Nearly every game by the affiliates featured runs by one team or both in the first inning. Many of the games settled down after that and, aside from a 28-hit affair in Nevada and Lansing’s pitching allowing double-digit runs, most the games were relatively closely and not large-scoring affairs. Las Vegas, New Hampshire and Dunedin won, but then you have to go down to Bluefield to see another victory. The victories in Double and High-A saw strong pitching performances by prospects continuing to improve their ranking.
Colorado Springs 7 @ Las Vegas 9 – Boxscore
This game was tied at 2 after the first inning, although Scott Richmond settled down after that frame. He wound up going 6.2 innings and surrendering five runs, all earned. Richmond allowed ten hits and three walks, but struck out five. Wil Ledezma struck out three batters over 1.1 innings of hitless relief and Winston Abreu allowed a two-run homer in the ninth, but didn’t let Colorado Springs get any closer.
David Cooper hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first to tie the game. He added a single and a walk and scored three runs. Mike McCoy had two singles from the leadoff spot and center fielder Travis Snider contributed with two singles and a double and three runs scored. Adam Loewen had a single, a run and an RBI. His OPS now sits at .920 and there are no reports that he dropped any key fly balls in the ninth inning yesterday. Kevin Howard had three hits, 2 RBIs and a run, but decided he fancied himself Rajai Davis and was caught stealing twice. Ryan Shealy was 3-for-4 with a two-run shot and 4 RBIs. Chris Woodward had a double, Dan Perales had two hits and Brian Jeroloman, who entered the game for Ryan Budde, was 0-for-2 with a pair of walks.
New Hampshire 6 @ Portland 2 – Boxscore
Joel Carreno started for the Fisher Cats and improved to 7-5 on the year. Carreno threw 7 innings and allowed a single run on five hits and two walks. Carreno struck out six and threw exactly two-thirds of his pitches for strikes. If you thought that was impressive, Yohan Pino did one better, throwing 22 of his 29 pitches for strikes (76%). Pino struck out three, but allowed a solo homer over 2 innings.
Adeiny Hechevarria went 1-for-4 in the leadoff spot and is now hitting .235 on the year. Anthony Gose went 0-for-2, but was lifted for pinch-hitter Justin Jackson. Jackson was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. He also contributed in the field, throwing out two runners on the bases in half a game. Mike McDade contributed with a solo homer and a single. He scored two runs and drove in a pair. Moises Sierra went 1-for-4 with a double and Travis d’Arnaud contributed with a pair of singles. Ricardo Nanita added a single and a run and Mark Sobolewski added a two-run homer. John Tolisano and Calix Crabbe went 0-for-6 with five strikeouts.
Dunedin 6 @ Lakeland 0 – Boxscore
Jonathan Diaz drew a pair of walks in the leadoff spot and also went 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Kevin Nolan came into the game to play shortstop and drew a free pass. A.J. Jimenez and Kevin Ahrens put up identical 1-for-5 with a single and a run scored. Jon Talley was hitless, but Brian Van Kirk was 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and 3 RBIs. Brad McElroy banged out three singles. Chris Hopkins copied Diaz’s stat line with a pair of walks and a single, while Joe Bowen and Ivan Contreras were held hitless.
Meanwhile, on the mound, Drew Hutchison continues his scoreless inning streak at High-A. He threw another 6 innings and didn’t allow a run. Hutchison struck out four batters and didn’t walk a hitter. He surrendered three hits, two of which were doubles. Hutchison also retired 9 of the 11 batters he got out on balls in play on ground balls. Steve Turnbull and Wes Etheridge combined for 3 innings of hitless relief and retired 7 of 8 batters on balls in play on ground outs (one batter reached on a Kevin Ahrens error and the next hitter grounded into a double play).
