Two of the affiliates did not play yesterday, and Syracuse were swept in a doubleheader, so Lansing had the only opportunity for the Jays minor league system to get a win. Lansing did win thanks to Jesus Gonzalez who scored two of the three runs and didn't get out all day. Aaron Tressler pitched well enough to win, but didn't, and Kevin Barker hit two home runs.
Rochester 8 Syracuse 6 - Game 1
Rochester 5 Syracuse 1 - Game 2
Josh Banks has been very good and sometimes not so good this season, today was not so good. Banks allowed a run in the second; a single and a double put runners on second and third; the next hitter grounded to first and the play was to home but Jason Phillips dropped the ball and the run scored. Banks then was able to get a pop-up and a double play to escape further damage. But in the third Rochester scored three on a couple of infield singles and a three run home run from Jason Kubel. Banks allowed two more in the fourth on three hits and his day was done, 4 IP, 8 hits, 6 runs, 5 earned. Down 6-0 the Chiefs scored three in the sixth on a Luis Figueroa single, an RBI double from Ryan Roberts and a home run by Kevin Barker. Brian Tallet allowed two runs in the top of the seventh and they were important when Syracuse scored three more in the bottom of the seventh. John Hattig and Kevin Barker, again, homered in the inning. Barker was 2-4 with 2 home runs and four RBI's. Ryan Roberts and John Hattig also had two hits each.
In game 2 Jamie Vermilyea got the start and had his worst start of the year, this was his fourth start and the first in which he was scored on. Vermilyea gave up a run in the first on a lead-off triple to Jason Tyner and a sac fly. In the second Vermilyea allowed three more runs on 4 ground ball singles and a walk. When you are a ground ball pitcher, like Vermilyea, sometimes the hits to straight to a fielder, sometimes they go through. I don't know how hard the balls were hit but it could have been one of those days. Vinnie Chulk followed Vermilyea and he pitched 2.2 innings with only one base runner, but that base runner hit a home run. Offensively the Chiefs had only four hits, two doubles in the first inning by Sergio Santos and Chad Mottola scored their only run.
Portland at New Hampshire - Rained Out
Back to back rain outs for the Fisher Cats.
Dunedin - scheduled day off
Aaron Tressler pitched well and held West Michigan to one hit in each of the first four innings but none led to any runs. With two out in the fifth Tressler walked his first hitter of the game and Jordan Timm promptly replaced him on the mound. The first two batters singled off Timm to score a run and put a single blemish on Tressler's record. In the bottom of the fifth Anthony Hatch tripled and scored on a ground out, Jesus Gonzalez walked, moved to second on a groundout, stole third, and scored on a Brian Bormaster single to give Lansing a 2-1 lead. Lansing added a third run in the eighth, a run that was almost a copy of the second run. Gonzalez singled, moved to second on a ground-out, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Cory Patton. Joey McLaughlin and Yesson Berroa each pitched two strong innings to save the win. Berroa had 5 K's in 2 innings to give him 22 in 15 innings this season. Gonzalez was 2-2 with a walk and 2 runs scored.
Stars
3 Kevin Barker
2 Aaron Tressler
1 Jesus Gonzalez
Standings
Syracuse are 18-19, in fourth place, 4.5 games behind Rochester and Scranton
New Hampshire are 14-20, off a 5-0 week, in fourth place, 7 games behind Connecticut.
Dunedin are 20-16, tied in first place with Fort Myers
Lansing are 23-13, and are back in first place, one half game ahead of West Michigan
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