It was a .500 night on the farm. The bad news saw a rehabbing Jays pitcher get rocked as well as an extra innings loss. On the flip side, the only affiliate on the road picked up a win and a couple of Canadians carried the big lumber in a walk-off victory.
Las Vegas, NV - The 51's actually led 1-0 after one but the O-Royals spoiled the party with 12 runs from the second to fourth innings and five more in the eighth and ninth. The 51's tried to make a game of it with a run in the fifth and a three-spot in the sixth.
Pitching - Marc Rzepczynski's bid for a call back to the bigs got scrabbled in this one. The lefty was bombed for two homers among 11 hits and walked a man in just 2 1/3 innings of work. He struck out a pair and got four groundball outs. His Triple-A earned run average is now an ungodly 34.71 - or basically, the price of half-a-tank of gas for my car! Steven Register and Marty McLeary were not much better. Register gave up three runs (two earned) in 1 2/3 innings while McLeary yielded five runs (just one earned) in five innings.
Defense - Raul Chavez threw one away behind the dish while third baseman Kyle Phillips and outfielders Chris Lubanski and Chris Aguila booted one each for a four-error day for the 51's. Alex Gordon also stole a base off the Zep/Chavez battery.
Batting - Chavez belted his first homer of the season among his two hits, Lubanski had a double among his two safeties and Brian Dopirak had two knocks. Brett Wallace had an RBI double and Kyle Phillips had a two-run single. The 51's put the ball in play for the most part with just three strikeouts and zero walks.
Running - Like chickens with their heads cut off, maybe? No stolen bases here.
Manchester, NH - The Thunder and Fisher Cats traded runs in the fifth before the Yankees affiliate regained their one-run lead in the sixth. However, the good guys bounced back with the tying run in the eighth before celebrating a walk off win in the ninth.
Pitching - Zach Stewart's last good outing prior to this one came against the Thunder in Trenton in late April when he allowed just one hit over five shutout innings. This time around, Stewart gave up two runs over six innings by allowing just five hits while striking out three and walking no one. Nine of his 15 outs in play were on the grass. Canadian Trystan Magnuson allowed just one hit and a walk in two scoreless frames while also recording 3 K's. Vincent "Bon Jovi" Bongiovanni delivered enough bad medicine and got the win with a shutout inning despite a hit, a walk and a hit batsman.
Defense - Bongiovanni helped start a 1-4-3 inning-ending double play to escape a bases-loaded jam and Darin Mastroianni threw out a runner from center field.
Batting - The Canadian connection came through in this one. Vancouver's Adam Loewen went 3-for-3 including an RBI double and a game-tying home run in the eighth. New Westminster's Shawn Bowman had two doubles, one of which plated the Eastern League's Player of the Week, Adam Calderone with the winning run. Calderone, Mastroianni and Brian Jeroloman also had singles. Jeroloman also had a walk so that nudges the BJBBM to 23.
Running - Loewen added a stolen base but Mastroianni was thrown out trying to take second. Loewen is 7-for-8 while Mastroianni is 18-for-20.
Bradenton 6 Dunedin 1 (10 Innings)
Dunedin, FL - A 1-0 first inning didn't hold up for the D-Jays either. The Pirates affiliate tied the game in the fifth before putting up a five-spot five innings later for the win.
Pitching - Lefty Chuck Huggins set down 13 of the 15 first hitters he faced before giving up a run in the fifth. He went seven strong innings by allowing just the one run on four hits and three walks along with three K's. Despite 10 of the 15 outs being in the air, he kept the rawhide in the ballpark. Alan Farina had a nice 1 2/3 innings by allowing just one hit while striking out two and getting three groundball outs. Matt Daly was drilled for five runs (four earned) while getting just one out in the tenth. He gave up a grand salami among his three hits and walked a man on purpose. Lefty Frank Gailey had to clean up the mess by getting the final two outs while giving up one hit.
Defence - Daly contributed to his own demise with a fielding error and Welinton Ramirez also botched one in right. Sean Shoffit bailed out Huggins in the fifth by throwing out a runner from center to end the inning. Adeiny Hechavarria started a 6-4-3 double play.
Batting - Four hits, five total bases, no walks and nine strikeouts. Three of the total bases came courtesy of a John Tolisano triple that was not cashed in. Tolisano's RBI groundout in the first scored a Hechavarria single. Daniel Peralta and Ramirez, the Florida State League's Player of the Week, had the other hits.
Running - Hechavarria stole his first professional base and Peralta bagged a bag as well.
Dayton, OH - Ole, ole, ole, ole! They slayed the dragons! They slayed the dragons! The Lugnuts beat the Reds affiliate with four runs in the third and two more in the eighth. Dayton scored twice in the fifth and once in the eighth.
Pitching - Evan Crawford earned his third "W" of the season by going the minimum five innings. The lefty allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while uncorking two wild pitches. He also struck out three and recorded nine outs on the ground. Dave Sever got a hold in a three-inning effort after giving up one run on four hits while whiffing four. Steven Turnbull pitched a clean ninth for his ninth save. Mike Palmateer was warming up in the pen just in case.
Defense - A pair of double plays in the 6-4-3 and 5-4-3 variety were executed. A.J. Jimenez also threw out a runner trying to steal second.
Batting - Balbino Fuenmayor had the only multi-hit effort for the Lugnuts with a 3-for-4 day with three RBI. Mark Sobolewski had the only extra-base hit with a double and two runs scored in five at bats. Jimenez had a single and sac fly while Ryan Goins and Brad McElroy accounted for the other Lansing hits. Kenny Wilson and Ryan Schimpf drew two walks each. Sean Ochinko had a walk and an RBI groundout.
Running - Kenny Wilson stole second but was thrown out trying to steal third. He's now 15-for-21 on the season.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Zach Stewart, New Hampshire
2. Balbino Fuenmayor, Lansing
1. Adam Loewen, New Hampshire
