The farm affiliates were all at home and feasted to the tune of a 3-1 record.
Rochester 2 @ Syracuse 5
Danny Solano's 5th inning homer broke a 2-2 tie, and the Chiefs
tacked on 2 more before the rains came and shortened the game to a 5
and 1/2 inning affair. Chad Mottola tripled and singled and drove
in 2, and John-ford Griffin hit a solo homer and drove in another run
with a single. Brandon League got the win in relief of Shaun
Marcum. Marcum went 3.2 innings and allowed both Red Wing runs on
5 hits and no walks, while striking out 4. League pitched the
remaining 2.1 innings and gave up 3 hits, but no walks and no
strikeouts.
Portland @ New Hampshire, ppd. rain
With New Hampshire receiving record rainfall, this game may not be made up for some time. Here is Kevin Gray's game story for Saturday's game including nice shots of Davis Romero in mid-delivery and David Smith getting high-fives.
Palm Beach 3 @ Dunedin 7
The D'Jays pounded out 10 hits and managed to plate 7 runs despite
having two thrown out at home. Dustin Majewski homered, singled in a
run and walk in 4 plate trips to lead the offence, while Aaron Mathews,
Robinson Diaz and Chris Gutierrez pitched in with 2 hits apiece.
Ryan Patterson walked twice and stroked a sacrifice fly. Kyle Yates
went the necessary 5 innings for the win, allowing 1 earned run on 6
hits and no walks, while blowing away two Cardinals. Brad
(Remember Your) Mumma struck out 4 in 2 innings of work and Connor
Falkenbach and Milton Tavarez carried it home in style.
West Michigan 3 @ Lansing 5, Game 1
West Michigan 8 @ Lansing 4, Game 2
In the opener, the Lugnuts rallied to score 3 runs in the bottom of
the 4th inning to erase a 3-2 deficit. Anthony Hatch led off the frame
with a solo homer, and then the Lugs played small ball, with a walk, a
single, a Sean Shoffit sacrifice bunt, a passed ball and a single
scoring the other 2 runs. Brian Bormaster's bat emerged from
hibernation with a single, a double and a walk, and Jesus Gonzalez
pitched in a couple of hits as well. Joey Metropoulos is getting
a name for himself in the Midwest League; in four trips, he doubled,
was hit by a pitch and was walked twice, once intentionally. Russ
Savickas started and gave up all 3 runs, 2 earned, in 4 innings
of work. He allowed 7 hits, walked 4 and struck out 6. Sean
Stidfole was the beneficiary of the 'Nut uprising, as he receipted for
the win with 2 shutout innings of relief allowing 1 hit and no walks,
while striking out 3. Paul Phillips retired all 3 batters he
faced in the 7th inning, including one on strikes, for the save.
In the nightcap, Billy Carnline started and was roughed up for 6 runs
in 4 innings, but it wasn't as bad as it sounds. He gave up 3
hits and 3 walks; unfortunately, two of the hits were a 2 run belt and
a grand slam. Ouch. He struck out 8 in 4 innings. The
Lugnuts did tally 4 runs in the 4th on a 2 run David Hicks double and a
2 run dinger by Josh Bell, but that was it.
The Lansing State Journal tells us that there's no place like home for the Lugnuts (my title for this report arrived independently). Here is their game story.
Your 3 star selection
3rd star- Sean Stidfole
2nd star- Danny Solano
1st star- Brad Mumma
real 1st star-Dustin Majewski