Fisher Cats sweep series at New Britain

New Hampshire 13 at New Britain 6

W: B. Magee (1-10, 6.04); L: A. Swarzak (3-5, 5.63)
HR: NHM: T. Snider (11), J. Butler (10), A. Mathews (6). NBR: D. Martin (5), D. Butera (3).

The New Britain Rock Cats has a huge collection of top prospects and high round draft picks in their line up. Unfortunately, they don't play like they do. The New Hamphshire Fisher Cats jumped all over Anthony Swarzak in route a 13-6 romp at New Britain Stadium.

Jacob Butler and Brian Jeroloman took back-to-back walks off Swarzak in the top of the 2nd inning. Eric Nelson then singled to load the bags. Kyle Phillips line drive to right scored Butler. Anthony Hatch would strike out swinging and Ryan Klosterman ground into a double play that took Jeroloman out at the plate.

Scott Campbell would single and Aaron Mathews followed up with his sixth home run of the season, over the center field wall. Travis Snider and Butler then hit back-to-back singles. Jeroloman followed that up with a line drive double to center to score Snider. Nelson would sacrifice in Bulter before Phillips would fly out and Hatch would strike out to retire the side.

Klosterman and Campbell opened up the top of the 4th with back to back singles, and would advance a base each on Dustin Martin's throw. Mathews then sacrificed in Klosterman. Snider's single would drive in Campbell. Yohan Pino would be called into the game at that point, replace Swarzak, who had surrendered 8 runs on 10 hits and a pair of walks while striking out 2 in 3.1 innings worth of work. Pino would get Butler out on strikes, but Jeroloman would double off him to drive in Snider. Nelson would ground out to send the Fisher Cats on the defense.

Erik Lis would double for New Britain and following a fly out to Brock Peterson, David Winfree would single. Felix Molina then tripled to drive in the pair, and Drew Butera followed that up with his 3rd home run of the season, to give the Rock Cats 4. Following a ground out to Brian Dinkelman, Dustin Martin would make it an 8-5 game with his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot over the right field fence. Toby Gardenhire would go down on strikes to end the inning.

Both teams would catnap for a couple of innings. Nielsen then drew a walk in the top of the 7th. Phillips would double him in, but the former Miracle who is known as being one of the slowest players in professional baseball, was taken out at 3rd on the throw.

David Harang would replace Brandon Magee in the bottom of the 7th. Dinkelman, Martin and Gardenhire would all hit back to back singles which plated Dinkelman. Danny Valencia and Lis would both strike out, and Seth Overbey would come in to get Peterson to ground into a force out. The score was now 9-6 in favor of the Fishers.

Frank Mata would replace Pino for the top of the 8th, and allowed a walk to Campbell. Mathews then double him in. Travis Snider would go yard over the center field wall, his 11th of the season and Butler followed suite, for his 10th home run of the season. Jeroloman would draw a walk as did Nelson, but Phillips would fly out and Hatch ground into a double play to end New Hampshire's threat.

Martin and Gardenhire went 3-for-5 at the top of the order, Martin with a run and a run batted in, and Gardenhire with a RBI. Lis and Butera were 2-for-4 with a run each,Butera with a pair of RBIs as well. Winfree, Molina and Dinkelman all finished up 1-for-4 with a run each, Molina with a pair of RBIs as well.

The Fisher Cats sweep the series, but never fear! There's still a chance for revenge as the two teams meet tomorrow. They now switch over to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium for a 3-game set. Left-hander Ricky Romero (3-4, 6.34) will pitch for New Hampshire against New Britain right-hander Zach Ward (2-2, 2.53).

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New Britain infielder and former Miracle Luke Hughes as been selected to the 2008 All-star Futures Game. Hughes, a native of Perth, Australia, will represent the Minnesota Twins as a member of the World Team. The 10th annual Futures Game will be played on Sunday, July 13 at Yankee Stadium. The 6'0," 190-lb. Hughes has been one of the top offensive players in the Eastern League this season. He is batting .335 with 13 home runs and 34 RBI. In 47 games with the Rock Cats, Hughes has scored 41 runs and posted a .618 slugging percentage.

Scott Campbell was selected to the game for the Fisher Cats. A New Zealand native, he will represent the Blue Jays on the World Team. He is currently hitting an Eastern League-leading .353 with four home runs and 25 RBI. Campbell leads the Fisher Cats in on-base percentage (.453) and walks (42).

The game will be televised on ESPN2, and will be broadcast on XM Satellite Radio.



Rochester 4 at Louisville 1

W: P. Humber (4-6, 5.19); L: J. Fogg (0-1, 3.00); SV: C. Daigle (1)
HR: None.

Fogg wasn't the only weather putting in an appearance at Louisville Slugger Stadium Thursday as rain held the start of the contest between the Rochester Red Wings and the Louisville Bats up by 2-and-a-half hours.

Phil Humber picked up only his fourth win this season, limiting the Louisville Bats to only 5 hits and a pair of walks over 5 innings, while striking out 6. Meanwhile, this counterpart, Josh Fogg, worked all nine innings, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned on 10 hits while striking out 6.

The Red Wings jumped on Fogg early, with Tommy Watkins tripling in the first inning, then coming home on Matt Macri's ground out. The top of the 2nd would see Sergio Santos reach on a throwing error then advance to 2nd. Jason Pridie would triple him in.

In the 3rd, Garrett Jones doubled, moved to 3rd on Randy Ruiz ground out, and came in on a Santos single.

Casey Daigle would allow Andy Green a double out to center field in the bottom of the 8th. Chris Dickerson would move him to 2rd. Dickerson would then go for his 14th stolen base of the season. A throwing error by Ryan Jorgensen sent the ball into the outfield and allowed Green to come home for the only Bats run.

Randy Ruiz tripled in the top of the ninth. Alejandro Machado would come in as a pinch runner and a sac-fly by Santos would bring him home the Red Wings' fourth run.

Pridie went 4-for-4 at the plate with 1 RBI, while Denard Span was 2-for-4.

The Wings now return home to face the Pawtucket Red Sox Friday at Frontier Field. Danny Graves (3-2, 5.40) will throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM. The Pawsox will counter with Edgar Martinez (2-1, 4.22).

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Red Wings outfielder and former Miracle Denard Span was named to the U.S. Olympic Trial team, and will play in the All-Star Futures Game. Former Red Wing Davey Johnson will manage the U.S. club; Johnson will also serve as the manager of the U.S. Team at the Olympics in Beijing, China in August.

Former Red Wing/Miracle Matt Garza thew a one-hitter Thursday afternoon - a home run in the 7th inning by former Sara-Sox Hanley Ramirez - as the Tampa Bay Red Wings finished a 3-game sweep of the Florida Marlins. Garza (6-4) struck out 10 and walked one in his first complete game in 38 major league starts. He faced the minimum 18 batters through six innings on a humid afternoon in Miami.