Only Vancouver made the grade Friday in their season opener against Spokane and put up the evening’s First Star. All it took was 4 RBIs and a Homer. Lansing’s Kevin Paterson also put up a pair of HRs and got 3 RBIs but came up a run short versus Great Lakes.
Las Vegas 3 Colorado Springs 4
The SkySox took advantage of 8 hits, including a pair of homers to edge the 51s for the second evening in a row at a nearly sold out Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Starter Scott Richmond (5-5) gave up all of the Colorado runs in 6.0 IP with 4 hits and 6 Ks. Jim Hoey and Jerry Gill did their things in relief, keeping the 51s in the game and the Skysox scoreless in 3 innings. Adam Lind's bat was quiet as he continued to sit out after his foul ball shin knocker that took him out of Thursday’s game.
Las Vegas runs came in the first two innings after a first inning lead-off triple from Anthony Gose (2 for 4, 3B) was plated by a Travis d’Arnaud (0 for 4, RBI) ground out. The only other scoring was a duece in the second after a single by Chris Woodward (1 for 4), breaking his struggle slump of 0 for the last 25 AB. Kevin Howard (2 for 4) singled and moved to second on a force out bunt by Jonathan Diaz (1 for 4). Adieny Hechavarria (1 for 5, 2 RBIs) then plated Howard and Diaz on a ground ball single up the middle. SkySox pitching basically shut down the 51s bats after the 2nd inning, save for a Moises Sierra (1 for 4) single in the 3rd, a Gose single in the 4th and a Diaz single in the 9th. Eric Thames (0 for 1) reached three times on BBs.
Traveling south was a tough trip for the Fisher Cats Friday as Bowie showed them the knife, despite only outhitting NH 10 to 9. Starter Joel Carreno (1-4) took the loss suffering 6 runs (5 earned) in 6.2 IP with a nice 6 Ks, but a nasty 6 hits, including 3 doubles. Three earned runs were coughed up by reliever Evan Englebrook in just .2 IP on 3 hits and 2 BB. New Hampshire pitching did settle down after an ill fated 4 run first inning, holding Bowie scoreless for five frames. Then the tie was smashed with 2 in the 7th and 3 in the 8th all unanswered by the Fisher Cats.
Justin Jackson (2 for 3, BB, 2 RBIs) put up have of the Fisher Cat runs. Kenen Baili went 3 for 4 with a run scored and Mark Sobelewski (2 for 4, HR, RBI) mashed his 11th homer, a solo gig in the 6th inning.
Dunedin (no game – Florida State League All Star Break)
Lansing brought out the long ball, but to no avail in their trip to Midland. Starter Marcus Walden (5-2) took his 2nd loss going 5 IP allowing 6 runs on 7 hits a 2 BB. He struck out 2.
Kevin Patterson (2 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBIs) led the Luggies run production with a 2 run and a solo roundtripper. Kevin Pillar (2 for 3, HR, 2B, RBI) added a home and KC Hobson (2 for 4, 2B, 2 RBIs) added the remaining scoring for Lansing.
In their opening game of the 2012 campaign, the Canadians laid the lumber to Spokane outhitting them 8 to 3. Vancouver pitching held Spokane to a single score in the 8th.
Leading the Vancouver charge was Balbino Fuenmayor (2 for 5, HR, 4 RBIs). Dan Klein went 2 for 4 with a solo HR. Another muti-hit game was turned in by Ian Parmley (2 for 3, 3R, BB).
Three Stars
Third Star Mark Sobelewski – 2 for 4, HR, RBI
Second Star Kevin Patterson – 2 for 4, 2 HR, 3 RBIs
First Star Balbino Fuenmayor – 2 for 5, HR, 4 RBIs
