Marc Rzepczynski bounced back from a bad start to deliver a good one yesterday. Brett Cecil came off a good start and had a bad one. The Ryan's, Page and Koch, did not put their teams in a position to win. New Hampshire had the only win and are leading their division. Brian jeroloman stayed hot while the bats of David Cooper and Brian Dopirak appear to be warming up.
Colorado Springs 9 Las Vegas 4
Brett Cecil looked good for two innings but he collapsed in the third. The crafty vet, Sal Fasano, led off the third with a single and finished it with a strikeout by TJ Beam. In between Cecil gave up three doubles, another single and two walks leading to six runs allowed and bumping his ERA to 10.80. Beam then allowed two runs in the next inning. After that it was cruise control to the bottom of the ninth when the score was 9-0. Las Vegas scored four mercy runs highlighted by extra-base hits from Brett Harper, Jason Lane and Buck Coats.
Marc Rzepczynski made his third start of the season, the first was very good, the second not so much. Zep had the good stuff back on Saturday. Zep allowed a single in the first inning and then ran into trouble in the second, two ground ball singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. A third single in the inning drove in two runs. But thereafter Zep did not concede a hit until he was pulled after six innings. Zep's line was 6IP, 4H, 2R, 4W and 8K's.
New Hampshire took the lead in the second, Brian Dopirak and Brian Jeroloman singled in front of a three run home run from Nick Gorneault. In the third New Hampshire made it 4-2 on doubles by David Cooper and Dopirak.
The Fisher Cats put it away with three more in the eighth, Brad Emaus singled, Cooper had an RBI double, Dopirak walked, Jeroloman singled to load the bases. Gornault walked to drive in a run, then Luis Sanchez singled in the third run.
Cooper and Dopirak had two hits each, their bats appear to be waking up with the warmer weather. Both now have batting averages around .280. Jeroloman had three hits and it is early in the season but there is a pattern emerging that should it remain will be very good. Jeroloman has reduced his walk rate and increased his hit rate. Four of his hits have been for extra bases. Jeroloman has been passed by Arencibia because Jeroloman has been perceived as a singles hitter who walks too much. In this small sample it appears that Jeroloman has got the message.
Dunedin scored twice in the first inning but it was all downhill from there as starting pitcher Ryan Page gaveup eight runs over three plus innings. Dunedin loaded the bases in the first on an error, a walk and a single by Eric Thames. Dunedin's first run came on a bases loaded walk and the second on a double play.
Page walked the lead-off hitters in both the first and second innings and both scored. A combination of walks and singles led Page to give up five run pver the first two innings. In the third, Page avoided the lead off walk and instead gave up the lead-off double followed by a two run home run.
Dunedin had just six hits, Manny Rodriguez and Raul Barron had two hits each. Jackson and Ahrens went hitless.
West Michigan 9 Lansing 6 - 10 innings
This game was a real back and forward affair as West Michigan scored in seven of the ten innings and Lansing in four. West Michigan has 19 hits, Lansing 13 but Lansing's downfall was four errors leading to three unearned runs.
West Michigan scored four runs, only one earned, over five innings from starter Ryan Koch. Lansing scored a run in the second, two in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. The teams exchanged runs in the seventh before Michigan tied it in the eighth off Jonas Cuotto. Michigan put it away with three runs off Michael Barbara in the tenth.
Yohermyn Chavez, who had made a costly error in the first inning, hit a two run home run in the fourth inning and ended with two hits and three RBI's. Brian Van Kirk had two hits including a triple, Jon Del Campo had three.
3 star selection
3rd star - Nick Gorneault
2nd star - Brian Jeroloman
1st star - Marc Rzepczynski
Records
Las Vegas 2-7
New Hampshire 7-3, first place
Dunedin 4-5
Lansing 1-7
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