Las Vegas won big in Colorado behind a great night at the plate by Jason Lane. New Hampshire was postponed while Andrew Liebel suffered another loss in Dunedin. Meanwhile, a former Blue Jay farmhand came back to haunt the Jays as scored the winning run in Lansing’s extra-inning loss.
Las Vegas 14 @ Colorado Springs 4 – Boxscore
In a surprise to absolutely no one, it was a high-scoring affair in Colorado as Las Vegas held an 8-4 lead after three innings. Las Vegas handed Fabio Castro a nice 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the 51s strung together a two-out rally. Randy Ruiz drew a walk and then JP Arencibia doubled to left. Brett Harper also worked a base on balls and then Jason Lane cleared the bases with a double. Colorado Springs scored one in the bottom of the frame and then the teams traded runs in the second. Las Vegas scored a run on an error by the third baseman, but he atoned by coming around to score on a rally that included a single by Sal Fasano.
The 51s scored four in third on a pair of homers. Lane hit a solo homer and was later in the frame Buck Coats hit a two-out three-run homer that scored Russ Adams and Jonathan Diaz. Las Vegas tried not scoring in the fourth inning, but didn’t like how that felt, so they put up a 3-spot in the fifth. Jason Lane singled, Adams walked and then Diaz did, as well. Errors by both middle infielders led to three runs for Las Vegas and gave the 51s an 11-4 lead.
Fabio Castro left after the sixth inning. He allowed four runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Castro struggled with his command at times, walking four and striking out two. It wasn’t his strongest start, although he did throw nearly 60% of his 99 pitches for strikes. TJ Beam pitched 2 innings of one-hit ball and Bryan Bullington finished it off. For good measure the 51s put up another three runs in the eighth on another pair of homers. Ruiz hit a homer and then after a Harper walk Lane hit his second homer of the game to cap a 5-for-5 night. The rest of the 51s only had seven hits, three of which were by Russ Adams.
New Hampshire @ Akron – Postponed
Postponed.
Dunedin 2 @ Charlotte 7 – Boxscore
Andrew Liebel’s rough beginning to his professional career, at least in terms of his won-loss record, continued as he fell to 1-8 on the season. Liebel went 5 innings and allowed 8 hits and 6 runs. Although Dunedin did commit three errors, all of the runs were earned. Liebel was hurt by a poor fourth inning, as Charlotte strung together four consecutive hits during a five-run frame. Celson Polanco threw 2 innings of relief and allowed one run. That run came on a walk, a pair of sacrifices flies and a wild pitch with two out. Zach Dials pitched the eighth without incident.
Moises Sierra was the only Blue Jay with a multi-hit game, as he went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and a walk. Both runs came in the third inning, as Sierra tripled to score Scott Campbell from first and was promptly doubled home by Eric Thames. Every Dunedin hitter from one through seven had a hit, with only Justin Jackson and Sean Shoffit going hitless. Jackson drew Dunedin’s other walk and Jonathan Jaspe was the only player aside from Thames and Sierra to have an extra-base hit. Adam Loewen went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and one of Dunedin’s three errors in the field.
Great Lakes 3 @ Lansing 2 (10 innings) – Boxscore
John Anderson started for Lansing and went 7 innings. He allowed two runs on five hits. Three of those hits came in the first inning, when Anderson allowed both of his runs, the second scoring on a balk. After that Anderson did a very good Brian Tallet, allowing two hits and no runs over the last six innings.
However, Anderson departed trailing 2-1, as Lansing struck for one in the bottom of the fifth but left the bases loaded. With two out Balbino Fuenmayor singled and then Chris Emanuele doubled him to third. Tyler Pastornicky walked and then Brian Van Kirk drew another bases on balls with the bases loaded. Johermyn Chavez couldn’t cash in the runners though and struck out swinging.
Boomer Potts had a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth and turned things over to the lineup for a chance to tie the game. Chavez drew a walk and an error on a pickoff attempt advanced him to second. Justin McClanahan couldn’t advance the runner and Mark Sobolewski flew out, leaving Chavez at third with two out. Michael McDade came through in the clutch situation, singling to centre and cashing Chavez. Potts had another 1-2-3 inning and Tyler Pastornicky singled with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Pastornicky advanced to second on a balk and Great Lakes chose to walk Van Kirk to get to Chavez. Chavez couldn’t get the runner in this time, either, and flew out.
In the tenth Potts retired the first two batters he faced before former Jay farmhand Anthony Hatch drew a walk. A single to left advanced Hatch to second and drove Potts from the game. Yorman Mayora then walked both of the next two hitters to score Hatch with the winning run. Mayora struck out the next batter, but Lansing went without a fight in the bottom of the tenth.
