A disappointing 0 – 4 night for Toronto’s affiliates featuring 3 pitching debuts and too many unearned runs.
Durham 8 @ Syracuse 6
Shaun Marcum made his Triple-A debut in a see-saw battle of a ball game. Marcum surrendered solo homers in the 2nd & 3rd innings (including one to Kevin Cash) but then settled down through the sixth as his mates built him a 5-2 lead. He was pulled with one out in the seventh and two runners on, and Jesse Carlson promptly served up a gopher ball to bring Marcum’s tally to 4 earned runs. All in all, it was a solid debut; 6 hits, 1 walk, and 9 punchouts.
Back at the ball game, Durham pulled ahead with an unearned run off Spike Lundberg in the ninth, but Jason Alfaro re-tied things in the bottom of the frame with a 2-out dinger. Unfortunately, the Chiefs had no answer for the two more unearned runs the Bulls scored in the 10th inning.
First baseman Alfaro was the SkyChief’s hitting star, as he smacked two doubles to go with his round-tripper for three RBI. Gabe Gross also hit a solo shot, and Chad Mottola had a double and a single. John Hattig and John-Ford Griffin each reached base once in five trips (single and walk, respectively).
Boxscore - MinorLeagueBaseball.com. Recap - Post-Standard
Like Marcum in AAA, Ismael Ramirez had no trouble whiffing batters (10) and had good control (1 BB), but surrendered 4 runs. The damage off Ramirez came on 1 homer, 7 hits total, in 5 innings. Jordan De Jong was smacked around for another 7 hits and 4 runs in his 2 innings. DH Kevin Barker was asked to mop up in the 8th, and he allowed a singleton on two hits, a walk, and a wild pitch.
Barker had himself a nice night offensively, tallying 3 base hits of the 12 total for the Fisher Cats. New Hampshire also drew 2 walks and didn’t hit into any double plays and were not caught stealing, but somehow managed just the 2 runs. They did strike out 10 times, including thrice for Raul Tablado. Mikael Jova had 3 hits including a double representing the Fisher’s only extra-base knock, and Jose Umbria stroked two singles.
Boxscore - MinorLeagueBaseball.com. Recap - Union-Leader
Big lefty Dave Purcey allowed a first-inning run and then put his recent struggles behind him, totaling 7 innings pitched for the contest, just the one run allowed on 6 hits, 3 Ks and 2 walks. The newest D-Jay, Danny Hill, was victimized for 2 unearned runs his 1-inning FSL debut. Hill struck out the leadoff man, but he reached on a passed ball by Robinzon Diaz. After a walk, a flyout to centre allowed the runners to move up and Hill intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases with one out. A sac fly was then dropped by Adam Lind in left field, and another run scored on a fielder’s choice which featured yet another error (missed catch by third baseman Scott Dragicevich), though this one didn’t lead to any more runs. Hill had seen enough of his defence and struck out the next batter to end the inning.
There was little offence to speak of for Dunedin. Brian Patrick reached base three times (walk, single, double), while Dragicevich had the only RBI for the home team as part of his two hit night.
Boxscore - MinorLeagueBaseball.com.
Like Purcey in Dunedin, Chi-hung Cheng eschewed the strikeout but got the job done. Cheng sent just two batters on the long stroll back to the dugout, but allowed the Cougars to score just once on 2 singles and 4 free passes in his 6 innings. Jeremy Harper gave up only one hit as he pitched the final 2 innings, but also walked 3 and allowed the game-winner in the eighth.
Unfortunately, the Nuts had just two hits themselves, both singles by David Hicks. Luke Hetherington and Yuber Rodriguez both drew two bases on balls.
Boxscore - MinorLeagueBaseball.com. Recap - Lansing State Journal
Three-Star Selection!
The Third Star: Dave Purcey, Dunedin. 7 innings, 1 run.
The Second Star: Mikael Jova , New Hampshire, 3 hits for 4 total bases.
The First Star: Jason Alfaro , 3 extra base hits for 8 total bases.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050531084710245