Great performances, mainly from the pitchers, were the key to a 4-2 day for the farm affiliates.
Rochester 2 @ Syracuse 6
Robinson Diaz hit a 2 run homer off Kevin Slowey and drove in 4 runs in all to lead the Chiefs to a victory. Diaz' homer in the 2nd inning put the Chiefs on top, but the Red Wings came back and the game was tied at 2 runs apiece at the 7th inning stretch. In the bottom of the inning with one out, Diaz bunted for a base hit. A walk, an RBI single from Russ Adams and an error brought in 2 runs to put Josh Banks in position to win the game. Diaz then put the icing on the cake with a 2 run double in the eighth. Banks went 7 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 9 hits and 1 walk with 5 strikeouts. Scott Sauerbuck worked the eighth and ninth for the save.
New Hampshire 5 @ Harrisburg 6, 11 innings
It was a barnburner in Harrisburg. The Fisher Cats broke on top with 2 runs in the top of the second. David Smith singled to open the inning. Rob Cosby doubled him to third and Chip Cannon followed with an RBI single. Aaron Mathews drove in Cosby with a ground out. The Senators came back over the middle innings and led 4-2 after 7 innings. The Cats rallied in the top of the eighth for 3 runs to take the lead on a 2 run double from Sergio Santos and a Rob Cosby RBI single, but the Senators evened the score with a run off Seth Overbey in the bottom of the frame. The game went into extras, with Dee Brown playing the hero for Harrisburg with a walk-off bases loaded single. Kurt Isenberg started for New Hampshire and went 4 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 9 hits.
Dunedin 2 @ Fort Myers 1, 1st game
Dunedin 3 @ Fort Myers 1, 2nd game
In the opener, the D-Jays won behind fine pitching and a 3-hit performance from Chris Gutierrez. Robert Ray started and went 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on 5 hits and no walks, while striking out 6. Adrian Martin followed with 2 shutout innings of 1 hit ball, with no walks and 3 strikeouts. Conor Falkenbach earned the save with a scoreless final inning. The game was tied, going to the seventh. Jesus Gonzalez reached on an error, moved up on a ground ball and then scored the game-winner on Gutierrez' single. Earlier, Gutierrez had doubled twice and scored the first Dunedin run.
The Jays completed the sweep with 3 runs in the top of the sixth to make a winner of a deserving Brandon Magee. Magee allowed an unearned run, on 3 hits and two walks with 6 strikeouts, in 5 innings of work. Paul Phillips and newcomer Chad Blackwell (is he really 6'1", 145 lbs?) each threw a scoreless inning of relief. In the key sixth inning, Anthony Hatch and Chris Gutierrez singled to open the frame. Cory Patton and Eric Nielsen followed with walks to tie the game and leave the bases loaded for Josh Kreuzer. Kreuzer capitalized with a 2 run single and the GWRBI. Gutierrez went 2-3 to finish the night 5-6.
Cedar Rapids 5 @ Lansing 1
Reidier Gonzalez was the tough-luck loser for the Lugnuts yesterday afternoon. The Lugs could muster only 6 hits in support of Gonzalez, and it was not enough. Chris Emanuele tripled and singled, while Jonathan Jaspe doubled and scored the only 'Nut run. Gonzalez went 5 innings, and allowed 2 earned runs on 7 hits and 1 walk, with 6 strikeouts. Edward Estanga and Po-Hsuan Keng struggled in relief. Travis Snider went 0-3 with a walk.
Jamestown 0 @ Auburn 6
The Doubledays respected and rewarded fine pitching with a 6 run 9 hit attack as they kicked out the Jammers. Brett Cecil started and went 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, walking nobody and striking out 4. Drew Taylor followed with 3 innings of 1 hit, no walk, 5K ball. Ryan Bird followed their lead with 3 perfect innings including 4 strikeouts. Javier Nieves finished up the shutout. Now that's what I call pitching in a groove. J.P. Arencibia and Wes Stone each had 2 hits and drove in a run to lead the attack.
GCL Indians @ GCL Jays, suspended
3 stars
Lots and lots of good choices today.
