Buffalo, NY - Marcus Stroman (2-3) managed to squeeze in five innings as he makes the transition back to being a starter. He started the game by mowing down the first seven hitters and overcame a pair of singles by striking out the final two batters of the third. The damage against Stroman was done in the fourth as he yielded a three-run homer after a single and a walk. He ended his day with a strikeout to strand a one-out double in the fifth. In total, Stroman was charged with three runs on five hits and a walk against the Phillies affiliate. He struck out five and three of his eight outs in play were on the ground. He managed to keep his pitch count in check with 40 strikes out of 64 pitches. The bullpen took over and did a fine job holding the line with Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitching three scoreless, giving up only one hit while collecting a pair of K's. Bobby Korecky worked around a hit and a walk with a strikeout in a shutout ninth.
The Herd stuck the Iron Pigs for their only two runs in the third inning on back-to-back doubles by Jack Murphy and Munenori Kawasaki and a Jared Goedert RBI groundout. The Bisons had a golden opportunity to tie/win it in the ninth when Brad Glenn and Matt Tuiasosopo started things off with consecutive walks. They were pushed into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Brett Carroll. Murphy nearly became the walk-off hero with a blast down the right field line but it would land just foul. He and Munenori Kawasaki would both be called out on strikes to end the game. Glenn had a double and single to go with his base on balls. Darin Mastroianni, Ryan Goins and Dan Johnson all had a walk apiece.
Reading 4 New Hampshire 3 (12 Innings)
Reading, PA - Playing card analogy alerts!! Deck McGuire was holding all the cards against the Fightin' Phils in this one. He came up aces by dealing eight solid innings of one-run ball on a solo homer. That was among just four hits while posting an impressive 9-2 K-BB total. He ran his pitch count to 105, 68 of them for strikes. He was in line for the win but lefty Tony Davis folded as Reading used a single, a double and a groundout to produce the tying run. Davis issued three walks and gave up three hits in 1.1 innings. Blake McFarland (0-1) stranded two Davis runners by getting the final two outs in the 10th but he allowed a walk-off two-run homer in the 12th to end his two-inning, three-hit outing that included a strikeout.
The Fisher Cats were able to throw the first punch against the Fightin' Phils when Gabe Jacobo launched a two-run home run to score a Ryan Schimpf double in the top of the second. Ten innings later, New Hampshire got their third run when Jon Berti scampered home on a passed ball. Berti had a three-hit night and Andy Burns reached base three times with a double, a single and a walk. Jacobo also reached base thrice with a single and a hit-by-pitch. Kenny Wilson went 1-for-4 and took one for the team. A.J. JImenez was 1-for-6.
Fort Myers 7 Dunedin 2
Dunedin, FL - Jesse Hernandez was torched for all seven runs by the Twins affiliate. Two of the runs were unearned on a Hernandez pick-off throw that went horribly askew in a four-run fourth and a K.C. Hobson clank at first in the sixth that preceded a two-run dinger. Hernandez lasted six innings and gave up six hits and two walks while whiffing three. Justin Jackson plunked a hitter and walked one but put up two scoreless frames that included three K's. Arik Sikula worked a one-hit ninth with a strikeout.
Both Dunedin runs were home runs, courtesy of Derrick Chung in the second inning and Dalton Pompey in the fourth. Chung's blast, his second, tied the game at 1-1 and Pompey's poke was his fourth. Chung had a two-hit night while Marcus Knecht, Gustavo Pierre and Christian Lopes all had one apiece. Dwight Smith Jr. had a walk.
Lansing 7 Bowling Green 4
Lansing, MI - The Lugnuts were trailing 2-0 until the fifth when Jorge Saez singled home the first run before a Jason Leblebijian fielder's choice knotted things up. Lansing trailed by a run in the sixth before erupting for four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Mitch Nay drove home a Derrick Loveless triple with a single and he would come home with the go-ahead run after a Leblebijian walk with the bases loaded. Dickie Thon Jr. then delivered a two-run single. Justin Atkinson added more insurance with an RBI single in the seventh. That capped off a perfect night for Atkinson, who went 4-for-4 on the evening. Loveless and Dawel Lugo had three-hit games and Mitch Nay had a walk to go with his RBI single. D.J. Davis walked once but was caught stealing. Leblebijian managed his second swipe of the year.Chase De Jong surrendered two runs over five innings on six hits and a hit by pitch. He struck out three, walked nobody and six of his nine outs in play did not escape the infield. Roberto Espinosa (1-0) pitched two innings, giving up a run on two hits and two walks but also struck out a trio of Rays wannabes. Brady Dragmire was nicked for a run on two hits but struck out two in his inning of work. Lefty Scott Silverstein had a strikeout for a perfect ninth to nail down his fourth save.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Derrick Loveless, Lansing - A .379 OBP and 11 of his 35 hits have gone for extra bases.
2. Justin Atkinson, Lansing - The Surrey, BC native is batting .330 so far this season and enjoys the nightlife with a .383 average.
1. Deck McGuire, New Hampshire - A 2.92 ERA and a 47-17 K-BB total in 60.1 innings.
Tuesday's Linescores
Wednesday's Schedule & Probable Starters...
Bowling Green @ Lansing, 10:35 am ET - LHP Alonzo Gonzalez (0-0, 6.95).
Fort Myers @ Dunedin, 6:30 pm ET - LHP Daniel Norris (3-0, 0.90).
New Hampshire @ Reading, 6:35 pm ET - RHP Scott Copeland (3-3, 3.71).
Quote of the Day...
"I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture." - Bob Uecker.