Las Vegas - Scheduled day off (whew!)
New Britain 5 at New Hampshire 11
It was 9-0 Cats before New Britain got it's act together, and by that point it was far too late for them to do anything other than flail futilely. Reidier Gonzalez started and was very strong, going 7 innings and allowing 2 runs on 8 hits and no walks while whiffing 8. He's now allowed 5 earned runs in 24 innings, with a 14/2 K/BB ratio. The offense didn't have any problems of its own either, as every batter hit safely, most doing more than just that. Adeiny hit for 3/4 of the cycle (minus the homer), walked and stole a base, scoring 3 runs, Moises Sierra went 2-3 with a walk and a jack with two on and two out, one of the Cats four home runs, with Ricardo Nanita (2/3, HR, 2BB), Yan Gomes (1/5, HR) and Callix Crabbe (1/4, HR) providing the others. Mike McDade doubled, and speedster centre fielders Gose and Davis both had hits and walks, with Davis doubling but getting caught stealing. Matt Daly and Alan Farina gave up 2 and 1 runs, respectively, in an inning apiece of relief work.
A second fine pitching performance on the farm, this time from hot prospect Asher Wojciechowski, who puts Rei to shame with his now 0.87 ERA (though his 13/6 K/BB is less impressive.) Woj, as he shall now be known for spelling related reasons, allowed nary a run (as you might imagine) in his 5 innings, striking out 4 and walking 2. He had 3 groundball outs and 5 in the air. Frank Gailey, Matt Wright and Wes Etheridge were almost perfect in relief, with Gailey walking 2 in his 2 innings and the others striking out a man apiece in their one inning each, all hitless. The offensive side of the ledger wasn't quite as impressive, as the D-Jays mustered but 6 hits. Still, they bunched 4 of them together in the first, as Brad McElroy, Ivan Contreras and Sean Ochinko all singled to start the game, loading the bases for Brad Glenn and Jon Talley to strike out, allowing A.J. Jiminez to deal the fatal blow, a 2-run single. They got the insurance run in the 9th, as Jon Talley made up for his earlier intransigence with a home run for the team's only extra base hit. Contreras had the only other hit, and Jiminez the sole BB.
So close. Lansing scored in the first, second and fourth to go up 3-0. Then things started to go downhill. Drew Hutchison allowed only 3 hits through his first 5 innings, never getting into any danger. In the 6th, he allowed the first three batters to reach on two singles and a HBP. K.C. Hobson made a fielding error, and a single, groundout and a sac fly and the Lugnuts trailed. Jake Marisnick tied things up again in the bottom half, but Great Lakes tagged the bullpen for runs in the 7th and 8th and it was all she wrote. Jonathan Jones (SB), Marisnick (2 SB) and Markus Brisker (BB) all had two hits for the 'Nuts, with Jones and Brisker both doubling. Hobson walked twice, and Garis Pena and Carlos Perez walked and singled. Hutchison went 6, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits, striking out 3 and walking none.
3 Stars!
Hon. Men! Ricardo Nanita - 2/3, HR, 2 BB, 2 R, RBI
Hon. Men! Moises Sierra - 2/3, HR, BB, R, 4 RBI
3rd Star! Reidier Gonzalez - 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
2nd Star! Asher Wojciechowski - 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
1st Star! Adeiny Hecchavarria - 3/4, 2B, 3B, BB, SB, 3 R, RBI
