Maybe it's just me but doesn't Eric Thames remind you of Samuel L. Jackson in "Shaft"? Can you dig it?
A big night for the Las Vegas outfield highlighted a 4-1 night on the farm with the lone loss coming in extra innings.
Maybe it's just me but doesn't Eric Thames remind you of Samuel L. Jackson in "Shaft"? Can you dig it?
Las Vegas 7 Colorado Springs 2
Las Vegas, NV - The 51s scored twice in the first, fourth and seventh innings along with one in the sixth. The Rockies affiliate scored their runs in the second.
Batting - Eric Thames (3-3) and Travis Snider (3-4) were three-quarters of the way to a cycle. Thames was a bad mother...I'll shut my mouth but I'm talking about Thames, who was a double short of his cycle while Snider needed a long ball to complete his. Thames drove in four of the seven runs for Las Vegas. Adam Loewen (2-3) had a walk and an RBI to round out a productive night for the Vegas outfield. Ryan Shealy (1-3) clubbed a homer and also earned a walk against his former organization. Manny Mayorson (1-3) had a double and a walk. Kevin Howard (1-4) and Craig Stansberry (1-5) made the hit column, David Cooper (0-4) drew a walk and sadly, Brian Jeroloman (0-4) was held off the bases so the BJBBM stays at 20.
Running - Mayorson stole a base but Stansberry was picked off first.
Pitching - Scott Richmond evened his record to 4-4 by only permitting two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He scattered seven hits and two walks while collecting seven Ks. Six of his 11 outs in play were on the ground. Lefty Sean Henn stranded two inherited runners and provided 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. He gave up just one hit while striking out two to earn the hold. Danny Farquhar gave up a hit and struck out a batter in one shutout inning.
Defence - Howard mishandled one at third. The 51s did turn a 6-4-3 double play.
New Hampshire 7 Akron 2
Akron, OH - Not even having a ringer by the name of Travis Hafner could stop the Fisher Cats as they scored six times in the fourth and added another run in the sixth. The Indians affiliate could only bookend that with runs in the second and eighth innings.
Batting - Dan Perales (2-4) knocked in two runs and drew a walk and Travis d'Arnaud (2-4) had one of the two extra-base hits for New Hampshire with a double. Callix Crabbe had the other as he hit a homer and two RBI while also getting a base on balls. Mike McDade (1-4) collected a walk and Adeiny Hechavarria (1-4) had a sacrifice fly. Moises Sierra (0-1) drew a pair of walks and took one for the team, Yan Gomes (0-3) walked and drove in a run, John Tolisano (0-3) also had a BB and RBI and Mark Sobolewski (0-3) heard ball four once.
Running - Perales and Sierra were both gunned down trying to steal second.
Pitching - Joel Carreno gave up a single run on three hits and four walks over six innings to bump his record to 5-4. He also struck out eight. Yohan Pino fired a scoreless frame against his former team as he allowed just one hit while striking out a batter. Lefty Evan Crawford allowed a run on one hit in his one inning of work. B.J. LaMura overcame a hit and a walk by striking out a pair of batters in a shutout ninth.
Defence - A clank-free ball game for the Fisher Cats.
Clearwater 13 Dunedin 12 (10 Innings)
Dunedin, FL - The Phillies affiliate scored twice in the first, fourth and fifth and stepped behind the arc to drain threes in the third and sixth. Dunedin tallied once in the first and sixth, put up four spots in the fifth and seventh and then scored twice in the ninth to put the game into extra innings. However, Clearwater got the last laugh with a single run in the top of the tenth for the win.
Batting - Ryan Schimpf (3-5) had the line of the night for Dunedin with a homer, a double, four RBI and two walks. Justin Jackson and Brian Van Kirk also had three hit nights with Jackson drawing a walk and Van Kirk driving in a run. Jon Talley (0-3) had the strangest line of the night by drawing four walks. Sean Ochinko (2-7) tied Schimpf for the RBI lead by knocking in four runs while hitting a triple. Kevin Ahrens (1-4) had a double, a hit by pitch and two walks. Brad McElroy (1-3) and Chris Hawkins (1-3) also got on base via ball four. McElroy also dropped down a sacrifice bunt and took one for the team. A.J. Jimenez (1-6) and Brad Glenn (0-1) each drove in a run with Glenn driving in the tying run by getting hit by a pitch. That's three HBPs for you scoring at home and they each happened in the ninth inning. Dunedin was 6-for-23 with runners in scoring position and left a whopping 17 runners on base.
Running - Chris Hawkins pinch-ran for Van Kirk but did not score.
