Overall: After a surge, Carolina has lost ten of thirteen to fall back into last place in their division. The Bats treaded water, overcoming bad outings by Aroldis Chapman and Homer Bailey. The Hillcats undid a 6-1 Week 7 with a 1-6 Week 8, including back-to-back last at-bat losses to Salem. Dayton was up and down, but stayed just a game out of last place in their eight-team division.
AAA Louisville Bats
Record this week: 3-3.
Overall: 27-33, last place, 9.5 games behind Columbus (CLE).
6/3: Off.
6/4: Matt Klinker back to the hill, this time against Pawtucket (BOS). He shut the PawSox down for the first five innings as his lineup piled up a 7-0 lead. He did give up two in the sixth, but that was the only blemish on a quality start (W 1-1, 4.50, 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 95 pitches/59 strikes). Joe Krebs gave up one in the seventh (1.23, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K) and Jared Burton finished up (3.38, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR) as Louisville wrapped up an 8-4 win. CF Chris Burke (#3, 2-for-4, .239), SS Zach Cozart (#7, 2-for-5, .245) and 3B Todd Frazier (#7, but still .194) all homered. DH Luis Terrero was 3-for-5 with two runs scored (.308, RBI, steal #2). RF Wladimir Balentien was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and two stolen bases (5, .245).
6/5: Terrero’s homer, his second of the game, in the bottom of the ninth tied the Bats and PawSox at 6, but Pawtucket’s Ryan Kalish hit his first AAA homer in the top of the 13th off Federico Baez (L 1-1, 3.24) to get the bad guys the 8-6 win. Louisville got the tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the inning, but neither 1B Drew Sutton (.287, 3-for-6) nor Terrero (#7 and #8, 3 RBI, .313) could make it happen. Balentien hit homer #9 (3-for-6, .255). Starter Travis Wood pitched well (4.15, 7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 91 pitches/62 strikes). Carlos Fisher gave up two homers in a three-run PawSox eighth (BS #1, 3.72, 0.2 IP, 3 ER). Ben Jukich did excellent work over 4.1 scoreless innings (4.15, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K). Ex-Red Robert Manuel pitched three scoreless for Pawtucket to get the win (W 3-0, 1.16).
6/6: Chad Reineke was nicked for a first-inning run while Pawtucket starter Randor Bierd set down the first five Bats hitters before Terrero walked with two down in the second. (For some reason, Terrero was replaced with Mike Griffin; not sure what happened there.) The slumping Todd Frazier followed with a base hit. DH Chris Valaika singled to score Griffin, although Frazier was thrown out at third to end the inning. Still, game tied. Reineke permitted a pair of hits in the third but escaped with the help of a double-play grounder. C Chris Denove, nine for his first seventeen since coming up from Carolina, singled to start the Bats’ third. But Chris Burke grounded into a double play. Cozart doubled, but 1B Yonder Alonso’s line drive was caught in short right to end the inning. The PawSox picked up two more singles with one out off Reineke in the fourth. A third base hit followed, but Burke threw to Cozart who threw to Denove to cut down the runner at home! The Bats then got a Sutton double and Griffin single with one out. Frazier battled to a full count, then came through with a run-scoring ground single to left! Out came Bierd and in came lefty Fabio Castro; he managed to strike out Valaika and get Denove to pop out. Balentien helped end the fifth without incident when he caught a fly ball and then fired to Alonso to double a runner off first. Burke then walked to start the Louisville fifth. Cozart blooped a single to center, bringing up the struggling Alonso (2-for-18 in June). He worked the count full, then flew out to center. Balentien flew out as well. Sutton fell behind 0-2, but then slammed a double down the left field line, scoring Burke! Cozart was cut down at the plate to end the inning, but Louisville had a 3-1 advantage. (That made four outfield assists in the game so far, one reason why the two clubs had collected eighteen hits between them but only four