The number 10 was a key theme in last night's action. Among the highlights were a no-hit bid, an overtime thriller and a long losing streak finally coming to an end as the affiliates went 4-0 on the night. Lansing and Auburn were washed out.
Pawtucket, RI - The Chiefs put one in the column under "W" instead of "L" for a nice change as they snapped a 10 game losing streak. Pawtucket used some small ball from Jacoby Ellsbury and a fly ball from Brandon Moss to score the game's first run off Syracuse starter Jeremy Cummings. The Chiefs responded with the long ball in the 2nd on back to back jacks from John Hattig, his 9th, and Ryan Roberts, his 11th, to take a 2-1 lead. Scarborough's George Kottaras produced a long ball himself to tie the game for the Red Sox affiliates in the home half of the 2nd. Then it was back to the small ball as Junior Spivey got aboard with a bunt single and he was knocked home to give the Paw Sox the lead again at 3-2. Syracuse would tie the game in the 3rd on a Chad Mottola sac fly before exploding for 4 runs in the 4th. John Hattig's RBI single plated a Hector Luna double, Wayne Lydon doubled home Hattig and Adam Lind doubled home a Ryan Roberts walk and Lydon to put Syracuse up 7-3.
Jeremy Cummings managed to hold down Pawtucket with three scoreless frames before needing help in the 6th. He yielded Pawtucket's 4th run on a sac fly before giving way to Lee Gronkiewicz, who got the final 2 outs of the frame. Gronk was lit up for a run in the 7th as George Kottaras went deep again to make it a 7-5 game. However, the Chiefs got that run back in the 8th thanks to a more than co-operative Pawtucket defence. A walk sandwiched by two errors loaded the bases with nobody out and Ryan Roberts got a run home by hitting into a double play. After retiring the side in order in the 8th, "Not Quite Game Over Gronk" turned things over to Scott Sauerbeck in the 9th. The veteran lefty gave up a single and a walk to put the potential tying run at the dish. It was up to Ryan Houston to do some damage control. He got a pop up for out number one but gave up an infield single to load the bases and increase the Chiefs anxiety level. One run would come into score on a fielder's choice groundout but Houston struck out Junior Spivey swinging to pick up his 5th save.
The Chiefs used 10 hits to end their 10 game skid. Wayne Lydon, Adam Lind and John Hattig had 2 safeties apiece. Lydon had 2 doubles while Lind and Hattig knocked home a pair each. Jeremy Cummings got the win despite giving up 4 runs on 10 hits and a plunk over 5 1/3 innings. At least his K/BB ratio was a decent 4-0.
Manchester, NH - The Fisher Cats also used the "10 hits equals victory" formula last night. Two of those hits came in the 1st in the form of a Dustin Majewski leadoff single and a Sergio Santos 2 run bomb, his 18th of the year, to put the F-Cats ahead 2-0. On the mound, Kyle Yates retired 8 of 9 hitters after a leadoff single but the Twins affiliates got their first run on back to back doubles in the 3rd to make it a one-run ballgame. Yates steered out of trouble in the 4th and 5th thanks to his defence. In the 4th, he got a double play ball after giving up a pair of leadoff singles and in the 5th, catcher Erik Kratz gunned down a runner at 2nd in the 5th. That proved to be big in an inning in which Yates gave up a single, a walk and hit a batter. Yates settled down by retiring the side in order in the 6th.
The Fisher Cats looked like they would be held off the board in their half of the 6th after Ryan Patterson was thrown out trying to steal 2nd after his one out single. However, Juan Peralta kept the inning alive with a 2 out base knock and Erik Kratz clubbed one over the wall for his 6th of the season to make it 4-1 New Hampshire. Kyle Yates retired the leadoff hitter in the 7th but was relieved by Jesse Carlson after giving up a single. The lefty sandwiched a strikeout with a couple of singles but the F-Cats held the Rock Cats off the board as right fielder David Smith threw out a runner at home to end the inning. Jo Matumoto took to the mound in the 8th and he alternated a pair of K's with a walk and a single. Tracy Thorpe came on and allowed a run to score on a single but he rebounded the get the final out of the frame. The defence would bail out Thorpe big time in the nervous 9th. He loaded up the bases on two singles and a walk with 1 out but Matt Moses lined out into an 8-4-6 double play started by center fielder Aaron Matthews and finished by Juan Peralta and Sergio Santos to give Thorpe a nail-biting save.
