Record 50 - 46
W: B. Nelson (3-6, 4.62); L: D. Gassner (3-11, 5.67); SV: B. Sanches (11)
HR: OTT: G. Burnham (7), J. Thurston (3).
E: Watkins (11, fielding).
From redwingsbaseball.com/Milb.com: Gary Burnham and Joe Thurston homered as Ottawa beat visiting Rochester, 6-3, on Friday.
Burnham led off the second inning with his seventh homer and Thurston drilled a solo shot, his third, in the third. Jason Jaramillo sparked a four-run fifth with an RBI triple and Dusty Wathan and Randy Ruiz each drove in a run during the inning as the Lynx (38-57) won their second straight.
Ottawa starter Bubba Nelson (3-6) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts over six innings. Brian Sanches tossed two scoreless frames for his 11th save.
Red Wings starter Dave Gassner (3-11) surrendered six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 4 1/3 frames.
Matt Tolbert had two RBIs and Jose Morales drove in the other run for Rochester (51-46), who has lost three straight.
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Trenton 1 at New Britain 7 (7 Innings)
Record: 46 - 47
W: A. Swarzak (3-3, 3.72); L: J. Chamberlain (4-2, 3.43)
HR: NBR: G. Guzman (11), D. Winfree (7), M. Moses (3).
From rockcats.com: Two Hall of Famers, a General Manager, and one top pitching prospect for the New York Yankees may have garnered the attention before the game, but it was the Rock Cats’ bats and starting pitcher Anthony Swarzak who stole the show. The ‘Cats hit three home runs and Swarzak tossed a seven-inning complete game as the Rock Cats downed the first-place Trenton Thunder 7-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.
With Paul Molitor in town as the Minnesota Twins’ base running and infield coordinator and Reggie Jackson on the Trenton side working with the Thunder hitters, there was plenty of buzz on the field prior to the game. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman was also in attendance. Joba Chamberlain, ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees’ fourth-best prospect, later warmed up in the bullpen.
Chamberlain impressed out of the gate by striking out Brandon Roberts and Trevor Plouffe on strikeouts. He then hit a bump in the road with back-to-back home runs by Garrett Guzman and Matt Moses that put the Rock Cats in front, 2-0.
Trenton cut the deficit in half in the top of the second. Juan Miranda led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Matt Carson’s single. Cody Ehlers then grounded into a double play, which allowed Miranda to score from third.
David Winfree retaliated in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot of his own to put the Rock Cats ahead, 3-1.
In the fourth, the ‘Cats resorted to a bit of small ball. Moses drew a walk and Felix Molina and Brock Peterson reached on back-to-back singles. Matthew Allegra then delivered a two-run single to center field to widen the gap, 5-1. Allegra added another two-run single in the next inning.
Swarzak (3-3) silenced the Thunder lineup with seven impressive innings. He limited Trenton to one run on four hits. He struck out five.
Chamberlain (4-2), who was drafted by the New York Yankees with the 41st overall pick in the 2006 June draft out of the University of Nebraska, allowed seven runs on nine hits and three walks through 4 2/3 innings. He struck out seven.
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Trenton 4 at New Britain 5
Record: 47 - 47
W: J. Martinez (3-5, 3.23); L: M. Gardner (3-4, 2.39); SV: T. Lahey (7)
HR: None.
From rockcats.com: The Rock Cats took advantage of nine free passes by the Trenton pitching staff to comeback and win the nightcap of Friday’s doubleheader. The ‘Cats now have won five straight and have returned to .500.
Trenton’s Alberto Gonzalez had an RBI double and Juan Miranda’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Gonzalez for a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Noah Hall added a sac fly RBI in the third.
The Rock Cats battled back in the third, with the help from the Thunder. With two outs, Rashad Eldridge singled and Trevor Plouffe reached base on a walk. A wild pitch by Alan Horne allowed both runners to advance before he walked Garrett Guzman. Horne then unleashed another wild pitch that allowed Eldridge and Plouffe to score and close the gap, 3-2. Matt Moses followed with an RBI single that tied the game.
The ‘Cats took advantage of mistakes by Trenton again in the fourth. The Thunder dished out four free passes in the inning, including a bases loaded walk by Guzman that scored David Winfree from third. Korey Feiner also had an RBI single in the inning.
Yohan Pino made his Double-A debut for the Rock Cats. In 3 1/3 innings, he surrendered three runs on seven hits and no walks. He struck out three. J.P. Martinez, Jose Mijares, and Tim Lahey combined for 3 2/3 innings of relief with one run on three hits. Martinez (3-5) picked up the win and Lahey notched up his seventh save of the season.
