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AAA: Lehigh Valley IronPigs 5, Rochester Red Wings 1
The Red Wings were finally able to get a run on the board in the top of the 9th inning, but it was much too little too late. SP Tyler Duffey was responsible for all five runs scored against the Wings, four of which came on home runs. It wasn’t an entirely bad start for the Duffster, though, as he did pitch all 8 innings for the Wings and struck out seven.
3B Leonardo Reginatto, who drove in the Wings’ only run, had an excellent game offensively, going 4-for-4 in addition to the RBI.
AA: Chattanooga Lookouts 2, Jackson Generals 1
The Lookouts got on the board quickly, with RF Edgar Corcino hitting an RBI double in the top of the 1st inning. The Generals tied it up in the bottom of the 3rd inning, when 3B Brock Hebert scored on a sacrifice fly by RF Tyler O'Neill.
The game didn’t stay tied long, as the Lookouts SS Niko Goodrum scored on a sac-fly by C Stuart Turner in the top of the 4th.
The Lookouts benefited from some strong pitching. SP Kohl Stewart went the first 6 innings of the game, allowing only three hits and one earned run. RP Randy LeBlanc then pitched the final 3 innings without giving up a hit, although he did walk two batters.
High A: Ft. Myers Miracle 7, Bradenton Marauders 3 (resumed Game)
The Miracle and the Marauders started off Saturday night by resuming a 2-1 game with Bradenton leading in the middle of the 5th inning. Luckily, the Marauders’ lead wouldn’t last. RF Joe Maloney hit a three run bomb in the bottom of the 6th inning, and the Miracle put another three runs on the board the following inning, thanks largely to an error and a wild pitch by the Marauders.
Miracle SP Dereck Rodriguez, son of Pudge, originally started the game but obviously didn’t resume pitching once the game was suspended. RP Confesor Lara started the resumed game, and gave up one run over 2 innings of work. RP Michael Theofanopoulos pitched the final 2 innings of the game, which were perfect.
High A: Bradenton Marauders 11, Ft. Myers Miracle 6
Unfortunately, the next game of the resumed game double header didn’t go as well for the Miracle, especially for SP Sam Clay. Clay struggled mightily with his command, giving up six runs in the top of the 1st inning. He made only one out before getting yanked from the game in favor of RP Logan Lombana. Lombana lasted 2.2 innings, but gave up another run. The next two Miracle pitchers, RP Cam Booser and RP Luke Westphal, both gave up two runs for a total of 11 Marauder runs—a pretty big hole for anyone to climb out of.
The Miracle offense wasn’t horrible, but without good pitching it didn’t get them anywhere. LF Daniel Kihle hit a bases clearing triple in the 6th inning for what was probably the Miracle’s biggest hit of the game, unless you count the solo shot by C A.J. Murray in the 5th inning as bigger. DH Brian Navarreto also had a strong game at the plate, going 3-for-3 with an RBI.
Low A: Clinton LumberKings 8, Cedar Rapids Kernels 5
Kernels RF J.J. Fernandez and 1B Zander Wiel both homered for the second straight game, but it wasn’t enough in this game. The LumberKings offense jumped all over SP Brady Anderson, getting 12 hits, including a triple and three doubles off the right hander. Those hits led to six earned runs, which itself would have been enough for the win. RP Williams Ramirez, however, who relieved Anderson, gave up two more runs to seal the deal.
Besides the Fernandez and Wiel dongs, LF Jaylin Davis also had a nice day at the plate. Davis went 2-for-4 with two doubles and a walk.
Rookie: Johnson City Cardinals 7, Elizabethton Twins 4
1B Lewin Diaz had a strong day offensively, hitting a solo home run in the top of the 2nd inning and an RBI double later on. Alas, Diaz’s crappy defense led to two unearned runs for RP Johan Quezada later in the game, and both SP Miguel De Jesus and RP Hector Lujan were pretty sub-optimal, so the Twins lost.