The Toronto Farm continues its impressive ways, still holding opportunities for championships in the Northwest League, the Midwest League and the Eastern League. Without speaking too soon, I have heard some say “nearly a coast to coast domination of Minor League baseball!”
Hand it to the Reading hurlers who allowed just 5 hits and shut out the Fisher Cats until the 8th inning. The New Hampshire comeback was not good enough with the 11 Runs on 14 hits allowed by the Fisher Cats pitching. Taking the loss, Nestor Molina had a tough night with four of his runs allowed unearned. B.J. LaMura made a good effort in relief allowing no earned runs, allowing just 2 hits and striking out 5. Jonathan Diaz, LaMura and Travis d’Arnaud had fielding, throwing and passed ball miscues respectively on the evening.
Moises Sierra was the only Fisher Cat to have 2 hits, one a double and the other a two out RBI Single in the 8th. John Tolisano moved the other New Hampshire run with a two out single in the ninth plating Mike McDade who had singled and moved to third on a double play.
Reading evened the best of 5 series for the division championship at 1 each in the Eastern League. The series moves to Reading tonight for two games and then back to Manchester for two games if needed on Monday.
A two out walk off homer by Matt Nuzzo with one on iced the tying game for the Luggies and set up the rubber game in in Lansing tonight for the division championship series in the Midwest League. Nuzzo went one for three with a walk. Marcus Knecht had singled and Carlos Perez moved him to second on a sac bunt. K.C. Hobson had a K for the second out, setting up the drama for Nuzzo’s blast.
Danny Barnes took the W with just 1.0 IP, walking two and striking out one. Starter Justin Nicolino went 5.1 IP but gave up two runs in the first and Nicolino and Luggies relievers took it from there zeroing out Dayton until Nuzzo’s walk off homer in the 9th put Dayton’s lights out.
The Canadians took a 1-0 lead in the best of three series to decide the Northwest League championship. The victory was marked by some great pitching from Vancouver including starter and WP Ajay Meyer who went 5.0 IP allowing 4 hits and 3 runs, but striking out 5. Good relief in the name of Aleson Escalante came on in the 6th inning allowing just a single hit, shutting out Tri-City and striking out three.
Vancouver started strong in the first with 3 runs with Kevin Patterson’s two run double and a Roan Salas’ Sac Fly scoring Baligod. The Canadians broke away in the 6th inning with a pair of runs when Nicholas Baligod homered to right. After doubling and moving to third, Kevin Patterson was shown the plate by Balbino Fuenmayor’s single to center.
The C’s are just one win away from taking all honors in the Northwest League. Game two is tonight.
Three Stars:
Third Star: Kevin Patterson – Two Run Double
Second Star: Nicholas Baligod – Pair of RBIs, Homer
First Star: Matt Nuzzo – Two out, Two Run Walk Off Homer
