Two weeks left in the minor league season, other than in Auburn. Dunedin and Lansing are in the playoffs based on their first halves; Auburn and Pulaski are trying to join them but both need to finish strongly to make it. Yesterday Syracuse split a doubleheader as the new kids, Adam Lind and Curtis Thigpen, led them to victory in game 1. Elsewhere New Hampshire and Lansing were winners.
Buffalo 6 Syracuse 7 - 8 innings - game 1
Josh Towers struggled in this start, he pitched 4.2 innings and gave up six runs on nine hits, including two homers. Syracuse scored their first run in the second when Adam Lind homered. Lind was in the mix again in the fourth inning, Kevin Barker walked, Lind singled and Curtis Thigpen drove in a run with a single. Luis Figueroa doubled in two more runs in the fifth as the Chiefs pulled to within one run. Syracuse tied the game in the sixth, Thigpen doubled and Sergio Santos singled him home. Buffalo helped the Chiefs win in the eighth, Lind singled and went to second on an error and then scored on a single and error by pitcher Rafael Perez. The new call-ups led the offense, Lind was 3-4 with two runs scored, Thigpen was 2-4 with one run scored.
Buffalo 3 Syracuse 0 - game 2
Syracuse had only four hits in game 2 as Adam Lind ended his hit streak with an 0-3 with 2 K's. Jason Scobie gave up two runs in five innings to take the loss and run his record to 3-18 on the season.
This game was tied 2-2 through the middle of the eighth. To that point New Hampshire had three hits but two of them were solo home runs by David Smith and Ryan Klosterman. Jesse Litsch held the Mets to two runs on five hits through 7.1 innings. Both runs were unearned due to Litsch's throwing error, it was Litsch's best AA start. In the bottom of the eighth, after the Fisher Cats loaded the bases, Chip Cannon singled to drive in the go-ahead run and then Eric Kratz unloaded them with a grand slam. New Hampshire had only six hits.
Orlando Trias didn't have it, he gave up nine runs and eleven hits in 3.2 innings. Dunedin were never really in it, two of their runs came on home runs by Josh Kreuzer and Aaron Mathews.
Lansing got on the board in the first inning with back to back doubles by Luke Hetherington and Anthony Garibaldi. Lansing added five runs in the fourth with a bases loaded triple by Sean Shoffit being the big blow. Casey McKenzie got the win, he struck out 9 hitters in 5.2 innings. McKenzie gave up all three runs on five hits. Luke Hetherington went 3-5, Jesus Gonzalez and Sean Shoffit had two hits each.
State College at Auburn - rained out
Drew Taylor gave up a two run home run with two out in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. Chris Emanuele scored the first run on a gift special, a walk, wild pitch, passed ball and a ground out. Pulaski added two more in the fifth on hits by Victor Santana, Emanuele, Wesley Stone and Jon Jaspe. Reidier Gonzalez went six inning and gave up three runs. Travis Snider did not play, he left Saturday's game after two at-bats, he might have an injury.
Stars
3 Eric Kratz
2 Sean Shoffit
1 Adam Lind, 3-4 in game 1
Standings
Syracuse are 58-72, and are in sixth and last place, 16 games behind Scranton
New Hampshire are 56-70, and are in sixth and last place, 14 games behind Trenton
Dunedin are 25-30, and are in fifth place, eight games behind Fort Myers
Lansing are 25-32, and are in fifth place, 13 games behind West Michigan
Auburn are 29-26 and are in second place, one half game behind Mahoning Valley
Pulaski are 31-28 and are in second place, four games behind Danville
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