The affiliates took two out of three Tuesday night. The highlights featured a great starting performance in Dunedin and a steal of home in Buffalo. The downside was the early exit of the system's top catching prospect.
Buffalo 6 Norfolk 4
Buffalo, NY — Anthony Gose and his game-changing speed created the Herd's first run against the Orioles affiliate. He reached base on catcher interference, went to third on a Jim Negrych single and then stole home. Luis Jimenez went yard again for the second straight night, belting a two-run shot in the fourth. Negrych singled home a run in the fifth and doubled home two more in the seventh to snap a 4-4 tie. If he can poop fruit salad out of his butt, he just might get a call up! Negrych had three hits and Jimenez had two. Gose had a hit and a walk. Moises Sierra doubled while Andy LaRoche and Mike Nickeas added base hits. Mike McCoy walked and stole a base. Mauro Gomez came up empty in four at-bats and Eugenio Velez was hitless in three trips to the dish.
Justin Germano struggled to last 5 2/3 innings and surrendered four runs on eight hits — including another two-run poke over the wall by Travis Ishikawa — and five walks. Lefty Juan Perez (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, walking one but striking out three. Jeremy Jeffress had a scoreless inning in his Buffalo debut, walking one and striking out one to collect the hold. Neil Wagner nailed it down in the ninth; striking out two and walking one, to get his eighth save.
New Britain 8 New Hampshire 5
Manchester, NH — Sean Nolin received a rude introduction from the Twins affiliate in his 2013 debut. The lefthander was nicked for a run in the first inning and two more in the second. Nolin got some help from Kevin Pillar — who teamed up with John Tolisano to start an 8-4 double play in the first. Nolin pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up six hits, a walk and a hit by pitch with three strikeouts. One of Nolin's three runs was unearned as shortstop Kevin Nolan threw one away. He threw 76 pitches, 49 for strikes. Chorye Spoone (1-2) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings and stranded a runner for Nolin. However, the Rock Cats scored four times in the fifth on three hits — including a homer by former Jays farmhand Mark Sobolewski — and two walks. Matt Wright soaked up the final four innings, yielding just a single run on four hits. The lefty also picked up one strikeout.
The Fisher Cats battled back from a 3-0 deficit when Pillar delivered a two-out, two run single in the second inning. An RBI double by Brad Glenn and an RBI single by Adam Loewen in the third gave New Hampshire its only lead. A Ricardo Nanita groundout plated the final run in the sixth. Glenn had two doubles and a walk. Pillar doubled as part of a two-hit night while Nolan and Clint Robinson also joined the two-hit club. Sean Ochinko reached twice with two bases on balls. Nanita had a single. Ryan Schimpf was 0-for-5 and Tolisano went 0-for-4.
Dunedin 3 Bradenton 1
Dunedin, FL — Andy Burns fired up the Dunedin offence with a two-run homer in the first inning. Peter Mooney drove in the other run with a single in the second, cashing in Marcus Knecht after he singled and stole second. Burns and Matt Newman had the multi-hit games for Dunedin but Pierce Rankin was the on-base leader with a double and two walks. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter for catcher A.J. Jimenez in the first inning. Mooney reached twice by drawing a walk. Derrick Chung also had a base hit. Jon Berti walked and stole a base. K.C. Hobson also had a base on balls. Jonathan Jones was hitless in four at-bats.
Aaron Sanchez (2-1) had an outstanding start, pitching 5 1/3 shutout frames and allowing just two hits and a walk against the Pirates affiliate. He struck out six while seven of his nine outs in play were on the grass. Scott Gracey gave up a solo homer among his three hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings while ringing up one whiff for the hold. Dustin Antolin collected a two-inning save, matching two walks with two strikeouts.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Andy Burns, Dunedin— Has 11 stolen bases and 14 extra-base hits on the season.
2. Jim Negrych, Buffalo— A six-game hitting streak and 15 extra-base hits in 2013.
1. Aaron Sanchez, Dunedin— Has struck out 34 batters in 34 2/3 innings and an ERA of 2.60.
Wednesday's Probable Starters...
New Hampshire — Marcus Walden vs. New Britain, 10:35 am ET.
Dunedin — Scott Copeland (2-0, 2.61) vs. Bradenton, 6:30 pm ET.
Lansing — Daniel Norris (0-2, 8.14) vs. Dayton, 7:00 pm ET
Buffalo — Claudio Vargas (3-1, 3.10) vs. Norfolk, 7:05 pm ET.
