Only the Blue Jays' full-season A-Ball teams came away with victories last night, including a doubleheader sweep in Dunedin and a big win for Lansing. Altogether amazing achievements for the A-level athletes -- alliteratively, anyway.
Ottawa 7 Syracuse 5
Tied at 5 in the top of the 9th inning, this game turned on a 2-run homer off Adrian Burnside by Ottawa’s Walter Young. It was a poor outing for Shaun Marcum, who surrendered 2 runs in 4 2/3 innings on 7 hits and an uncharacteristic 3 walks versus no strikeouts. On the positive side, Brandon League relieved Marcum and got nothing but groundballs in 2 1/3 scoreless innings, including 2 groundball singles; he walked a batter and also registered no K’s. After a very shaky start at Syracuse, League is starting to find his niche in the Skychiefs bullpen.
Offensively, John-Ford Griffin crunched his 15th homer of the year, and Jason Alfaro chipped in with his 6th, both solo jobs. Anton French singled twice and scored 2 runs for the Skychiefs.
Bowie 3 New Hampshire 2 (11 innings)
The Fisher Cats scored single runs in the 2nd and 3rd inning (once on a Clint Johnston dinger), but never crossed home plate again. In the result, fine pitching performances from Cameron Reimers (7 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and two relievers went for naught; Jordan De Jong sent the Bowie crowd home happy by allowing 2 walks and 2 singles in the bottom of the 11th. Maikel Jova banged out 3 singles, while Ron Acuna singled twice. Miguel Negron struck out 3 times in an 0-for-5 night, while ninth-place hitter Raul Tablado went o-for-3 to drop his average to .181.
Dunedin 4-6 Lakeland 3-5
I’m actually not sure which game was the opener and which was the nightcap; one of these was apparently the completion of an earlier suspended game. Anyway, “Game One” saw Casey Janssen win his ninth consecutive decision without a loss between Lansing and Dunedin this season. Janssen went 6 of the game’s 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. His ERA rose to a cool 2.02 in the process. Brian Reed closed out for the save. The D-Jays scored all their runs in the top of the 6th, on 4 consecutive singles, a walk, and another single, all with 2 out; Michael Snyder drove in the last 2 with his safety. Adam Lind, Eric Arnold and Brian Patrick all singled twice, while Patrick tacked on a walk; Dunedin recorded no extra-base hits.
In “Game Two,” Mike MacDonald’s struggles continued, getting touched for 4 runs (all in the 3rd inning) on a total of 7 hits and a walk, with 3 strikeouts. Dunedin’s prospects improved markedly with the entrance of Davis Romero, who stopped the bleeding in the 3rd and went on to fire 2 1/3 hitless innings, though with no strikeouts. Again, the D-Jays took advantage of one big inning; this time, 5 runs in the 5th, again on a passel of singles and walks (aided by a Lakeland error and wild pitch). They had only 1 extra-base hit in this game, a solo home run by –- you guessed it -- Chip Cannon his 21st of the campaign. Cannon also singled in the 5-run 5th and drew a walk. David Smith and Manny Mayorson singled twice.
Lansing 11 West Michigan 2
He’s never heard of you, either: second baseman Eugenio Velez led a balanced Lansing attack with 3 hits (including a double) and 2 RBI. A double and a single came off the bats of both Erik Nielsen and Christian Snavely, while Curtis Thigpen drove in 3 runs with a pair of singles. Yuber Rodriquez broke through the Mendoza Line with a pair of run-scoring singles to move his average to a glittering .204. Ryan Klosterman scored twice on a triple and a walk. Every Lugnut starter had at least one hit. Danny Core benefited from the offensive outburst, allowing 2 runs (neither one earned) in 6 innings on 7 hits and a walk, striking out 2 and lowering his ERA to 7.33.
Mahoning Valley 7 Auburn 6
A late rally fell short and the Doubledays lost again. Starter Orlando Trias pitched successfully for 5 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks, striking out 2. He got saddled with the loss because Auburn didn’t start scoring till the 7th, but the most damage was done by reliever Brian Grant, who gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in just 2 1/3 innings on 4 hits and a walk, striking out 3. Grant, the only high schooler ever drafted in the first 10 rounds under JP Ricciardi (7th, 2002), saw his early-season ERA rise to 15.43. On the positive side, recent draftee Ryan Patterson belted his second professional home run to go along with a single, while left fielder Jermy Acey doubled and singled in 4 trips. Patterson’s homer brought the Doubledays to within 1 in the bottom of the 9th, but Brian Bormaster eventually struck out with 2 runners on to end it.
Princeton 6 Pulaski 1
The Clown College scored 4 runs (only 2 earned) in the 1st inning off Wilfreddy Aguirre, and that was basically the ballgame. Aguirre managed 3 innings, allowing 4 hits and 4 walks and recording 4 strikeouts. Reliever Shane Benson allowed 2 more runs on 6 hits and 2 1/3 innings. Benson, who was born 10 days before Christmas, 1986 is (I believe) the youngest player in the Blue Jays organization. I reached my legal drinking age a month before Benson entered this world. Boy, do I feel old. Two-hit nights (with a double each) were recorded by left fielder Jorge Sandes and intriguing free-agent third baseman Leance Soto.
Your Three-Star Selection: Not a whole lot to choose from last night:
3. Eugenio Velez, Lansing: A double, 2 singles and 2 RBI: the only 3-hit night in the system.
2. Cameron Reimers, New Hampshire: 7 1/3 strong innings go to waste as the F-Cats can’t garner any run support.
1. Casey Janssen, Dunedin: His 9th win against no losses led a Dunedin doubleheader sweep.
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