A doubleheader sweep, a few late-inning losses, and another start from a 2004 first-round-draft-pick left-hander highlight last night's action down on the farm.
Pawtucket 4 Syracuse 2
A couple of former big-leaguers sank the Skychiefs Thursday night. Reliever Jesus Sanchez was touched for a 2-run, 8th-inning homer by Brian Daubach that scored the winning runs, while former Blue Jay Frank Castillo handcuffed Syracuse over 8 innings of solid pitching. Daubach’s homer ruined a second consecutive solid start by Mike Smith, who fired 7 innings of 2-hit ball, allowing just 1 earned run, walking 4 and striking out 4. Russ Adams doubled, singled and drove in a run, while Anton French singled, scored a run and stole his 11th base while jacking his average to .371. Guillermo Quiroz went hitless and committed a passed ball that led to an unearned run.
Box score
Game story
Bonus article: An update on one of my favourite ex-prospects, Dave Gassner, the could’ve-been-Skychief.
New Hampshire 6 Portland 2
Brandon League struggled with his control, but still managed to dodge a lot of bullets and earn the win for New Hampshire, which dropped its magic number for clinching the division title to 1. League walked 5 batters in 5 innings and allowed 4 hits to boot, but kept the Sea Dogs to just 2 runs, with the help of 4 strikeouts. Ryan Houston followed with 3 masterful innings of 1-hit relief, striking out 6, while Jordan DeJong wrapped up the evening with a 1-k ninth. Tyrell Godwin paced the offence with a double, 2 singles and 2 runs scored, while Justin Singleton, John Hattig and Mike Snyder each pounded out 3 hits. Aaron Hill doubled and drove in 2 runs in 5 plate trips, while John-Ford Griffin went 0-for-5.
Box score
Game story
Bonus article: The Fisher Cats prepare for the playoffs, a story that includes the news that current Skychief Gustavo Chacin will return to New Hampshire in time for the post-season.
Dunedin 4-4 Clearwater 3-3
A same-score doubleheader sweep for the D-Jays over local rivals Clearwater. Vince Perkins started the opener and pitched decently for 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, but with no walks and 1 strikeout. Chad Pleiness followed with 2 shutout innings to gain the win, with reinforcements from Felix Romero and Bubbie Buzachero. In the nightcap, Justin James was knocked around for 6 hits in 4 innings, leading to 3 runs (2 earned), but at least he walked no one and struck out 3. The win went to Andy Torres for his 1 1/3 no-hit innings, while Brian Reed walked 2 in the final frame but still managed to nail down the save. Offensively, Carlo Cota homered, doubled and singled, Ron Davenport had 2 singles and 2 walks, and Raul Tablado singled, doubled and drove in 2 runs in the twinbill. Catcher Jose Yepez homered and drove in 3 runs in the night game.
Box score 1
Box score 2
Kannapolis 2 Charleston 1
A 5th-inning error by second baseman Jermy Acey led to an unearned run that eventually downed the Alley-Cats. Kurt Isenberg battled for 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and a walk while striking out 2, allowing both Kannapolis runs. Jeremy Harper, back from the DL and coming on strong, notched 3 brilliant one-hit innings in relief, striking out 5. Rodney Medina tripled, singled and scored the Cats’ lone run, while Juan Peralta and Brian Patrick also recorded 2-hit nights.
Box score
Game story
Vermont 6 Auburn 4
Here comes the future. 2004 supplementary first-round pick Zach Jackson made his 3rd start for Auburn and went an encouraging 5 innings, issuing 6 hits and a walk and surrendering 3 runs with 2 strikeouts. Jackson won’t get too much more work this year, but every little bit helps his development. Danny Hill gave up a run in 2 innings, but the loss went to Jayson Rodriguez, who allowed 2 runs in the 8th inning for the loss. In one of those freak-stat kind of developments, every Doubledays starter had exactly 1 hit. Eric Nielsen homered and Aaron Mathews doubled; the rest were singles.
Box score
Pulaski 4 Elizabethton 3 (10 innings)
An unearned run in the bottom of the 10th inning (on the third of 3B Anthony Garibaldi’s 3 singles) made a winner of the P-Jays and reliever Daryl Harang, who pitched 2 2/3 innings of 1-hit shutout ball, striking out 3. Brian Grant started and continued his slow but steady development, allowing 8 hits over 6 1/3 innings and 3 runs (2 earned) with 1 walk and 3 K’s. Benjamin Harrison, whose name demands a presidential run at some point, and Bryan Gale also threw effectively in relief. Late-blooming first baseman David Hicks doubled, singled, scored a run and is now hitting .317. LF Luke Hetherington cranked a solo homer but also struck out 3 times.
Box score
The Three-Star Selection: Time to give a little attention to the lesser lights:
The Third Star: Carlo Cota, Dunedin: homer-double-single in a doubleheader sweep.
The Second Star: Jeremy Harper, Charleston: five strikeouts in 3 shutouts innings for an unsung middle reliever.
The First Star: Ryan Houston, New Hampshire: six strikeouts in 3 innings for another unsung middle reliever.
