Jesse Litsch gains revenge on the team that gave him a rude welcome back to AA ball from Toronto two weeks ago. Meantime, a suspended game that was well in hand from last month helped the affiliates come away with a split of their 4 games.
Syracuse, NY - Chiefs starter Mike MacDonald made a hell of a statement to start the game, striking out the side all swinging in the top of the 1st. Would that be a harbinger of things to come? Um, no. The second inning was a different story as the R-Braves put up a 4 spot. Larry "Big Fly" Bigbie doubled home the first two runs while the other two came in on groundball outs. In total, MacDonald gave up a walk, 2 doubles, and 2 singles with a stolen base also factoring in. Richmond added another run in the 4th thanks to a 2 out rally that featured a double brought in by a single to make it 5-0 Braves. MacDonald gave up another single and double in the 5th but was helped out by a double play. He would settle down by getting the side in order in the 6th and 7th before calling it a night.
Jim Crowell took over for MacDonald in the 8th and he poured more kerosene on the fire by giving up a three run homer to Doug Clark to boost the Richmond lead to 8-bagel.
Meantime, the Chiefs offence was nowhere to be found as Richmond starter Ryan Baerlocher set down the first 10 men he faced before Russ Adams finally singled in the 4th. A walk by John-Ford Griffin and a Erik Kratz single in the 5th and a Ray Olmedo single and Wayne Lydon walk consisted of the "other hightlights" after 8 innings.
However, the Chiefs salvaged a little bit of dignity by breaking up Richmond's shut-out bid. With 2 outs, Erik Kratz sent one over the right field wall off Richmond reliever Rich Scalamandre to cash in a Kevin Barker walk and John-Ford Griffin single for a 3 run shot but the Chiefs would fall 5 runs short. The only good news for Chiefs fans was this game only lasted 2 hours and 13 minutes so it was relatively quick and painless.
On offence, using that term loosely, Erik Kratz was 2-for-4 with a 3 run jack for his 4th of the year and John-Ford Griffin was 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. The first 5 hitters in the Chiefs order - Wayne Lydon, Ryan Roberts, Russ Adams, Kevin Barker, and Chad Mottola - went a combined 1-for-18 with a walk. Jeff Duncan went 0-for-4 while Ray Olmedo had a single in 4 trips.
On the hill, Mike MacDonald went 7 innings, giving up 5 runs (all earned) on 8 hits and a walk, punching out 5. His record falls to 2-4 and his ERA balloons to 4.69. Jim Crowell had an ugly WHIP of 2.5 in his 2 innings of work after 2 hits (including a homer) and 3 walks, striking out only 1.
Meantime, the Syracuse Post-Standard Chiefs Blog says John Thomson's days in the Toronto organization could be numbered.
New Britain, CT - I almost forgot the Jays had a double A affiliate as it has been 3 weeks since I last provided an update on a Fisher Cats game. Anyways, righty Jesse Litsch got the call against Minnesota's Double-A affiliates in the battle of the Cats and it was the Rock Cats who clawed their way on the board first. A leadoff double was brought home the other 180 feet with a couple of groundouts to make it 1-0 New Britain. Litsch worked a clean 2nd inning and stranded a walk and single in the 3rd.
The Fisher Cats only mustered a Ryan Patterson single through 3 innings but in the 4th, Robinzon Diaz led off with a single and was immediately brought home on a Sergio Santos double to knot up the score at 1-1. Jesse Litsch gave up a leadoff single in the bottom half of the 4th but no more and the F-Cats would surge ahead with a 4-run 5th. Robinzon Diaz knocked home a Ryan Klosterman double to make it 2-1 New Hampshire. Diaz got into scoring position by stealing 2nd and he would score on an RBI single by Sergio Santos. Then Rob Cosby capped off the rally by unloading a 2 run shot to left to increase the F-Cat advantage to 5-1.
New Britain would get one run back as Garrett Guzman took Jesse Litsch deep but the F-Cats were still in control at 5-2 after 6. New Hampshire would add another 3 runs to their tally as an RBI double by Sergio Santos, a run scoring single by Aaron Matthews, and an RBI double by Chip Cannon made it 8-2 heading into the 7th inning stretch.
Jesse Litsch retired the first batter he faced in the 7th but he gave up a single and a walk and that would spell an end to his night. Jean Machi also retired the first man he faced in relief but he surrendered a run scoring single to cut into New Hampshire's lead at 8-3.
