If you want to get something done right, ask a Mississaugan. It's true for Hazel McCallion and it's true for the Blue Jays' minor-league system, which went 1-2 (with a rainout) last night and owes its lone victory to a powerful ex-Aggie and a teenaged southpaw suburbanite.
Louisville 7 Syracuse 6
Tough loss for Syracuse last night, as the Bats scored twice in the bottom of the ninth to steal a win. Matt Whiteside allowed a single, wild pitch, single and sacrifice fly to tie the game; a missed cutoff man allowed the eventual winning run to advance to second base, where it scored on another single. The Syracuse.com game story refers to Whiteside as the Skychiefs’ closer, which is a job I thought Jason Arnold held, and very effectively too: 5 saves, 1.86 ERA, 19 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 16 K. Whiteside, who led the International League with 38 saves for Richmond last year, has 4 saves for Syracuse, but his numbers aren’t nearly as good. Meh. I’m sure someone will explain it to me in due course.
Some tough love was administered to starter Francisco Rosario last night by his manager, Marty Pevey. Rosario allowed 2 2-run homers in the early going, and Pevey was unhappy with his young pitcher’s approach. From Syracuse.com:
"I don't think he pitched very aggressively, and I don't think his head was where it was supposed to be," Pevey said. "He just threw his hat out there and said, 'Well, I'll get these guys out.' He's got to learn that just because you give up a couple runs, you're not coming out. I was going to leave him in there whether he gave up 10 runs or whether he gave up five."
As it happens, Rosario did yield five runs, and after settling down, his final line (7 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 4 K) showed that he at least went out there and kept his teammates in the game. The comeback was aided by solo home runs from John-Ford Griffin (his team-leading 9th) and Chad Mottola (his 7th, to give the Skychiefs a brief 1-run lead; Griffin and Mottola had one other hit each). Anton French had 3 singles (including a bunt safety that tied the game at 5). Bryant Nelson also singled twice.
New Hampshire at New Britain, suspended, rain
The game was called off after the 2nd inning with the Fisher Cats leading 1-0 on a Vito Chiaravalotti RBI single. Josh Banks had struck out 2 batters in the early going. I don’t know whether the game has been rained out altogether or if they’ll complete it today; probably the former, I would think.
Vero Beach 9 Dunedin 3
Remember when the D-Jays were a club with solid pitching in a hitter-hostile league? Another Dunedin starter got knocked around last night, as Mike MacDonald was battered for 6 runs in 5 innings on 10 hits and 2 walks, striking out just 2 batters. Things were scarcely better for reliever Davis Romero, who gave up 2 more runs in 2 innings of relief on 3 hits and a walk, striking out 4. Adam Lind singled and walked twice to keep his average at .307 and his OBP at .380, while recently demoted centerfielder Jason Waugh doubled twice and scored a run. Shortstop Manny Mayorson singled twice with an RBI.
Lansing 2 Kane County 1
The lone win for the Jays’ minor-league system last night came courtesy of a Canadian. Young lefty Aaron Wideman fired 6 innings of 1-run ball on 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 5. Wideman, who turns 20 next week, has posted a very encouraging line of 4-2, 4.20, 10 GS, 55 IP, 47 H, 16 BB, 45 K, 2 HR. The player the Jays dealt to get Wideman, Tyrell Godwin, was recently called up the big leagues by Washington, so let’s call that a win-win trade for both sides. All the offence Lansing would need came courtesy of a 2-run homer from Cory Patton, his 5th of the season.
Your Three-Star Selection: Not much to choose from on this night:
3. Chad Mottola, Syracuse: A double and the would-be go-ahead home run in a Syracuse loss.
2. Cory Patton, Lansing: The eventual game-winning 2-run homer.
1. Aaron Wideman, Lansing: 6 innings of 1-run ball for the system’s only victory.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050528091733521