Tuesday night saw the affiliates split four games with the two losses being of the one-run variety. One streak ended and another continued for the Bisons and another affiliate fell back below the .500 mark.
Gwinnett 3 Buffalo 2
Lawrenceville, GA - Liam Hendriks turned in another stellar start for the Herd. An unearned run as the result of Jared Goedert's error at third was the only blemish in his seven-inning start. He scattered seven hits with zero walks and three strikeouts. Of his 13 outs in play, 10 were on the ground. Lefty Rob Rasmussen (0-1) coughed up the lead in the eighth, surrendering two runs in one-third of an inning on two hits and a walk while striking out one. Ryan Tepera could only strand one of Rasmussen's two runners in 0.2 innings by giving up a hit and a walk but got both of his outs via the strikeout.
The Bisons overcame a 1-0 deficit with RBI singles by Goedert and Ryan Goins in the fifth and sixth innings. Goedert and Goins had two hits apiece. Kevin Pillar singled to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. Matt Tuiasosopo doubled, Dan Johnson singled while Anthony Gose and Ryan Schimpf walked. The Bisons win streak ends at seven.
New Hampshire 6 Binghamton 4
Manchester, NH - Lefthander Matt Boyd threw 90 pitches in this one but that only got him as far as one out into the fourth inning. The Mets scored three times against the lefty on nine hits, including a two-run homer, and he plunked a hitter. On the positive side, his K-BB and GO-AO ratios were 7-0 and 2-0 respectively. Southpaw Richard Bleier (2-3) rescued Boyd by stranding two runners and he served up just a solo dinger in 3.2 frames. Scott Gracey allowed a hit and a walk but struck out three hitters over two frames for his second save.
The Fisher Cats fought back from a 3-0 deficit on a two-run double by Andy Burns in the third. Burns put them ahead with a sac fly in the fifth after a Jon Berti double tied the game. Back-to-back doubles by Mike McDade and Mike Crouse in the sixth gave the Fishers the lead for good. A Berti sac fly in the seventh gave New Hampshire an insurance run. McDade and Andy Fermin had two-hit performances while Jonathan Jones singled and walked. A.J. Jimenez and Brad Glenn wore the collar by going a combined 0-for-8.
Dunedin 10 Tampa 2
Dunedin, FL - The D-Jays took awhile to get the bats going in this morning match-up against the Yankees. Dunedin trailed 2-0 until Kevin Patterson, pinch-hitting for Adam Lind, belted a home run to lead off the sixth inning. In the seventh, Dunedin put up a nine-spot with Christian Lopes putting the home side ahead for good with a two-run single. The slaughter continued with RBI singles from Jorge Flores, Dalton Pompey and Matt Newman. An error and an Emilio Guerrero sacrifice fly produced two more runs before Lopes picked up his second two-run single of the inning. Newman had two hits and two walks for a perfect day at the dish. Lopes and Flores had two hits apiece. Mike Reeves singled and walked and K.C. Hobson walked twice. Dwight Smith Jr. was 0-for-5. Lind was 0-for-2 with a strikeout.
Things did not go smoothly for Kendall Graveman in the first inning. The Yankees started the game with three singles and the first of two errors by Guerrero at third saw two runs cross the plate. Graveman recovered to mow down the next 13 hitters in a row before Guerrero's second error. He threw a four-hitter over six frames, striking out six and walking nobody. Of his 12 outs in play, seven did not escape the diamond. Kramer Champlin (2-1) pitched the next two innings, giving up just a hit and a walk. Justin Jackson finished up a perfect ninth with a strikeout. The Lugnuts are one game below the .500 mark.
Fort Wayne 1 Lansing 0
Lansing, MI - Shane Dawson (0-1) made his first start of the season and second appearance for the Lugnuts in another morning game. The Alberta lefty pitched four frames of one-run, two-hit ball against the Padres affiliate, walking one and striking out four. He divided his six outs in play evenly on the ground and in the air. Alberto Tirado had an interesting outing, pitching three shutout frames of two-hit ball. He struck out four but walked four. The Dominican loaded up the bases on a triple and two walks in the sixth inning before rebounding to strike out the side swinging. Lefty Brady Dragmire entered the game in the eighth and gave up a hit an inning over the last two frames but struck out one to keep the Wizards off the board.
The Lugnuts best chances to score were a wasted two-out triple by Derrick Loveless in the second inning and a two-out, bases loaded rally in the seventh that ended on a D.J. Davis strikeout. They tried again in the ninth when Jorge Saez drew a two-out walk and pinch-runner Carlos Ramirez stole second but Dickie Thon Jr.'s sharp grounder was handled by the pitcher to end the game. Saez had two hits and a stolen base to go along with his base on balls. Matt Dean, Mitch Nay and Dawel Lugo also made a dent in the hit column with Nay swiping a base.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Matt Newman, Dunedin - His OBP is .452, 21 points higher than his slugging percentage.
2. Kendall Graveman, Dunedin - A 9-1 K-BB total in 10 innings since joining Dunedin.
1. Liam Hendriks, Buffalo - Dropped his ERA to 1.01 and has a 29-1 K-BB ratio in 35.2 innings.
Linescores
Wednesday's Schedule & Probable Starters...
Binghamton @ New Hampshire, 10:35 am ET - RHP Casey Lawrence (2-2, 2.75).
Clearwater @ Dunedin, 6:30 pm ET - RHP Taylor Cole (2-0, 2.36).
Buffalo @ Gwinnett, 6:35 pm ET - TBA.
Fort Wayne @ Lansing, 7:05 pm ET - LHP Matt Dermody (0-0, 4.50).
Extra Innings...