In the 8th, the Rock Cats would draw to within a field goal thanks to New Hampshire's Hellacious "D". Ryan Patterson booted a ball that allowed a single to move up to 2nd and a throwing error by Sergio Santos at short allowed the runner to complete his journey home to make it an 8-4. Southpaw Jesse Carlson took over for Jean Machi and sandwiched a walk with a K and a groundout to get New Hampshire out of the inning.
New Britain refused to go away in the home half of the 9th as they got to F-Cats reliever Seth Overbey for a leadoff walk and a bunt single. Overbey handed the ball to Tracy "Ogie Ogle" Thorpe and he was roughed up for a walk and 2 singles and it was a 2 run ball game at 8-6. Matt Roney, back after serving a 50 game suspension for a violation of MLB's drug policy, became the 3rd F-Cat pitcher of the inning. With the bases still loaded, Roney got a sac fly to center to start things off but not only did the runner score, the other base runners moved up to 2nd and 3rd, meaing the tying and go-ahead runs were in scoring position. Roney issued a intentional pass to load up the bases and set up the force at every base. However, the former Detroit Tiger and Oakland A would not have to rely on his defence as he got the next two hitters on strikeouts, both swinging, to end this nail biter.
The win was a big one for New Hampshire skipper Bill Masse, who reached a nice milestone with the victory according to the nhfishercats.com website.
New Hampshire's 2-3-4 hitters did the heavy lifting in this one, going a combined 8-for-15 with with 6 runs scored and knocked in. Number 2 hitter Robinzon Diaz had 3 hits, 3 runs scored, an RBI, and a stolen base - bringing his average up to .317. Sergio Santos had 2 doubles among his 3 hits and drove home 3, while clean-up hitter Rob Cosby cleaned up with a 2 run homer, his 6th of the year. His BA is now .336. Ryan Patterson was 2-for-4 while Aaron Matthews and Chip Cannon drove in a run each. Cannon had a double and walk in his 5 plate appearances but also struck out twice. Ryan Klosterman had a double and a run scored in his 4 official at-bats. Only Juan Peralta and David Smith wore the collars by going 0-for-4 but Peralta did draw a walk.
On the mound, Jesse Litsch went 6 1/3 frames of 3 run ball, giving up 6 hits and 2 walks but whiffing 4. Litsch also induced 9 of his 15 outs in play on the ground. He improves to 7-2 on the season with an ERA of 2.15.
Dunedin 11 Lakeland 2 - completion of suspended game from May 19th
Lakeland, FL - An unusual doubleheader of sorts as the two teams squared off in Lakeland to finish off this game, which was suspended in the 6th inning after a power failure. Here was Gerry McDonald's account of the game from his Minor League Update last month......
Victor Zambrano started for Dunedin and was wild, seven walks in four innings. Zambrano only gave up one hit but it followed three walks and cost him two runs. Dunedin scored two runs in the first with three singles and a hit batter. They three more hits and a run in the second inning. In the third inning three more runs scored with two more hits, an error and another hit batter. The heavier lumber came out in the fourth to help score four runs, Kyle Philips and Anthony Hatch each doubled. Luke Hetherington and Cory Patton each have three hits, so far.
Despite all the fireworks, there were no home runs when the game was put on hold. However, Dunedin did tack on the game's final run when play resumed, courtesy of the long ball, as Kyle Phillips led off the 8th with his 3rd dinger of the season to make it an 11-2 final.
Dunedin racked up 15 hits in this one with a dozen of them spilt equally between Luke Hetherington, Cory Patton, Kyle Phillips, and Anthony Hatch. Carlo Cota was one back of the clubhouse lead with a 2 hit day. Phillips drove in 3 runs, Hetherington knocked home a pair of runs, and Hatch collected two doubles.
Aaron Tressler got the victory in relief as he threw 4 hitless innings, issuing just one walk while striking out 4. That improves his record to 2-1 while knocking his ERA three ticks below 2.
Lakeland 3 Dunedin 2 - 7 innings
Dunedin, FL - The two clubs made the short trek to Dunedin to pick up this home and home doubleheader and the power was on in this one, in more ways than one. Righthander Brandon Magee toed the rubber for the home side and he had to overcome some adversity in the top of the 1st. A fielding error by Jesus Gonzalez, a stolen base, and a hit by pitch put a pair of runners on but Magee was able to get out of it. Magee gave up only a single in the 2nd but was in trouble in the 3rd after a single and stolen base. However, D-Jays catcher Brian Jeroloman nailed the runner trying to steal 3rd. Magee issued a walk after that but managed to post another zero up on the scoreboard.