Horne left the game after 2 2/3 innings with an apparent injury after allowing two hits and three runs (2 ER). He struggled with control with three walks and two wild pitches. Michael Gardner (3-4) took the loss for the Thunder.
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Toby Gardenhire swings for a double
Fort Myers 5 at Sarasota 8
Record 13 - 15
W: D. Ruzic (2-1, 3.10); L: A. Gabino (2-2, 3.38); SV: D. Lutz (14)
HR: SAR: B. Szymanski (11).
Fort Myers pitching broke down in the 7, and the Sarasota Reds scored 7 to rally past the Miracle to a 8-5 victory at Ed Smith Stadium Friday night.
B.J. Szymanski's home run scored three, and Daniel Dorns double accounted for 2 more. With 2 men out, Michael DeJesus took a walk. Eric Eymann single and Dorns double brough them both in Chris Valaika plated Dorn, then came home on a Miguel Perez single, that was given up by Eduardo Morlan, who replaced Armando Gabino on the mound. That was when Szymanski went yard. Morlan allowed 2 more singles before it ended where it started, with DeJesus, who ground out.
Tonys Gutierrez tallied on Perez's double in the sixth after getting on base on a walk.
Jay Rainville allowed that 1 run on six hits adn 3 walks while striking out 4 in 5.2 innings. Gabino went an inning, giving up 5 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk, managing only 1 strike out. Morlan lasted only for the last out in the seventh, and was charged for 2 runs on 4 hits.
The Miracle offense managed 11 hits, including 2 by Toby Gardenhire who had a pair of doubles, 3 runs and 1 walk in the game. Juan Portes was 3-f0r-5. Only Jeff Christy went without, but did get to visit a bag on a walk.
Gardenhire's double in the 3rd, followed by a Brian Dinkelman gound out and a Juan Portes single saw the Miracle on the board first.
They extended their lead in the top of the 5th with Luis Ugueto coming home on a Dinkelman single, and Gardenhire being driven in by Portes.
Everything was looking pretty rosey for the Fort Myers crew in the top of the 6th when Johnny Woodard doubled and came home on an Erik Lis single to make it 4-0, but then the wheels came off the bus.
The Miracle got 1 back in the ninth on a pair of doubles, one by Gardenhire and the other by Danny Valencia, but it was all the Miracle could manage as Woodard ground out to end the game.
The series shifts to Hammond Stadium for Saturday's game as Zach Ward (2-13, 3.36) tries to find a win against Red's southpaw Ben Jukich (3-1, 5.93).
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Staff photo by Rob Lucas
Beloit’s Steve Singleton forces out Wisconsin’s Alex Liddi in game two Thursday. The Snappers swept the twinbill.
Wisconsin at Beloit
Record 15-11
W: T. Robertson (4-2, 1.71); L: J. Souza (3-4, 4.55); SV: A. Slama (2)
HR: None.
Way to go Tyler!
E: Singleton (17, fielding), Santiesteban (9, throw).
From snappersbaseball.com: Tyler Robertson was dominant on Friday night, picking up his fourth win of the season. Robertson shut the Timber Rattlers out in seven innings and struck out a season high 10 batters in the win.
After the game remained scoreless for the first five and a half innings, the Snappers finally pushed a run across in the bottom of the six inning. Danny Santiesteban singled to left with two outs to keep the inning alive for Beloit. Wisconsin’s Justin Souza then attempted to pick Santiesteban off of first but his throw sailed past the first baseman, allowing Danny to reach third. Wilson Ramos then proceeded to drive Santiesteban home from third with a single to left field.
Two innings later the Snappers struck again. Garrett Olson led the inning off by being hit by a pitch from Timber Rattlers’ reliever Keith Renaud. After outs by Yancarlos Ortiz and Joe Benson, Danny Santiesteban came to the plate looking to add to Beloit’s lead. Garrett Olson stole second during Danny’s at-bat and was then drive home by Santiesteban. Danny hit a slow roller to second base looking like the third out of the inning, but Wisconsin second baseman, Leury Bonilla booted the ball allowing Santiesteban to reach safely. The error by Bonilla scored Olson from second and gave the Snappers a 2-0 lead heading into the ninth.
Anthony Slama came on in the top of the ninth inning and captured his second save as a Snapper. Slama allowed one hit and struck out one Timber Rattler in the save.