Just because you don't get a hit doesn't mean you can't contribute with the glove. David Smith and Aaron Matthews were shining examples of that. They were a combined 0-for-7 with a walk but they each picked up a big assist from the outfield to short-circuit a couple of Rock Cat rallies in the late going. Rob Cosby, Juan Peralta and Ryan Klosterman had 2 hit nights and Klosterman also stole his 19th base of the year.
Kyle Yates won his second straight start to improve to 8-7 on the year. He gave up just one run on 8 hits, a walk and a plunk in 6 1/3 frames, striking out a pair. He spread around the work to his infield and outfield by getting 8 groundballs and 8 flyouts.
Fort Myers, FL - Once again, the mantra of the night - 10 hits equals victory! The D-Jays managed to record a victory by a more comfortable margin against their Twins counterparts. The D-Jays scored a pair in the 2nd on a Brian Jeroloman RBI groundout and a Carlo Cota RBI single. A Chris Gutierrez homer (his 2nd) upped Dunedin's lead to 3-0 in the 4th. Jacob Butler's 23rd dinger of the year made it 5-0 in the 5th, a Cory Patton sac fly made it 6-0 in the 6th, and a bases loaded walk by Chris Gutierrez and a run scoring flyball by Carlo Cota gave Dunedin an 8-donut lead in the 7th.
The offence was nice but the pitching was even nicer. Robert Ray was just dealing on this night. He retired 12 of the first 13 hitters he faced, only plunking the leadoff man in the 2nd. In the 5th through 7th innings, he issued leadoff walks - only to erase them on inning-ending double plays. Yes, to this point, he had a no-hitter through 7! However, the no-hit bid was shattered by a leadoff triple in the 8th. After giving up a walk, Ray was relieved by Northern League refugee Chad Blackwell (boy, the Edmonton Cracker-Cats could've used him this season but that's another story). The shutout bid went in the toilet as well on a run scoring groundout but Blackwell got the next two batters to end the frame. Blackwell had a rough 9th inning after a Chris Gutierrez 2 base error allowed the leadoff man to get aboard. He surrendered a run on 3 singles before Billy Carnline got the final out on a punchout with the bases loaded to end the contest.
Robert Ray went 7 solid innings of 1 run, 1 hit ball, striking out 3 to improve to 3-2 on the year. Even though he walked 4, plunked a batter and uncorked a wild pitch, his WHIP was still less than 1 on the evening. He also gave his infielders and outfielders equal time with 9 worm killers and 9 air ball outs. Despite a rough 9th, Chad Blackwell's ERA is a tick below 50 cents on the year.
At the dish, the line of the night belongs to Jacob Butler. He did it all by going 2-for-3 with a homer, 2 RBI, a double, two walks and 3 runs scored. Carlo Cota was also on base 4 times with 2 hits, 2 walks and 2 RBI. Kyle Phillips was 1-for-3 with 2 walks and crossed home plate 3 times.
On a "negative note", it was a disappointing night for my main man, Brian Jeroloman. Yes, he did bring home the first run of the night but the BJWM remains at 77 after he failed to draw a walk. He did strike out though, "killing" his K/BB ratio at 77-52. I may have jinxed him a couple of weeks ago by hoping he'd get to the century mark. Hopefully, Jeroloman can get to 85 to 90 walks before the season is out. Still, what a wacky batting line he has! He's at .254/.419./.334 at the close of business.
Lansing @ South Bend - Postponed due to rain.
Game to be made-up as part of a doubleheader today.
Auburn @ Williamsport - Postponed due to rain.
Game to be made up in Auburn as part of a doubleheader this Thursday.
GCL Blue Jays 4 GCL Braves 3 (10 Innings)
Dunedin, FL - How about "10 innings equals victory" instead? The G-Jays hitters were slackers compared to their other minor league colleagues, mustering "only" 8 hits but it proved to be just enough on this night. John Tolisano put the good guys in flight with a 2 run homer in the 1st, his 7th of '07, scoring a Justin Jackson single. Joel Carreno set down 9 of the first 10 hitters he faced but a single, double and a Joel Collins passed ball gave the Braves their first run of the game in the 4th. Carreno then went on another run of effectiveness, mowing down 8 of the next 9 hitters to keep the game at 2-1 for the G-Jays.
