Lydon continues to shine on Green Days, as the farm affiliates went 2-4 on Saturday night.
Richmond 3 @ Syracuse 6
The Sky Chiefs parlayed 7 strong innings from Jamie Vermilyea, and 3 hits from Wayne Lydon, Kevin Barker and Ryan Roberts into an easy victory. Vermilyea allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts and induced 15 Brave ground outs. Lydon kick-started the Syracuse offence with a single, stolen base and run scored in the third inning, followed by a 2 run-triple in the fourth.
New Hampshire 4 @ New Britain 13 (1st game)
New Hampshire 7 @ New Britain 3 (2nd game)
It takes one hell of an optimist to find good news in a game where one's rooting interest is outhit 19-2 and outscored 13-4, but hey "Pangloss" is my middle name. The Fisher Cats started Ismael Ramirez against the Rock Cats' star Kevin Slowey, and for four innings, they held their own. Adam Lind hit a 3 run homer, while Chip Cannon doubled and scored on a Ryan Klosterman sacrifice fly as the Fishers scored 4 on just those 2 hits. No wasted hits to be shipped off to Michigan. Ramirez held New Britain to one run on 5 hits, while walking one and striking out three. The F-Cats took out Ismael after the 4th inning and things went rapidly downhill from there as Danny Hill and Brian Wolfe watched 16 Rock Cats reach base in the next 2+ innings, with eleven of them coming round to score.
In the nightcap, Mike MacDonald started and allowed 3 earned runs in 6.1 innings on 8 hits and 3 walks for his eighth win. MacDonald punched out 6 Rock Cats. Rodney Ormond was brilliant in relief for the long save. Ryan Patterson and new acquisition Tim Olson each had 3 hits, and Curtis Thipen pitched in with 2 to lead the Fisher Cat offence. Adam Lind left the game in the second inning, although there was no indication of any injury in the game log or in the Union Leader game story.
Fort Myers 9 @ Dunedin 10
Juan Peralta's single with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth drove in Cory Patton with the game-winner. The D'Jays jumped out to an early lead with 4 runs in each of the first two innings, highlighted by 2 run doubles from Eric Arnold in successive innings. The Miracle then made a near-miraculous comeback aided and abetted by five Dunedin errors until Peralta's big hit. Starter Russ Savickas and relievers Po-Hsuan Keng and Paul Phillips struggled. Connor Falkenbach closed things out with 2 shutout innings and struck out 4.
Lansing 5 @ Kane County 9
The Lugnuts fell behind 7-0 after 3 innings, and a valiant middle inning comeback effort fell short. Brian Pettway hit a 2 run dinger, walked twice and did not strike out in 4 plate trips. Josh Bell and Anthony Garibaldi accounted for the remaing Lansing runs, with a solo shot and a 2 run rip. Casey McKenzie started and was hit hard. Josh Sowers threw well in 2 shutout innings of relief, striking out 3.
Auburn 1 @ Hudson Valley 3
Twelve baserunners and one run for the Doubledays is all you need to know. Two twin killings and no key hits prevented Auburn from taking advantage of fine pitching from starter Zach Dials and three relievers. Dials was the hard-luck loser, going 4 innings and allowing 1 run on 4 hits and no walks with 1 strikeout. Seth Overbey stood out among the others with 2.2 shutout innings including 2 strikeouts. Luke Hopkins singled twice in 4 plate trips, while Matt Liuzza walked twice.
Kingsport 4 @ Pulaski 2
The P-Jays scored a run in each of the first two innings, but then the bats fell to sleep. Starter Redier Gonzalez couldn't hold the lead, but pitched well enough as he gave up 4 runs, 3 earned in 6 innings on 8 hits and no walks with 5 strikeouts. Matt Foster, Nathan Malek and Joe Wice each pitched a hitless, scoreless inning. Travis Snider singled and walked in 4 plate trips, and also stole his 2nd base of the season. Yohermyn Chavez and Victor Santana each went 1-4.
3 stars
3rd star- Connor Falkenbach
2nd star- Wayne Lydon
1st star- Eric Arnold
Thanks to Kevin Pataky for alerting me to an error.