Starter Tyler Robertson pitched seven innings and only allowed five hits. Robertson also tied the season high for a Snappers’ pitcher with 10 strikeouts. Former Snappers’ Ace Jeff Manship also had 10 strikeouts in one game.
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* Article published Friday, July 20
Photo courtesy of the Elizabethton Star
Kingsport 0 at Elizabethton 14
Record 23 - 6
W: M. Allen (3-1, 1.75); L: J. Rodriguez (2-2, 2.63)
HR: ELI: D. Romero (5), O. Lewis (4), D. Lehmann (1).
E: Romero (3, throw).
From MiLB.com: Michael Allen tossed six one-hit innings and Daniel Lehmann drove in five runs as host Elizabethton pounded Kingsport, 14-0, on Friday.
Allen (3-1) allowed only a single in the second and three walks while striking out six to lower his ERA to 1.75. Curtis Leavitt yielded three hits and a walk while fanning three in two frames before Omar Alcala hurled a perfect ninth to complete the shutout for the Twins (23-6).
Lehmann smacked an inside-the-park grand slam, his first career homer, in the sixth and delivered an RBI single in the first. Ozzie Lewis went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, his fourth, in the eighth and Deibinson Romero also clubbed a solo shot, his fifth, in the fourth. Rene Leveret ripped a three-run double in the sixth.
Kingsport starter Jorge Rodriguez (2-2) surrendered five runs -- one earned -- on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven in five innings.
Greg Veloz, Nicholas Giarraputo, Jose Jimenez and Brandon Richey collected hits for the Mets (13-15).
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Catching up with the E-Star
Friday
GCL Pirates 4 at GCL Twins 6
Current Record: 19 - 6
Danny Rams was 4-for-4 and James Beresford 3-for-4 to help lead the GCL Twins past the Pirates, 6-4 at the Lee County Sportsplex Friday afternoon.
The Twins got on the board in the second inning when Juan Richardson singled, stole 2nd and then came home on Rams fly ball. But the Pirates worried them a bit, picking up 3 runs in the 3rd.
Winston Marquez, who has been strugging with his control the past couple of starts, walked John Fitzpatrick and then hit Daniel Bomback with a pitch. A wild pitch moved the pair, and Josue Peley singled them home. With one out, Marquez then walked Andrew Biela, prompting a pitching change to Rodney Gessmann.
Victor Alvarez greeted Gessman with a line drive that brought in Peley, but the Germany right-hander was able to induce Ronald Pena to hit into a double play to end the inning.
Caleb Fields' triple in the top of the fourth earned the Pirates another run on a Fitzpatrick single, but the Twins pitching staff shut the door and it was time for the offense to step up.
A pair of doubles, one by Angel Morales, the other by Beresford helped the Twins to a pair of runs in the 4th. Andrew Schmiesing would draw a walk in the 5th and tallied on Rames' line drive to center to tie up the score. Richardson followed him across the plate on the same play, for the go ahead run.
Schmiesing and Rams would combine again in the bottom of the 7th to give Minnesota an insurance marker.
Charles Nolte went 1.1 innings and allowed only 1 hit in relief of Gessman before Danny Rondon was brought into pick up his 7th save of the season, with 2 innings of work in which he walked 3 and struck out 2.
Marquez would be charged for 3 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4 and Gessman for 1 run on 3 hits, and 1 walk, while striking out only 1 in 3.1 innings worked.
Richardson was 2-for-4 in the game with 2 run, Rams had 4 RBIs to go with his 1 run, and Beresford picked up 2 RBIs. Morales struck out twice, but had one run to go with his double. Wang-Wei Lin was the hard luck story of the game, going 0-for-4 at the plate and striking out on all four tries.
The Twins get up early Saturday for a 10 AM start against the Reds at the Lee County Sportsplex, and then travel to the City of Palms Complex on Sunday to face the Red Sox at high noon.
Santos Arias (1-1, 3.00) is projected to make the start on Saturday for the home team.
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DSL Twins 2 at DSL Diamondbacks 3
Current Record: 19 - 20
W: B. Zepeda (5-1, 3.64); L: M. Munoz (2-3, 2.81); SV: J. Marte (12)
HR: DSL DIA: A. Diaz (1).
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VSL Phillies 10 at VSL Cubs/Twins 11
Current Record 27 - 27
W: R. Marcano (2-0, 1.98); L: K. Campo (1-4, 7.39); SV: C. Rojas (3)
HR: None.
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