Ricky Romero had something to take comfort from in his start for Buffalo. He pitched six innings and his last four were good. Many people wonder what's wrong with Ricky? I remember seeing Romero pitch in AA back in 2008. That was when Romero was being looked at as a bust, his ERA in AA was hovering around 5. Romero's WHIP in AA, over parts of four seasons was 1.56. Romero made 52 starts in AA, that is a full two seasons worth. Everyone was wondering why was Romero a bust? I was sitting beside a Blue Jay scout at the game and he said to me, after one inning, "he has the tools, lets see how he uses them". Romero has good pitches, he pitches well when he has some idea of where the pitches are going. Something clicked for Romero in 2009 and he turned from a bust to a full-time starter. If it happened in 2009 I think it can happen again. I do think it is mainly mental and I also think that Ricky needs to have some success, then build on that to restore his confidence and slow down his mind.
Buffalo lost their game when Chad Beck gave up a walk-off home run in the ninth. New Hampshire were well beaten. Dunedin's game was suspended in the second inning. Lansing took a big early lead and held on, barely, for the win.
Buffalo 5 Norfolk 6
As mentioned Ricky Romero was the story. The first four runs came in the first two innings and followed a familiar pattern. In the first inning he gave up a soft line drive single and followed it with a home run. In the second he gave up a ground ball single and that was followed with a triple and a wild pitch. The pattern is good pitching for several hitters then a ball or two is left in the middle of the plate. Over his last four innings Romero allowed four hits and one run. He did not issue a walk on the night.
The Jays scored four in the fourth, Mauro Gomez hit a two run home run and Ryan Goins had a two run single. Luis Jimenez added a homer in the fifth. Chad Bck surrendered the game losing home run in the ninth. Jimenez had three hits and is hitting .348. Thole and Goins had two hits each.
Binghamton 6 New Hampshire 0
The Fisher Cats could do little against Mets prospect Rafael Montero. They ended with 5 hits.
The Mets had 15 hits. Ten of them, and five runs, were off Ryan Tepera who now sports a 4.50 ERA.
Dunedin 2 Clearwater 2 - game suspended
This game was suspended in the second inning due to rain. Rajai Davis led off the game with a triple and scored on a sac fly by Andy Burns. Michael Crouse homered in the second. Marco Grifantini pitched just one inning.
Lansing 7 Great Lakes 6
Lansing jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the third inning. They had eight hits in those three innings, the big hits were doubles by Dwight Smith, Christian Lopes, Emilio Guerrero and a triple by Dalton Pompey. Lansing had just two hits over the next six innings. Smith had three hits and Pompey had two.
Taylor Cole pitched six innings, he was tagged for two runs, one earned, on five hits. Justin Jackson pitched two innings, one hit, one walk, three K's. The Lugnuts led 7-2 heading to the bottom of the ninth. The bullpen had struggled recently and Wil Browning did in this game. He finished the game but allowed four runs.
Three Stars
#3 - Luis Jimenez
#2 - Dalton Pompey
#1 - Dwight Smith Jr.
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