Sacramento 11 @ Las Vegas 7 (7 innings) (Game 1) Boxscore
The eyes of most Blue Jays fans were on Jesse Litsch in the first game of a doubleheader and, unfortunately, it wasnt any better than his previous start. Litsch went 4.2 innings and surrendered 10 hits. He struck out five, but also walked three batters. After pitching a scoreless first and second, Litsch then began to struggle and surrendered seven runs over the next two innings. He left the game in the fifth, with two runners on and two out. Wil Ledezma came in and allowed both runners to score. Ledezma struck out five over 2.1 innings, but allowed two runs in the seventh.
Fresh from the major leagues, Josh Outman started for the River Cats. He improved to 5-1 on the year with a 5 inning outing. He allowed three runs, two earned. Las Vegas got on the scoreboard in the second with Kevin Howard singling and Chris Woodward doubling. With runners on second and third, Howard came in on a wild pitch by Outman and Jason Lane hit a sac fly to score Woodward. In the fifth, the 51s added another run after Lane reached second on an error. Nanita singled him to third and, after Yan Gomes struck out, Darin Mastroianni walked to load the bases. Manny Mayorson grounded to third and Kevin Kouzmanoff threw home to force Lane. However, catcher Josh Donaldson threw the ball wildly to third and Nanita was able to race home.
In the seventh, with Vinnie Chulk pitching, Las Vegas mounted the beginning of a comeback, as Gomes doubled and Mastroianni walked. Mayorson hit a three-run shot and Adam Loewen followed that with his 13th home run of the year. Chulk was pulled and reliever Neil Wagner allowed a double to Howard, but was able to wrap up the victory for the River Cats.
Sacramento 7 @ Las Vegas 5 (7 innings) (Game 2) Boxscore
Michael MacDonald fell to 5-4 on the year. He went 4.2 innings and allowed eight hits. The River Cats scored six runs off MacDonald and also drew three walks against the right-hander. Sean Henn went 1.1 innings and the River Cats dinged him for four hits. Henn allowed one of two inherited runners to score and surrendered an unearned run of his own on four hits. Danny Farquhar went 1 scoreless inning and lowered his ERA to 3.35.
The 51s had six hits in the second game, although only three batters were responsible for the hits. Brian Jeroloman had a solo homer in the second inning. It was only his second round-tripper of the year and, in typical Jeroloman fashion, he also drew a walk. Number three hitter David Cooper went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Darin Mastroianni and Ricardo Nanita each drew a walk and Nanita added a sacrifice fly. Adam Loewen was 0-for-3 with two runs scored on a walk. Chris Woodward was 2-for-3 with a double and 3 RBIs. Ramon Vazquez was hitless and Dan Perales drew a walk and scored a run. Trystan Magnuson picked up the save for Sacramento and dropped his ERA below 3.00.
Portland 6 @ New Hampshire 7 (12 innings) Boxscore
Chad Jenkins sixth start for New Hampshire was his worst in Double-A so far. Jenkins allowed nine hits and six runs over 6 innings. However, Jenkins didnt walk a batter and struck out seven. Jenkins retired eight of eleven outs on balls in play on the ground. Jenkins allowed six singles and three doubles. Casey Janssen pitched a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts. Clint Everts pitched the eighth, ninth and tenth innings, striking out four without allowing a run. Matt Daly improved to 4-0 with 2 innings, allowing a hit and a walk.
Adeiny Hechevarria was 0-for-6 to drop his average to .222. Anthony Gose was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk, although he was picked off first base. Michael McDade was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Travis dArnaud was 2-for-4 with a double with a run scored and 3 RBI. Jonathan Diaz was held hitless and Mark Sobolewski had a single, an RBI and a walk. John Tolisano was 3-for-5 with a solo home run and Calix Crabbe added a single. Moises Sierra had one hit, but it was a solo homer in the 12th inning to win the game for the Fisher Cats. Sierra had two runs scored and added a walk.
Dunedin 6 @ Palm Beach 1 Boxscore
Asher Wojciechowski showed 800 fans in Palm Beach what all the fuss is about, as he turned in a dominant performance for the D-Jays. Wojciechowski went 7 innings and didnt allow a run. He struck out six and surrendered four hits. He also induced nine groundouts compared to only two fly ball outs. Anton Loup pitched a scoreless eighth and Steven Turnbull gave up three hits and a run in the ninth.