In the bottom of the 6th, the G-Jays had a chance to break the game wide open after a Yohermyn Chavez double and a Kevin Ahrens walk advanced to 2nd and 3rd on a wild pitch with nobody out. They couldn't take advantage and the Braves responded with a pair of runs in the 7th to take the lead. Joel Carreno gave up a leadoff homer that tied the game and was later victimized by a single and sac fly. A Joel Collins throwing error allowed the runner to get to 3rd after stealing 2nd. Ted Serro relieved Carreno and though he hit a batter and gave up a single, he stranded the runners at the corners by getting the final 2 outs of the frame. Jason Monti gave up a double but punched a pair of batters in a scoreless 8th, giving the offence a chance to rally.
After a less than stellar night defensively, Joel Collins got on base thanks to some shaky Braves "D", courtesy of what they call an "E6" on the scorecard. Luis Fernandez pinch-ran for Collins and he ran the remaining 270 feet to home plate on a Kevin Ahrens double to tie the game at 3-3. Jason Monti struck out the side in the 9th to give the offence a chance to win but despite getting runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, the Braves also struck out the side to send the game into extras
Jason Monti got the first two outs of the 10th but was relieved by lefty Frank Gailey when Justin Jackson booted a grounder at short. Gailey gave up a single to put the potential go-ahead run into scoring position but he got a fly ball out to end the threat. Yohermyn Jose Chavez tripled to lead off the home half of the 10th and he had to wait around the hot corner for a while as Kevin Ahrens and Michael McDade were intentionally walked to set up a force play at every base. Jonathan Talley would be the hero in this one as his infield single to first plated Chavez with the winning run, making Frank Gailey the winning pitcher.
It was a solid night on the mound in the Gulf Coast. Joel Carreno gave up 3 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out 5 and walking none. Jason Monti punched out 5 batters and allowed just 1 hit in 2 2/3 scoreless frames. The product of Sacred Heart U is 4-0 on the season with an ERA a half-dozen points before 4.00. He's given up a hit an inning over 32 frames and his K/BB ratio is 30-5.
At the dish, Yoherymn Chavez had a double, a triple and a walk in his 5 plate appearances while Kevin Ahrens had 2 hits, 2 walks and an RBI. Despite a .224 overall batting average, the Jays first round pick is heating up as he has hit .306 over his past 10 games with 2 homers and 9 RBI. He's also drawn 6 walks against 5 strikeouts.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Kevin Ahrens, GCL Blue Jays - 2/3, 2B, 2BB, RBI
2. Jacob Butler, Dunedin - 2/3, 2B, HR, 2RBI, 2BB, 3R
1. Robert Ray, Dunedin - 7IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 3K, HBP, WP = W!
Honourable Mentions.........
Syracuse - Wayne Lydon, Adam Lind, John Hattig, Ryan Roberts, Jeremy Cummings, Lee Gronkiewicz, Ryan Houston.
New Hampshire - Kyle Yates, Jesse Carlson, Sergio Santos, Erik Kratz, Rob Cosby, Juan Peralta, Ryan Klosterman, David Smith, Aaron Matthews.
Dunedin - Carlo Cota, Kyle Phillips, Chris Gutierrez, Cory Patton, Anthony Hatch, Brian Jeroloman, Billy Carnline.
GCL Blue Jays - Joel Carreno, Ted Serro, Jason Monti, Frank Gailey, Yohermyn Chavez, John Tolisano, Justin Jackson, Jonathan Talley, Michael McDade.
Standings/Streaks......
Syracuse 55-73, 19.0 GB - Scranton WB, 1W
New Hampshire 64-63, 12.0 GB - Trenton (1.0 GB - Portland), 2W
Dunedin 37-20, 3.0 GA - Clearwater, 6W
Lansing 31-24, 5.0 GB - West Michigan, 1L
Auburn 34-23, 3.5 GA - Mahoning Valley, 2L
GCL Blue Jays 30-24, 9.0 GB - GCL Yankees, 2W
Today's Schedule.......
GCL Blue Jays @ GCL Phillies, 12:00 p.m.
Lansing @ South Bend (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Syracuse @ Pawtucket, 7:05 p.m.
New Britain @ New Hampshire, 7:05 p.m.
Dunedin @ Fort Myers, 7:05 p.m.
Auburn @ Mahoning Valley, 7:05 p.m.
Bonus Material......
MILB.com details Dunedin hurler Robert Ray's flirtation with a no-hitter.
New Hampshire's David Smith was named Eastern League Player of the Week.
The Union Leader has a game story on last night's win by the Fisher Cats.
The turnstiles at Merchantsauto.com Stadium continue to get a good workout.
Lansing's Travis Snider gets a pretty high ranking on the latest edition of Baseball America's Prospect Hot Sheet.
