The highlights were Las Vegas' plate discipline, a Dunedin shutout and an Auburn explosion with the bats. The low lights were an extra innings loss and a doubleheader sweep.
Sacramento, CA - The 51's win was as easy as 1-2-3. That was their run totals for the third to fifth innings. They added an insurance run in the ninth to withstand a late two-run rally by the A's affiliate.
Batting - Jason Lane had two hits, including a three-run homer. Mike Jacobs had the other two-hit game for the 51's. However, Adam Calderone got aboard five times with a hit and four walks while driving in a run. Mike McCoy, Jarrett Hoffpauir, J.P. Arencibia and Brad Emaus were hitless but they each walked twice with Emaus driving in a run. Dan Perales and Raul Chavez also heard ball four once at the plate so every Las Vegas batter got aboard once.
Running - McCoy was 2-for-2 in stealing bases. Perales, Calderone and Emaus were all caught. Lane was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.
Pitching - The quality start guidelines were met by lefty Luis Perez as he gave up three runs over six innings. He gave up six hits and three walks while hitting a batter. He did strike out three and his groundout/flyout ratio was a whopping 12-1! Lefty Sean Henn walked one and struck out one in a scoreless seventh to get the hold. Lefty Rommie Lewis earned his first hold but he gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. Jeremy Accardo allowed both inherited runners to score as he gave up two hits but he got the final outs to collect his 22nd save.
Defence - Perez made a throwing error but the defence did turn a pair of double plays.
Richmond 4 New Hampshire 2 (10 Innings)
Manchester, NH - The Fisher Cats overcame a run in the first by the Giants affiliate with runs in the third and fifth. However, the Flying Squirrels tied the game in the sixth and won it with two runs in the tenth.
Batting - Darin Mastroianni had a big night with three hits and a walk. Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits and knocked home a run. Shawn Bowman and Jonathan Diaz also had two-hit nights with Diaz getting a double, the lone extra-base hit on the night. Adam Loewen had a hit and an RBI, Eric Thames had a safety and David Cooper drew a walk. Sadly, Brian Jeroloman did not draw a walk or get on base for that matter. That means the BJBBM remains at 69, dude!! New Hampshire was 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base.
Running - Mastroianni, Hechavarria and Bowman were successful in their stolen base attempts but Bowman was thrown out at home plate.
Pitching - Zach Stewart had a stellar outing by allowing just one run on two hits over five innings. He struck out six and got four ground ball outs so he was not totally fascist. Vincent Bongiovanni blew the save by giving up a run over three innings. He scattered four hits and a walk while striking out two. Ronald Uviedo got the loss by giving up two runs on two hits over two innings while plunking a batter. His K-BB total was 3-3. One of the walks was intentional.
Defence - No errors or double plays turned.
Dunedin 5 Charlotte 0 - Completion of Suspended Game.
Port Charlotte, FL - The D-Jays scored twice in the second and tacked on three more in the seventh to blank the Rays affiliate.
Batting - Welinton Ramirez belted a two-run shot to put the Jays on the board. He also took one for the team. Mike McDade, Mark Sobolewski and Justin McClanahan had two hits apiece while Brian Van Kirk had a knock and a walk. Anthony Gose had an RBI double and Jon Del Campo had a run-scoring single.
Running - Yan Gomes was picked off at first base.
Pitching - Joel Carreno yielded just two hits over 3 2/3 shutout innings and struck out a batter. Scott Richmond collected the win by pitching 3 1/3 shutout innings. He scattered two hits and a walk and struck out three while four of his seven outs were on the ground. Lefty Boomer Potts gave up just one hit over a scoreless frame and Chad Beck worked a 1-2-3 ninth. Both Potts and Beck each induced two outs on the ground.
Defence - No errors.
Charlotte 5 Dunedin 0 - Game 2 (7 Innings)
Port Charlotte, FL - Charlotte copied the Dunedin formula with a two-run inning and a three-run outburst as they did their damage in the third and fifth innings.
Batting - The top four hitters accounted for all five singles for Dunedin. Brad McElroy had two of them. The others came from Anthony Gose, Brian Van Kirk and Mike McDade. Jon Talley picked up a hat trick of strikeouts as Dunedin batters struck out eight times and did not draw a walk.
Running - Gose was doubled off first by the right fielder on the back end of a double play.
Pitching - Lefty Ryan Page gave up five runs on seven hits while walking a man and hitting another over 4 1/3 innings while picking up 4 K's. Ross Buckwalter pitched two-thirds of a scoreless inning but he issued a walk and allowed two of three inherited runners to score. Matt Daly gave up two hits but matched that with two punchouts in his scoreless inning of work.
Defence - Page made a throwing error but did pick off Tim Beckham at first base.
Lansing, MI - The Lugnuts held 4-3 and 5-4 leads in the middle innings but the Padres affiliate pulled away with two runs in the sixth and another pair in the ninth for the victory.
Batting - Kevin Ahrens had the only multi-hit effort with two hits and a run batted in. Sean Ochinko was the other Lugnut to get on base twice with a hit and a walk. Ryan Schimpf and Justin Jackson each had triples with Schimpf picking up two RBI. Eric Eiland had a double and an RBI while Kenny Wilson had a hit and a run batted in. Jake Marisnick was 1-for-4.
Running - Karim Turkamani was caught trying to steal third.
