Rain washed out three games, and an off day took care of another. That left only two games for the affiliates and they took care of business in both as a former first-round pick kinda, sorta flirted with a no-hitter.
Lehigh Valley @ Syracuse- Postponed. Rain, I assume.
Big day for the Fisher Cats. New Hampshire banged out 15 hits en route to a 9-2 victory over the Defenders. First inning homers by Jacob Butler and David Smith pushed the Cats out to an early 4-0 lead. Three innings later, New Hampshire plated three more on five singles including a two-run knock by Travis Snider.
Snider, oddly, came on as a pinch-runner in the top of the first. Chris Guttierez singled and was then replaced by Snider. Whatever the case, Snider went on to collect three hits, including two doubles, and drive in three runs.
On the mound, Ricky Romero was very good; especially by Ricky Romero standards. The eternal disappointment took a no-hitter into the sixth and had allowed just a single through eight. Unfortunately, the Defenders hit four straight singles to start the ninth to knock Romero out of the game. Romero walked two and struck out one en route to his fifth win of the year. He now sports a 5.61 ERA which still pretty much sucks.
The Fisher Cats enter the Eastern League All-Star Break with a 37-58 record, good for last place, 20.5 games behind Trenton. That said, they're still sending five players to the All-Star game in Scott Campbell, Travis Snider, Brett Cecil, Zach Dials, and Brian Jeroloman.
Oh yeah, Campbell also participated in today's Futures Game at Yankee Stadium. He went 0-for-4 with a run scored.
Dunedin 3 St. Lucie 1- Suspended in the bottom of the 5th.
Rain in Florida, too. I'll let Monday's report cover this one.
A couple of 2007 draftees flashed some power in Lansing today. Justin Jackson and Kevin Ahrens each homered as the Lugnuts topped the Bees 5-4. Ahrens's homer was just his second and he also made his 16th error, but he'll certainly take it. Jackson's homer was his sixth, but it came along with his 100th strikeout in 80 games.
Chi-Hung Cheng started and was fairly strong for Lansing going six innings allowing two runs on six hits and two walks. He also struck out six but didn't factor into the decision. That went to Joe Wice who picked up his third victory- and his third blown save- in his one inning of work. Tim Collins allowed another run, and saw his ERA balloon to 0.81. In two innings work, the diminutive lefty struck out five. He now has 66 K's in 44 innings.
Lowell @ Auburn- Postponed by, wait for it......rain!
GCL Blue Jays were off for the third straight Sunday.
Three Stars:
3rd Star- Tim Collins- Save (6)- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 K
2nd Star- Travis Snider- 3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI
1st Star- Ricky Romero- Win (5-5)- 8 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
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