It's an old joke, and not very good, but we will take all the levity we can get after a 1-3 night on the farm, complete with 2 late blown leads.
Syracuse 4 Richmond 3
The Sky Chiefs rallied for 2 runs in the eighth and another 2 in the ninth courtesy of a clutch Chad Mottola double to overcome a 3-0 deficit. Jason Alfaro's 2 run 2 out single in the eighth started the comeback. Francisco Rosario started and went 6.2 innings, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 8 hits and 1 walk with 2 strikeouts. Spike Lundberg, Matt Duff and Matt Whiteside held the fort while the Chiefs' offence got in gear. Gabe Gross went 1-5.
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Syracuse Post-Standard game story
New Hampshire 4 Erie 5
Jamie Vermilyea has had better games. He came on with a 4-1 lead in the 7th, with runners on the corners, but then came single, walk, single to tie the score. A walkoff leadoff homer off Vermilyea ended it in the bottom of the ninth. Vince Perkins started and pitched well enough to win, going 6+ innings, and allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits and 1 walk with 1 strikeout. Clint Johnston hit a solo homer for the Fisher Cats, while Miguel Negron continued his ascent from sub-Mendoza ignominy with a 3-5 performance, including a double. Ryan Roberts went 0-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly.
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Tampa 9 Dunedin 7
Another game, another blown lead. This time the good guys' bullpen took the fall. It all started out so delightfully. Dustin McGowan started and went 5 effective innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 1 walk with 2 strikeouts. Meanwhile, the offence was firing on all cylinders, as Chip Cannon hit his 16th homer, a 3 run shot, and had a run-scoring single early. Adam Lind had 3 singles, while Eric Arnold had 2 doubles and a single, as the D-Jays led 7-2 after 7 innings. It all came apart in the eighth inning as Danny Hill, Brad Mumma and Milton Tavarez coughed up 5 runs in the eighth inning. The coup de grace was administered to Yesson Berroa in the 11th by the T-Yanks.
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Daytona 4 Lansing 2
The Lugnut offence is feeling the loss of Cannon power, as they could manage only 4 hits in succumbing to the Dragons. Danny Core gave up homers in the 4th and 5th inning, and that pretty much was all she wrote. Core's final line was 4 earned runs in 5 innings on 6 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. Jeremy Harper shut the door with 3 fine innings, striking out 5, but the Lugnuts could only make it half way back on a 2 run eighth inning single by Aaron Mathews. Curtis Thigpen walked twice in 4 trips for the Lugs.
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Lansing State Journal game story
3 star selection
3rd star-Jeremy Harper
2nd star-Chad Mottola
1st star-Chip Cannon
