Only a road loss from the Skychiefs (and a rainstorm in Pulaski) kept this from being a perfect night for the Blue Jays' farm system.
Indianapolis 7 Syracuse 3
Box score
Game story
Make it seven straight losses for the struggling Skychiefs. Spot starter Mike Smith was roughed up badly, giving up 7 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings, striking out 3. Closing the barn door after the horses had fled were Dave Maurer, newly-bullpenned Chris Baker, and Kevin Frederick, who allowed 1 hit in the 9th and now sports a 1-1, 1.13, 15 IP, 13 H, 3 BB, 11 K line in a Syracuse uniform. Glenn Williams singled twice and drilled a 2-run homer (his organization-leading 17th), while Gabe Gross cranked a solo homer, his 5th. Russ Adams singled in four trips, striking out twice.
Bonus article: Glenn Williams, All-Star.
New Hampshire 3 Portland 1
Box score
Game story
A good night for the Fisher Cats’ hurlers against local rival Portland. Staff ace Cam Reimers came through again, scattering 5 hits over 5 innings and yielding 1 run, with 2 walks and a strikeout. He was followed by -- and this is interesting -- Brandon League, with 3 terrific shutout innings (1 H, 0 BB, 2 K) and Jamie Vermilyea, who generated two groundouts and a strikeout. This was Vermilyea’s 2nd appearance for New Hampshire and his 2nd 1-inning save; take from that what you will. And don’t look now, but League is slowly pulling it together: so far in June, his line is 18 IP, 13 H, 5 BB, 13 K.
The offence was sparked by John-Ford Griffin, who homered to lead off the second and scored an unearned run in the 7th on a Maikel Jova double. Justin Singleton doubled to drive in the third New Hamphsire run in the 8th. Aaron Hill is in a funk, going 0-for-4 with 2 Ks; he’s now stuck in an 0-for-27 string that has dropped his average to .260. Mind you, Hill’s struggles in hitter-hostile New Hampshire are well-documented, so even a normal slump can be prolonged into a deeper rut. He’ll come out of it.
Dunedin 8 Palm Beach 4
Box score
They’ve got their game on in Dunedin. Vito Chiaravalotti’s 3-run homer capped a 5-run 3rd inning that put this game away early. The blast scored Ryan Roberts and Ron Davenport, who had each produced RBI singles earlier in the frame. Another 3-spot in the 5th came on another Davenport run-scoring single, a Vito double-play ball, and Raul Tablado’s 10th homer of the season. Every D-Jay starter had at least one hit; Davenport had 3 and Roberts 2. Rodney Medina and Miguel Negron each doubled and walked (Medina’s was intentional). This is a very talented lineup, and if the Blue Jays don’t promote anyone else to New Hampshire, Dunedin could be dominant in the second half.
On the mound, Ismael Ramirez didn’t have a great night, giving up 4 runs in 6 innings on 9 hits, walking just 1 and whiffing 4. Justin Maureau also danced with danger, surrendering 2 hits and a walk in 1 2/3 IP but allowing no runs, striking out 1. Robert (Derek?) Nunley finished up the last 1 2/3 for an unconventional save.
Charleston 5 Lexington 0
Box score
Game story
The Alley-Cats keep on rolling too. Last night, they blanked Lexington 5-0 behind Danny Core’s best start of the season by far. Core fired 7 shutout innings, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4. Joaquin Canizal finished up with 3 Ks in 2 perfect innings. The Alley-Cats will be counting on Core to step up in the second half and help carry a rotation that has been weakened by the promotions. And keep half an eye on Canizal: the 31st-rounder from the 2003 draft is 23 and is a little old for the Sally, but his line in 26 relief appearances (5-1, 2.70, 46 IP, 40 H, 15 BB, 39 K) is not bad at all.
Some odd stat lines for the offence last night: Clint Johnston was a homer shy of the cycle, scoring a run and driving in 2 with a single-double-triple evening. Eric Arnold delivered 4 singles and an RBI, but didn’t score. Catcher Joey Reiman singled, walked and scored twice.
Bonus article: here’s a nice feature on the three-southpaw rotation now in place in Charleston (Kurt Isenberg, Davis Romero and Brad Mumma), as well as some high praise for new Alley-Cats second sacker Jermy Acey.
Auburn 3 Williamsport 0
Box score
A solid pitching performance from four Doubledays pitchers last night. Casey MacKenzie, a 27th-round pick earlier this month from the University of Tampa, started and allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk in 4 innings, striking out 3. He was followed by 11th-round ’04 draftee Kristian Bell, who entered the game with an unsightly 67.50 ERA, thanks to a rough pro debut earlier this week. Bell redeemed himself, though, and how: he retired 6 batters, all by strikeout, sandwiching a walk and an infield single in there. Jayson Rodriguez, a 2003 draft pick (12th), followed with 3-hit shutout ball for 2 innings, and Dewon Day finished up with a one-hit, 3-strikeout ninth. Vincent Esposito’s 2-run double in the 3rd gave the Doubledays all the runs they’d need, and Jarad Mangioni’s 7th-inning groundout brought home an insurance run. Catcher Erik Kratz’s double was the only other extra-base hit for Auburn.
Pulaski was rained out.
Your Three-Star Selection:
The Third Star: Clint Johnston, 1B, Charleston, who singled, doubled, tripled and drove in 2 runs in the Alley-Cats win.
The Second Star: Glenn Williams, 3B, Syracuse, whose three hits included a 2-run homer in a losing cause.
