In a 2-3 day, the Lansing Lugnuts won a rain-shortened game and moved ever close to clinching an Eastern Division First-Half title.
Buffalo Bisons 7, Lehigh Valley IronPigs 8
The Buffalo Bisons lost a heartbreaker, giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth to allow the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to walk off with the win. Randy Wolf didn’t have his best start, allowing four runs on nine hits (including a two-run home run) and one walk with three strikeouts. Rob Rasmussen allowed another two runs in 1 1/3 innings while Chad Jenkins relieved Rasmussen and allowed both of the lefty’s runners to score. Colt Hynes threw an inning and Bobby Korecky took the loss but both of his runs were unearned thanks to a Matt Hague error.
Hague had another good day in the field, going 2/3 with two walks and an RBI. Josh Thole (2/3, BB, RBI, 2 R) and Luke Scott (2/5, 3B) also had two hit days while Jonathan Diaz was two for three with a home run, a walk, two RBI and two runs. Steve Tolleson was 0/5 with an RBI on his rehab stint.
Player of the Game: Jonathan Diaz
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 3, Erie SeaWolves 6
It took 13 innings but the New Hampshire Fisher Cats dropped their matinee game against the Erie SeaWolves after scoring to take the lead in the top of the 13th but the bullpen let the club down with Luis Perez taking the loss after the club lost in walk-off fashion. Joel Pineiro had a strong start, going 7 2/3 innings, allowing only one run on seven hits and two walks, getting 13 groundball outs (and five flyouts). Scott Barnes finished the eighth inning and Blake McFarland blew the save by allowing a run to score in 1 2/3 innings despite striking out three. Chad Girodo finished the 10th and Dustin Antolin pitched the 11th and got two outs in the 12th before Luis Perez put out the fire and stranded two of Antolin’s runners. Unfortunately, when Perez came back out for the 13th, he couldn’t get either of the batters he faced out and neither could Greg Burke who gave up a game-winning grand slam to Drew Longley.
Jon Berti had a tremendous game, going 3/6 with a home run and two RBI but also made an error. Dalton Pompey was 1/6 with a double and an RBI while Shane Opitz had three hits and two runs scored.
Roster Notes: Devon Travis was added to the Fisher Cats for his rehab assignment.
Player of the Game: Jon Berti
Dunedin Blue Jays 5, Palm Beach Cardinals 1
The Dunedin Blue Jays got yet another great outing from Murphy Smith as he held the Palm Beach Cardinals to just one run on two hits over five innings with six strikeouts. Brady Dragmire, Matt Dermody and Wil Browning combined for four more innings of scoreless ball, giving up just two hits along the way. Significantly, the Dunedin pitching staff did not walk a man all game.
The offense pulled its weight for a change, getting a huge game from Matt Dean, who went 3/4 with a triple, an RBI and three runs. Mitch Nay launched his fifth home run of the year, adding a single and driving in two. Only two other D-Jays notched hits including Dickie Joe Thon who was 1/4 with a double and Roemon Fields who was 1/4.
Player of the Game: Murphy Smith, Mitch Nay and Matt Dean
Lansing Lugnuts 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods 3
In a rain-shortened game, the Lansing Lugnuts took their second straight against Bowling Green by a 5-3 score. Sean Reid-Foley pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Chase Mallard picked up the win, going two more innings and allowing a run on three hits while Jose Fernandez earned the save with 2/3 of an inning, giving up three hits.
Jason “send me back to Dunedin” Leblebijian was 2/4 with two RBI while Chris “Grinder” Carlson was 2/3 with a run and a stolen base. Tim Locastro stole his 28th base of the season, was 1/3 for with a double and two RBI. Rowdy Tellez was also 2/4 with a run scored while Ryan McBroom was 1/3 with a double and a walk.
Player of the Game: Jason Leblebijian and Chris Carlson
DSL Blue Jays 8, DSL D-backs 9
The DSL Blue Jays lost in a walkoff to the DSL Diamondbacks, allowing the 9th run to score in the bottom of the 11th inning. Jose Nova allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings to start the game but just two of those runs were earned despite allowing seven hits. Tommy Henriquez was better, giving up just two hits in 2 2/3 innings while striking out three. Jairo Rosario pitched a hitless inning but walked two and struck out two. Guillermo De La Cruz was charged with the blown save, allowing three runs in his inning of work while Pedro Diaz was took the loss after loading the bases with Joel Espinal giving up a sacrifice fly that cashed the winning run.
Kevin Vicuna had two hits and three runs scored, while Francisco Rodriguez hit his fourth home run of hte season, going 1/2 with a walk and three RBI. Jean Almanzar, seeing some rare action, went 2/4 with a walk and a run.
Player of the Game: Francisco Rodriguez
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