The farm affiliates ran the table for a 6-0 record on Friday night with late rallies, dominant pitching performances and timely hitting.
Syracuse 6 @ Toledo 4
The Sky Chiefs tallied 4 runs in the first two innings off Toledo fireballer Humberto Sanchez, and Shaun Marcum and three relievers made it stand up for the win. Run-scoring singles by Chad Mottola and John Hattig in the first, and Wayne Lydon's 2 run homer in the second put Syracuse on top, and Justin Singleton's 8th inning 2 run homer provided the necessary insurance. Marcum went 5 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 1 walk with 4 strikeouts. Francisco Rosario gave up a run in 2 innings of work, and Lee Gronkiewicz and Brandon League followed with an inning each. League allowed a run on a hit and a leadoff walk, but made the Mud Hens beat the ball into the ground so the late rally was relatively harmless. Kevin Barker and Mike Mahoney had 2 hits each.
New Hampshire 4 @ Portland 2
Dustin Majewski's 2 out RBI single tied the game, and Adam Lind followed with a game-winning 3 run shot in a Fisher Cat 7th inning rally to make a winner out of Kurt Isenberg. Isenberg went 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks with 3 punchouts. Justin James and Rodney Ormond kept the Sea Dogs at bay in the final 3 innings, with Ormond retiring 4 Portland batters in order for the save. Manny Mayorson, Majewski and Lind had 2 hits each.
Dunedin 3 @ Lakeland 2
Aaron Mathews 2 run, 2 out single broke a 1-1 7th inning tie, as the D'Jays made a winner of Billy Carnline in his Florida State League debut. Carnline went 7 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 1 walk with 4 strikeouts. Robert Ray retired 3 Tigers in order in the eighth with 1 punchout. Milton Tavarez one-upped Ray by caging the Tigers in the ninth 1-2-3, but with 2 strikeouts. Ryan Klosterman singled and walked in 4 plate trips and stole 2 bases to go to 13-0 on the season in that department. Eric Nielsen threw out a Lakeland runner at the plate.
Lansing 5 @ Beloit 0
Kristian Bell threw 7 innings of 1 hit ball and Po-Hsuan Keng finished the job with 2 innings of 1 hit relief as the Lugnuts shut out the Snappers. Bell walked 3 and struck out 5, while Keng walked nobody and struck out 3 in his stint. Sean Shoffit doubled twice and walked to lead the 'Nut offence, while Yuber Rodriguez singled in two. Joey Metropoulos reached based twice in four trips, but Brian Pettway and Josh Bell each took 0 fers.
Jamestown 2 @ Auburn 3
The Doubledays rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the fans home happy. Zach Kalter walked, and Matthew Lane reached on a Jammer error. DH Brian Hall lined a single to score one run, and Luke Hopkins singled in another with the winning run in Hall moving to third. After an intentional walk and a short fly ball, Kelly Sweppenhiser's sacrifice fly plated the winner. Shane Benson started and went 5 innings, allowing both Jamestown runs, one of which was unearned, on 8 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts. Edward Rodriguez threw 3 innings and allowed only one baserunner. Brian Bull did the job in the 9th to set the stage for the Auburn rally.
Pulaski 5 @ Princeton 1
For a change of pace, the P-Jays didn't rally late. Instead, they took an early lead with 3 runs in the first innings and rode the stellar pitching of Redier Gonzalez and 5 relievers to an easy win. Pulaski drew 8 walks to go along with 8 hits and one hit by pitch, as everybody contributed. Josh Lex doubled, singled and walked to lead the offence. Gonzalez, in his first start after losing time to injury at the end of last year, threw 4 innings and allowed 4 baserunners, while striking out 2. Matt Foster closed out the game by throwing a scoreless ninth with 2 strikeouts.
3-star selection
3rd star- Billy Carnline
2nd star- Adam Lind
1st star- Kristian Bell
Syracuse 6 @ Toledo 4
The Sky Chiefs tallied 4 runs in the first two innings off Toledo fireballer Humberto Sanchez, and Shaun Marcum and three relievers made it stand up for the win. Run-scoring singles by Chad Mottola and John Hattig in the first, and Wayne Lydon's 2 run homer in the second put Syracuse on top, and Justin Singleton's 8th inning 2 run homer provided the necessary insurance. Marcum went 5 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 3 hits and 1 walk with 4 strikeouts. Francisco Rosario gave up a run in 2 innings of work, and Lee Gronkiewicz and Brandon League followed with an inning each. League allowed a run on a hit and a leadoff walk, but made the Mud Hens beat the ball into the ground so the late rally was relatively harmless. Kevin Barker and Mike Mahoney had 2 hits each.
New Hampshire 4 @ Portland 2
Dustin Majewski's 2 out RBI single tied the game, and Adam Lind followed with a game-winning 3 run shot in a Fisher Cat 7th inning rally to make a winner out of Kurt Isenberg. Isenberg went 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks with 3 punchouts. Justin James and Rodney Ormond kept the Sea Dogs at bay in the final 3 innings, with Ormond retiring 4 Portland batters in order for the save. Manny Mayorson, Majewski and Lind had 2 hits each.
Dunedin 3 @ Lakeland 2
Aaron Mathews 2 run, 2 out single broke a 1-1 7th inning tie, as the D'Jays made a winner of Billy Carnline in his Florida State League debut. Carnline went 7 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 5 hits and 1 walk with 4 strikeouts. Robert Ray retired 3 Tigers in order in the eighth with 1 punchout. Milton Tavarez one-upped Ray by caging the Tigers in the ninth 1-2-3, but with 2 strikeouts. Ryan Klosterman singled and walked in 4 plate trips and stole 2 bases to go to 13-0 on the season in that department. Eric Nielsen threw out a Lakeland runner at the plate.
Lansing 5 @ Beloit 0
Kristian Bell threw 7 innings of 1 hit ball and Po-Hsuan Keng finished the job with 2 innings of 1 hit relief as the Lugnuts shut out the Snappers. Bell walked 3 and struck out 5, while Keng walked nobody and struck out 3 in his stint. Sean Shoffit doubled twice and walked to lead the 'Nut offence, while Yuber Rodriguez singled in two. Joey Metropoulos reached based twice in four trips, but Brian Pettway and Josh Bell each took 0 fers.
Jamestown 2 @ Auburn 3
The Doubledays rallied for 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth to send the fans home happy. Zach Kalter walked, and Matthew Lane reached on a Jammer error. DH Brian Hall lined a single to score one run, and Luke Hopkins singled in another with the winning run in Hall moving to third. After an intentional walk and a short fly ball, Kelly Sweppenhiser's sacrifice fly plated the winner. Shane Benson started and went 5 innings, allowing both Jamestown runs, one of which was unearned, on 8 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts. Edward Rodriguez threw 3 innings and allowed only one baserunner. Brian Bull did the job in the 9th to set the stage for the Auburn rally.
Pulaski 5 @ Princeton 1
For a change of pace, the P-Jays didn't rally late. Instead, they took an early lead with 3 runs in the first innings and rode the stellar pitching of Redier Gonzalez and 5 relievers to an easy win. Pulaski drew 8 walks to go along with 8 hits and one hit by pitch, as everybody contributed. Josh Lex doubled, singled and walked to lead the offence. Gonzalez, in his first start after losing time to injury at the end of last year, threw 4 innings and allowed 4 baserunners, while striking out 2. Matt Foster closed out the game by throwing a scoreless ninth with 2 strikeouts.
3-star selection
3rd star- Billy Carnline
2nd star- Adam Lind
1st star- Kristian Bell