3rd star- Brandon Magee
2nd star- Chris Gutierrez
1st star- Robinson Diaz
Rochester 2 @ Syracuse 6
Robinson Diaz hit a 2 run homer off Kevin Slowey and drove in 4 runs in all to lead the Chiefs to a victory. Diaz' homer in the 2nd inning put the Chiefs on top, but the Red Wings came back and the game was tied at 2 runs apiece at the 7th inning stretch. In the bottom of the inning with one out, Diaz bunted for a base hit. A walk, an RBI single from Russ Adams and an error brought in 2 runs to put Josh Banks in position to win the game. Diaz then put the icing on the cake with a 2 run double in the eighth. Banks went 7 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on 9 hits and 1 walk with 5 strikeouts. Scott Sauerbuck worked the eighth and ninth for the save.
New Hampshire 5 @ Harrisburg 6, 11 innings
It was a barnburner in Harrisburg. The Fisher Cats broke on top with 2 runs in the top of the second. David Smith singled to open the inning. Rob Cosby doubled him to third and Chip Cannon followed with an RBI single. Aaron Mathews drove in Cosby with a ground out. The Senators came back over the middle innings and led 4-2 after 7 innings. The Cats rallied in the top of the eighth for 3 runs to take the lead on a 2 run double from Sergio Santos and a Rob Cosby RBI single, but the Senators evened the score with a run off Seth Overbey in the bottom of the frame. The game went into extras, with Dee Brown playing the hero for Harrisburg with a walk-off bases loaded single. Kurt Isenberg started for New Hampshire and went 4 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 9 hits.
Dunedin 2 @ Fort Myers 1, 1st game
Dunedin 3 @ Fort Myers 1, 2nd game
In the opener, the D-Jays won behind fine pitching and a 3-hit performance from Chris Gutierrez. Robert Ray started and went 4 innings and allowed an unearned run on 5 hits and no walks, while striking out 6. Adrian Martin followed with 2 shutout innings of 1 hit ball, with no walks and 3 strikeouts. Conor Falkenbach earned the save with a scoreless final inning. The game was tied, going to the seventh. Jesus Gonzalez reached on an error, moved up on a ground ball and then scored the game-winner on Gutierrez' single. Earlier, Gutierrez had doubled twice and scored the first Dunedin run.
The Jays completed the sweep with 3 runs in the top of the sixth to make a winner of a deserving Brandon Magee. Magee allowed an unearned run, on 3 hits and two walks with 6 strikeouts, in 5 innings of work. Paul Phillips and newcomer Chad Blackwell (is he really 6'1", 145 lbs?) each threw a scoreless inning of relief. In the key sixth inning, Anthony Hatch and Chris Gutierrez singled to open the frame. Cory Patton and Eric Nielsen followed with walks to tie the game and leave the bases loaded for Josh Kreuzer. Kreuzer capitalized with a 2 run single and the GWRBI. Gutierrez went 2-3 to finish the night 5-6.
Cedar Rapids 5 @ Lansing 1
Reidier Gonzalez was the tough-luck loser for the Lugnuts yesterday afternoon. The Lugs could muster only 6 hits in support of Gonzalez, and it was not enough. Chris Emanuele tripled and singled, while Jonathan Jaspe doubled and scored the only 'Nut run. Gonzalez went 5 innings, and allowed 2 earned runs on 7 hits and 1 walk, with 6 strikeouts. Edward Estanga and Po-Hsuan Keng struggled in relief. Travis Snider went 0-3 with a walk.
Jamestown 0 @ Auburn 6
The Doubledays respected and rewarded fine pitching with a 6 run 9 hit attack as they kicked out the Jammers. Brett Cecil started and went 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, walking nobody and striking out 4. Drew Taylor followed with 3 innings of 1 hit, no walk, 5K ball. Ryan Bird followed their lead with 3 perfect innings including 4 strikeouts. Javier Nieves finished up the shutout. Now that's what I call pitching in a groove. J.P. Arencibia and Wes Stone each had 2 hits and drove in a run to lead the attack.
GCL Indians @ GCL Jays, suspended
3 stars
Lots and lots of good choices today.
3rd star- Brandon Magee
2nd star- Chris Gutierrez
1st star- Robinson Diaz
