Syracuse score an improbable win, Josh Banks was a welcoming host, and Auburn and Pulaski had five hits between them.
Syracuse 9 Rochester 7
The Chiefs came in to the top of the eighth down 6-1. With their offense this year that deficit suggested another loss for the Chiefs, but not on this day. Adam Johson came on to pitch the eighth for Rochester and a lead-off error opened the floodgates. The error was followed by four straight hits and a Glenn Williams triple to tie the score.
Talley Haines gave up a home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Chiefs in the hole again, but Anton French hit a home run to lead off the ninth to tie the game. Russ Adams and Gabe Gross hit back to back doubles to put the Chiefs ahead and Williams singled to deliver an insurance run.
Josue Matos started for Syracuse and allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings. Adam Peterson pitched two scoreless innings. Bob File got the save.
French and Williams each had three hits. Gross, Adams and Sequea each had two.
Game Story
Portland 7 New Hampshire 5
When I was visiting with New Hampshire two weeks ago the coaches were stressing that Josh Banks needed to keep the ball down, he was getting the ball up in the hitting zone. Yesterday he did not keep the ball down and he paid for it. Portland had four home runs, none of them cheap ones. He allowed a two run shot in the second, back to back jacks in the third and another solo shot in the fourth. Banks allowed seven hits, no walks, and seven runs. He left no men on base.
The Cats scored one run in the second and four in the seventh to make it interesting. New Hampshire had eleven hits, three each by Tyrell Godwin and Mikael Jova. Aaron Hill was 0-4.
Game Story
Dunedin
Game Postponed.
Charleston
Scheduled day off
Mahoning Valley 2 Auburn 1
This was a pitchers duel, the teams managed nine hits between them, and neither team walked a hitter. Mike MacDonald started for Auburn and pitched eight innings. He was better at hitting the batters rather than making them miss. He hit three batters but had only one K, he also allowed five hits. MacDonald conceded a first inning run on a wild pitch and a fifth inning run on a home run. A Ryan Klosterman home run was the only action for the Doubledays.
Bristol 4 Pulaski 0
One hit, one lousy stinking hit was all Pulaski could manage against Bristol. Nick Thomas registered the singleton in the sixth inning. Pulaski did have eight walks, Graig Badger had four of them.
Chi Hung Cheng pitched five strong innings with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed. Bryan Gale pitched a scoreless sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing a run and leaving the bases loaded. Adrian Martin came on for a relief appearance and the first two hitters he faced singled, to make it 4-0.
Our Three-Star Selection
The 3rd Star: Chi Hung Cheng, five scoreless innings
The 2nd Star: Mike MacDonald, eight strong innings
The 1st Star: Anton French, three hits with the game tying home run in the ninth
Standings
Syracuse were 3-3 on the week and their record now is 47-62. Syracuse are 14 games behind Buffalo
New Hampshire, 4-2 for the week and are 61-46, one game back of Binghamton
Dunedin, Dunedin were 4-2 for the week and are 21-15 in the second half. Dunedin are in first place, tied with Tampa
Charleston were 2-4 for the week and are 19-17 for the second half. Charleston are in third place, five games behind Hickory
Auburn were 2-2 for the week and have started 31-9 to lead their division by eleven and a half games
Pulaski were 2-4 for the week and have started 24-16 to lead their division by a half game
Combined the Jays minor league teams were 17-17 for the week and their record is 285-223, a .561 winning percentage.
Syracuse 9 Rochester 7
The Chiefs came in to the top of the eighth down 6-1. With their offense this year that deficit suggested another loss for the Chiefs, but not on this day. Adam Johson came on to pitch the eighth for Rochester and a lead-off error opened the floodgates. The error was followed by four straight hits and a Glenn Williams triple to tie the score.
Talley Haines gave up a home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Chiefs in the hole again, but Anton French hit a home run to lead off the ninth to tie the game. Russ Adams and Gabe Gross hit back to back doubles to put the Chiefs ahead and Williams singled to deliver an insurance run.
Josue Matos started for Syracuse and allowed six runs on seven hits in five innings. Adam Peterson pitched two scoreless innings. Bob File got the save.
French and Williams each had three hits. Gross, Adams and Sequea each had two.
Game Story
Portland 7 New Hampshire 5
When I was visiting with New Hampshire two weeks ago the coaches were stressing that Josh Banks needed to keep the ball down, he was getting the ball up in the hitting zone. Yesterday he did not keep the ball down and he paid for it. Portland had four home runs, none of them cheap ones. He allowed a two run shot in the second, back to back jacks in the third and another solo shot in the fourth. Banks allowed seven hits, no walks, and seven runs. He left no men on base.
The Cats scored one run in the second and four in the seventh to make it interesting. New Hampshire had eleven hits, three each by Tyrell Godwin and Mikael Jova. Aaron Hill was 0-4.
Game Story
Dunedin
Game Postponed.
Charleston
Scheduled day off
Mahoning Valley 2 Auburn 1
This was a pitchers duel, the teams managed nine hits between them, and neither team walked a hitter. Mike MacDonald started for Auburn and pitched eight innings. He was better at hitting the batters rather than making them miss. He hit three batters but had only one K, he also allowed five hits. MacDonald conceded a first inning run on a wild pitch and a fifth inning run on a home run. A Ryan Klosterman home run was the only action for the Doubledays.
Bristol 4 Pulaski 0
One hit, one lousy stinking hit was all Pulaski could manage against Bristol. Nick Thomas registered the singleton in the sixth inning. Pulaski did have eight walks, Graig Badger had four of them.
Chi Hung Cheng pitched five strong innings with seven strikeouts and four hits allowed. Bryan Gale pitched a scoreless sixth but ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing a run and leaving the bases loaded. Adrian Martin came on for a relief appearance and the first two hitters he faced singled, to make it 4-0.
Our Three-Star Selection
The 3rd Star: Chi Hung Cheng, five scoreless innings
The 2nd Star: Mike MacDonald, eight strong innings
The 1st Star: Anton French, three hits with the game tying home run in the ninth
Standings
Syracuse were 3-3 on the week and their record now is 47-62. Syracuse are 14 games behind Buffalo
New Hampshire, 4-2 for the week and are 61-46, one game back of Binghamton
Dunedin, Dunedin were 4-2 for the week and are 21-15 in the second half. Dunedin are in first place, tied with Tampa
Charleston were 2-4 for the week and are 19-17 for the second half. Charleston are in third place, five games behind Hickory
Auburn were 2-2 for the week and have started 31-9 to lead their division by eleven and a half games
Pulaski were 2-4 for the week and have started 24-16 to lead their division by a half game
Combined the Jays minor league teams were 17-17 for the week and their record is 285-223, a .561 winning percentage.
