All 6 games on the evening were decided by 3 or fewer runs, while 4 were decided by a single score. The affiliates went 3-3 on the night, and guess what? Shaun Marcum is back!
Las Vegas 6 at Fresno 5
It was a good night for interesting players at the AAA level. David Purcey pitched an excellent game, going 7 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks, and striking out 9. Travis Snider only had 1 hit in 5 at bats, but it was a home run, and he also didn't strike out. Finally, Randy Ruiz, who isn't much of a prospect at 31 years old, but who could nonetheless be a contributor at the major league level, went 2-3 with a walk and a home run. Ruiz doesn't have a great SO:BB (72:28), but he's OPSing 976, and has driven in 73 runs already. Kyle Phillips also had a good night, with 2 doubles and a walk in 4 trips.
Portland 5 at New Hampshire 6
It didn't look good early for Adrian Martin, as Portland got runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in the top of the first. But then Martin struck out Jon Sill and Lars Anderson to end the threat, and settled down to pitch 4 effective innings, only allowing 1 run on 5 baserunners while striking out 4. Nate Starner was shaky out of the bullpen, allowing 3 runs in 2 1/3 innings, but the Fisher Cats' offense was just good enough to take this one. On the offensive side, Darin Mastroianni continued to do what he's done all season - he got on base twice, stole 2 bases, and scored 2 runs - while David Cooper had 2 hits including a double, and Brian Dopirak hit is 28th and 29th two-baggers of the season. Dopirak's line is up to 317/384/597. He needs to be promoted.
Dunedin 3 at Daytona 4
This was a pitching duel for the first 3 innings between Australian Ryan Searle and... Shaun Marcum! That's right, Marcum returned to the mound in fine fashion, allowing 2 hits in 3 scoreless innings. Things didn't go so well when the ball was turned over to the bullpen, though - Alan Farina and Kyle Ginley each allowed a run, and Zach Dials was awful, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs while only recording 1 out in the walk-off victory for Daytona. Moises Sierra led the Dunedin attack with 3 base hits, but the rest of the offense, well, didn't really attack as much.
South Bend 3 at Lansing 5
Jonas Cuotto got the ball for Lansing, and was quite good, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) over 5 2/3. Cuotto was given 5 runs of support by the bats, and that was more than enough to earn him his second win on the year. Chris Emanuele had the best day at the plate with 2 singles and a walk.
Batavia 5 at Auburn 4
Auburn came out on the losing end of yet another close game. This one was very back and forth - 2-0 Auburn, 3-2 Batavia, 3-3, 4-3 Batavia, 4-4, and finally Batavia scored their 5th run in the 7th inning and that was all she wrote. Scott Gracey got the start for Auburn and deserved better; of the 4 runs he allows, only 1 was earned. Auburn's defense was so bad in the 4th inning that a rare mid-inning defensive substitution was made. Anyone else remember when Frank Robinson had to do that with his catchers a few years ago?
GCL Blue Jays 6 at GCL Phillies 3
The Big Phillies may have scored 22 runs last night, but their GCL counterparts were stifled by the Junior Jays' pitching. Nobody pitched more than 3 innings, but the staff was very effective in holding the opposition to just 3 runs. That was more than enough for the offense, which got home runs from 17-year-old Gustavo Pierre and Matthew Nuzzo.
Three Stars!
3. Kyle Phillips, 2-3, BB, 2 doubles
2. David Purcey, 7 IP, 1ER, 9K
1. Randy Ruiz, 2-3, BB, HR
Elsewhere, James McOwen extended his hitting streak to 43 games to match the longest minor league hitting streak in 54 years.
Also, this has been mentioned in previous threads, but Marc Rzepczynski has been called up and will be starting for the Jays today!
Las Vegas 6 at Fresno 5
It was a good night for interesting players at the AAA level. David Purcey pitched an excellent game, going 7 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits and 3 walks, and striking out 9. Travis Snider only had 1 hit in 5 at bats, but it was a home run, and he also didn't strike out. Finally, Randy Ruiz, who isn't much of a prospect at 31 years old, but who could nonetheless be a contributor at the major league level, went 2-3 with a walk and a home run. Ruiz doesn't have a great SO:BB (72:28), but he's OPSing 976, and has driven in 73 runs already. Kyle Phillips also had a good night, with 2 doubles and a walk in 4 trips.
Portland 5 at New Hampshire 6
It didn't look good early for Adrian Martin, as Portland got runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in the top of the first. But then Martin struck out Jon Sill and Lars Anderson to end the threat, and settled down to pitch 4 effective innings, only allowing 1 run on 5 baserunners while striking out 4. Nate Starner was shaky out of the bullpen, allowing 3 runs in 2 1/3 innings, but the Fisher Cats' offense was just good enough to take this one. On the offensive side, Darin Mastroianni continued to do what he's done all season - he got on base twice, stole 2 bases, and scored 2 runs - while David Cooper had 2 hits including a double, and Brian Dopirak hit is 28th and 29th two-baggers of the season. Dopirak's line is up to 317/384/597. He needs to be promoted.
Dunedin 3 at Daytona 4
This was a pitching duel for the first 3 innings between Australian Ryan Searle and... Shaun Marcum! That's right, Marcum returned to the mound in fine fashion, allowing 2 hits in 3 scoreless innings. Things didn't go so well when the ball was turned over to the bullpen, though - Alan Farina and Kyle Ginley each allowed a run, and Zach Dials was awful, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs while only recording 1 out in the walk-off victory for Daytona. Moises Sierra led the Dunedin attack with 3 base hits, but the rest of the offense, well, didn't really attack as much.
South Bend 3 at Lansing 5
Jonas Cuotto got the ball for Lansing, and was quite good, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) over 5 2/3. Cuotto was given 5 runs of support by the bats, and that was more than enough to earn him his second win on the year. Chris Emanuele had the best day at the plate with 2 singles and a walk.
Batavia 5 at Auburn 4
Auburn came out on the losing end of yet another close game. This one was very back and forth - 2-0 Auburn, 3-2 Batavia, 3-3, 4-3 Batavia, 4-4, and finally Batavia scored their 5th run in the 7th inning and that was all she wrote. Scott Gracey got the start for Auburn and deserved better; of the 4 runs he allows, only 1 was earned. Auburn's defense was so bad in the 4th inning that a rare mid-inning defensive substitution was made. Anyone else remember when Frank Robinson had to do that with his catchers a few years ago?
GCL Blue Jays 6 at GCL Phillies 3
The Big Phillies may have scored 22 runs last night, but their GCL counterparts were stifled by the Junior Jays' pitching. Nobody pitched more than 3 innings, but the staff was very effective in holding the opposition to just 3 runs. That was more than enough for the offense, which got home runs from 17-year-old Gustavo Pierre and Matthew Nuzzo.
Three Stars!
3. Kyle Phillips, 2-3, BB, 2 doubles
2. David Purcey, 7 IP, 1ER, 9K
1. Randy Ruiz, 2-3, BB, HR
Elsewhere, James McOwen extended his hitting streak to 43 games to match the longest minor league hitting streak in 54 years.
Also, this has been mentioned in previous threads, but Marc Rzepczynski has been called up and will be starting for the Jays today!