Dunedin did nothing offensively in the first two innings but Jacob Butler changed that in the 3rd as he led off the inning with a solo shot, his 10th of the campaign, to make it 1-0 D-Jays.
Magee cruised through the 4th and 5th innings by retiring all 6 hitters he faced and he was given another run to work with as Josh Kreuzer led off with a single. The Flying Tigers went to the pen to replace starter Kyle Sleeth at that point. Kreuzer went from 1st to 3rd on a Jacob Butler single and scored on a Brian Jeroloman sac fly to double their lead to 2-0.
In the 6th, the power came on big time for Lakeland as Cameron Maybin greeted Magee with a leadoff homer to cut the Dunedin lead to 2-1. Maybin's dinger was followed immediately by another to tie the game at 2-2 and just one out later, Lakeland homered for the 3rd time in the inning to give the Flying Tigers their first lead at 3-2. Magee rebounded to get the next two hitters to stop the bleeding.
Magee got the first two hitters in the 7th but had to give way to Daryl Harang after a single, a stolen base, a Brian Jeroloman throwing error, and a walk put the potential insurance runs on the corner. After Cameron Maybin stole 2nd to give Lakeland runners at 2nd and 3rd, Harang rung up the only hitter he had to face by getting a reverse K to end the threat.
Dunedin got the leadoff man aboard in the bottom half of the inning as Josh Kreuzer was plunked by a pitch. However, he was erased on a Cory Patton fielder's choice. The D-Jays looked to Jacob Butler to keep things going but he lined out into a 4-3 double play to end the game.
Dunedin's offence only racked up 4 hits in this one and did not draw a walk. The top 6 hitters of the batting order went a combined 1-for-17 with a hit by pitch. Jacob Butler had half of the D-Jays 4 hits with a homer and a single. Josh Kreuzer and Jesus Gonzalez had the other base knocks.
On the bump, Brandon Magee went 6 2/3 innings, surrendering 3 runs on 3 solo homers on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out two. His record drops to 2-2.
*** 3 Stars ***
3. Jesse Litsch, New Hampshire - 6.1 IP, 6H, 3R, 3ER, 2BB, 4K
2. Robinzon Diaz, New Hampshire - 3/5, 3R, RBI, SB
1. Sergio Santos, New Hampshire - 2/5, HR, 3 RBI, 2R
Honourable Mentions.......
Syracuse - Erik Kratz, John-Ford Griffin
New Hampshire - Rob Cosby, Chip Cannon, Ryan Patterson, Ryan Klosterman, Jean Machi, Jesse Carlson, Matt Roney.
Dunedin - Brandon Magee, Jacob Butler
Standings/Streaks.......
Syracuse - 32-37, 4th place, 5.0 GB Buffalo, International League North Division, 1L
New Hampshire - 35-31, 2nd place, 9.5 GB Trenton, Eastern League Northern Division, 3W
Dunedin - 29-39, 4th place, 13.0 GB Sarasota, Florida State League West Division, 1L.
Lansing - 35-34, 3rd place, 8.5 GB Dayton, Midwest League Eastern Division, 2L.
Today's Schedule/Probable Starters.........
Lakeland at Dunedin, 12:00 p.m. - TBA vs. LHP A.J. Wideman (4-2, 3.75)
Gulf Coast League Yankees vs. Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, 12:00 p.m. (Home/Season Opener!)
New Hampshire at New Britain, 6:35 p.m. LHP Kurt Isenberg (1-3, 4.66) vs. RHP Jesse Floyd (4-4, 3.45)
Richmond at Syracuse, 7:00 p.m. RHP Dan Smith (2-2, 5.69) vs. RHP Ismael Ramirez (1-4, 5.80).
Batavia at Auburn, 7:05 p.m. TBA - Home/Season Opener!
Lansing - Scheduled Day Off, Midwest League All-Star Break
Midwest League All-Star Game Tomorrow at Kane County. Travis Snider, Sean Shoffit, Matt Liuzza along with pitchers Adrian Martin and Paul Phillips will represent the Lugnuts. Next game for the 'Nuts is Thursday at home against Fort Wayne at 7:05 p.m.
Other Minor League News.......
The longest hitting streak in International League history, which was set in the Nation's Capital over the week-end, is now history.
A feature on last night's starter from the RIchmond Braves, Ryan Baerlocher, from the Syracuse Post-Standard.
