Seems like the only way you can get a win out of the Jays' affiliates these days is to have a major leaguer making a rehab start...
Las Vegas 4 at Sacramento 7
Brad Mills pitched well for 5 innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk while holding Sacramento to one run. However, he ran into problems in the 6th, walking 3 batters and giving up a 2-run homer, and ultimately ended up with a not-great line of 5.2, 7 baserunners, 3ER, and only 1 SO. He also got 11 fly outs to only 4 ground outs, generally not a great sign.
On the hitting side of things, Las Vegas stayed in the game with a 2-spot in the 6th, but Sacramento blew it open with 4 more in the 7th off of Sean Stidfole and Chris Michalak. The 51s tried to claw their way back with a run in each of the 8th (Brett Harper HR) and 9th (Aaron Mathews triple, cashed in on a ground out), but it wasn't enough. Harper was the best hitter for the good guys, going 2-3 with a BB and the aforementioned homer. Buck Coats was 1-3 with 2 BB, J.P. Arencibia was 1-4 and Scott Campbell took an 0-fer, albeit with an RBI. Brian Wolfe pitched a scoreless 9th and has a 3.46 ERA.
New Hampshire - scheduled day off
Dunedin 8 at Clearwater 0
Clearwater actually out-hit Dunedin 6-4 in this one, yet the D-Jays somehow managed to score 8 runs (?!?!) off of those 4 hits. The big difference was the 9 walks the D-Jays coaxed out of Thresher pitching, as opposed to only 3 given out by Dunedin. Didn't help that Clearwater made 5 errors to Dunedin's one, either. The top 4 hitters in Dunedin's line-up did most of the damage: Darin Mastroianni went 1-2 with 3 BBs and 3 steals, scoring 2 runs, John Tolisano walked and scored twice, and also added 2 SBs, Moises Sierra went 1-4 but drove in 4, chipping in a steal, and Eric Thames went 1-2 with a double and 3 walks.
On the pitching side of things, Casey Janssen got the start and pitched well, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks in 4 scoreless innings while striking out 3 and getting 7 ground outs to only 2 fly outs. Brandon Magee followed Casey up with 3 scoreless innings, and Bobby Bell continued his dominance with 2 scoreless innings, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 3 batters.
Lansing 1 at West Michigan 5
This one was over early as West Michigan scored 4 off Lansing starter Henderson Alvarez in the 3rd, and the Lugnuts' anemic offense couldn't come back, only scraping out a single run off of the Whitecaps' pitching staff. Alvarez actually ended up with an okay line of 6 innings, 5 runs and 9 baserunners, though he only struck out one batter. Michael McDade was the hitting "star" for Lansing, going 3-4 with a double. Jon Talley went 1-3 with a double and a walk.
Three Stars:
3. Brett Harper, 2-3 with a BB and a HR
2. Casey Janssen, 4 excellent innings in a rehab start for Dunedin
1. Darin Mastroianni, doing exactly what a lead-off hitter should do - 1-2 with 3 BBs and 3 steals
Las Vegas 4 at Sacramento 7
Brad Mills pitched well for 5 innings, allowing 2 hits and a walk while holding Sacramento to one run. However, he ran into problems in the 6th, walking 3 batters and giving up a 2-run homer, and ultimately ended up with a not-great line of 5.2, 7 baserunners, 3ER, and only 1 SO. He also got 11 fly outs to only 4 ground outs, generally not a great sign.
On the hitting side of things, Las Vegas stayed in the game with a 2-spot in the 6th, but Sacramento blew it open with 4 more in the 7th off of Sean Stidfole and Chris Michalak. The 51s tried to claw their way back with a run in each of the 8th (Brett Harper HR) and 9th (Aaron Mathews triple, cashed in on a ground out), but it wasn't enough. Harper was the best hitter for the good guys, going 2-3 with a BB and the aforementioned homer. Buck Coats was 1-3 with 2 BB, J.P. Arencibia was 1-4 and Scott Campbell took an 0-fer, albeit with an RBI. Brian Wolfe pitched a scoreless 9th and has a 3.46 ERA.
New Hampshire - scheduled day off
Dunedin 8 at Clearwater 0
Clearwater actually out-hit Dunedin 6-4 in this one, yet the D-Jays somehow managed to score 8 runs (?!?!) off of those 4 hits. The big difference was the 9 walks the D-Jays coaxed out of Thresher pitching, as opposed to only 3 given out by Dunedin. Didn't help that Clearwater made 5 errors to Dunedin's one, either. The top 4 hitters in Dunedin's line-up did most of the damage: Darin Mastroianni went 1-2 with 3 BBs and 3 steals, scoring 2 runs, John Tolisano walked and scored twice, and also added 2 SBs, Moises Sierra went 1-4 but drove in 4, chipping in a steal, and Eric Thames went 1-2 with a double and 3 walks.
On the pitching side of things, Casey Janssen got the start and pitched well, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks in 4 scoreless innings while striking out 3 and getting 7 ground outs to only 2 fly outs. Brandon Magee followed Casey up with 3 scoreless innings, and Bobby Bell continued his dominance with 2 scoreless innings, allowing only 1 hit and striking out 3 batters.
Lansing 1 at West Michigan 5
This one was over early as West Michigan scored 4 off Lansing starter Henderson Alvarez in the 3rd, and the Lugnuts' anemic offense couldn't come back, only scraping out a single run off of the Whitecaps' pitching staff. Alvarez actually ended up with an okay line of 6 innings, 5 runs and 9 baserunners, though he only struck out one batter. Michael McDade was the hitting "star" for Lansing, going 3-4 with a double. Jon Talley went 1-3 with a double and a walk.
Three Stars:
3. Brett Harper, 2-3 with a BB and a HR
2. Casey Janssen, 4 excellent innings in a rehab start for Dunedin
1. Darin Mastroianni, doing exactly what a lead-off hitter should do - 1-2 with 3 BBs and 3 steals
