It wasn’t quite an episode of Too Many Molinas, but Las Vegas played host to a game that featured relatives facing each other and one of them delivering the game-changing hit. New Hampshire won big off a top Canadian prospect and a former Blue Jay. Fine relief in Florida prevented Dunedin from nearly blowing a sizeable lead and Lansing saw an impressive pitching performance that nearly gave the outfielders an entire evening off.
Iowa 6 @ Las Vegas 1 – Boxscore
Lance Broadway started for the 51s, but was outduelled by Chicago Cubs prospect Andrew Cashner. Broadway had a respectable start, surrendering four runs over 6 innings with four strikeouts. In a game that featured distant cousins on opposing teams, Micah Hoffpauir won the battle within the battle, hitting a three-run homer off Broadway in the sixth inning. Sean Henn pitched two scoreless innings of relief and then Steven Register allowed two runs in the ninth, one of which was unearned on a Chris Aguila error.
Agulila drove in Brett Wallace for Las Vegas’s only run. Aguila had the team’s only extra-base hit in the game with a double and Luis Figueroa was the only 51 to have a multi-hit game. Jarrett Hoffpauir went 0-for-3 with a walk, which didn’t match up to Micah’s two-hit, 3 RBI game.
New Hampshire 10 @ Reading 3 - Boxscore
New Hampshire defeated Reading behind two four-run innings and won convincingly, despite the fact both teams only had seven hits on the afternoon. Much of the damage came off two pitchers whose names should be familiar to Jays fans: Phillipe Aumont and Ty Taubenheim. Darin Mastroianni continues to look like a useful ballplayer, with a 1-for-4 game that included a walk, a run, 2 RBI and two stolen bases. Adam Calderone was held hitless with a walk and Eric Thames had a triple, but also struck out three times. Shawn Bowman was also held hitless, but walked three times and scored twice. David Cooper only had one hit in 5 at-bats, but it was the biggest one of the game: a three-run homer off Taubenheim with two-out in the fifth. Manny Mayorson had two hits, a double and a run and Adam Loewen was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk. Jonathan Diaz added a hit and 2 RBI and Brian Jeroloman looked good with a double, a run and two walks.
Zach Stewart’s struggles continued yesterday, as he only lasted 3 innings. Stewart allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. He struck out two, but was out of the game after 16 batters faced. Bubbie Buzachero came on in relief and picked up the victory. He improved to 3-0 and lowered his ERA to 8.10 with 4 innings of one-run ball. BJ LaMura and Vincent Bongiovanni each had a scoreless inning to secure the victory.
Dunedin 7 @ Palm Beach 6 – Boxscore
It was 6-6 after 4 innings and then the game had to wait until the 8th inning to see the deadlock broken as Dunedin scored a go-ahead run that turned out to be the winner. Andrew Liebel started and gave up all six runs over 3+ innings. Liebel allowed six hits and three walks, but he did strike out five. Dunedin’s relievers came to Liebel’s rescue. Dumas Garcia allowed one hit over 3 innings with three strikeouts. He was spelled by Frank Gailey, who pitched a scoreless inning and wound up with the win. Alan Farina struck out the side in his inning and Matt Daly also struck out three to pick up the save.
Tyler Pastornicky, Michael McDade and Wellinton Ramirez led the offence with three hits apiece. Ramirez hit the decisive blow with a solo homer in the eighth with two outs. Pastornicky had an RBI and a run and McDade scored two runs. Brian Van Kirk had two hits and an RBI and John Tolisano had two hits and a run, although he made a fielding error. Jon Talley walked and scored and Yan Gomes had a single, a run and RBI.
West Michigan 1 @ Lansing 7 – Boxscore
Evan Crawford was masterful for Lansing. He went 8 strong innings and allowed one run to West Michigan. Crawford allowed four hits and a walk and struck out four. However, the dominance of his performance can be seen in the fact that, of the 18 batters retired from balls in play, Crawford induced 17 groundouts. West Michigan spent all afternoon pounding the ball into the ground. Or, at least did so until Dave Sever entered the game, as he had a 1-2-3 ninth inning that included two fly balls.
Chris Hopkins provided offence from the ninth spot in the lineup, going 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and a run. Both RBIs came from driving home Balbino Fuenmayor, who reached base on two walks. He may have had another RBI or two if the eighth hitter, Eric Eiland, hadn’t gone 0-for-4 with 4 K’s. Ryan Goins and Mark Sobolewski each had two hits and an RBI. Ryan Schimpf had a double and a run and AJ Jimenez had two hits, an RBI and two runs. Sean Ochinko had a hit and Kenny Wilson had an 0-fer with a walk.
Three Stars:
3rd Star – Dumas Garcia, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
2nd Star – Wellinton Ramirez, 3-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB, 6 TB
1st Star – Evan Crawford, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
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