Richmond 3 @ Syracuse 6
The Sky Chiefs parlayed 7 strong innings from Jamie Vermilyea, and 3 hits from Wayne Lydon, Kevin Barker and Ryan Roberts into an easy victory. Vermilyea allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts and induced 15 Brave ground outs. Lydon kick-started the Syracuse offence with a single, stolen base and run scored in the third inning, followed by a 2 run-triple in the fourth.
New Hampshire 4 @ New Britain 13 (1st game)
New Hampshire 7 @ New Britain 3 (2nd game)
It takes one hell of an optimist to find good news in a game where one's rooting interest is outhit 19-2 and outscored 13-4, but hey "Pangloss" is my middle name. The Fisher Cats started Ismael Ramirez against the Rock Cats' star Kevin Slowey, and for four innings, they held their own. Adam Lind hit a 3 run homer, while Chip Cannon doubled and scored on a Ryan Klosterman sacrifice fly as the Fishers scored 4 on just those 2 hits. No wasted hits to be shipped off to Michigan. Ramirez held New Britain to one run on 5 hits, while walking one and striking out three. The F-Cats took out Ismael after the 4th inning and things went rapidly downhill from there as Danny Hill and Brian Wolfe watched 16 Rock Cats reach base in the next 2+ innings, with eleven of them coming round to score.
In the nightcap, Mike MacDonald started and allowed 3 earned runs in 6.1 innings on 8 hits and 3 walks for his eighth win. MacDonald punched out 6 Rock Cats. Rodney Ormond was brilliant in relief for the long save. Ryan Patterson and new acquisition Tim Olson each had 3 hits, and Curtis Thipen pitched in with 2 to lead the Fisher Cat offence. Adam Lind left the game in the second inning, although there was no indication of any injury in the game log or in the Union Leader game story.
Fort Myers 9 @ Dunedin 10
Juan Peralta's single with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth drove in Cory Patton with the game-winner. The D'Jays jumped out to an early lead with 4 runs in each of the first two innings, highlighted by 2 run doubles from Eric Arnold in successive innings. The Miracle then made a near-miraculous comeback aided and abetted by five Dunedin errors until Peralta's big hit. Starter Russ Savickas and relievers Po-Hsuan Keng and Paul Phillips struggled. Connor Falkenbach closed things out with 2 shutout innings and struck out 4.
Lansing 5 @ Kane County 9
The Lugnuts fell behind 7-0 after 3 innings, and a valiant middle inning comeback effort fell short. Brian Pettway hit a 2 run dinger, walked twice and did not strike out in 4 plate trips. Josh Bell and Anthony Garibaldi accounted for the remaing Lansing runs, with a solo shot and a 2 run rip. Casey McKenzie started and was hit hard. Josh Sowers threw well in 2 shutout innings of relief, striking out 3.
Auburn 1 @ Hudson Valley 3
Twelve baserunners and one run for the Doubledays is all you need to know. Two twin killings and no key hits prevented Auburn from taking advantage of fine pitching from starter Zach Dials and three relievers. Dials was the hard-luck loser, going 4 innings and allowing 1 run on 4 hits and no walks with 1 strikeout. Seth Overbey stood out among the others with 2.2 shutout innings including 2 strikeouts. Luke Hopkins singled twice in 4 plate trips, while Matt Liuzza walked twice.
Kingsport 4 @ Pulaski 2
The P-Jays scored a run in each of the first two innings, but then the bats fell to sleep. Starter Redier Gonzalez couldn't hold the lead, but pitched well enough as he gave up 4 runs, 3 earned in 6 innings on 8 hits and no walks with 5 strikeouts. Matt Foster, Nathan Malek and Joe Wice each pitched a hitless, scoreless inning. Travis Snider singled and walked in 4 plate trips, and also stole his 2nd base of the season. Yohermyn Chavez and Victor Santana each went 1-4.
3 stars
3rd star- Connor Falkenbach
2nd star- Wayne Lydon
1st star- Eric Arnold
Thanks to Kevin Pataky for alerting me to an error.
