The affiliates went 1 and 1 in their playoff matchups despite two starters combining to allow 1 run while striking out 15 in 10 innings.
Richmond 5 at New Hampshire 7
The Fisher Cats squared things against their arch-rivals (maybe), the Flying Squirrels. Nestor Molina took the mound and actually walked a batter in his five innings. He did strike out 8, though that slightly lowered his K/BB ratio on the year (seriously.) Molina was on the hook for only one of the Squirrel runs, and allowed only three hits, and got twice as many outs on the ground (4) as in the air (2). Ronnie Uviedo pitched a scoreless sixth and Clint Everts a scoreless 1.2, but Evan Crawford and Bobby Korecky combined to give up the other 4 runs in only 1.1 innings. That still left the F-Cats comfortably ahead as their bats exploded for 11 hits while drawing five walks.
Kevin Howard and newly acquired Fisher Cat Colby Rasmus led the way with 3 and 2 hits, respectively, with Rasmus walking and scoring twice and Howard doubling twice and driving in two. Danny Perales also had two hits, while Anthony Gose had only one hit but made the most of it, doubling with two outs in the second to put New Hampshire ahead for good. He also walked and for good measure stole second and third. Moises Sierra was 1 for 5, while Travis d'Arnaud managed a walk in five plate appearances.
Quad Cities 4 at Lansing 2
Lansing fell about three cities short in the series opener, losing 4-2 to Quad Cities despite an impressive start from Sean Nolin. Nolin went a scoreless five, and while he did allow two hits and three walks he struck out seven. Dustin Antolin and Daniel Webb didn't fare quite as well though, giving up 1 and 3 runs respectively in the 7th and 8th. The eventual winning run scored after a one out throwing error allowed a runner to reach was followed by a home run, and the insurance run plated after a doubled scored a runner who had singled and taken second on another bad throw.
Lansing would mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, getting runners on second and third with two out, but Markus Brisker couldn't provide any late game heroics. Lansing did outhit Quad Cities 10-7 but those two errors proved costly. The 1-2 hitters, Jonathan Jones and Peter Mooney, had two of those hits apiece, while Oliver Dominguez did them one better and went 3 for 4 while stealing a base.
3 Stars!
3rd Star! Kevin Howard - 3/4, 2 2B, 2 RBI
2nd Star! Nestor Molina - 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
1st Star! Sean Nolin - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K
Richmond 5 at New Hampshire 7
The Fisher Cats squared things against their arch-rivals (maybe), the Flying Squirrels. Nestor Molina took the mound and actually walked a batter in his five innings. He did strike out 8, though that slightly lowered his K/BB ratio on the year (seriously.) Molina was on the hook for only one of the Squirrel runs, and allowed only three hits, and got twice as many outs on the ground (4) as in the air (2). Ronnie Uviedo pitched a scoreless sixth and Clint Everts a scoreless 1.2, but Evan Crawford and Bobby Korecky combined to give up the other 4 runs in only 1.1 innings. That still left the F-Cats comfortably ahead as their bats exploded for 11 hits while drawing five walks.
Kevin Howard and newly acquired Fisher Cat Colby Rasmus led the way with 3 and 2 hits, respectively, with Rasmus walking and scoring twice and Howard doubling twice and driving in two. Danny Perales also had two hits, while Anthony Gose had only one hit but made the most of it, doubling with two outs in the second to put New Hampshire ahead for good. He also walked and for good measure stole second and third. Moises Sierra was 1 for 5, while Travis d'Arnaud managed a walk in five plate appearances.
Quad Cities 4 at Lansing 2
Lansing fell about three cities short in the series opener, losing 4-2 to Quad Cities despite an impressive start from Sean Nolin. Nolin went a scoreless five, and while he did allow two hits and three walks he struck out seven. Dustin Antolin and Daniel Webb didn't fare quite as well though, giving up 1 and 3 runs respectively in the 7th and 8th. The eventual winning run scored after a one out throwing error allowed a runner to reach was followed by a home run, and the insurance run plated after a doubled scored a runner who had singled and taken second on another bad throw.
Lansing would mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, getting runners on second and third with two out, but Markus Brisker couldn't provide any late game heroics. Lansing did outhit Quad Cities 10-7 but those two errors proved costly. The 1-2 hitters, Jonathan Jones and Peter Mooney, had two of those hits apiece, while Oliver Dominguez did them one better and went 3 for 4 while stealing a base.
3 Stars!
3rd Star! Kevin Howard - 3/4, 2 2B, 2 RBI
2nd Star! Nestor Molina - 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
1st Star! Sean Nolin - 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K