Pitching - The long ball was a problem on this night. Ryan Tepera was roughed up for four runs over five innings thanks to four hits and five walks. He also plunked a batter and surrendered a home run. However, he did get eight outs on the ground and struck out a pair. Lefty Matt Wright took the loss after allowing two runs over 2 2/3 innings. He gave up a homer among his three hits and also plunked a man but he did ring up four batters. Chad Beck did not emerge unscathed either. He stranded a runner for Wright but he was touched up for two runs on three hits, including two homers, over an inning and a third.
Defence - Jackson booted one at short and Ahrens did the same at third. Fort Wayne was 3-for-3 in stealing bases against Turkamani. Page did pick off a runner at first and one double play was turned.
Williamsport, PA - Auburn opened the scoring in the fourth only to see the Phillies affiliate rally for three runs in their half of the inning. The D-Days responded with a touchdown and a two-point convert in the sixth to big league their hosts. Yes, eight was more than enough on this night (there's your roundabout Willie Aames reference for you!).
Batting - Every Auburn batter reached base with a hit or a walk. Marcus Knecht had two hits, a walk and three runs batted in. Carlos Perez had two hits, including a double, and was hit. Gustavo Pierre matched Perez's output minus the plunk while Markus Brisker also had a two-hit game. Yudelmis Hernadez had a hit and drove in two runs while Jonathan Jones, Matthew Nuzzo, Perez and Brisker added one to their RBI totals.
Running - Pierre was caught stealing.
Pitching - Casey Lawrence earned the "W" after allowing three runs over five innings on four hits and a walk. He gave up a homer and was charged with a balk but that was offset by five strikeouts and eight groundouts. Josh Outman gave up a hit and threw a wild pitch but he struck out the side in his one inning of work. Lefty Juan Hernandez gave up two hits and struck out a man in his two scoreless innings of work. Lefty Michael Kelly pitched a one-hit ninth.
Defence - Andy Fermin threw out one from third base. The D-Days did turn a twin-killing.
GCL Yankees 3 GCL Blue Jays 2 - Game 1 (7 Innings)
Tampa, FL - The Jays scored twice in the sixth but the Yankees rallied for three runs in the seventh for a walk-off victory.
Batting - The Jays just managed four baserunners on two hits, a walk and a hit by pitch. K.C. Hobson had a single and an RBI on a fielder's choice. He came around to score on three passed balls. Gari Pena had the other base knock. Ronald Melendez was plunked while Pierce Rankin took ball four. Kellen Sweeney was the other baserunner to reach as he got aboard on an error. He also laid down a sacrifice bunt to get Melendez into scoring position.
Running - Rankin was picked off at first base.
Pitching - Aaron Sanchez got the one inning start and it was an eventful one. He overcame a single, two walks, a stolen base and a wild pitch to hold the Yankees off the scoreboard thanks in large part to two strikeouts. Bobby Bell pitched three shutout innings by allowing just two hits while striking out three. Milciades Santana delivered two scoreless frames by overcoming a hit and a walk while striking out a pair. Bryan Longpre gave up three unearned runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning to take the loss.
Defence - Bryson Namba made a throwing error at third that led to the first Yankees run in the fateful seventh. Rankin had a rough day behind the plate. He allowed two passed balls and was 0-for-3 in catching basestealers with the latter two coming on a double steal of second and third. That set the stage for Gary Sanchez to single home the tying and winning runs. Cito Culver had two of the stolen bases. On the positive side, Longpre did force a runner out at home plate before Sanchez's heroics. One double play was also turned.
GCL Yankees 7 GCL Blue Jays 1 - Game 2 (7 Innings)
Dunedin, FL - The Jays grabbed a 1-0 lead after one but the Yankees scored a run in both the second and fifth innings before putting the game away with five runs in the seventh to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Batting - Ronald Melendez had a hit, a walk and a run scored while Chris Hawkins got on base twice via the walk. Michael Crouse had a single and an RBI groundout.
Running - Melendez stole second and third and Hawkins also stole a base.
Pitching - Lefty Jose Vargas gave up a run on six hits in four innings while striking out two and inducing six groundouts. Dan Barnes wound up with the loss as he gave up a Cito Culver home run in two innings but he did rack up two K's and four outs on the ground. Sean Shoffit was lit up in his two-thirds of an inning as he was charged with five runs on seven hits. Lefty Leandro Mella gave up a hit but stranded a pair of Shoffit's runners in his one-third of an inning. On the positive side, no walks were issued.
Defence - Crouse threw out a runner at the plate from center. Garrett Maines was 0-for-2 in throwing out basestealers from behind the plate. One double play was converted.
San Pedro de Macoris, D.R. - The Rangers scored all of their runs in the first. The Jays could only manage a run in the sixth and eighth innings.
Batting - Sony "Playstation" Javier and Santiago Nessy each had two-hit games. Javier had the only extra-base hit with a double while Nessy drove in a run and drew a walk to reach base three times. Alvaro Blanco, Fausto Natera, Angel Feliz and Aderlin Gonzalez each had a hit. Feliz drove in the other Jays run. Gonzalo Gonzalez got aboard once on a ball four call by the home plate umpire.
Running - The Gonzalez boys managed to steal a base each.
Pitching - Lefty Jose Avila allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out three and recorded nine outs on the ground. Manuel Lopez pitched two perfect innings and struck out a batter.
Defence - Nessy threw one away from behind the plate, Avila airmailed one from the mound and Natera had a misfire from third base. One double play was turned.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Zach Stewart, New Hampshire
2. Darin Mastroianni, New Hampshire
1. Adam Calderone, Las Vegas
