A 5-3 night on the farm where the bats were smoking on the West Coast and Ohio.
Las Vegas, NV - The 51s scored in every inning but the third but were down 4-2 after the Mariners affiliate scored twice in the first two innings. A three run second put Vegas in the lead for good.
Batting - Adam Loewen (3/5) had a double and 5 RBI, Jason Lane (3/5) hit a solo homer and a double and David Cooper (3/5) doubled and drove in a run. Mike McCoy (2/4) drew two walks and Manny Mayorson (2/4) had a walk. Brian Jeroloman (1/4) had a double and two RBI but no walks as the BJBBM needle remains stuck at 20. Dan Perales (1/5) had a triple, Kevin Howard (1/5) knocked in a run and Chris Woodward (1/5) ensured every 51 made the hit parade.
Running - McCoy stole two bases as he swiped second and third while Mayorson pilfered second. Mayorson was thrown out at home and Loewen was nailed at third.
Pitching - After a rough beginning, Mike MacDonald settled down and lasted six innings in which he gave up four runs on 10 hits, two walks and a hit batter. He racked up three Ks and nine groundball outs. Lefty Rommie Lewis had two Ks over two perfect frames. Danny Farquhar allowed two hits but struck out a batter in a shutout ninth.
Defence - Loewen threw out a runner at the plate from center field and MacDonald picked off a runner at first.
Trenton, NJ - The Fisher Cats responded with a run in the fifth after the Yankees affiliate took the lead in the fourth. However, Trenton scored runs in the eighth and ninth for the win.
Batting - Anthony Gose (3/5) led the F-Cats hit parade but Adeiny Hechavarria (2/5) had the lone extra-base hit by clubbing his fifth home run of the season. Moises Sierra (2/4) had the other multi-hit effort and Mark Sobolewski (1/3) picked up a walk to reach twice. Yan Gomes (0/3) and Craig Stansberry (0/3) did manage to draw a walk. Michael McDade (0/4) and Ricardo Nanita (0/4) had nada.
Running - Gose stole three bases to run his season total up to 38. Sierra stole a base but was also picked off at first.
Pitching - The rehabbing Jesse Litsch lasted five innings and allowed just one run on two hits and his K-BB total was 6-0. Five of his nine outs in play were on the ground. Lefty Clint Everts took the loss by allowing a run on three hits. He threw a wild pitch but struck out a man and got four ground ball outs. Chad Beck surrendered a run on two hits in one inning of work and also collected one K.
Defence - Nary a miscue with the glove here.
Daytona Beach, FL - Two runs in the fourth and a run in the sixth was all the D-Jays needed to down the Cubs affiliate.
Batting - Brad McElroy (3/4) and Sean Ochinko (3/4) had the multi-hit games for Dunedin with McElroy collecting a double. Kevin Nolan (1/4) had a double and drove in two runs and Justin Jackson (1/5) also had an RBI. Brad Glenn (1/4) also had a walk and Ivan Contreras (1/4) had the other D-Jays hit. Ryan Schimpf (0/3) drew a walk but A.J. Jimenez (0/4) and Brian Van Kirk (0/4) did not.
Running - McElroy stole second for his ninth SB of the season.
Pitching - Ryan Tepera improved to 6-4 with seven scoreless innings. He allowed just one baserunner an inning on four hits and three walks while whiffing four. He also induced nine groundball outs. Scott Gracey became "Good Night Gracey" by striking out the side in the eighth to emphatically earn a hold. Wes Etheridge locked it down by allowing one hit and striking out a man in a scoreless ninth for his 28th save.
Defence - No clanks here.
Dayton, OH - The Lugnuts set the tone early with four runs in the first. They also scored one in the sixth and two in the seventh and eighth to beat the Reds affiliate, whose 1-2-2 scoring came in the third, fifth and sixth.
Batting - Matt Nuzzo (3/5) had a double and three RBI, K.C. Hobson (2/4) doubled, walked and drove in two runs, Jake Marisnick (2/4) drew a walk and Marcus Knecht (1/3) doubled, walked twice and knocked home a run. Bryson Namba (1/2) had two bases on balls and a hit by pitch, Michael Crouse (1/4) had a double and a hit by pitch and Carlos Perez (1/5) had a two-bagger. Gari Pena (0/4) had a sacrifice fly and Markus Brisker (0/5) did manage to score a run.
Running - Brisker was picked off first and Crouse was out trying to steal second.
Pitching - Lefty John Anderson pitched two shutout frames by scattering three walks while punching out two batters. He also threw a wild pitch. Marcus Walden got the victory by going 3 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on five hits and a walk. He threw a wild pitch but got two Ks and six groundouts. Dustin Antolin got a hold but allowed two unearned runs over 1 1/3 innings on two hits and a walk but he struck out a pair of batters. Dayton Marze got the save with 2 1/3 shutout innings in which he allowed just two hits and struck out a batter. Four of his five outs in play were on the grass.
Defence - A whopping four clanks in this one. Hobson dropped one at first, Perez threw one away from behind the dish, Antolin muffed one on the mound and Namba booted one at third. Perez was 1-for-2 in throwing out basestealers.
Vancouver, BC - The Cs put up four runs in the first and three more in the fourth to race out to a 7-0 lead and held on against the Mariners affiliate.