Pawtucket 4 Syracuse 2
A couple of former big-leaguers sank the Skychiefs Thursday night. Reliever Jesus Sanchez was touched for a 2-run, 8th-inning homer by Brian Daubach that scored the winning runs, while former Blue Jay Frank Castillo handcuffed Syracuse over 8 innings of solid pitching. Daubach’s homer ruined a second consecutive solid start by Mike Smith, who fired 7 innings of 2-hit ball, allowing just 1 earned run, walking 4 and striking out 4. Russ Adams doubled, singled and drove in a run, while Anton French singled, scored a run and stole his 11th base while jacking his average to .371. Guillermo Quiroz went hitless and committed a passed ball that led to an unearned run.
Box score
Game story
Bonus article: An update on one of my favourite ex-prospects, Dave Gassner, the could’ve-been-Skychief.
New Hampshire 6 Portland 2
Brandon League struggled with his control, but still managed to dodge a lot of bullets and earn the win for New Hampshire, which dropped its magic number for clinching the division title to 1. League walked 5 batters in 5 innings and allowed 4 hits to boot, but kept the Sea Dogs to just 2 runs, with the help of 4 strikeouts. Ryan Houston followed with 3 masterful innings of 1-hit relief, striking out 6, while Jordan DeJong wrapped up the evening with a 1-k ninth. Tyrell Godwin paced the offence with a double, 2 singles and 2 runs scored, while Justin Singleton, John Hattig and Mike Snyder each pounded out 3 hits. Aaron Hill doubled and drove in 2 runs in 5 plate trips, while John-Ford Griffin went 0-for-5.
Box score
Game story
Bonus article: The Fisher Cats prepare for the playoffs, a story that includes the news that current Skychief Gustavo Chacin will return to New Hampshire in time for the post-season.
Dunedin 4-4 Clearwater 3-3
A same-score doubleheader sweep for the D-Jays over local rivals Clearwater. Vince Perkins started the opener and pitched decently for 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, but with no walks and 1 strikeout. Chad Pleiness followed with 2 shutout innings to gain the win, with reinforcements from Felix Romero and Bubbie Buzachero. In the nightcap, Justin James was knocked around for 6 hits in 4 innings, leading to 3 runs (2 earned), but at least he walked no one and struck out 3. The win went to Andy Torres for his 1 1/3 no-hit innings, while Brian Reed walked 2 in the final frame but still managed to nail down the save. Offensively, Carlo Cota homered, doubled and singled, Ron Davenport had 2 singles and 2 walks, and Raul Tablado singled, doubled and drove in 2 runs in the twinbill. Catcher Jose Yepez homered and drove in 3 runs in the night game.
Box score 1
Box score 2
Kannapolis 2 Charleston 1
A 5th-inning error by second baseman Jermy Acey led to an unearned run that eventually downed the Alley-Cats. Kurt Isenberg battled for 6 innings, scattering 8 hits and a walk while striking out 2, allowing both Kannapolis runs. Jeremy Harper, back from the DL and coming on strong, notched 3 brilliant one-hit innings in relief, striking out 5. Rodney Medina tripled, singled and scored the Cats’ lone run, while Juan Peralta and Brian Patrick also recorded 2-hit nights.
Box score
Game story
Vermont 6 Auburn 4
Here comes the future. 2004 supplementary first-round pick Zach Jackson made his 3rd start for Auburn and went an encouraging 5 innings, issuing 6 hits and a walk and surrendering 3 runs with 2 strikeouts. Jackson won’t get too much more work this year, but every little bit helps his development. Danny Hill gave up a run in 2 innings, but the loss went to Jayson Rodriguez, who allowed 2 runs in the 8th inning for the loss. In one of those freak-stat kind of developments, every Doubledays starter had exactly 1 hit. Eric Nielsen homered and Aaron Mathews doubled; the rest were singles.
Box score
Pulaski 4 Elizabethton 3 (10 innings)
An unearned run in the bottom of the 10th inning (on the third of 3B Anthony Garibaldi’s 3 singles) made a winner of the P-Jays and reliever Daryl Harang, who pitched 2 2/3 innings of 1-hit shutout ball, striking out 3. Brian Grant started and continued his slow but steady development, allowing 8 hits over 6 1/3 innings and 3 runs (2 earned) with 1 walk and 3 K’s. Benjamin Harrison, whose name demands a presidential run at some point, and Bryan Gale also threw effectively in relief. Late-blooming first baseman David Hicks doubled, singled, scored a run and is now hitting .317. LF Luke Hetherington cranked a solo homer but also struck out 3 times.
Box score
The Three-Star Selection: Time to give a little attention to the lesser lights:
The Third Star: Carlo Cota, Dunedin: homer-double-single in a doubleheader sweep.
The Second Star: Jeremy Harper, Charleston: five strikeouts in 3 shutouts innings for an unsung middle reliever.
The First Star: Ryan Houston, New Hampshire: six strikeouts in 3 innings for another unsung middle reliever.
