The farm featured some exciting games, with a walk-off victory and a 13-inning near-victory.
Tucson 8 at Las Vegas 9
Tried, tested and true. Pound the opponent into the ground. The Vegas way.
The 51s banged out 19 hits and walked off in the ninth on a Manny Mayorson infield single. Dan Perales had four of the hits including two doubles, Ryan Shealy and Mayorson each had three and a walk, and every 51 got at least one hit. Brett Lawrie singled and walked in four trips.
Jesse Litsch got the start and was okay: 5 IP, 5 ER, 4 K, 2 HR. Litsch hasn't been great but I'd still way rather see him in the rotation than double J.
New Hampshire 5 at New Britain 6 (13 innings)
Top of the 13th, 3-3 tie. Justin Jackson leads off with a single, and the Cats get him to third, but make two outs in the process. With Anthony Gose already having struck out four times, prospects are not looking good. Gose shatters those notions with a blast to left field, putting New Hampshire in front 5-3. Game over? The way Bobby Korecky has been pitching, with three scoreless innings in relief, it looks like it.
But three was the magic number for Korecky. In his fourth inning the wheels fell off, and New Britain came back to wrest a heartbreaking 6-5 victory from the Fisher Cats.
Henderson Alvarez had a solid start, giving up three runs (two earned) in 6.2 innings. He allowed 10 hits, but produced a very good 7:1 K:BB ratio. At the plate, Gose added a single to his homer and 4 Ks. Jonathan Diaz reached base thrice.
Dunedin 9 at Jupiter 1
Now that's what I'm talking about. The D-Jays absolutely drubbed the Hammerheads, scoring eight more runs despite only tallying three more hits. (The eight walks, compared to none for Jupiter, probably helped.) Kevin Ahrens led the way with a homer and two walks, while Brian Van Kirk singled twice and walked twice.
Dustin McGowan got the start, but only went three innings, allowing Jupiter's only run on three hits. Ryan Tepera won't get credit for a quality start, but he pitched six scoreless innings in relief in an excellent performance.
Beloit 6 at Lansing 7
Like New Hampshire, Lansing scored late to get the lead. Unlike New Hampshire, Lansing kept it. Not that they seemed to want to. The Snappers scored four in the top of the ninth before Sam Strickland finally shut the door (after allowing all three inherited runners to score) to give the Lugnuts a closer-than-necessary victory.
Sean Nolin was effective in 5.2 innings, allowing seven baserunners and two runs while striking out six. Nolin is quietly having a very good season: 71.1 IP, 65 H, 18 BB, 73 K. But at 21 in A ball with more air outs than ground outs, let's not get excited just yet.
Michael Crouse set the tone from the leadoff spot, reaching base four times on two doubles and two walks and stealing his 32nd base. Jake Marisnick was not retired but for a sacrifice fly.
Salem-Keizer 10 at Vancouver 6
Vancouver tried the Dunedin strategy of "walk a lot", but they forgot the "pitch well" component and fell to the Volcanoes despite walking nine times. Jonathan Jones and Chris Schaeffer both reached base three times, and Jesse Hernandez allowed four runs in 5.1 innings in getting the start.
Bluefield - postponed
GCL Jays 4 at GCL Pirates 12
Joe Musgrove is not having a strong start to his professional career. The righty went three innings, allowing five runs and striking out just one. That would have been enough for the G-Pirates even without the seven additional runs allowed by the bullpen. Let's skip that part.
Seth Conner had a good day at the plate with a hit and three walks, and Nico Taylor singled and doubled.
DSL Jays 5 at DSL Tigers 8
Mauricio Nagahashi walked four times at the top of the order. Gabriel Cenas pinch-hit and struck out.
Three Stars!
3. Manny Mayorson - 3 hits, BB, walk-off RBI
2. Michael Crouse - 2 2B, 2 BB
1. Ryan Tepera - 6 scoreless innings
Tucson 8 at Las Vegas 9
Tried, tested and true. Pound the opponent into the ground. The Vegas way.
The 51s banged out 19 hits and walked off in the ninth on a Manny Mayorson infield single. Dan Perales had four of the hits including two doubles, Ryan Shealy and Mayorson each had three and a walk, and every 51 got at least one hit. Brett Lawrie singled and walked in four trips.
Jesse Litsch got the start and was okay: 5 IP, 5 ER, 4 K, 2 HR. Litsch hasn't been great but I'd still way rather see him in the rotation than double J.
New Hampshire 5 at New Britain 6 (13 innings)
Top of the 13th, 3-3 tie. Justin Jackson leads off with a single, and the Cats get him to third, but make two outs in the process. With Anthony Gose already having struck out four times, prospects are not looking good. Gose shatters those notions with a blast to left field, putting New Hampshire in front 5-3. Game over? The way Bobby Korecky has been pitching, with three scoreless innings in relief, it looks like it.
But three was the magic number for Korecky. In his fourth inning the wheels fell off, and New Britain came back to wrest a heartbreaking 6-5 victory from the Fisher Cats.
Henderson Alvarez had a solid start, giving up three runs (two earned) in 6.2 innings. He allowed 10 hits, but produced a very good 7:1 K:BB ratio. At the plate, Gose added a single to his homer and 4 Ks. Jonathan Diaz reached base thrice.
Dunedin 9 at Jupiter 1
Now that's what I'm talking about. The D-Jays absolutely drubbed the Hammerheads, scoring eight more runs despite only tallying three more hits. (The eight walks, compared to none for Jupiter, probably helped.) Kevin Ahrens led the way with a homer and two walks, while Brian Van Kirk singled twice and walked twice.
Dustin McGowan got the start, but only went three innings, allowing Jupiter's only run on three hits. Ryan Tepera won't get credit for a quality start, but he pitched six scoreless innings in relief in an excellent performance.
Beloit 6 at Lansing 7
Like New Hampshire, Lansing scored late to get the lead. Unlike New Hampshire, Lansing kept it. Not that they seemed to want to. The Snappers scored four in the top of the ninth before Sam Strickland finally shut the door (after allowing all three inherited runners to score) to give the Lugnuts a closer-than-necessary victory.
Sean Nolin was effective in 5.2 innings, allowing seven baserunners and two runs while striking out six. Nolin is quietly having a very good season: 71.1 IP, 65 H, 18 BB, 73 K. But at 21 in A ball with more air outs than ground outs, let's not get excited just yet.
Michael Crouse set the tone from the leadoff spot, reaching base four times on two doubles and two walks and stealing his 32nd base. Jake Marisnick was not retired but for a sacrifice fly.
Salem-Keizer 10 at Vancouver 6
Vancouver tried the Dunedin strategy of "walk a lot", but they forgot the "pitch well" component and fell to the Volcanoes despite walking nine times. Jonathan Jones and Chris Schaeffer both reached base three times, and Jesse Hernandez allowed four runs in 5.1 innings in getting the start.
Bluefield - postponed
GCL Jays 4 at GCL Pirates 12
Joe Musgrove is not having a strong start to his professional career. The righty went three innings, allowing five runs and striking out just one. That would have been enough for the G-Pirates even without the seven additional runs allowed by the bullpen. Let's skip that part.
Seth Conner had a good day at the plate with a hit and three walks, and Nico Taylor singled and doubled.
DSL Jays 5 at DSL Tigers 8
Mauricio Nagahashi walked four times at the top of the order. Gabriel Cenas pinch-hit and struck out.
Three Stars!
3. Manny Mayorson - 3 hits, BB, walk-off RBI
2. Michael Crouse - 2 2B, 2 BB
1. Ryan Tepera - 6 scoreless innings