The First Star: Charleston SP Danny Core, who delivered 7 shutout innings for his best start of the season.
Indianapolis 7 Syracuse 3
Box score
Game story
Make it seven straight losses for the struggling Skychiefs. Spot starter Mike Smith was roughed up badly, giving up 7 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings, striking out 3. Closing the barn door after the horses had fled were Dave Maurer, newly-bullpenned Chris Baker, and Kevin Frederick, who allowed 1 hit in the 9th and now sports a 1-1, 1.13, 15 IP, 13 H, 3 BB, 11 K line in a Syracuse uniform. Glenn Williams singled twice and drilled a 2-run homer (his organization-leading 17th), while Gabe Gross cranked a solo homer, his 5th. Russ Adams singled in four trips, striking out twice.
Bonus article: Glenn Williams, All-Star.
New Hampshire 3 Portland 1
Box score
Game story
A good night for the Fisher Cats’ hurlers against local rival Portland. Staff ace Cam Reimers came through again, scattering 5 hits over 5 innings and yielding 1 run, with 2 walks and a strikeout. He was followed by -- and this is interesting -- Brandon League, with 3 terrific shutout innings (1 H, 0 BB, 2 K) and Jamie Vermilyea, who generated two groundouts and a strikeout. This was Vermilyea’s 2nd appearance for New Hampshire and his 2nd 1-inning save; take from that what you will. And don’t look now, but League is slowly pulling it together: so far in June, his line is 18 IP, 13 H, 5 BB, 13 K.
The offence was sparked by John-Ford Griffin, who homered to lead off the second and scored an unearned run in the 7th on a Maikel Jova double. Justin Singleton doubled to drive in the third New Hamphsire run in the 8th. Aaron Hill is in a funk, going 0-for-4 with 2 Ks; he’s now stuck in an 0-for-27 string that has dropped his average to .260. Mind you, Hill’s struggles in hitter-hostile New Hampshire are well-documented, so even a normal slump can be prolonged into a deeper rut. He’ll come out of it.
Dunedin 8 Palm Beach 4
Box score
They’ve got their game on in Dunedin. Vito Chiaravalotti’s 3-run homer capped a 5-run 3rd inning that put this game away early. The blast scored Ryan Roberts and Ron Davenport, who had each produced RBI singles earlier in the frame. Another 3-spot in the 5th came on another Davenport run-scoring single, a Vito double-play ball, and Raul Tablado’s 10th homer of the season. Every D-Jay starter had at least one hit; Davenport had 3 and Roberts 2. Rodney Medina and Miguel Negron each doubled and walked (Medina’s was intentional). This is a very talented lineup, and if the Blue Jays don’t promote anyone else to New Hampshire, Dunedin could be dominant in the second half.
On the mound, Ismael Ramirez didn’t have a great night, giving up 4 runs in 6 innings on 9 hits, walking just 1 and whiffing 4. Justin Maureau also danced with danger, surrendering 2 hits and a walk in 1 2/3 IP but allowing no runs, striking out 1. Robert (Derek?) Nunley finished up the last 1 2/3 for an unconventional save.
Charleston 5 Lexington 0
Box score
Game story
The Alley-Cats keep on rolling too. Last night, they blanked Lexington 5-0 behind Danny Core’s best start of the season by far. Core fired 7 shutout innings, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 4. Joaquin Canizal finished up with 3 Ks in 2 perfect innings. The Alley-Cats will be counting on Core to step up in the second half and help carry a rotation that has been weakened by the promotions. And keep half an eye on Canizal: the 31st-rounder from the 2003 draft is 23 and is a little old for the Sally, but his line in 26 relief appearances (5-1, 2.70, 46 IP, 40 H, 15 BB, 39 K) is not bad at all.
Some odd stat lines for the offence last night: Clint Johnston was a homer shy of the cycle, scoring a run and driving in 2 with a single-double-triple evening. Eric Arnold delivered 4 singles and an RBI, but didn’t score. Catcher Joey Reiman singled, walked and scored twice.
Bonus article: here’s a nice feature on the three-southpaw rotation now in place in Charleston (Kurt Isenberg, Davis Romero and Brad Mumma), as well as some high praise for new Alley-Cats second sacker Jermy Acey.
Auburn 3 Williamsport 0
Box score
A solid pitching performance from four Doubledays pitchers last night. Casey MacKenzie, a 27th-round pick earlier this month from the University of Tampa, started and allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk in 4 innings, striking out 3. He was followed by 11th-round ’04 draftee Kristian Bell, who entered the game with an unsightly 67.50 ERA, thanks to a rough pro debut earlier this week. Bell redeemed himself, though, and how: he retired 6 batters, all by strikeout, sandwiching a walk and an infield single in there. Jayson Rodriguez, a 2003 draft pick (12th), followed with 3-hit shutout ball for 2 innings, and Dewon Day finished up with a one-hit, 3-strikeout ninth. Vincent Esposito’s 2-run double in the 3rd gave the Doubledays all the runs they’d need, and Jarad Mangioni’s 7th-inning groundout brought home an insurance run. Catcher Erik Kratz’s double was the only other extra-base hit for Auburn.
Pulaski was rained out.
Your Three-Star Selection:
The Third Star: Clint Johnston, 1B, Charleston, who singled, doubled, tripled and drove in 2 runs in the Alley-Cats win.
The Second Star: Glenn Williams, 3B, Syracuse, whose three hits included a 2-run homer in a losing cause.
The First Star: Charleston SP Danny Core, who delivered 7 shutout innings for his best start of the season.
