The farm went 2-2 on Monday night, and one Box favourite reached base five times. Can you guess who???!?! Probably not, because it's definitely not the guy in the title.
Las Vegas 6 at Sacramento 3
This game was more lopsided than it looked. The 51s collected 10 hits including three doubles and two homers, and also walked six times. They probably deserved more than six runs, but it doesn't matter. Eric Thames led the offense with a single, homer and three walks. The other dinger was hit by Brett Lawrie, who also doubled.
The pitching was, well, good enough. Chad Cordero allowed three runs in three innings in getting a bullpen-by-committee start, and the bullpen didn't allow a run the rest of the way. Casey Janssen was especially impressive, striking out three while allowing just a hit in two innings.
Reading 13 at New Hampshire 1
Joel Carreno wasn't doing a great job of "reading" the opposition in his first AA start. The 24-year-old Dominican allowed 10 hits (including 2 homers) and 5 walks in just 4 2/3 innings. The bullpen didn't help much, as Vince Perkins and Matt Daly each allowed three runs in their inning of work to make this one a laugher. Jonathan Diaz was the only hitter who did much of anything, doubling and walking twice for a perfect day at the plate.
Lakeland 3 at Dunedin 2
Before the ninth inning, the D-Jays could only manage four singles against Victor Larez. They finally made things interesting in the last frame when Ivan Contreras walked and was immediately doubled home by Ryan Goins, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Goins would eventually score on a ground-out, but A.J. Jimenez ended the game by grounding out with the tying run at third base. Contreras was the only batter to reach base more than once - he singled, walked and added a steal.
Dunedin's pitching was good, but not quite as good as Lakeland's. Nelson Molina allowed one run and four base-runners in his five innings, and struck out six. Dennis (Ryan) Tepera threw the last four, allowing five hits and striking out three.
Lansing 9 at South Bend 8
It was a good old-fashioned slugfest in South Bend, Indiana. The visitors got on the board in the top of the first thanks to hits by Carlos Perez and Jake Marisnick, a fielding error, and a Bryson Namba RBI ground-out. The bottom of the inning saw the Silver Hawks storm right back with four runs against Lansing starter Egan Smith, who would be chased after 4.1 having allowed five runs on nine base-runners. Thankfully, the offense kept rolling, scoring multiple runs in four different innings to eventually eke out a 9-8 victory.
Perez added a triple and a walk to his first-inning double to lead the hitters. Markus Brisker also reached base three times, while Marcus Knecht drove in three with his two singles. Alex Pepe got the win by throwing 1.2 innings of scoreless ball, the only Lansing pitcher not to allow a run.
Three Stars!
3. Carlos Perez - 2-4, 2B, 3B, BB
2. Nestor Molina - 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 6 K
1. Eric Thames - 2-2, HR, 3 BB
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20110412000743682