The affiliates went 5-0 on Saturday but Sunday was payback time as all affiliates came out on the wrong end. In summary, Josh Banks took it on the chin, again, in part due to Cambridge native Scott Thorman. New Hampshire lost their first game of the week as Izzy Ramirez had no run support. Dunedin narrowly lost and Lansing made the score look a lot closer than it was, while Joey McLaughlin reminded fans of his father. And from the oddity file, two of Dunedin's three runs were scored by hitters who struck out.
It looked good for a while as the Chiefs scored five runs in the first inning and another run in the second to lead 6-0 in the middle of the second. In the first Russ Adams singled, Sergio Santos doubled and Chad Mottola homered to make it 3-0 with no-one out. John Hattig and Jason Philips singled, still with no outs, then with one out Rob Cosby doubled to make it 5-0. Russ Adams doubled to lead off the second and scored on a Hattig single and it was a 6-0 game.
Scott Thorman is a Cambridge, Ontario, native who has risen to AAA in the Braves system. Thorman is a slugger who plays first base or outfield and he must like control pitchers, or pitchers named Josh, as he jacked two homers off Josh Towers on Saturday and his twelfth off Josh Banks on Sunday. Thorman singled in the first inning against Josh Banks, and in the second he came to the plate with the bases loaded and promptly cleared them with a grand slam to bring Richmond within a run at 6-5. Richmond added two more runs in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead. Banks left after four innings having allowed seven runs on nine hits. Banks' record is now 1-5 and his ERA is 5.65. Banks has always been vulnerable to homers and in 2005 allowed 18 in 162 innings at AA. This year he has allowed 16 homers in 65.1 innings, that translates into 44 over a major league length season.
Banks was followed by Shaun Marcum who allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in an inning, Ryan Houston who hit a batter in his inning, Brian Tallet who also allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, and Brandon League who allowed 2 hits but no runs. Just like the parent club it was forgettable pitching.
Adams went 3-4 with two doubles and two runs. Adams is now hitting .317. Hattig also had two hits.
The hot Ismael Ramirez started for New Hampshire after a long rain delay and he was not at his sharpest. In the bottom of the second a single, a triple and a sac fly led to two runs for Altoona. In the third a single, double and a sac fly led to a third run. The Fisher Cats scored their run in the second on singles from David Smith, Chip Cannon and Eric Kratz. The Fisher Cats put two men on base in the ninth but couldn't get them in.
Cannon and Kratz had two hits each. Lind was 1-2 with 2 walks.
Orlando Trias started and after six up and six down through two innings he gave up a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings on four singles in each frame. After the fourth Trias retired ten out of twelve batters as he lasted into the eighth inning. His line was 7.1 10 4 4 2 2. Dunedin had their chances but were unable to score until the seventh inning when Juan Peralta reached on a strikeout/passed ball, moved around on single and wild pitch and scored on a sac fly. In the eighth Chris Gutierrez led off with a single, one of four hits by him in the game, and Scott Dragicevich also reached on a strikeout/wild pitch. David Corrente and Juan Peralta each singled to drive in a run but that was as close as the Jays could get.
As mentioned Gutierrez went 4-4 to move his average over .250, Peralta had two hits.
This game was close until South Bend put up a seven in the fifth. Lansing scored two in the eighth and four in the ninth to make the score more respectable. Jordan Timm had given up three runs through four innings and after getting the first out in the fifth he gave up four straight hits to score another run and leave the bases loaded. Joey McLaughlin came on and gave up a pair of walks to score two more then grooved a pitch for a grand slam.
Lansing did have 12 hits, Anthony Hatch went 3-4 and is hitting .315, Jesus Gonzalez and Cory Patton had two hits each.
Stars
3 Anthony Hatch
2 Russ Adams
1 Chris Gutierrez
Standings
The Fisher Cats had a 6-1 week.
Syracuse are 23-33, and are in sixth place, 11 games behind Rochester
New Hampshire are 24-30, and are in fifth place, 8 games behind Portland
Dunedin are 32-24, and are in first place, tied with Fort Myers
Lansing are 34-21, and are in first place, one and a half game ahead of West Michigan
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