Fresno, CA - The Giants affiliate scored a converted touchdown in the second, a rouge in the fourth and a field goal in the fifth. One more run was tacked on in the seventh. At least the 51s won the last two innings with three in the eighth and one in the ninth. That's a hockey analogy for you puckheads! It's like winning the third period 4-0 after the other team scored the first 12 goals and called off the dogs while calling for pizza and strippers after the game.
Batting - Ryan Shealy (2-4) prevented the shutout with a solo homer. Adam Loewen (2-4) had a double and two RBI and Manny Mayorson (2-4) plated the other Vegas run. Craig Stansberry, Chris Woodward and Brian Jeroloman were 1-for-4 and sadly, the BJBBM remains stuck at 20. Eric Thames (0-3) drew a walk. David Cooper and Dewayne Wise wore the collar in their four ABs.
Running - On Empty. I don't know where I'm running now, I'm just running on...
Pitching - Brett Cecil fell to 7-2 as he was mauled for eight runs on 10 hits (including two homers) and a walk over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out three but only managed one ground ball out. The "Captain Obvious Scouting Report" by Captain Obvious says the Maryland native may have had a little trouble keeping the ball down. Muppet News Flash - that's not good! If that wasn't enough, 51s pitching coach Tom Signore was given the heave-ho from the home plate umpire in the second inning. Fellow southpaw Clint Everts stranded a runner for Cecil but allowed three runs over 1 2/3 innings. The former Expos farmhand was burned by the long ball as well among the four hits he yielded. His K-BB totals were two apiece and he threw a wild pitch. Lefty Rommie Lewis also could not escape unscathed either as he gave up a solo homer and a walk in two innings of work. Northpaw Winston Abreu had a stellar ninth by comparison as he kept Fresno off the board. The former Ottawa Lynx hurler managed to strike out a batter.
Defence - Confucius say it hard to make error when baseball wind up over fence...unless you are Jose Canseco! Is he a great baseball sage or what? Las Vegas did turn a 5-4-3 and a 6-4-3 double play.
Bowie 8 New Hampshire 2
Manchester, NH - The Fisher Cats tried to stay in against the Orioles affiliate but could only fade out after Bowie scored one in the first and four in the fourth. They put three more runs on the board in the seventh and eighth combined while the Fisher Cats plated their runs in the fifth. Not exactly hunky dory!
Batting - Travis d'Arnaud (3-4), Darin Mastroianni (3-5) and Mark Sobolewski (2-4, BB) all reached base three times. Adeiny Hechavarria (1-4, BB) was the only other Fisher Cat to get aboard more than once. Mike McDade (1-4) drove in both runs while Moises Sierra (1-4) had the other hit. The oh-fers went to Ricardo Nanita (0-4), Callix Crabbe (0-4), Anthony Gose (0-1) and John Tolisano (0-2). Tolisano pinch-hit for Gose after Gose was ejected by the home plate umpire in the third inning. No extra-base hits were to be had here on the night. Station to station, indeed!
Running - Confucius say...ah, never mind!
Pitching - Chad Beck, the young American hurler from Jasper, Texas, struggled in this one alright. He gave up five runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings. He struck out five but just three of his 12 outs in play were on the ground. That dropped Beck's record to 5-2. B.J. LaMura gave up two runs on two hits and hit a batter in his one inning of work but struck out a pair. Lefty Frank Gailey's only blemish was a solo homer in two innings. He did strike out a batter.
Defence - McDade booted one at first and Sierra mishandled one in right field.
Quad Cities 5 Lansing 3
Davenport, IA - The Cardinals affiliate put up a quad in the fourth and added one more run in the seventh. The Lugnuts got on the board with two runs in the sixth and one in the ninth.
Batting - Marcus Knecht (3-5), Jake Marisnick (2-4, 2BB) and Carlos Perez (1-3, 2BB) had the big nights with the stick with Knecht and Marisnick also contributing an RBI apiece. Knecht had the lone extra-base hit by getting his 15th double of the season. Gustavo Pierre (1-4) and Markus Brisker (1-5) had the other Lansing hits. K.C. Hobson (0-3) did draw a walk and Michael Crouse (0-3) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Also hitless were Oliver Dominguez (0-4) and Bryson Namba (0-4).
Running - Perez stole his 5th base of the season but was thrown out at the plate. Brisker was picked off first. That's the first CS for Brisker this year after 13 straight steals.
Pitching - The good news was Casey Lawrence allowed just three hits and three walks in five innings. Unfortunately, three of those walks and two of those hits came in the fateful fourth and that resulted in a four-run inning. On the positive side, he struck out three of the last four hitters he faced to give him 5 Ks in total and four of his seven outs in play were on the grass. Marcus Walden was nicked for an unearned run on two hits over two innings while racking up two strikeouts. Danny Barnes had a pair of punchouts and a groundout in his perfect inning of work.
Defence - Pierre chucked one away at short for his 32nd clank of the year. Dominguez's boot at second resulted in Walden's unearned run. Perez was 0-for-2 in throwing out basestealers with Lawrence on the hill.
DSL Angels 5 DSL Blue Jays 2
Dominican Republic - The Halos scored twice each in the second and eighth innings and tallied once in the third. The Jays runs came in the third and fifth.
Batting - Gabriel Cenas (1-3), Luis Martin (1-3) and Emilio Guerrero (1-2) accounted for the Jays three singles with Guerrero also laying down a sacrifice bunt. Cesar Barazarte (0-3, BB) drew the only walk. Alvaro Blanco (0-3) and Kervin Santiago (0-3) collected sacrifice fly RBIs and Blanco laid down a bunt for the betterment of all Jay-kind. Gabriel Quintana, Mauricio Nagahashi and Tonguar Perez had the collective bagel in 12 trips to the plate. Quintana also wore the golden sombrero and accounted for 40% of the Jays strikeouts.
Running - On Ice...slipping and sliding.
Pitching - Cesar Sanchez was an out short of five innings as he surrendered three runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk. He whiffed a trio of Angels and his groundout/flyout ratio was an impressive 10-COB! Steven Romero stranded a runner but allowed two runs on two hits and a HBP over three innings. He struck out a batter but seven of his eight outs in play were lifted in the air. Aderly, not to be confused with this guy, De La Cruz gave up a hit over a scoreless 1/3 of an inning.
Defence - Blanco booted a couple at third and Sanchez threw one away from the mound. Santiago ordered the code red on two of five basestealers. GD right he did!!
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Travis d'Arnaud, New Hampshire
2. Jake Marisnick, Lansing
1. Marcus Knecht, Lansing