It was a big day for John-Ford Griffin, culminating with the news he will be recalled by the Jays after today's game. Earlier Griffin hit his 30th home run and with it, moved over 100 RBI's for the season. Dunedin and Auburn prepared for the playoffs while everyone else is playing out the schedule. Ryan Patterson and Chip Cannon continued their fine seasons.
Buffalo 7 Syracuse 5 - 11 innings
The Chiefs are playing out the string but yesterday was a big day for John-Ford Griffin. In the third inning Griffin hit his 30th home run of the season, driving in runs 100 and 101. After the game Chiefs manager Marty Pevey told Griffin he was heading to join the Jays after today's game. Another September call-up, Ken Huckaby, hit a two run home run in the sixth to give the Chiefs a 5-3 lead, but Buffalo tied it off three relievers in the eighth. Francisco Rosario worked a scoreless tenth but allowed a home run and then a walk and a double in the eleventh. Kevin Barker went 3-5 to get his average back over .300. Huckaby and Solano had two hits each. Chad Gaudin started and his line was 7 7 3 3 1 5. His season ending ERA will be 3.35.
Box ScoreNew Hampshire 6 Norwich 7
New Hampshire trailed 4-2 heading into the eighth inning when Chip Cannon came through with a three run home run to give the Cats a 5-4 lead. But the usually reliable Ryan Houston gave up a couple of ground ball hits, followed by a couple of line drive hits, and three runs later the Cats trailed 7-5. New Hampshire had three straight hits with two out in the ninth to score a run but the rally ended there. Miguel Negron went 3-5 to raise his average to .260. Curtis Thigpen went 2-3 with a walk to raise his average to .275, a good average for a catcher one year removed from the draft. Chip Cannon went 2-4 with the home run to bring his average up to .253. Anthony Sanders also had two hits. Vince Perkins started and his line was 5.2 8 4 4 2 3. His season ending ERA is 4.03.
Kevin Gray, from the New Hampshire Union Leader, looks back on the 2005 season.
Clearwater 11 Dunedin 5
A meaningless game for Dunedin who start their playoffs against Lakeland on Tuesday. Kyle Yates only pitched one inning, maybe getting ready for pitching in the playoffs? Justin James followed him and was roughed up for six runs in 2.2 innings. Manny Mayerson was the only Jays with two hits. Adam Lind finished the season with a .313 average, David Smith fell just short at .294.
Box ScoreWest Michigan 2 Lansing 6
Jordan Timm got the spot start and was excellent, 5 innings, 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk, with 7 K's. Timm's ERA is now 2.94. Lansing scored five runs in the second inning on six hits, three of them doubles by Ryan Klosterman, David Hicks and Joshua Lex. Klosterman and Lex had two hits each.
Box ScoreMahoning Valley 2 Auburn 6
Eric Fowler started and pitched four innings of one hit, shutout ball. Auburn scored a run in the third on a wild pitch, two in the fourth on triples by Ryan Patterson and Josh Bell, and four more in the sixth on a couple of errors and a double by Patterson. Ryan Patterson was the leading hitter, again, 2-4 with a double and a triple.
Box ScoreYour Three Star Selection
Third star - Chip Cannon2-4, 3 run HR
Second Star - Ryan Patterson, 2-4, double, triple
First Star - John Ford Griffin, seasonal award for his 30th home run and 100th RBI
Standings Update
Two teams, Dunedin and Auburn, are in the playoffs. Two teams, Auburn and Pulaski, have finished their regular season schedule. All others finish today except for Auburn who have a few games left. Four of the six teams will have winning records for the full season, the two losers are at AAA and AA. Combined the Jays minor league teams are 365-332, 33 games over .500, with about 6 games left. Last year, on this same date, the Jays minor league teams were 398-298, one hindred games over .500.
Syracuse record is 70-73. The Chiefs are in fourth place, twelve games back of Buffalo. Syracuse had hoped for a winning season but they will fall short.
The Fisher Cats are 68-73, and are in fifth place, eight games back of Portland.
Dunedin finish the second half 41-29. The results were the same as the first half, second place with Lakeland in first. Playoffs start Tuesday in a best of three series.
The Lugnuts are 33-36, and are in fourth place, ten games back of South Bend.
Auburn are 42-29, in first place with a seven game winning streak, and are nine games ahead of Batavia.
Pulaski finished at 34-32, in third place, thirteen games behind Danville.
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