Three wins in four games. Dustin McGowan pitched well for the Chiefs and was supported by lots of runs. Chip Cannon and David Smith drove in four runs each as the Fisher Cats won, Cannon had two dingers. Both Dunedin and Lansing have fallen out of first place in their divisions as the first half of the season is coming close to its end. AJ Burnett starts tonight for the Chiefs.
Six runs in the first inning off seven hits for the Chiefs, only Ryan Roberts and Danny Solano did not have a hit in that inning. Roberts had the misfortune to make the first and last outs of the inning. Sergio Santos started the hit parade with a double off Tommy Phelps and Wayne Lydon provided the capper, a three run triple. The Chiefs tacked on another run in the second when Chad Mottola doubled to drive in Santos. Dustin McGowan had one bad inning, the third, when Columbus scored all three runs on a three run home run by Carlos Pena. Syracuse got all three runs back in the fifth on a Rob Cosby home run and a two run double by Roberts.
McGowan went seven innings allowing five hits and two walks with seven K's, a very good start. Kevin Barker had three hits to get his average back over .300, Santos, Mottola and Cosby had two hits each. This was a team effort, every starter had a hit, eight starters scored a run and seven of them had a RBI.
David Smith and Chip Cannon supplied the offense for the Fisher Cats in this game. Smith doubled with the bases loaded in the first inning to drive in two runs, Cannon followed with an RBI groundout. Altoona tied the game with 3 in the top of the fourth off Michael MacDonald but New Hampshire scored two in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead again. Cannon hit a two run home run in the fifth and Smith and Cannon homered back-to-back in the seventh. Smith singled in the final run in the eighth. Smith went 3-5 with a run scored and 4 RBI's. Cannon went 3-4 with a walk, three runs scored and four RBI's. Smith now has 8 homers on the season, Cannon has 9. Manny Mayorson also had three hits, Curtis Thigpen had 2 and has pushed his average up to .288. MacDonald pitched six innings for the win, he allowed four runs on nine hits.
Dunedin outhit Lakeland 10-6, but Lakeland bunched four of their hits in the first inning, and when you add two Dunedin errors Lakeland scored all four of their runs in the first inning off Robert Ray. Ray only pitched two innings due to a rain delay but Daryl Harang pitched five innings of one hit relief to keep it close. As mentioned Dunedin had ten hits but couldn't get a runner to home until the ninth inning. Aaron Mathews had three hits, Chris Snavely and David Corrente had two each.
Kristian Bell started and gave up a couple of runs in the first, on his way to a six inning outing where he allowed three runs on four hits and four walks. Lansing struck back with four in the third on a bases loaded walk, two sac fly's, an error and three hits. Lansing added three more in the fourth on two doubles and two walks. Lansing had only seven hits, Jesus Gonzalez had three of them, scoring twice and driving in one.
Stars
3 Kevin Barker
2 Chip Cannon
1 David Smith
Standings
Dunedin have lost four straight to drop out of first place with only four games left in the first half. Lansing have dropped a half game behind.
Syracuse are 28-35, and are in sixth place, 12 games behind Rochester
New Hampshire are 27-33, and are in fourth place, 10 games behind Portland
Dunedin are 34-29, and are in third place, one game behind Fort Myers
Lansing are 38-24, and are in second place, one half game behind West Michigan
Note
The call-up of Vinnie Chulk and Brian Tallet has had a ripple effect, albeit temporary. Rodney Ormond has moved from AA to AAA and Justin James from high A to AA. Justin Singleton has returned from a lengthy injury and is rehabbing with Dunedin.