Buffalo 6 Norfolk 4
Buffalo, NY — Anthony Gose and his game-changing speed created the Herd's first run against the Orioles affiliate. He reached base on catcher interference, went to third on a Jim Negrych single and then stole home. Luis Jimenez went yard again for the second straight night, belting a two-run shot in the fourth. Negrych singled home a run in the fifth and doubled home two more in the seventh to snap a 4-4 tie. If he can poop fruit salad out of his butt, he just might get a call up! Negrych had three hits and Jimenez had two. Gose had a hit and a walk. Moises Sierra doubled while Andy LaRoche and Mike Nickeas added base hits. Mike McCoy walked and stole a base. Mauro Gomez came up empty in four at-bats and Eugenio Velez was hitless in three trips to the dish.Justin Germano struggled to last 5 2/3 innings and surrendered four runs on eight hits — including another two-run poke over the wall by Travis Ishikawa — and five walks. Lefty Juan Perez (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, walking one but striking out three. Jeremy Jeffress had a scoreless inning in his Buffalo debut, walking one and striking out one to collect the hold. Neil Wagner nailed it down in the ninth; striking out two and walking one, to get his eighth save.
New Britain 8 New Hampshire 5
Manchester, NH — Sean Nolin received a rude introduction from the Twins affiliate in his 2013 debut. The lefthander was nicked for a run in the first inning and two more in the second. Nolin got some help from Kevin Pillar — who teamed up with John Tolisano to start an 8-4 double play in the first. Nolin pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up six hits, a walk and a hit by pitch with three strikeouts. One of Nolin's three runs was unearned as shortstop Kevin Nolan threw one away. He threw 76 pitches, 49 for strikes. Chorye Spoone (1-2) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings and stranded a runner for Nolin. However, the Rock Cats scored four times in the fifth on three hits — including a homer by former Jays farmhand Mark Sobolewski — and two walks. Matt Wright soaked up the final four innings, yielding just a single run on four hits. The lefty also picked up one strikeout.
The Fisher Cats battled back from a 3-0 deficit when Pillar delivered a two-out, two run single in the second inning. An RBI double by Brad Glenn and an RBI single by Adam Loewen in the third gave New Hampshire its only lead. A Ricardo Nanita groundout plated the final run in the sixth. Glenn had two doubles and a walk. Pillar doubled as part of a two-hit night while Nolan and Clint Robinson also joined the two-hit club. Sean Ochinko reached twice with two bases on balls. Nanita had a single. Ryan Schimpf was 0-for-5 and Tolisano went 0-for-4.
Dunedin 3 Bradenton 1
Dunedin, FL — Andy Burns fired up the Dunedin offence with a two-run homer in the first inning. Peter Mooney drove in the other run with a single in the second, cashing in Marcus Knecht after he singled and stole second. Burns and Matt Newman had the multi-hit games for Dunedin but Pierce Rankin was the on-base leader with a double and two walks. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter for catcher A.J. Jimenez in the first inning. Mooney reached twice by drawing a walk. Derrick Chung also had a base hit. Jon Berti walked and stole a base. K.C. Hobson also had a base on balls. Jonathan Jones was hitless in four at-bats.Aaron Sanchez (2-1) had an outstanding start, pitching 5 1/3 shutout frames and allowing just two hits and a walk against the Pirates affiliate. He struck out six while seven of his nine outs in play were on the grass. Scott Gracey gave up a solo homer among his three hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings while ringing up one whiff for the hold. Dustin Antolin collected a two-inning save, matching two walks with two strikeouts.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Andy Burns, Dunedin— Has 11 stolen bases and 14 extra-base hits on the season.
2. Jim Negrych, Buffalo— A six-game hitting streak and 15 extra-base hits in 2013.
1. Aaron Sanchez, Dunedin— Has struck out 34 batters in 34 2/3 innings and an ERA of 2.60.
Wednesday's Probable Starters...
New Hampshire — Marcus Walden vs. New Britain, 10:35 am ET.
Dunedin — Scott Copeland (2-0, 2.61) vs. Bradenton, 6:30 pm ET.
Lansing — Daniel Norris (0-2, 8.14) vs. Dayton, 7:00 pm ET
Buffalo — Claudio Vargas (3-1, 3.10) vs. Norfolk, 7:05 pm ET.
