There was a lot of late inning scoring in the three games on Thursday. Adam Calderone hit a grand slam in the eighth for New Hampshire to give them a two run lead but the bullpen gave up eight runs in the eighth. Las Vegas fought back to tie a game they had been behind in all night but Bill Murphy and his defense blew it in the ninth. The bright spot was Lansing whose bullpen has been somewhat unreliable early in the season. The Lugnuts led 6-2 but the bullpen coughed up three runs in the eighth and it was worry time, but the offense bailed them out with four more in the ninth to seal the win.
The 51's had to face off against top prospect Neftali Feliz. Fabio Castro was on the bump for the 51's and he pitched into the sixth. He gave up a home run to Max Ramirez while he was in the game but he left in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and one out. Dirk Hayhurst entered and got the double play ball but Joe Inglett threw the ball away on the back end and two more runs scored. Because you cannot assume the double play it meant that two of Castro's three runs were earned.
Las Vegas got to Feliz in the sixth when Randy Ruiz singled in a run. Hayhurst gave up a run in the seventh and the 51's were down 4-1. The 51's scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh against John Bannister, the runs scored on a soft ground ball and an error after the bases were loaded with two walks and a hit batter, very exciting stuff. In the eighth Ruiz doubled and later scored on a sac fly to tie the game.
Former Jay Bill Murphy came on for the ninth and the lead runner reached on an error. Three hits and a botched play on a sac bunt later the 51's were down 8-4. The 51's got one back in the bottom of the ninth but it was a tough loss.
Randy Boone started for the Cats and had to pitch out of trouble right away in the first inning. With the bases loaded and one out Boone got the double play ball right back to him and he started the 1-2-3 double play. Boone also dodged some trouble in the fourth but in the fifth he had two runners on and he was facing Boston prospect Lars Anderson. Anderson doubled to make it a 2-0 game. Boone pitched five innings, giving up five hits and two walks with 6 K's.
New Hampshire did have a few scoring chances, they had runners in scoring position in the 2nd, 4th and 6th innings, but could not get the timely hit to drive in a run. But in the eighth Brad Emaus led off and was hit by a pitch and Dopirak and Cooper walked to load the bases. Adam Calderone stepped up and launched agrand slam to make it a 4-2 game.
In the bottom of the eighth Edgar Estanga returned the favour by walking the bases full without recording an out. A gound ball single scored two runs and tied the game. Estanga did get one out but was then pulled and Leon Boyd entered in relief. But the relief was short-lived, he walked two, one of them walking in a run, then a single to score two more, a passed ball added another, and finally a two run home run from Lars Anderson made it an eight run inning and the 4-2 lead became a 10-4 deficit, ouch.
Clearwater at Dunedin - doubleheader postponed
Josh Wells started and gave up two runs in five innings. The Lugnuts scored a run in the third, AJ Jimenez led off with a double and scored on a single by Tyler Pastornicky. Pastornicky got things started in the sixth with a single, Brian Van Kirk singled and both runners moved up on a passed ball and both scored on a Johermyn Chavez single including the rare interference call on the third baseman. Mike McDade followed with an RBI double, Justin McClanahan singled and AJ Jimenez tripled in two more and Lansing led 6-2. Jonas Cuotto relieved Wells and promptly gave up three runs to make it a one run game.
It was still a one run game in the ninth but Mark Sobolewski doubled in two runs and McDade added a two run home run. Pastornicky led the hitters with three hits, McDade, Chavez and Jimenez had two each.
Three Stars
3rd star - Mike McDade
2nd star - Tyler Pastornicky
1st star - AJ Jimenez
