Saturday both day and night on farm was a disappointment with only teams from towns starting with an “L” getting the "W's". Overall our minor league teams were 2 and 4. Las Vegas took advantage of the longball and Lansing dominated with 1 hit pitching. The rest of the farm suffered from either weak hitting or weak pitching or both.
On a 106 degree evening in Fresno, the 51s took advantage of the longball to roust the PCL Southern Division leading Grizzlies. Luis Perez (3-1) got the win for Las Vegas in 6 innings of work allowing 3 runs and 4 hits. Jeremy Accardo, coming on in the 8th inning, earned the save by allowing just one hit.
The 7,025 Fresno fans were disappointed by the offensive prowess of Aaron Matthews (1 for 4, HR, 3 RBIs) who blasted a 3 run dinger in the 6th inning. Raul Chavez (2 for 4, HR, 2B, 3 RBIs) added a solo round tripper in the 9th and JC Arencibia (2 for 3, HR, 1 RBI) added his 27th homer of the season in the 4th inning. Mike McCoy (2 for 5) had 2 doubles and Adam Calderon (2 for 4) added a 2 bagger as well. Las Vegas was outhit 8 to 7, but the longball made the difference for the 51s.
With the highest attendance on the farm Saturday (7,274), the Fisher Cats went down at the expense of losing pitcher Kyle Drabek (9-9) who allowed 7 hits and 5 runs in 4 innings on the mound. Clint Everts and Robert Uviedo combined for 5 innings of scoreless relief. New Hampshire showed some shakiness on defence with Adeiny Hechavarria committing a throwing error and David Cooper missing a catch. Reliever Everts joined Cooper and A-Hech producing a double play in the 7th.
Unfortunately for the home fans in Manchester, the most remarkable highlight (or should we say lowlight) for Fisher Cat batters was grounding into no less than 4 double plays for the evening. NH left 8 on base. The F- Cats did have multiple hit performances from A-Hech (2 for 4) and the pride of BC, Shawn Bowman (2 for 4, 2B), who managed the only extra base hit of the night.
In the Florida State League, the D-Jays had a rough night in front of 1,571 fans on hand in St. Lucie. Losing pitcher, Ryan Page (3-5) gave up 5 runs along with all of St. Lucie’s 11 hits. Ross Buckwalter and Evan Crawford each pitched no hit ball in their combined 2 innings of work for the Blue Jays. On defence, John Talley and Ryan Goins both missed catches and were charged with errors.
Dunedin could only manage six hits, spaced out so they put up just 1 run in the fourth inning. The only hitting bright spot was a solo homer for Brian Van Kirk (2 for 4, RBI) in the 4th inning, his 6th dinger of the season. Van Kirk also hit a single and Justin McCLanahan (2 for 3) managed 2 singles and a walk on the evening. Michael McDade (1 for 4) and Brad McElroy (1 for 4) each delivered singles in the losing effort.
Lansing pitchers turned in outstanding work by one hitting their opponents in front of 2,599 Beloit fans. Winning pitcher Ryan Tepera (4-4) was ably assisted by Aaron Loup and Nester Molina who each provided two innings of shut out relief. Lansing turned a double play in the 5th inning courtesy of Justin Jackson, Ryan Schimpf and Kevin Nolan.
Lansing’s muscle at the plate was lead by Nolan (2 for 5, 2 2B, RBI) and the Lugnuts opportunism – hustling to take advantage of a walk and 3 errors from Beloit in the 4th inning. Jackson, Nolan, Schimpf, Eric Eiland, A.J. Jiminez, Kenny Wilson and Kevin Ahrens each added a single.
In a Saturday slugfest with 1, 539 Auburn fans looking on, the Doubledays fell to State College who roughed up our pitchers with no less than 18 hits. Travis Garret (1-3) suffered the loss throwing just 2 innings, but allowing State College to take the lead with 5 hits and 3 runs. Yudelmis Hernandez made a throwing error in the 3 run 8th inning.
You would think that with 10 runs and 14 hits a team could win the game. Not true. However, Marcus Knecht (3 for 4, 3 RBIs) did come through with runners in scoring position. Other multi-hit performances were turned in by Jonathan Jones (3 for 5, 3B, 2 RBIs), Lance Durham (2 for 4), and Yeico Aponte (2 for 4). Carlos Perez (1 for 1, 3B), pitch-hitting for Jack Murphy (1 for 4, 2B), smacked a 3 bagger in Auburn’s failed comeback effort in the 9th. A double from Andy Fermin (1 for 4, 2B) and a single from Gustavo Pierre (1 for 5, RBI) rounded out the hitting for the Doubledays.
Rookie Blue Jays’ pitchers gave up 13 hits and 6 runs while spreading out just 6 hits of their own without scoring any runs. The Braves hit starter and losing pitcher Noah Syndergaard 4 times in 2 innings and scored once. Subsequent Blue Jays pitchers gave up another the other nine hits and five runs. On defence, the Blue Jays tagged the Braves with three double plays.
Shortstop Gari Pena (1 for 3) had the only extra base hit for the Jays, a double in the 5th inning. Robert Melendez (2 for 4) turned in the only multi-hit performance of the day – two singles. Michael Crouse and Garrett Maines each added a single to an overall anemic batting effort.
Three Stars
3rd Star- Ryan Tepera (5 IP, 0 Runs, 1 Hit, 5 SO)
2nd Star- Aaron Matthews (1 for 4, HR, 3 RBIs)
1st Star- Raul Chavez (2 or 4, HR, 2B, 3 RBIs)
