The good guys on the farm turned in a 2 win and 2 loss evening.
Initially, the 51s lumber thrilled the 8,285 home opener fans in Las Vegas. Then the pitching turned the evening sour for the folks. Starter Willie Collazo and relievers Josh Roenicke and Winston Abreu together gave up 11 hits, (2HRs) and 6 earned runs. Then the pitching nightmare really started in the 9th inning with LV leading 7 – 6. Rommie Lewis (L 0-2) comes to the mound – walk, walk, WP-Run, Single-2 Runs. Mike Hinkley steps on the rubber – single, double-Run, sac fly-Run. At the end of the top half of the 9th, the 51s late relievers traded a 7-6 lead for a 11-7 loss.
Eric Thames (3 for 4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI) and Brett Lawrie (3 for 5, 2B, 3R, RBI) took the multi-hit game top honors. Lawrie kept his blazing bat going, ending the evening at .462 BA. But his fielding in this young season is looking like a flame out as he suffered his 5th error in just 9 games.
David Cooper (2 for 4, R, 2 RBIs) and Adam Loewen (1 for 3, 2 BB, 2 RBIs) led the RBI parade with 2 each while Ryan Shealy (2 for 4, RBI) and Lawrie added one each. Ryan Budde (1 for 4, 2B, BB) broke the ice with his first hit of the season, a double.
The Fisher Cats put their best paw forward with 1 run 2 hit pitching and took advantage of the long ball to sink Binghamton in front of their 2,787 home fans. Chad Beck (8IP, 2H, R, 5Ks) (W 1-0), just promoted from A+ Dunedin within the last 24 hours, pitched a strong 8 innings of 2 hit baseball, allowing only a single run. Ronald Uviedo (1IP, 2Ks) (S,1) came on for the 9th and shut out Binghamton, adding a pair of Ks to Beck’s 5Ks earlier.
The Fisher Cats waited until the 9th inning to make something happen with the bats. Adam Calderone (1 for 4, R, HR, 2 RBIs) rocketed a liner into the right field seats scoring John Tolisano who was pitch running for Mike McDade (1-4) after he reached on a fielder’s choice. Moises Siera (2 for 4) had a multi-hit game and Adieny Hechavarria (1-4) added a single. Jonathan Diaz (1 for 4, 2B) smacked a double extending his hitting streak to 7 games.
Dunedin stayed with Tampa with a 4-4 tie going into the 9th. Frank Gailey (L 0-1) starts the inning. HR, K, 2B, 2B-Run. Wes Ethridge comes in and puts out the fire, but in Dunedin’s 9th, Sean Ochinko (0-4) has a GIDP to end the D-Jays hope for the evening as Tampa bests the home boys 6 to 4.
A pair of doubles came from Brad Glenn (2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBIs) and Ryan Goins (2 for 4, 2B, R, RBI). Glenn batted in 2, Goins 1 and John Talley (0-4, RBI) was credited with an RBI on a ground out.
The Luggies had a big 5th inning and defeated Dayton to the delight of 1,325 home fans at Lansing. Lansing relievers followed starter Misual Diaz (4.1 IP, 5H, 6R-2ER, 5Ks) and pitched 4.2 innings of 5 hit shut-out baseball to save the evening. Sam Strickland (2.2 IP, 2Ks) took the win, his second. Three fielding faux pas came from Gustavo Piere (his 4th), Oliver Dominguez (his 2nd) and Balbino Fuenmayor (his 1st).
Carlos Perez (3 for 4, BB, RBI) and Dominguez (3 for 4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI) turned in three hit games. Markus Brisker (2 for 4, 2 R, BB, RBI) took a pair of safeties. A single each was had by Jacob Marisnick (1 for 4, 2 RBIs), K.C. Hobson (1 for 3, R, RBI), Marcus Knecht (1 for 4, R) and Michael Crouse (1 for 4, 2 R, 2BB).
Three Stars:
3rd Star David Cooper (2 for 4, R, 2B, 2 RBIs)
2nd Star Eric Thames (3 for 4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI)
1st Star Adam Calderone (1 for 4, R, HR, 2 RBIs)
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20110416100149634