Buffalo, NY — The Orioles affiliate ambushed Dave Bush (3-2) with three long balls in his 3 2/3 innings — two by Travis Ishikawa and one by Jason Pridie. The Tides rolled in six runs on nine hits against Bush, who struck out three. Lefty Buddy Carlyle stranded a runner for Bush but did not get off scot-free either. He surrendered two runs on three hits over 2 2/3 innings but did whiff three. Lefty Alex Hinshaw could not strand either of Carlyle's two runners as he surrendered a hit and a walk before getting his lone out. Bobby Korecky stranded both of Hinshaw's runners and scattered two hits over 2 1/3 scoreless frames. He struck out one and recorded six outs on the grass.
The Bisons snagged the lead in the first inning when Luis Jimenez singled home a two-out triple by Moises Sierra. Jimenez clubbed a solo shot in the parking lot in right field in the fourth. The other run came in the ninth on a Ryan Goins groundball. Jimenez had a three-hit night and stole a base. Sierra had two hits while Andy LaRoche and Josh Thole reached base twice with singles and walks. Jim Negrych and Mauro Gomez had a double apiece. Goins and Ryan Langerhans were both 0-for-4 but the ugly line of the night belonged to Anthony Gose — 0-for-5 with four Ks.
New Britain 11 New Hampshire 6
Manchester, NH — The Fisher Cats scratched out three runs in the second inning, courtesy of a Sean Ochinko RBI single, a John Tolisano double and a Brian Van Kirk sacrifice fly. The Fisher Cats grabbed the lead again in the sixth inning with a pair of bases-loaded walks to Kevin Pillar and Van Kirk. Kevin Nolan singled home the last New Hampshire run in the ninth. Ochinko had a 3-for-4 night and Ryan Schimpf singled twice and walked. Nolan added a double and Tolisano took one for the team. Brad Glenn doubled and walked. Pillar and Van Kirk both singled and heard ball four once. Clint Robinson was 0-for-5, Kevin Ahrens was 0-for-4 and Ricardo Nanita was 0-for-1 pinch-hitting.
Chad Jenkins worked an economical five innings that featured only 65 pitches, 42 for strikes. He yielded two runs to the Twins affiliate on three hits and a walk. Jenkins struck out one but nine of his 12 outs in play did not leave the infield. He was in line for a win but Tyson Brummett was charged with a blown save after he was whacked for two runs on three hits, two walks and a hit by pitch. His wild pitch and strikeout totals were two apiece. Brummett's line would have been worse if not for an 8-6-2 out at the plate started by Pillar. Lefty Evan Crawford (1-1) was also tagged with a blown save as he saw three runs cross the plate on three hits. He struck out a pair in his one inning of work. Tommy Hottovy fared even worse as he was torched for four runs on four hits — two of them home runs — in his lone inning. He also struck out a couple of batters.
Dunedin 8 Bradenton 7
Dunedin, FL — The parent club enjoyed a walk-on victory down the road in Tampa while the Baby Jays got to celebrate a walk-off, with Gerry in the house no less! Run-scoring singles by Andy Burns and A.J. Jimenez got Dunedin on the board in the first inning. Jimenez then took one out of the yard in center for his first poke of the year in the third. Marcus Knecht kept the good times rolling with a long ball to start the fourth inning. Jimenez struck again in the fifth with an RBI base knock and K.C. Hobson did likewise. A wild pitch in the ninth scored Matt Newman with the winning run after he singled and was doubled to third by Nick Baligod. Jimenez led the charge with three hits and Jon Talley had a double and a single. Burns walked and stole a base and Jon Berti also stole a base to go along with his base hit. Peter Mooney was the only D-Jay to finish with a goose egg in the hit column.Marco Grifantini only lasted 3 2/3 innings — allowing a pair of Pirate runs on five hits and two walks while ringing up three batters. Ajay Meyer stranded a Grifantini runner but gave up a two-run homer among three hits in 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout. Lefty Tyler Ybarra earned a hold but also gave up two runs on four hits and a walk while whiffing a pair in his two innings of work. Southpaw Tony Davis (1-0) blew the save after giving up a run on a hit and a walk but struck out one in his two frames.
Beloit 6 Lansing 4
Lansing, MI — Ben White gave up two runs over four frames against the A's affiliate. The damage was done on six hits and a walk but he struck out three. Kramer Champlin (0-1) pitched the next three innings and was beaten up for four runs — including a two-run homer — on four hits and a walk. He struck out five and all three outs in play were on the ground. Wil Browning finished up with two shutout innings with just one hit allowed and three punchouts.
Carlos Ramirez doubled home the Lugnuts first run to tie the game in the second inning. Christian Lopes tied it again for the Lugnuts with a sacrifice fly in the third. Lopes singled home another run in the fifth and helped bring home the final run in the seventh, thanks to the second baseman botching his grounder. Aaron Munoz had the only multi-hit effort with a double and a single. Jorge Flores and Gustavo Pierre both collected doubles. Dalton Pompey and Kevin Patterson had singles. Balbino Fuenmayor was 0-for-2 but walked and took one for the team. Dwight Smith Jr. was 0-for-1 in a pinch-hit appearance. Chris Hawkins was 0-for-4.
Boxscores
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Chad Jenkins, New Hampshire — A nice 2013 debut in his return from shoulder inflammation this spring.
2. Luis Jimenez, Buffalo — Batting .400 in his last 10 games, including five multi-hit efforts, and leads the Herd with 29 RBI.
1. A.J. Jimenez, Dunedin — Off to a 6-for-16 start at the plate in four games since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Tuesday's Probable Starters...
New Hampshire — Sean Nolin (NR) (1-3, 5.34) vs. New Britain, 5:05 pm ET.
Dunedin — Aaron Sanchez (1-1, 3.07) vs. Bradenton, 6:35 pm ET.
Buffalo — Justin Germano (3-1, 6.65) vs. Norfolk, 7:05 pm ET