Get it? Because World Cup? No? Anyway, Auburn got their season started on Friday night, and continued it on Sunday night. Chronology. Funny how that works! Anyway, they scored lots of runs! Unfortunately, the other team scored more. This proved to be a theme throughout the night (the other team scoring more part, not necessarily the scoring lots of runs part), and the only win on the evening came from Toronto's Dominican affiliate.
Las Vegas 4 at Colorado Springs 13
Yikes. Lance Broadway had a typical Lance Broadway start, going 4 2/3 while allowing 10 runs. Just another day at the office. I won't bother spending much time on this game; it was ugly. Chris Lubanski had a double and a triple while Brett Wallace hit a solo homer (his 13th). JPA didn't play.
Erie 13 at New Hampshire 6
Yikes 2: The Umpire Yikes Back. (That made no sense. In several ways.) B.J. LaMura did his best Lance Broadway impression, giving up six runs in four innings. The bullpen then proceeded to let Erie more than double their score - Trystan Magnuson was the main offender, having his worst outing of the year by giving up five runs on six hits in his single inning.
The offense produced. Just not enough. Manny Mayorson led the way with three singles, while Adam Loewen had a walk and a double. Maestro Yanni reached base twice in five trips, while David Cooper singled and K'ed.
Dunedin - scheduled day off
Lansing 2 at Lake County 3
This would have been a fun game to watch. There was some early scoring, and it was knotted up at two after a couple innings. Then, the starters - and bullpens - settled in for a pitchers' duel, keeping the respective opposing teams scoreless until the bottom of the ninth. After a scoreless eighth, Brian Slover came back out for the ninth, and the first batter he faced, Casey Frawley, hit a walk-off solo home run.
Matt Fields got the start and allowed the two aforementioned runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out three. Evan Crawford followed with a scoreless innings.
The 'Nuts actually out-hit their opponents nine to five, but had a tougher time turning those hits into runs. Only one of those hits went for extra bases - a double by Ryan Goins. Furthermore, Lansing only complemented their hit-output with a single walk, by Kenny Wilson. So it was a pretty empty nine-hit attack. Goins, A.J. Jimenez and Sean Ochinko accounted for 2/3 of Lansing's hits with two apiece.
Batavia 10 at Auburn 8
It was a slugfest in Auburn. It was a close game, but unfortunately the Doubledays ended up on the wrong end and dropped this one 10-8.
Okay, where do we start with the individual performances? It's fun with a new team, because while we have some kind of sense of who's a prospect and who isn't, you never know if some no-name organizational filler type will establish themselves and rocket up the rankings. So let's just talk about everybody!
Marcus Brisker led off for Auburn, and did it in fine fashion with two doubles. Jonathan Fernandez, son of Tony, came next and had a rough game with three strike-outs around a single in five trips. Carlos Perez seems to have won the coaches' confidence, being given the third spot in the batting order, and he proved his worthiness of the spot with a 1-3 and 2 BBs day. The 19 year-old catcher was followed by clean-up man and first baseman Randy Schwartz, who had a great game, doubling twice and adding a one-bagger. Left fielder John Roberts was next, and hit a sacrifice fly in five trips. Rounding out the middle of the order was DH and 2010 draftee Marcus Knecht, who singled and walked. Next came shortstop Gustavo Pierre, who had just a walk in his five plate appearances. 2009 24th rounder Matthew Nuzzo hit seventh and played third, and got on the board with a couple singles and an RBI. Penciled into the last slot was Stephen McQuail, and Steve walked twice in three tries before being replaced by Dominican Yeico Aponte, who went 0-1 with a walk.
Whew! Alright, on to the pitchers: you've probably already guessed the pitchers didn't have the best of days. That was certainly true for starter Daniel Webb, who lasted 3 2/3 innings and gave up eight runs. McSheerystown, Pennsylvania native Casey Lawrence was quite good in relief, with two innings of one-hitter-two-walker. 20 year-old Dominican Leandro Mella gave up a couple of runs, including the eventual losing run and the eventual insurance run, in four outs, but also struck out three. And finishing things off was Travis Garrett, who pitched a couple of scoreless innings.
DSL Blue Jays 2 at DSL Angels 1
Three Stars!
3. Chris Lubanski - 2B, 3B
2. Randy Schwartz - 1B, 2B, 2B
1. Matt Fields - 6 innings, 2 runs
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