Minor League Games of 9/7/18 (Friday)

[texasdave]

Three playoff games on tap tonight.

Pensacola is tied 1 game apiece with Biloxi. Tony Santillan goes for the Wahoos. Biloxi is countering with Sacrificial Lamb.

Daytona starts the League Championship Series tonight. Who does the smart money like as the Tortugas' starter tonight? Wennington Romero or Tommy Bergjans? The correct answer is Packy Naughton. Good luck, Packy! I am surprised that Taylor Trammell is starting in center instead of Stuart Fairchild. I have read that Fairchild is pretty solid in center.

Billings starts their playoff journey tonight against the Great Falls O'Fire. Adrian Rodriguez is being handed the starting assignment.

[texasdave]

You learn something new every day. Not only is Tommy Bergjans on the 7-day DL, but so is Wennington Romero. Left forearm strain for Romero. He was placed on the DL today.

[texasdave]

Packy Naughton hangs up a zero in the first inning as does Tony Santillan. Santillan struck out 2. Nice start to the proceedings.

[texasdave]

Packy Naughton shut down Fort Myers for 5.2 innings, until giving up a 2-run shot. Naughton is at 68 pitches so far, and is coming out to pitch the 7th.

Daytona has collected 7 singles, but have yet to dent the scoreboard. The closest they came was when Alfredo Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate.

Daytona trails 2-0 through 6.

[texasdave]

Pensacola is locked up in a 1-1 tie with Biloxi.

Tony Santillan is pitching in the 5th. He has given up a walk and a run-scoring double. He has punched out 5.

The Wahoos have just 2 hits, a single by Santillan and a run-scoring base knock by Jose Siri. They have, however, drawn 6 free passes.

[texasdave]

Fort Myers takes game one, 3-1.

Packy Naughton went 7 strong, giving up 3 runs.
Brian Hunter came out of the pen and worked a scoreless 8th.

Daytona pushed a run across in the top of the 8th, and had the bases loaded with just one out, but back-to-back Ks ended that threat.

Fairchild singled and got hit by a pitch.
Trammell walked and singled.
Hawkins singled twice.
Tyler Stephenson walked and singled.
Brantley Bell singled twice.
Alfredo Rodriguez singled, reached on a strike out, and score the lone Tortugas' tally.

[texasdave]

Pensacola and Biloxi are still knotted up at 1 as the Wahoos bat in the home half of the 7th.

Tony Santillan scintillated: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K.
Robinson Leyer recorded the final 2 outs in the top of the 7th.

TJ Friedl drew his 3rd walk of the game to lead things off in the 7th.

- - - Updated - - -

Great Falls posted a 2-spot in the top of the 2nd. Both runs were unearned. A hit by pitch, a wild pitch and an errant throw led to the 2 runs.

[texasdave]

Friedl steals 2nd base and then scampers home on a Shed Long base hit. Pensacola sticks a dorsal fin out in front 2-1.

[texasdave]

Rodriguez hit his second batter of the game in the 3rd, following back-to-back singles. He then struck out 2 straight to end the threat. 6 Ks in 3 innings for Rodriguez.

[texasdave]

Robinson Leyer walked the leadoff batter in the top of the 8th. After the runner was sacrificed to second, Jesus Reyes entered the game. He has walked the first 2 batters to face him. Bases loaded, one away.

UPDATE: A sacrifice fly has tied the game at 2. And now a double has given Biloxi a 3-2 lead.

Jesus Reyes out, Alejandro Chacin in.

[texasdave]

Chacin with the mandatory walk to the first batter he faces. Sigh. But a grounder to first ends the inning. Pensacola bats have some work to do.

[texasdave]

Chris Okey is 0-13 in the series. I am starting to think he's not gonna hit.

[Kingspoint]

Friedl has made a big jump this season.

[texasdave]

Pensacola gives the home town fans a little thrill in the bottom of the 9th, but come up just a bit short. They fall 3-2.

Santillan was brilliant.
Reyes and Chacin were off-kilter. And that was the ballgame.

Biloxi only scratched out 3 hits, but drew 5 walks.

Pensacola had 5 singles, and 9 bases on balls. Didn't matter.

TJ Friedl drew 4 walks, stole a base, scored a run and threw out a runner at home.
Shed Long singled, walked twice and drove in a run.

[texasdave]

Adrian Rodriguez was charged with 2 unearned runs in his 5.2 innings. He allowed 5 hits, walked 2 and plunked 2 more. He also struck out 9 batters.

In 5 innings, the Mustangs have managed 4 baserunners - 3 singles and a reached on error. All 4 have been erased on double plays. They have 0 LOB through 5. That is hard to do.

5-and-a-half innings have been played. Billings' pitchers have fanned 10. Great Falls is still looking for its 1st K. That is also hard to do.