Pitching - The quick version - lots of homers and ground balls! Asher Wojciechowski gave up three homers and nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits over four innings. His K-BB total was 3-0 and eight of his 10 outs in play were on the grass. Scott Gracey gave up three unearned runs over three innings on a hit and a walk. The lone hit was a home run and he also allowed one of two inherited runners to score. On the bright side, he struck out a pair of Threshers and six of his seven outs in play were on the green. Lefty Aaron Loup scattered a hit, a walk and a plunk over 2/3 of a scoreless inning and also threw one to the backstop. Dumas Garcia made sure none of Loup's runners scored as he pitched the final 2 1/3 innings. However, the long ball also claimed Garcia as a victim. He allowed the losing run while yielding four hits. He did strike out a trio of batters and three of his four outs stayed on the ground.
Defence - The left side of the infield had a rough night at the office. Ahrens botched one at third while Jackson mishandled a pair and threw another one away for a three error night. Hawkins threw out a runner at home from left field and a 6-4-3 double play was turned. Jimenez was unsuccessful throwing out a base stealer at second with Gracey on the mound.
Lansing 6 South Bend 1
Lansing, MI - The Lugnuts had a run in each of the first two innings before scoring four times in the fourth. The Diamondbacks affiliate could only manage a run in the seventh.
Batting - Markus Brisker (2-5) set the tone with a leadoff homer, a double and three runs batted in. Jake Marisnick (2-4) had the other multi-hit game for Lansing and also picked up an RBI. Jack Murphy (1-3) doubled, walked and drove in a run. Michael Crouse (1-4) had a double while Marcus Knecht (1-4), Kevin Nolan, K.C. Hobson (1-4) and Matt Nuzzo (1-5) all scratched out singles. Bryson Namba (0-3) did reach base once by drawing a walk.
Running - No larcenous activity on the basepaths.
Pitching - Drew Hutchison hurled six shutout innings by scattering four hits and two walks. He struck out seven, three of them in the second innings, and got five groundball outs to improve to 5-2 on the season. . Dayton Marze committed a balk and hit a batter along with two hits and a walk but kept the damage to a single run over two innings. He struck out a batter and induced four groundball outs. Brandon Berl pitched a clean ninth by punching out two of the batters he faced.
Defence - The Lugnuts converted a 4-6-3 and 3-6-3 double play.
DSL Blue Jays 7 DSL Braves 4
San Pedro de Macoris, DR - The Jays scored five runs in the first and two in the sixth. The Braves put up single runs in innings four, six, seven and nine.
Batting - Emilio Guerrero (2-4), Jacinto Cipriota (2-4), Mauricio Nagahashi (2-4), Gabriel Cenas (2-3) and Angel Rojas (2-5) had multi-hit games. Guerrero drove in three runs and Cipriota plated two. Cesar Barazarte (1-4) drove in a run and Maydawin De La Cruz (1-4) also made the hit parade. Jonathan Pumarol (0-3) was hit by a pitch and drove in a run. Cenas was also plunked. Rojas, Guerrero, De La Cruz and Nagahashi each hit a double. No Jay drew a walk.
Running - Barazarte stole second and Nagahashi swiped third.
Pitching - Yeyfry Del Rosario allowed one run on two hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. He racked up two Ks and induced four groundball outs. Gilberto Vielma got the win despite allowing one of two inherited runners to score. He yielded a run of his own in 2 2/3 innings on a hit and two walks while striking out a batter. Four of his six outs in play remained in the infield. Steven Romero went three innings to get the save but not before giving up two runs on four hits and a walk. He did not strike anyone out but all seven of his outs in play were on the ground.
Defence - Cipriota kicked one around in left. Pumarol was charged with a passed ball but he threw out a base stealer at second with Vielma on the hill. The Jays also turned a 6-4-3 twin killing.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Markus Brisker, Lansing
2. Travis Snider, Las Vegas
1. Eric Thames, Las Vegas - You damn right!
Extra Innings...
The Las Vegas Review-Journal talks to outfielder Eric Thames about his brief time in Toronto.
The National Post profiles pitching prospects Henderson Alvarez and Nestor "Funky Cold" Molina.
The Bluefield Daily Telegraph says Bluefield Blue Jays general manager Chris Maxwell hopes some talent from the Jays 2011 draft makes its way to West Virginia.
And finally, through Facebook, the Vancouver Canadians have announced that former Jays closer Duane Ward will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for their home opener against Yakima at beautiful Nat Bailey Stadium Friday night.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20110614165206870