Rob Cosby had a big day as the Fisher Cats won. Auburn came from behind to also win. Otherwise three losses made it a 2-3 day. With just over three weeks left in the season, three teams are in the playoff hunt.
Syracuse 8 Scranton 9
Syracuse had a 5-4 lead heading to the bottom of the seventh with Jason Arnold on the mound. Arnold allowed a lead off single and a sac bunt. Kevin Tolar relieved and gave up a triple to tie the game. The usually reliable Lee Gronkiewicz came on to record the second out but walked the next batter, then allowed a 3 run home run and a solo home run and it was a 9-5 game. In the bottom of the ninth the Chiefs scored three on 3 singles, a walk and an error but Julius Matos lined out to end the game with the tying run on second. Earlier in the game Jason Alfaro hit a solo home run and Joe DePastino hit a three run shot. Chris Baker started and went 5 innings, giving up 4 runs. John-Ford Griffin and Jason Alfaro each went 3-5. Gabe Gross and Danny Solano each had two hits and a walk.
Box ScoreBinghamton 2 New Hampshire 9
New Hampshire pounded out 15 hits yesterday. Vince Perkins pitched five innings, allowing no more than one base runner in the first, second, fourth and fifth. In the third an error by Raul Tablado on the lead off hitter led to 2 runs. The error was followed by a couple of hits and a couple of walks before Perkins struck out the side to get out of it. Perk's line was 5 4 2 1 2 7. New Hampshire took the lead with 3 runs in the fourth, thanks to a Cosby double; a Thigpen walk; a Cannon triple; and a Kratz double. The Cats added 5 more in the fifth on 6 hits including another Cosby double. Meanwhile Jordan DeJong had what could be his best appearance of the year, four innings, 12 up, 12 down, thanks to a double play. Cosby doubled in another run in the eighth and finished the day 4-5 with 3 doubles. Ryan Roberts, Thigpen, Cannon and Kratz also had two hits each.
Box ScoreDunedin - Scheduled day off
Beloit 4 Lansing 2
Chi-Hung Cheng had a pretty typical start, five innings, two runs, more walks (5) than hits (4). Lansing scored two in the fourth with four straight two out singles. The inning ended when David Hicks was out trying a delayed steal of home on the back end of a first and third double steal. Juan Perez came on in the sixth and retired seven in a row before a walk and three singles put Lansing down 4-2. Aaron Mathews and Charlie Anderson had two hits each.
Box ScoreBatavia 4 Auburn 5
Two runs in the seventh, and two more in the eighth, gave Auburn the win after trailing 4-1 in the seventh. In the seventh Matt Cooksey singled, Joey Metropoulos doubled to score one, and Brian Bormaster singled in the second run. in the eighth Jermy Acey doubled, Cory Patton reached on a strikeout, Matt Cooksey singled home the tying run and a sac fly by Metropoulos brought in the go ahead run. Paul Philips came on in the eighth with two on and no outs and promptly pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Robert Ray started, pitched 4.1 innings with one run allowed on three hits. Acey and Cooksey had two hits each, Acey had also hit a home run in the first inning.
Box ScoreBluefield 9 Pulaski 4
Jesse Litsch started and was not at his best giving up three runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. Rafael Perez followed and gave up four more runs in two thirds of an inning. Al Quintana led the offense on this night, tripling in a run in the second and scoring on a single from Jesus Gonzalez. In the fourth Quintana doubled and scored on a single by Octavio Cordero. In the ninth the same threesome was at it again, Quintana singled, Gonzalez doubled him to third, and Cordero hit a sac fly. Quintana and Gonzalez had three hits each.
Box ScoreYour Three Star Selection
Third star - Paul Philips 2 inning save
Second Star - Jermy Acey, 2 hits, HR
First Star - Rob Cosby, 4-5
Standings Update
Just over three weeks left in the season, three teams, New Hampshire, Dunedin and Auburn are strong contenders for a playoff spot. Syracuse are a long shot. Lansing and Pulaski will not make it.
Syracuse record is 61-61. The Chiefs are tied for fourth place, five games back of Buffalo.
The Fisher Cats are 60-61, and are in third place, four and a half games back of Portland, and one game out of the playoffs.
Dunedin are 27-22, and are are in second place, a half game behind Lakeland.
The Lugnuts are 21-29, and are fourth, eighth games back of two teams.
Auburn are 31-22, on an eight game winning streak, in first place, three games ahead of Mahoning Valley.
Pulaski are 25-27, in third place, eleven games behind Danville.
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