Gwinnett 3 Buffalo 2
Lawrenceville, GA - Liam Hendriks turned in another stellar start for the Herd. An unearned run as the result of Jared Goedert's error at third was the only blemish in his seven-inning start. He scattered seven hits with zero walks and three strikeouts. Of his 13 outs in play, 10 were on the ground. Lefty Rob Rasmussen (0-1) coughed up the lead in the eighth, surrendering two runs in one-third of an inning on two hits and a walk while striking out one. Ryan Tepera could only strand one of Rasmussen's two runners in 0.2 innings by giving up a hit and a walk but got both of his outs via the strikeout.
The Bisons overcame a 1-0 deficit with RBI singles by Goedert and Ryan Goins in the fifth and sixth innings. Goedert and Goins had two hits apiece. Kevin Pillar singled to extend his hitting streak to 18 games. Matt Tuiasosopo doubled, Dan Johnson singled while Anthony Gose and Ryan Schimpf walked. The Bisons win streak ends at seven.
New Hampshire 6 Binghamton 4
Manchester, NH - Lefthander Matt Boyd threw 90 pitches in this one but that only got him as far as one out into the fourth inning. The Mets scored three times against the lefty on nine hits, including a two-run homer, and he plunked a hitter. On the positive side, his K-BB and GO-AO ratios were 7-0 and 2-0 respectively. Southpaw Richard Bleier (2-3) rescued Boyd by stranding two runners and he served up just a solo dinger in 3.2 frames. Scott Gracey allowed a hit and a walk but struck out three hitters over two frames for his second save.The Fisher Cats fought back from a 3-0 deficit on a two-run double by Andy Burns in the third. Burns put them ahead with a sac fly in the fifth after a Jon Berti double tied the game. Back-to-back doubles by Mike McDade and Mike Crouse in the sixth gave the Fishers the lead for good. A Berti sac fly in the seventh gave New Hampshire an insurance run. McDade and Andy Fermin had two-hit performances while Jonathan Jones singled and walked. A.J. Jimenez and Brad Glenn wore the collar by going a combined 0-for-8.
Dunedin 10 Tampa 2
Dunedin, FL - The D-Jays took awhile to get the bats going in this morning match-up against the Yankees. Dunedin trailed 2-0 until Kevin Patterson, pinch-hitting for Adam Lind, belted a home run to lead off the sixth inning. In the seventh, Dunedin put up a nine-spot with Christian Lopes putting the home side ahead for good with a two-run single. The slaughter continued with RBI singles from Jorge Flores, Dalton Pompey and Matt Newman. An error and an Emilio Guerrero sacrifice fly produced two more runs before Lopes picked up his second two-run single of the inning. Newman had two hits and two walks for a perfect day at the dish. Lopes and Flores had two hits apiece. Mike Reeves singled and walked and K.C. Hobson walked twice. Dwight Smith Jr. was 0-for-5. Lind was 0-for-2 with a strikeout.Things did not go smoothly for Kendall Graveman in the first inning. The Yankees started the game with three singles and the first of two errors by Guerrero at third saw two runs cross the plate. Graveman recovered to mow down the next 13 hitters in a row before Guerrero's second error. He threw a four-hitter over six frames, striking out six and walking nobody. Of his 12 outs in play, seven did not escape the diamond. Kramer Champlin (2-1) pitched the next two innings, giving up just a hit and a walk. Justin Jackson finished up a perfect ninth with a strikeout. The Lugnuts are one game below the .500 mark.
Fort Wayne 1 Lansing 0
Lansing, MI - Shane Dawson (0-1) made his first start of the season and second appearance for the Lugnuts in another morning game. The Alberta lefty pitched four frames of one-run, two-hit ball against the Padres affiliate, walking one and striking out four. He divided his six outs in play evenly on the ground and in the air. Alberto Tirado had an interesting outing, pitching three shutout frames of two-hit ball. He struck out four but walked four. The Dominican loaded up the bases on a triple and two walks in the sixth inning before rebounding to strike out the side swinging. Lefty Brady Dragmire entered the game in the eighth and gave up a hit an inning over the last two frames but struck out one to keep the Wizards off the board.
The Lugnuts best chances to score were a wasted two-out triple by Derrick Loveless in the second inning and a two-out, bases loaded rally in the seventh that ended on a D.J. Davis strikeout. They tried again in the ninth when Jorge Saez drew a two-out walk and pinch-runner Carlos Ramirez stole second but Dickie Thon Jr.'s sharp grounder was handled by the pitcher to end the game. Saez had two hits and a stolen base to go along with his base on balls. Matt Dean, Mitch Nay and Dawel Lugo also made a dent in the hit column with Nay swiping a base.
*** 3 Stars!!! ***
3. Matt Newman, Dunedin - His OBP is .452, 21 points higher than his slugging percentage.
2. Kendall Graveman, Dunedin - A 9-1 K-BB total in 10 innings since joining Dunedin.
1. Liam Hendriks, Buffalo - Dropped his ERA to 1.01 and has a 29-1 K-BB ratio in 35.2 innings.
Linescores
Wednesday's Schedule & Probable Starters...
Binghamton @ New Hampshire, 10:35 am ET - RHP Casey Lawrence (2-2, 2.75).
Clearwater @ Dunedin, 6:30 pm ET - RHP Taylor Cole (2-0, 2.36).
Buffalo @ Gwinnett, 6:35 pm ET - TBA.
Fort Wayne @ Lansing, 7:05 pm ET - LHP Matt Dermody (0-0, 4.50).
Extra Innings...
- The Toronto Observer has a story on Lansing's L.B. Dantzler.
- Sports On Earth has a feature on Jeremy Barfield, son of former Blue Jay Jesse Barfield.
- Yorkton This Week would like to see the return of a professional baseball league in Canada.