The 6-7-8 hitters lead the attack for Dunedin, as Kevin Ahrens, Brian Van Kirk and Ryan Goins. Each player went 2-for-4 with at least a run scored. Goins hit a solo homer and scored twice and Van Kirk hit a two-run shot for his sixth of the year. Brad McElroy was 1-for-4 with a walk and Kevin Nolan also drew a free pass. Bradley Glenn also added a two-run homer, while Sean Ochinko and A.J. Jimenez were held hitless.
Lansing 7 @ Lake County 6 Boxscore
Lansing was outhit 7-13, but the Lugnuts balanced attack propelled them to a one-run victory. Every hitter had one hit and one hit only, except for K.C. Hobson and Matt Nuzzo. Michael Crouse had a double, a walk and two runs scored. Carlos Perez added a single and Jake Marisnick had a two-run homer. Marcus Knecht had a single, a run scored, an RBI and drew two walks. Lance Durham, Bryson Namba and Gari Pena each had a hit and a run scored. Durham and Namba each drove in a run. Lake County scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 6-4 lead, but Lansing scored three in the top of the eighth to regain the edge. The bottom of the lineup was essential to that rally, as Durham singled home Knecht, Namba tripled home Durham and Pena reached on an error, scoring Namba with the game-winning run.
Sean Nolin started and gave up two runs over 3 innings. He struck out four, but allowed seven hits. Shawn Griffith allowed one run over 2.1 innings, before turning the ball over to Brandon Berl who allowed the three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Only one of Berls runs was earned, because of errors by Pena and Nuzzo. Dayton Martze picked up the save with two scoreless innings. Crouse added an outfield assist at home plate and both Nolin and Berl picked off Lake County runners.
Vancouver 2 @ Spokane 1 Boxscore
Vancouver scored a run in the third and the fourth. Garrett Maines and Yeico Aponte singled to put runners on first and second. With one out, Bryan Kervin singled, scoring Maines. In the fourth, Balbino Fuenmayor was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Randy Schwartz walked and than Roan Salas singled to load the bases. Matt Newman grounded into a very important double play, which scored Fuenmayor and gave Vancouver a crucial second run. Schwartz also added a double and Jonathan Jones singled. Kervin was the only Canadian with two hits.
Justin Nicolino started for the Canadians. He only went 5 innings, but they were a dominant 5 innings. Nicolino struck out nine and walked a batter. He only allowed one hit and improved his record to 3-1 with a 1.13 ERA. Shane Davis surrendered a run in 0.2 innings. Eric Brown, Alex Pepe and Philip Brua combined for 3.1 innings of relief with one hit allowed and three strikeouts to preserve the one-run victory.
Bluefield 3 @ Danville 0 Boxscore
Myles Jaye and Aaron Sanchez combined for the shutout in a dominant pitching performance. Jaye evened his record at 1-1 with 5 innings of one-hit ball. Jaye struck out four and walked a batter. Sanchez may have done one better, with 4 innings of one-hit ball. Sanchez walked two and struck out seven.
Andy Fermin led the offensive attack. Bluefield picked up seven hits during the game and Fermin accounted for three of them. He scored two runs and added a double and a walk. Gustavo Pierre, starting at DH, went 2-for-5 with a run scored and a double. Art Charles and Chris Hawkins each added a single and an RBI.
GCL Braves 3 @ GCL Blue Jays 2 (7 innings) (Game 1) Boxscore
Dalton Pompey and Eric Arce each hit solo homers, but it wasnt enough to secure the victory for the GCL Jays. Santiago Nessy was 2-for-3. Andrew Liebel started for the GCL Jays, but didnt allow a run. Over 5 innings, Liebel surrendered three hits and struck out three. Randal Thomson gave up three runs, two earned, in an inning and took a loss.
GCL Braves 0 @ GCL Blue Jays 2 (7 innings) (Game 2) Boxscore
Jorge Vega-Rosado was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Dalton Pompey went 2-for-3 and Eric Arce was 1-for-3 with a run scored, a double and an RBI. Zak Adams started for the GCL Jays and went 4 innings. He struck out seven, walked a batter and gave up two hits. Adonys Cardona picked up the victory with 3 scoreless innings. He also allowed two hits and struck out three.
DSL Blue Jays 3 @ DSL Tigers 5 Boxscore
The DSL Blue Jays only had four hits. Two of them came from Argentinean Mauricio Nagahashi. He also had two of the three RBIs for the DSL Jays. Jairo Labourt took the loss, with a two inning start. He allowed three runs, all unearned.
Three Stars:
Honourable Mention - Chris Woodward, 4-for-7, R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 6 TB
3rd Star Justin Nicolino, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
2nd Star Asher Wojciechowski, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
1st Star Myles Jaye and Aaron Sanchez, 9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K (combined)
