And it got uglier as the night went on. Our farm boys committed 9 errors in 3 games (Las Vegas, Lansing, and Auburn) and our bats were quiet as they could be producing only 5 runs in 3 games (GCL Jays, Dunedin and New Hampshire).
Their bats got them going, but their gloves let them down as Las Vegas staggered to their 9th consecutive loss. Whew, what a mess! You’d think that if you slugged fifteen hits you could come up on top. But then you give up 15 hits including 9 hits and 2 homers off of starter Lance Broadway. And then you suffer no less than 4 errors by Broadway (2), Chris Lubanski (2), Manny Mayorson (7) and Danny Perales (5). Of 7 runs in the last three innings off pitchers Steven Register and Jeremy Accardo (2-2), only 1 was earned.
If the 51s could catch and throw, then their bats would have meant something. Homers and a couple of RBIs belonged to JC Arencibia who hit his 32nd round tripper and Chris Lubanski who hit his 16th. Mayorson (3 for 6, 2b, 1RBI) and Jarrett Hoffpauir (1 for 4, RBI) produced a run each. Brad Emaus (3 for 5, 2B) smacked three hits, including a double . Aaron Mathews (2 for 4, 2B, RBI) batted one in. Perales hit one in and went 1 for 3 as did Raul Chavez.
The Fisher Cats double play machine (Diaz, Hechavarria, Cooper and Sanchez) put up 3 twin kills for a near record 8,746 fans at MerchantsAuto.com Stadium in Manchester. But that’s where their achievements ended on the evening’s effort. Rehabbing David Purcey (0-1) was tagged for loss with 3 runs on a couple of hits and a walk in just .2 innings pitched.
David Cooper (1 for 4, HR, 2RBIs) homered with one on in the 6th for New Hampshire’s only scoring. Adieny Hechavarria (2 for 4) had the only multi-hit performance of the evening. Darin Mastroianni (1 for 4), Adam Calderone (1 for 5), Matt Luizza (1 for 4), and Jonathan Diaz (1 for 4) added singles.
730 Dunedin fans saw the Yankees take the Blue Jays to the woodshed in Dunedin. The D-Jays spaced out 7 hits to produce a paltry pair of runs and loosing pitcher Daniel DeLucia (3-2) gave up 3 runs on 6 hits in just 2.0IP.
Dunedin saw their only runs come from a solo homer by big Mike McDade (1 for 4, HR, RBI), and a double by Concepcion Rodriguez (2 for 4, 2B, RBI). Welinton Ramirez (1 for 3) added a single.
An impressive crowd 9,812 at Cooley Law School Field saw the Luggies loose a heartbreaker thanks to a disastrous 5 run 3rd inning by Dayton. Loosing pitcher Egan Smith (6-4) gave up 7 runs on 8 hits, and 4 BB but did get 6 Ks in 5.2 IP. Relievers Daniel Barnes and Steve Turnbill pitched 3.1 shut out innings, but the Luggies batters couldn’t plate any more runs beyond the 3rd stanza. Jacob Marsnick and Eric Eiland booted a catch and blew a throw respectively for the 2 Lansing errors.
Of Lansing’s productive hits, DH Brad Glen (1 for 2, 2B, 3RBIs) doubled in 3. Kevin Ahrends (2 for 3, HR, 2RBIs) homered in a pair. Kevin Nolan (1 for 4), Brad McElroy and Eiland (1 for 4) added singles.
The AuDoubs gave up a bakers dozen hits, and were fortunate that Mahoning Valley could plate only one run on the evening. Starter Sam Strickland (3-6) gladly took the win, giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 BB, while scaring up 5 Ks in 4 IP. 1,280 home field fans saw Auburn plate four runs, but were disappointed by three errors … Oliver Dominguez (12), Yudelmis Hernandez (4) and Gustavo Pierre (25!!!! Whew! )
Jonathan Jones (2 for 4, 2b, RBI) plated one with a double in the 7th. Other doubles were put up by Markus Brisker (1 for 3, 2B, RBI) with a 7th inning RBI and Jonathan Fernandez (1 for 2, 2B). The fifth hit was smacked by Dominguez (1 for 4, RBI) and plated an RBI in the 3rd.
The baby Blue Jays managed 7 hits, but spaced them out to score a disappointing solo run. The Pirates looked to the long ball for half of their runs and hits and bested out rookie team. Nicholas Purdy (3-4 ) suffered the loss with 4.2 IP, giving up a HR and a triple in the 2nd. Alesone Escalante and Matthew Morgal struck out 2 each and shut out the Pirates in 4 innings combined work.
The Blue Jays only run came in the 6th on a single by Christopher Hawkins (1 for 4) followed by an RBI double off the bat of Moises Sierra (1 for 4, 2b, RBI). Kellen Sweeny (2 for 4) and Shane Opitz (2 for 4) had a pair of singles each and Art Charles (1 for 4) added a single.
THREE STARS:
Third Star: Sam Strickland (5IP, 7H, 0R, 5K)
Second Star: Kevin Ahrends (2 for 3, HR, 2RBIs)
First Star: Brad Glen (1 for 2, 2B, 3 RBIs)
