The short-season affiliates continued their domination of the NYPL and Appy leagues, while the full-season affiliates split 4 nailbiters.
Buffalo 9 Syracuse 7
The Chiefs couldn't hold a 6-2 lead after 5 innings, as the Bisons roared back with 4 runs in the 6th inning and 3 runs in the 7th inning. Starter Mike Smith and Aquilino Lopez were the victims of the Bison offence on this night. Smith surrendered 5 earned runs in 5 plus inning on 5 hits, 2 batters plunked and 6 walks (including the last 3 batters he faced). He struck out one. Lopez came on in the 6th, with the bases loaded and surrendered a grand slam. In the 7th, he gave up 3 runs of his own. Anthony Sanders doubled and homered and drove in 3, while Guillermo Quiroz doubled twice in 4 at-bats. Gabe Gross went 1-3 with 2 walks, and Russ Adams went 1-5 with 2 errors.
Box Score
Syracuse Post-Standard game story
Trenton 3 New Hampshire 4
Three runs in the first inning gave the Fisher Cats a lead that they never relinquished. Aaron Hill's RBI double and John-ford Griffin's 2 run single were the big hits. Hill went 2-4, while Griffin went 2-3 with a walk. Chris Baker started and went six innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits and 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. Brandon League set up in the 7th and 8th nicely, allowing a run on 2 hits and 2 stolen bases. League walked nobody and struck out 2. For the second game in a row, Jordan DeJong made the home-town fans sweat, loading the bases in the ninth, but induced a groundout to second base to get out of it.
Box Score
New Hampshire Union Leader game story
Dunedin 6 Clearwater 4
The D-Jays banged out 19 hits, with every member of the lineup contributing 2 or more except for Ron Davenport. Dunedin scored 6 runs despite leaving 13 on base and hitting into a double play. Jayce Tingler and Miguel Negron had 3 hits each, while Davenport went a not-too-shabby 1-4 with a walk. Chad Pleiness had a rare start and went 5 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 2. Andy Torres and Brian Reed held the fort nicely for the next 3 innings, and the score was 6-1 entering the ninth. Bubbie Buzachero continued his struggles by allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks, so Tracy Thorpe came on for the final out to get the save.
Box Score
Charleston 5 Hickory 6
It was a painful loss for the Alley-Cats in a see-saw game. The Crawdads scored 2 in the 1st and 1 in the 2nd to take the early lead. The Alley-Cats roared back with 4 runs in the 4th. The Crawdads tied up the game at 4 in the 5th. Charleston scored a run in the top of the 7th to regain the lead before Hickory scored the deciding 2 runs in the bottom of the inning. Four of the Hickory runs, including the deciding runs in the 7th were unearned, as Juan Peralta made 3 errors and Jermy Acey one. Peralta, David Smith and Christian Snavely each reached base 3 times, while Eric Arnold had a 2 run single in the Alley-Cats 4th inning rally. Brad Mumma started and went six serviceable innings, giving up 4 runs, 2 earned on 6 hits, 1 batter plunked, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Matt Dalton took the loss, giving up the 2 unearned runs on 3 hits, 1 batter plunked and no walks with 2 strikeouts in 2 innings of work.
Box Score
Charleston Gazette-Mail game story
Auburn 6 Jamestown 0
Mike McDonald threw 6.1 innings of 4 hit ball, and the DP combo of Ryan Klosterman and Brian Hall swung the big bats for the Doubledays. The Doubledays scored 5 runs in the first 2 innings, and then relaxed. McDonald made it possible by walking nobody and striking out 7. Justin Maureau pitched 1.2 hitless innings, walking 1 and striking out 2, and Jayson Rodriguez contributed by throwing a scoreless ninth. Klosterman homered, doubled and scored 3 runs. Hall drove in 3 with 2 singles. Chip Cannon wore the golden sombrero.
Box Score
Auburn feature on Toronto, just for fun
Princeton 3 Pulaski 10
The P-Jays scored 6 in the 1st inning and added 4 in the seventh. Once again, Princeton buffed their stats with 3 late runs. Brian Bormaster was the unlikely hitting hero, hitting 2 homers and driving in 5. Jon Chapell doubled and drove in 3. Russ Savickas started and went 5 shutout innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3. Raymon Sanchez, James Pidutti, and Joseph Cherron followed, with only Pidutti being touched for runs.
Box Score
Your 3 star selection
3rd star- Aaron Hill and John-ford Griffin, hitting heroes for NH
2nd star- Mike McDonald, with 6.1 shutout innings and 7Ks for Auburn
1st star= Brian Bormaster, Pulaski's unlikely power source
Honourable mention- Ryan Klosterman and Chad Pleiness
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040725103531999