It is Sunday morning, and the doors of the Church of Baseball are always open. And so we pray. May our pitchers always throw strikes and may the wind blow in. Yesterday our youthful minor leaguers faced much adversity on the way to compiling a 2-4 record.
Pawtucket 12 Syracuse 3
You know it's a bad night when two affiliates fall by the identical 12-3 margin. Shaun Marcum had probably his worst outing as a pro. It started with a leadoff homer and 2 run homer by Kelly Shoppach in the first. After the Chiefs tallied 3 in the 2nd and the Pawsox took the lead with a run in the 3rd, it all fell apart for Marcum in the 4th. Two outs, bases loaded for Roberto Petagine. See you later ball, see you later Marcum. Adrian Burnside pitched well in relief, while Jason Arnold and Spike Lundberg did not. It didn't matter as the Sky Chiefs could muster only 5 hits, including John-Ford Griffin's 2. The highlights of the evening were Curt Schilling's 9th inning mop-up effort for Pawtucket and a 5-4-3 double play started by Dave Berg.Syracuse Post-Standard story on the thrill of Shill
Portland 3 New Hampshire 6
In the second matchup of Red Sox and Jay affiliates, the Fisher Cats rallied for 3 runs in the eighth to down the Sea Dogs. With Ryan Roberts on first and one down, the Cats had the hot-hitting Rob Cosby at the plate. The Portland outfield was pushed back to the fences in a tie game. Manager Mike Basso started Roberts and Cosby lined a single to left. Roberts headed for third and when the left-fielder had trouble coming up with the ball, he kept on coming and scored. Maikel Jova's 2nd triple of the game followed, and that was it. Dustin McGowan started and went 7 strong innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 on solo homers and the other unearned. He surrendered 6 hits and 1 walk, while punching out 5. Jesse Carlson and Tracy Thorpe pitched an inning each for the win and save respectively. Miguel Negron had 2 hits and scored twice.
New Hampshire Union Leader game story
Dunedin 3 Palm Beach 12
It was raining cats and dogs on the Gold Coast of Florida yesterday, but it was raining baserunners in Palm Beach. 13 hits and 6 walks for the home side. Davis Romero started and wished that he hadn't, as he was touched for 6 runs in the second inning. Brad Mumma survived 2.1 innings with only 2 unearned runs, but then Mark Sopko and Milton Tavarez suffered some more. Tim Whittaker had 2 hits, while Carlo Cota tripled and walked. That was the extent of the good news for the D-Jays. Chip Cannon was out of the lineup for the 2nd straight day.
Kane County 1 Lansing 5
Redemption in Michigan, as the Lugnuts slayed the Cougars behind the solid pitching of Danny Core and the big bat of Charlie Anderson. Core went 8 innings, allowing 5 hits including a solo homer, while walking one and striking out 7. Anderson drove in all the Lugs runs with a 3 run homer and a 2 run single. Christian Snavely and Luke Hetherington each reached base 3 times in 4 trips.
Lansing State Journal game story
Auburn 2 Lowell 7
The Doubledays could manage only 7 hits in a painful loss. Hot-hitting centerfielder Ryan Patterson was hit by a pitch (to drive in a run), but was removed from the game. There is no word yet on whether he sustained any injuries. Brian Pettway stroked 2 doubles, while Cory Patton continues his streak with 2 hits and a walk. Orlando Trias allowed 4 earned runs in 5.1 innings on 6 hits and 1 walk, while Gabriel Alfaro allowed 3 earned runs in 2.2 innings on 4 hits and 2 walks, but did strike out 5. It was not a night to remember.
Johnson City 8 Pulaski 5
Sometimes, the simple version of runs created doesn't tell a true story. So it was in Pulaski last night as the P-Jays hit 4 homers and had 10 other baserunners, but could manage only 5 runs. Why? 4 solo homers and 6 double plays. Yech. Catcher Jonathan Jaspe went 3-3 with a homer and a walk, but was involved in a DP twice, one a 5-4. It was that kind of a night. Leance Soto homered and struck out once in 4 trips, and also made his 5th error of the campaign. Joe Wice started and went 5 innings and surrendered 5 earned runs on 8 hits and no walks while striking out 3.
3-star selection
3rd star-Danny Core, apparently only 6 excellent innings for Lansing (help us out here, milb.com)
2nd star-Dustin McGowan, a fine outing for the Fisher Cats
1st star-Charlie Anderson, a homer and 5 ribbies for Lansing
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050709214855799