New Hampshire's big day at the plate was the good news. A one-run loss in regulation and an extra innings heartbreaker were the bad news in a 1-3 night on the farm.
Reno, NV - Reno scored first in the first. Las Vegas scored twice in the fourth and added another in the fifth. The D-Backs affiliate fought back with three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to win the Battle of Nevada.
Batting - Chris Aguila had three hits to raise his batting average to .361. Chris Lubanski launched a two-run shot and Brett Wallace had an RBI single. The Big Lubanski and Jeremy Reed had two hits apiece and Jarrett Hoffpauir had a hit and a walk. Raul Chavez had a double. The 51's worshipped at the altar of BABIP by drawing just one walk and striking out once. That K belonged to Brian Dopirak, who went 0-for-4 to see his batting average fall to .217.
Running - Aguila was caught stealing for the first time this year. Reed was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.
Pitching - Robert Ray met the quality start requirement by allowing three runs over six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks but struck out six. However, he did uncork a couple of wild pitches and couldn't get any of the two hitters he faced in the seventh. Merkin Valdez walked the only two men he faced in relief and Steven Register could not trump the Aces as he allowed two runs over two innings on two hits and an intentional walk but he did strike out a pair. Valdez took the loss and Register got the blown save.
Defence - Jesus Merchan made a throwing error at short. However, the 51's turned one double play and Chavez threw out a runner trying to steal second and picked another man off first. However, former Jay Ryan Roberts did manage to steal a base for Reno.
Manchester, NH - The Fisher Cats jumped on the Rock Cats for two-run frames in the first and second and had another two-run inning in the eighth to go along with single tallies in the fifth and seventh. The Twins affiliate scored twice in the fourth and sixth innings.
Batting - Darin Mastroianni set the tone with four hits that included an RBI triple. Adam Loewen had a two homer game, Brad Emaus had a three hit night that featured a homer and three runs batted in and Eric Thames belted one of the yard and drew two walks. David Cooper was on base three times with a hit and two walks and Brian Jeroloman had two hits and a walk so the "BJBBM" is up to 11. He is batting .359 but has struck out 26 times in 64 official at-bats.
Running - Thames stole his fifth base of the season.
Pitching - Lefty Luis Perez surrendered four runs in 5 1/3 innings on nine hits and two walks but did strike out six to earn the win. Trystan Magnuson stranded a runner and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings while walking one and striking out one. Lefty Tim Collins threw a scoreless frame with two strikeouts to offset the hit he allowed. Vincent "Bon Jovi" Bongiovanni recorded the first two outs of the ninth that included a strikeout but he made things interesting by walking the bases loaded. Danny Farquhar made sure nobody scored by striking out the final batter of the game to earn his eighth save.
Defence - Perez made two throwing errors but they did not come back to haunt him. Jeroloman threw out two runners trying to steal and Mastroianni nailed a runner at second from center field. The F-Cats also converted two double plays.
Dunedin, FL - One run in the third was enough for the T-Yanks. How did it happen? Rye - that's how!!
Batting - Tyler Pastornicky and Sean Shoffit each had two hits, including a double, while Dan Peralta added a double. Brian Van Kirk got aboard three times with a single and two walks. However, Dunedin had trouble making contact as they struck out nine times, as Ed Rooney would say. Kevin Ahrens drew a walk but went 0-for-3 to send his average down to .095. The D-Jays had at least one runner aboard in the first six innings before going down in order in innings seven through nine. The D-Jays had leadoff doubles in the first two innings and the runner advanced to third with less than two outs but they could not get the key hit.
Running - Pastornicky stole his eighth base of the season.
Pitching - Ryan Page gave up just the one run by allowing only five baserunners in 7 1/3 innings on four hits and a walk. He only struck two but recorded a baker's dozen groundouts with 13. The lone run came on a sac fly by Jack Rye after a single and a double. Lefty Boomer Potts stranded a runner with 2/3 of an inning of scoreless relief while Alan Farina struck out two batters in a perfect ninth.
Defense - If his struggles at the dish weren't enough, Ahrens also made two errors at third base. However, the D-Jays turned two double plays and Page picked off a runner at second base. Yan Gomes also threw out a runner trying to steal third.
South Bend 7 Lansing 5 (11 innings)
Lansing, MI - It was not the Jays night against the D-Backs affiliates. South Bend led 5-0 by scoring once in the second and four in the third. The Lugnuts fought back with two runs in the fourth, one in the eighth and two in the ninth only to lose it in extras.
Batting - A.J. Jimenez, Sean Ochinko, Eric Eiland and Ryan Goins all had two hits apiece. Jimenez and Goins drew walks while Brad McElroy also got aboard four times with a hit, two bases on balls and taking one for the team. Chris Hopkins had a hit and a walk and Balbino Fuenmayor had a single and a sacrifice fly.
Running - Hopkins and Eiland each stole their fourth bases of the season. Jimenez was gunned down at second.
Pitching - Ryan Shropshire was burned by a pair of homers by Matt Davidson and that accounted for the bulk of the five runs he allowed in five innings. He gave up 10 hits but struck out six without walking a man. Lefty Matt Wright was more than alright with two perfect innings and four K's. Brian Slover put up three goose eggs in the eighth, ninth and tenth innings by allowing just one hit and racking up a pair of strikeouts and getting six outs on the ground. Dustin Antolin took the loss by allowing two runs in the eleventh by yielding five hits while striking out one.
Defence - The Lugnuts turned a pair of deuces and Ochinko pegged a runner trying to pilfer second.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Darin Mastroianni, New Hampshire
2. Brad Emaus, New Hampshire
1. Adam Loewen, New Hampshire