Lansing 3 @ Great Lakes 10 – Boxscore
The Loons scored four in the first and four in the bottom of the eighth, bookending a ten-run performance and an easy victory over the Lugnuts. Casey Lawrence took the loss, allowing six runs, but only three were earned. Matt Nuzzo made the costly error, booting a ball at second base. Lawrence allowed nine hits, but didn’t walk a batter, striking out seven. After a difficult first inning however, he soldiered on and went 5 plus innings. Dustin Antonlin and Danny Barnes combined for two scoreless innings. Brandon Berl was the pitcher victimized in the eighth, allowing all four runs.
Markus Brisker was hitless in the leadoff spot and Nuzzo added a double and a run scored, batting second. Jake Marisnick and Marcus Knecht added an RBI each, with Marisnick hitting a single and Knecht adding a sacrifice fly. K.C. Hobson went 2-for-4 with a double and a run, although he made his 13th error on the year with an errant throw. Oscar Dominguez added a triple and Gari Pena had a single and a run.
Eugene 5 @ Vancouver 2 – Boxscore
The Canadians outhit the Emeralds 10-6, but they left 15 on base and went down in defeat 5-2. Vancouver scored one of their runs in the first inning, as with two out Balbino Funemayor, Stephen McQuail and Eli Boike strung together consecutive singles. Fuenmayor was 3-for-4 with a walk and a double. That was the only hit on the afternoon for McQuail and Boike, but each also drew a pair of walks. Shane Optiz and Pierce Rankin were held hitless. The Jonathons each had a hit, as Jones was 1-for-5 and Berti was 1-for-3 with a walk. Matt Newman had a pair of singles and Randy Schwartz had a solo homer in the eighth.
Taylor Cole started and went 4 innings. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks. Cole also struck out six. Nicholas Purdy entered the game and only retired two batters before being lifted. He had allowed one run and left the bases loaded for Travis Garrett. Garrett walked the first batter he faced to force in a run, but then got a ground out to escape the inning. Garrett then retired the next six batters he faced. Philip Brua and Alex Pepe each pitched an inning of relief, with Brua allowing an unearned run to cross the plate. San Diego’s 2011 draft picks did well, as Jace Peterson was 2-for-4 with a pair of triples and first-round pick Cory Spangenberg was 0-for-2 with three walks. Each also stole a base, while Kyle Gaedele was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.
Bluefield 8 @ Princeton 2 – Boxscore
A four-run first inning propelled Bluefield to victory. Noah Syndergaard finally allowed a run, surrendering two runs over 4.1 frames. Syndergaard allowed five hits and two hits, while striking out six. His ERA sits at 1.35 and he has struck out 19 over three starts against four walks. Mitchell Taylor inherited two runners and stranded them both. Taylor went on to throw 4.2 innings of two-hit relief and didn’t allow a run.
Bluefield only had six hits during the game, half of which came from Art Charles. The Blue Jays also worked six walks. Andy Fermin and Gustavo Pierre batted first and second and worked identical lines of 0-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Kevin Pillar was 1-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Charles was the only Bluefield hitter with an extra-base hit, as he contributed a double and a triple. Yudelmis Hernandez had a single and a walk and Aaron Munoz was 1-for-2 with two walks.
GCL Blue Jays @ GCL Pirates (Postponed)
Game postponed.
DSL Angels 9 @ DSL Blue Jays 3 (11 innings) – Boxscore
This was a well-pitched game, at least until the eleventh inning. The DSL Angels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first and then the Blue Jays struck back for three in the bottom of the second. The game was then scoreless until the DSL Angels scored one in the top of the ninth to send the game to extra innings. The DSL Angels struck for six runs in the eleventh off Gilberto Vielma and turned the extra inning contest into a laugher. Luis Zerpa and Luillyn Guillen combined for 6 innings of one-run relief. Catcher Kervin Santiago led the attack with four of the team’s nine hits in his five at-bats.
Three Stars:
3rd Star – Art Charles, 3-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 6 TB
2nd Star – Joel Carreno, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
1st Star – Drew Hutchison, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
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