I don't know if its the quality of the pitchers, the altitude, the ballpark, the league or whatever, but the 51s literally cannot get any decent pitching. Today was no different as Luis Perez put the hometown side out of the game by the 4th when he gave up a 4-spot to Tacoma; the Rainiers would also tack on two more against Perez in the 6th for good measure. Perez gave up 10 hits in his 6 innings, all 6 runs were earned, and he walked 2 and struck out 4. If you are looking for positives, 11 of his 13 outs in play were on the ground. Steven Register picked him up and allowed 2 runs in his 3 innings, although he did whiff 4. Meanwhile the 51's bats couldnt really get it going against former major leaguer Luke French (who can't possibly be worse than Ryan Rowland-Smith, but I digress.) JP Arencibia had only 1 hit, a solitary single, which is pretty disappointing, but a couple of other noteworthy players succeeded. Brett Wallace singled and doubled in 4 at bats, and Manny Mayorson had two doubles and a single in his five plate appearances. Brad the Emausculator also chipped in with 2 singles while Adam Calderone had a double and a walk.
New Hampshire 11 at New Britain 10 (10 innings)
This is what we call a barn burner folks. Kyle Drabek started for the Cats and went a strong seven while the offense didn't have any problems. Travis Snider cashed in a Darin Mastroianni double in the first to give the Fisher Cats the lead, and drove in runs two and three with a single in the third. New Britain managed an RBI groundout to make the score 3-1 after three, but a David Cooper two-run bomb next inning gave the Cats a 4-run cushion. In the fifth Travis was at it again, homering for RBI number 4, 5, and 6. New Britain scored another dinky run which the Fisher Cats got back in the 7th (even though Snider whiffed with a runner on third and one out) making it 9-3. Adeiny Hecchavarria doubled in Eric Thames in the top of the 8th for the 7-run cushion, which would prove to be vital. After Drabek was lifted following the seventh the relief corps came in and didn't quite fare as well. BJ LaMura allowed the first four Tacoma batters to reach on 3 walks and a single. Trystan Magnuson came in to shut the door and struck out the side... just sandwiched around a first batter walk to bring in the second run of the inning, a bases clearing double and two last singles, leaving the score at 10-9. Bubbie Buzachero came in to close it down and allowed a one out triple to score on a subsequent groundout making it 10-10.
Things would stay this way for a while, exactly til the top of the 10th to be specific. Eric Thames and David Cooper both walked with one out before Adeiny reached on an error that drove in what would prove to be the winning run. Buzachero had a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning and that was the ballgame.
Kyle Drabek had another strong start, going seven strong and allowing only 4 hits and two walks. He struck out 6 and all 3 of his runs were earned. He was pretty stingy though, as 10 of 14 outs came on the ground, and three of the hits were singles, while the runs scored on these three sequences: walk, steal, single, groundout; double, groundout, groundout; single, walk, wild pitch, groundout. Travis Snider was, as mentioned, the star, going 2-4 with a homer and 6 RBI. I think maybe he should be in Toronto instead of Mike McCoy. Just going out on a limb here. Surprisingly few other Fisher Cats had good games. Darin Mastroianni reached base safey four times in six plate appearances, doubling twice, singling, walking and scoring 3 while driving in 2. David Cooper made his only hit count with the two-run homer and also walked. Brian Jeroloman walked twice but didn't hit, Adeiny singled and doubled in five at bats, Thames doubled and walked and scored twice, Hecchavarria's line is now .277/.319/.386 in 20 games, which I would deem reasonable so far in his first year, especially given his struggles in high-A.
Well if they are going to start naming cities after the Minor League Update crew and giving them teams I would have thought Gerry would have first crack, but apparently not. Good hustle I guess, kid. This game was thoroughly uninteresting in terms of performances. The 1 through 8 Dunedin hitters all had a single hit, while Ryan Page gave up 5 runs, 2 earned (3 errors will do that) in 6 innings, walking 4, whiffing 6 and giving up 6 hits. He too got a ton of ground balls, 9 of 11 outs this way. Welinton Ramirez, Travis d'Arnaud and Mike McDade had the only extra base hits, all doubles, while Brian van Kirk and Chris Hopkins both singled and walked. Mark Sobolewski singled and walked twice, so huzzah for him.
Dave Sever started for the Lugnuts and promptly gave up 3 runs in the first, after which he settled down nicely. It helps when your team picks you up, as Lansing scored two runs each in the first and second before tacking on extras in the third, fifth and eigth. Sean Ochinko, AJ Jiminez, and Justin Jackson all had two hits, with one of Jiminez's being a double, and with one of Jackson's leading to a stolen base. Ryan Schimpf did them one (or several I suppose) better though, picking up 8 total bases on two doubles and a homer. Sever's final line was 5 IP 6 H 3 ER 0 BB 5 K, which is perfectly respectable. The pen was fine other than Steve Turnbull, who gave up two late runs.
I think I was beaten to the State College jokes so I will spare everyone. Jonathan Jones, Marcus Knecht and Lance Durham all hit twice, with Jones walking and Knecht doubling. Oliver Dominguez tripled and walked, while Carlos Perez singled in 4 at bats while DHing. Sam Strickland gave up 4 runs, 2 earned, in his five innings, allowing 8 hits and a walk against two k's, and the pen was poor, giving up the rest.
Wooooo we beat the Yankees! Pierce Rankin continued his hot hitting with two pokes in four at bats, Bryson Namba homered and drove in two, and Carlos Ramirez walked twice and singled and tripled. Aaron Sanchez allowed 3 runs, none earned, in his two innings, with two hits, a walk and 3 k's, while Nicholas Purdy allowed 1 run in 5.1 with 4 hits, 2 walks and 7 k's.
DSL Blue Jays at DSL Angels - Postponed
Three Stars!
Hon. Men! Nicholas Purdy - 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Not Eligible! Travis Snider - 2/4, HR, R, 6 RBI
3rd Star! Kyle Drabek - 7 IP 4 H 3 ER 2 BB 6 K 10:4 GB:FB
Second Star! Darin Mastroianni - 3/5, 2 2B, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI
First Star! Ryan Schimpf - 3/4 2 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