Three Stars:
3rd Star – Moises Sierra, 2-3, R, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB, 5 TB
2nd Star – John Anderson, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K
1st Star – Jason Lane, 5-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 12 TB
Las Vegas 14 @ Colorado Springs 4 – Boxscore
In a surprise to absolutely no one, it was a high-scoring affair in Colorado as Las Vegas held an 8-4 lead after three innings. Las Vegas handed Fabio Castro a nice 3-0 lead in the top of the first as the 51s strung together a two-out rally. Randy Ruiz drew a walk and then JP Arencibia doubled to left. Brett Harper also worked a base on balls and then Jason Lane cleared the bases with a double. Colorado Springs scored one in the bottom of the frame and then the teams traded runs in the second. Las Vegas scored a run on an error by the third baseman, but he atoned by coming around to score on a rally that included a single by Sal Fasano.
The 51s scored four in third on a pair of homers. Lane hit a solo homer and was later in the frame Buck Coats hit a two-out three-run homer that scored Russ Adams and Jonathan Diaz. Las Vegas tried not scoring in the fourth inning, but didn’t like how that felt, so they put up a 3-spot in the fifth. Jason Lane singled, Adams walked and then Diaz did, as well. Errors by both middle infielders led to three runs for Las Vegas and gave the 51s an 11-4 lead.
Fabio Castro left after the sixth inning. He allowed four runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Castro struggled with his command at times, walking four and striking out two. It wasn’t his strongest start, although he did throw nearly 60% of his 99 pitches for strikes. TJ Beam pitched 2 innings of one-hit ball and Bryan Bullington finished it off. For good measure the 51s put up another three runs in the eighth on another pair of homers. Ruiz hit a homer and then after a Harper walk Lane hit his second homer of the game to cap a 5-for-5 night. The rest of the 51s only had seven hits, three of which were by Russ Adams.
New Hampshire @ Akron – Postponed
Postponed.
Dunedin 2 @ Charlotte 7 – Boxscore
Andrew Liebel’s rough beginning to his professional career, at least in terms of his won-loss record, continued as he fell to 1-8 on the season. Liebel went 5 innings and allowed 8 hits and 6 runs. Although Dunedin did commit three errors, all of the runs were earned. Liebel was hurt by a poor fourth inning, as Charlotte strung together four consecutive hits during a five-run frame. Celson Polanco threw 2 innings of relief and allowed one run. That run came on a walk, a pair of sacrifices flies and a wild pitch with two out. Zach Dials pitched the eighth without incident.
Moises Sierra was the only Blue Jay with a multi-hit game, as he went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and a walk. Both runs came in the third inning, as Sierra tripled to score Scott Campbell from first and was promptly doubled home by Eric Thames. Every Dunedin hitter from one through seven had a hit, with only Justin Jackson and Sean Shoffit going hitless. Jackson drew Dunedin’s other walk and Jonathan Jaspe was the only player aside from Thames and Sierra to have an extra-base hit. Adam Loewen went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts and one of Dunedin’s three errors in the field.
Great Lakes 3 @ Lansing 2 (10 innings) – Boxscore
John Anderson started for Lansing and went 7 innings. He allowed two runs on five hits. Three of those hits came in the first inning, when Anderson allowed both of his runs, the second scoring on a balk. After that Anderson did a very good Brian Tallet, allowing two hits and no runs over the last six innings.
However, Anderson departed trailing 2-1, as Lansing struck for one in the bottom of the fifth but left the bases loaded. With two out Balbino Fuenmayor singled and then Chris Emanuele doubled him to third. Tyler Pastornicky walked and then Brian Van Kirk drew another bases on balls with the bases loaded. Johermyn Chavez couldn’t cash in the runners though and struck out swinging.
Boomer Potts had a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth and turned things over to the lineup for a chance to tie the game. Chavez drew a walk and an error on a pickoff attempt advanced him to second. Justin McClanahan couldn’t advance the runner and Mark Sobolewski flew out, leaving Chavez at third with two out. Michael McDade came through in the clutch situation, singling to centre and cashing Chavez. Potts had another 1-2-3 inning and Tyler Pastornicky singled with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Pastornicky advanced to second on a balk and Great Lakes chose to walk Van Kirk to get to Chavez. Chavez couldn’t get the runner in this time, either, and flew out.
In the tenth Potts retired the first two batters he faced before former Jay farmhand Anthony Hatch drew a walk. A single to left advanced Hatch to second and drove Potts from the game. Yorman Mayora then walked both of the next two hitters to score Hatch with the winning run. Mayora struck out the next batter, but Lansing went without a fight in the bottom of the tenth.
Three Stars:
3rd Star – Moises Sierra, 2-3, R, 2B, 3B, RBI, BB, 5 TB
2nd Star – John Anderson, 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K
1st Star – Jason Lane, 5-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 12 TB
