. Well, not nine Grizzlies literally but he was pretty impressive nonetheless by ringing up Buster Posey twice. He was nicked for his only run in the fifth inning when he gave up a four singles, including an RBI knock by Fred Lewis. The bullpen held things down the rest of the way with Jesse Carlson overcoming a wild pitch and a balk while allowing just one hit and punching out two in 1 2/3 innings of work. Sean Henn surrendered two hits in the eighth but nothing more and "Rockin'" Rommie Lewis made sure "Lefties Night" was a success by pitching a clean ninth with a strikeout for his third save of the season. Carlson and Henn picked up their first and second holds of the year respectively.
Defense - No miscues, save for Carlson uncorking a bottle of his less than finest.
Reading, PA - The third inning was also a good one for the Fisher Cats as they scored four runs and tacked on another in the fifth to give lefty Luis Perez more than he would need against the Phillies Double-A squad.
Batting - David Cooper and Jonathan Diaz each enjoyed two-hit nights with Cooper also adding a walk and Jaspe getting plunked for his troubles. Former Padre Calix Crabbe had just one hit but it was a two-run triple that broke the game open. Jonathan Jaspe also added a three-bagger for the Fisher Cats. Adam Calderone and Darin Mastroianni had RBI singles and Mastroianni chipped in with a stolen base.
Pitching - Lefty Luis Perez was trying to match Ricky Romero for seeing who could go the longest without giving up a hit. Perez set down 13 in a row at one point before a leadoff walk and a Domonic Brown single to start the seventh turned out to be his only big hiccup of the night. Perez allowed just one hit, two walks and uncorked a wild pitch over seven shutout innings. More impressively, he racked up 11 groundball outs. Canadian Trystan Magnuson worked a shutout eighth but was touched up for two runs on three hits in the ninth but he did strike out a pair.
Defense - Diaz made a throwing error at short but he did help turn a 1-6-3 double play.
Daytona Beach, FL - The D-Jays pulled this one against the D-Cubs with a two-run ninth to snap a 2-2 tie. The winning run came home on a throwing error by Cubs prospect Josh Vitters. Another lefty helped set the tone pitching-wise for Dunedin.
Batting - Brian Van Kirk swung the big bat in this one as he connected for a solo home run, a sac fly RBI and added a stolen base. Yan Gomes also chipped in with a pair of hits. John Tolisano added an RBI single but was caught stealing.
Pitching - Southpaw Ryan Page put together a quality start by allowing just two runs on six hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. He only struck out one but he did induce eight groundball outs. Lefty Boomer Potts finished up the seventh with no runs across despite a walk and Dumas Garcia also worked out a walk to pitch a scoreless eighth. Matthew Daly preserved the victory for Garcia with a one-hit ninth for save number three on the season.
Defense - Page was bailed out by his defence in the fifth inning thanks to an 8-3-6 putout started by Welinton Ramirez, continued by Michael McDade and completed by Tyler Pastornicky to end the frame. Page also helped his own cause by picking off Cubs 2009 first rounder Brett Jackson off first base. Gomes was 1-for-2 in throwing out runners trying to steal.
Midland, MI - The Lugnuts followed suit with Dunedin by scoring the winning run in the ninth inning. More good pitching and the long ball helped the Luggies put this one in the column under "W" against the Dodgers affiliate.
Batting - Oliver Dominguez homered in the first and Brad Glenn belted a pinch-hit homer in the ninth to account for all of the Lansing scoring. Dominguez also had two hits and two stolen bases on the night. Kenny Wilson had a single and a walk but was caught stealing. Kevin Nolan did pilfer a base after drawing a walk. Ryan Goins and Jonathan Talley, who was replaced by Glenn, also added singles.
Pitching - Ryan Shropshire put together a quality start by allowing a single run on three hits and three walks over six innings while striking out four and getting nine groundball outs. "The Flyin' Hawaiian" Dustin Antolin got the victory with three perfect innings in which he struck out a pair of batters and got five ground ball outs.
Defense - Kevin Nolan made a throwing error at third but the Lugnuts did turn a 4-6-3 twin killing. Great Lakes did manage one stolen base against the Shropshire-Sean Ochinko battery.
*** 3 Stars! ***
3. Brad Mills, Las Vegas
2. Oliver Dominguez, Lansing
1. Luis Perez, New Hampshire
