Just two of the five affiliates in action were victorious. A dominanting pitching performance is the highlight of this Friday night. The lowlights were a lack of plate discipline in a pair of games.
Portland, OR - The 51's put up a six-spot in the second to wrap this one up early. The Beavers, a Padres affiliate, scored their two runs in the fifth.
Batting - Jonathan Diaz had a two-run homer, a single and a walk to lead the 51's. Manny Mayorson and Jason Lane each had a double, a single and two RBI. Mike Jacobs, Brad Emaus and Aaron Matthews each hit a double with Matthews driving in two. Chris Lubanski did not get a hit but drew three walks and Raul Chavez, despite an 0-for-4 night, managed to drive in a run.
Running - Matthews, Lane and Mayorson each stole a base.
Pitching - Lefty Luis Perez went the distance as he yielded just two runs on six hits. His K-BB total was 6-0 and his ground out total was 14. He did commit a balk but 71 of his 109 pitches were called strikes.
Defence - The Vegans did turn one double play.
Portland, ME - The Fisher Cats scored three times in the first only to see the Red Sox affiliate match that total in the fifth. New Hampshire took the lead again in the top of the seventh only to see the Sea Dogs score four times in the bottom of the seventh to pick up the victory.
Batting - Ricardo Nanita had two doubles, Adam Loewen had a double, a single and two RBI while Darin Mastroianni singled twice and knocked home a run. Jonathan Jaspe also reached twice with a double and a walk. David Cooper singled and drove in a run while Callix Crabbe also had a base knock. Adeiny Hechavarria, Adam Calderone and Luis Sanchez were a combined 0-for-12. New Hampshire struck out nine times with Jaspe drawing the lone walk. Calderone and Loewen went down swinging twice. New Hampshire was just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
Running - Mastroianni's steal attempt was not good enough.
Pitching - Zach Stewart worked three scoreless frames as he allowed just three hits. He struck out one, didn't walk anyone and recorded five ground ball outs. He did throw one to the backstop. Ronald Uviedo's three innings were not as good as Stewart's as he surrendered three runs on three hits and walked a man. He did strike out three. Lefty Boomer Potts was roughed up for four runs on six hits, an intentional walk and plunked a batter to blow the save and take the loss. He managed to strike out a pair.
Defence - Mastroianni was charged with a fielding error. The Sea Dogs stole two bases against the Jaspe-Potts battery. Potts did pick off a runner at first.
Tampa, FL - Dunedin rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the second but the Yankees scored three times in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good.
Batting - A.J. Jimenez hit his first homer as a Dunedin Blue Jay. Brian Van Kirk, Mark Sobolewski and Ryan Goins had two hits apiece. Both of Goins' hits were for extra-bases while Sobolewski also doubled. They also had an RBI each. Welinton Ramirez had a single and an RBI. Yan Gomes doubled and Mike McDade singled. The D-Jays had trouble making contact as evidenced by 15 strikeouts and no Lugnut drew a walk. Gomes was the only one not to whiff. Moises Sierra and Ryan Schimpf struck out three times each as they went a combined 0-for-8. Schimpf did reach on a hit by pitch.
Running - Ramirez's steal attempt did not go according to Hoyle.
Pitching - Joel Carreno was victimized for five runs (three earned) on seven hits and hit a batter over three innings. He struck out four, did not walk a batter and induced three ground ball outs. Lefty Dan DeLucia was dominant over three shutout innings as he struck out four and recorded four ground ball outs. He didn't walk anyone. Nestor Molina was burned for three runs (all unearned) on three hits over two innings. He struck out a man and did not walk anyone either. Four of his five outs in play were also on the ground.
Defence - Jimenez was 0-for-2 in trying to throw out base stealers, both times with Carreno on the bump. Dunedin did convert a pair of double plays.
Lansing, MI - The Lugnuts overcame a 5-1 deficit with three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth for the victory.
Batting - The number three to seven hitters - Brad McElroy, Brad Glenn, K.C. Hobson, Randy Schwartz and Jake Marisnick - each had two hits. Each of them drove in at least one run with Hobson and Schwartz driving in two apiece, including one on a sacrifice fly. Hobson had a triple and Marisnick added a double. At the top of the order, Oliver Dominguez and Kevin Nolan reached base three times each. Dominguez drew three walks while Nolan doubled and walked twice. Michael Crouse had a double but Karim Turkamani was 0-for-4 at the bottom of the order.
Running - Marisnick stole a base but Dominguez was caught.
Pitching - Dave Sever was roughed up for five runs (four earned) over 4 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits (one homer), walked four and hit a batter while only striking out a pair. Lefty Matt Wright earned the win with two shutout frames by scattering two hits and two walked. However, he did allow two inherited runenrs to score. He didn't record any strikeouts but did get five ground ball outs. Dan Barnes got a hold despite giving up a run on two hits and a walk over two-thirds of an inning. He did strike out a batter. Chad Beck allowed an inherited runner to cross the plate but pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He walked a pair and struck out a pair to earn the save.
Defence - Turkamani allowed a passed ball but he did throw out a runner trying to steal second. The Lugnuts turned two double plays.
Batavia, NY - The Cardinals affiliate did all of their scoring in the odd-numbered innings with five of the runs coming in the third. Auburn scored three times in the first and two in the ninth.
Batting - Jonathan Jones had two doubles and two runs batted in. The others to reach base twice were Lance Durham and Jack Murphy with a single and a walk apiece while Markus Brisker drew two walks. Andy Fermin's lone hit was a three-run homer and Gustavo Pierre had the other extra-base knock with a double. Matthew Nuzzo and Steve McQuail had a single each. Luis Hurtado was 0-for-1 with a walk before he was replaced behind the plate by Carlos Perez, who went hitless in two at-bats.
Running - Hurtado was caught trying to steal second.
Pitching - Jesse Hernandez lasted just 2 2/3 innings and half of the six runs he gave up were unearned. He allowed a home run among his seven hits, walked a batter and plunked another. He struck out four. Shawn Griffith allowed just a solo homer over 3 1/3 innings but did hit a couple of batters. He struck out five and didn't walk anyone while getting three ground outs. Zach Outman allowed a run despite giving up three hits and two walks over two innings. He didn't strike out anyone but did induce four ground ball outs.
Defence - Nuzzo made two throwing errors from the hot corner.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. K.C. Hobson, Lansing
2. Jonathan Diaz, Las Vegas
1. Luis Perez, Las Vegas