Batting - Roan Salas (2/4) hit a two-run homer, Jonathan Jones (2/4) had two doubles, two walks and an RBI and Shane Opitz (2/5) drove in a pair to lead the Vancouver attack. Nicholas Baligod (1/3) drove in a run and Jonathon Berti (1/4) had the other Vancouver hit. Garrett Maines (0/2) drew a walk and was hit by a pitch while Steve McQuail (0/3) and Matt "Hello" Newman (0/3) each heard ball four. Balbino Fuenmayor (0/4) had nothing from the three spot in the order.
Running - Nothing interesting here.
Pitching - Jesse Hernandez gave up just one unearned run over six innings on three hits and a walk. He struck out six and had eight groundball outs to pick up the victory. Lefty Shane Davis was nicked for a run on two hits and a walk over one inning. Fellow southpaw Alex Pepe gave up two runs on two hits and a walk over just 1/3 of an inning. Travis Garrett gave up a hit and plunked a man over a shutout inning to earn a hold. Drew Permison got the final two outs of the game to get his fifth save of the year.
Defence - Salas booted one at third but Berti and Opitz combined to turn a 4-6 and 4-6-3 double play.
Bluefield, WV - The White Sox affiliate jumped out to an 8-0 lead after two innings and held on. The B-Jays booted field goals in the third and fourth and scored their last run in the ninth.
Batting - Daniel Arcila (3/4) had a triple, a hit by pitch and a run batted in and Gustavo Pierre (3/4) was a home run short of the cycle while driving in a pair atop the batting order. Art Charles (2/5) had two doubles, Kevin Pillar (2/5) plated a run and Melvin Garcia (1/4) also heard ball four. Leo Hernandez (1/4) had a triple and an RBI. Like Arcila, Matt Abraham (1/1) reached base four times thnaks to three bases on balls. Chris Hawkins (0/1) managed to drive home a run in his lone plate appearance. Kellen Sweeney (0/5) did bring home a run but Carlos Ramirez (0/4) did not. Yudelmis Hernandez (0/1) was unsuccessful in a pinch-hitting appearance.
Running - Arcila was thrown out at the plate.
Pitching - Lefty Jose Vargas was clubbed around for all eight runs (seven earned) in three innings in which he gave up eight hits, a walk and hit a batter. He also threw a wild pitch but did strike out two batters and got four groundouts. Les Williams put up zeroes in his two innings pitched with no Ks or BBs. Jonathan Lucas continued the stellar relief by racking up three Ks while only plunking a batter during four shutout frames.
Defence - Hernandez was busted for catcher's interference and was 0-for-1 in throwing out basestealers with Vargas on the mound. Garcia mishandled one in left field.
Dunedin, FL - Two runs in the first, the fifth and the sixth and one in the third chopped the Braves down to size.
Batting - Kevin Patterson (3/4) drove in five of the seven Jays runs thanks to a two-run home run and two safeties. Nico Taylor (1/1) made his lone plate appearance count with his own two-run tater. Dalton Pompey (1/3) also got on base with a walk while Dickie Thon Jr. (1-3) and Angel Gomez (1-4) accounted for the other base hits. Seth Connor (0/3) picked up a BB. Coming up empty were Santiago Nessy (0/4), Eric Arce (0/4), Sony Javier (0/2) and Chris Peters (0/1).
Running - Nothing doing here.
Pitching - Lefty Griffin Murphy went four innings and gave up two runs on three hits and a walk while uncorking a wild pitch. He struck out seven and three of his five outs in play were on the ground. Julio Carmona got the victory by allowing just one walk over two scoreless innings. He also threw a wild pitch but racked up three Ks. Adaric Kelly gave up a hit and struck out a batter in a scoreless frame and Randal Thompson wrapped things up with two scoreless innings by allowing just two hits while striking out a batter.
Defence - Conner kicked one around at third.
San Pedro de Macoris, DR - The Angels were up 3-0 by the time the DS-Jays responded with their lone run in the fifth. The Halos scored their remaining four runs in the seventh.
Batting - Angel Rojas (2/4) had a double and Mauricio Nagahashi (1-4) drove in the lone run with a double and drew a walk. Kervin Santiago (1/4) and Luis Martin (1/4) had the other hits. Jacinto Cipriota (0/3) and Cesar Barazarte (0/3) drew four balls in one plate appearance each. Emilio Guerrero (0/3) took one for the team while Jonathan Delgado (0/4) and Jonathan Pumarol (0/4) not only share the same first name but wore the same collar.
Running - Nagahashi was picked off at third base.
Pitching - Juan Agostini lasted 2 1/3 innings and gave up three runs (two earned) and gave up four hits (including a homer) and a walk. He struck out two and got four groundball outs. Luis Zerpa pitched 4 2/3 innings and all four runs he allowered were unearned. He allowed three hits (including a ding dong) and two walks. He also struck out a pair of batters and induced a whopping 10 groundball outs. Manuel Lopez pitched a clean eighth inning that included a strikeout.
Defence - Cipriota and Rojas each botched a ground ball at second and short respectively.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Ryan Tepera, Dunedin
2. Anthony Gose, New Hampshire
1. Adam Loewen, Las Vegas