runs.) Pawtucket’s Daniel Nava, owner of both of the PawSox assists, doubled to open the sixth. Reineke came back to whiff 1B Lars Anderson, who’d gotten hits his two previous times up against the right-hander. Four more pitches also disposed of the next Sox batter on strikes. He walked Kalish, hero of the day before, then C Dusty Brown singled- but wouldn’t you know it, Nava was thrown out trying to score from LF by Griffin! Frazier kept his line on the day perfect by poking a one-out infield hit in the sixth, but that was all the Bats could muster. Reineke threw a 1-2-3 seventh, hitting the 100-pitch mark (2.47, 10 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 100 pitches/61 strikes). On came Jared Burton for the eighth. He walked the first batter he faced after an eight-pitch battle. Nava followed… with a two-run homer to tie the game. Sigh. He did managed to get the next three out in order, but the damage was done. Anyway, Balentien led off the eighth with a walk and advanced to second on Sutton’s sacrifice bunt. Griffin poked a single to right, but Balentien was held at third. Griffin swiped second on the first pitch to Frazier, causing Pawtucket to elect to pass him intentionally in favor of facing Chris Valaika. (Walk the .208 hitter to get to the .300 hitter? Interesting.) Valaika fell behind 0-2, then struck out swinging. This left it up to Denove. He worked the count to 1-1, then took a Rudy! This forced in Balentien and gave the Bats the 4-3 lead! Burke whiffed to end the inning, but now it fell on the struggling Jon Adkins to get three outs. Could he do it? (The last time he tried, he blew the save and lost the W for Aroldis Chapman.) He was to face the 7-8-9 hitters in Pawtucket’s lineup, none of them big-league veterans. He started well enough by getting Dusty Brown to pop up to Frazier at third. The next man, Jorge Jimenez, hacked at the second pitch he saw and also popped up to Frazier! Only RF Bubba Bell stood between Adkins and a save. Ball one came in high. Ball two, same spot. Bell swung at pitch three, inside- and sent a harmless grounder to Sutton at second. Throw to first, and Louisville claimed the 4-3 win. That was Adkins’ sixth save of the season; he’s within four of the Louisville club record. Burton got the undeserved win (1-0, 5.00, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR). Frazier again exited the interstate (.208) and Sutton, Griffin, and Cozart had a pair of hits (.294, .300, and .243, respectively).
6/7: Well, if you thought Aroldis Chapman was back on the horse for good after following a three-plus inning, eight-earned start last month with three consecutive strong outings (2 ER/17.2 IP), think again. He lasted just two innings and 72 pitches against Pawtucket, walking six and throwing just 33 strikes. To wit:
Pawtucket Top 1st
-Niuman Romero singles on a ground ball to center fielder Chris Burke.
-Angel Sanchez grounds into a force out, first baseman Yonder Alonso to shortstop Zack Cozart. Niuman Romero out at 2nd. Angel Sanchez to 1st.
-With Daniel Nava batting, Angel Sanchez steals (2) 2nd base.
-Daniel Nava singles on a ground ball to left fielder Drew Sutton. Angel Sanchez scores.
-Lars Anderson grounds into a force out, shortstop Zack Cozart to second baseman Chris Valaika. Daniel Nava out at 2nd. Lars Anderson to 1st.
-Aaron Bates singles on a ground ball to shortstop Zack Cozart. Lars Anderson to 2nd.
-With Ryan Kalish batting, wild pitch by Aroldis Chapman, Lars Anderson to 3rd. Aaron Bates to 2nd.
-With Ryan Kalish batting, wild pitch by Aroldis Chapman, Lars Anderson scores. Aaron Bates to 3rd.
-Ryan Kalish called out on strikes.
Pawtucket Top 2nd
-Dusty Brown walks.
-Coaching visit to mound.
-Tug Hulett homers (4) on a fly ball to right field. Dusty Brown scores.
-Gil Velazquez flies out to center fielder Chris Burke.
-Niuman Romero walks.
-Angel Sanchez flies into double play, right fielder Michael Griffin to first baseman Yonder Alonso. Niuman Romero doubled off 1st.
Pawtucket Top 3rd
-Daniel Nava walks.
-Lars Anderson walks. Daniel Nava to 2nd.
-Coaching visit to mound.
-Aaron Bates doubles (9) on a fly ball to right fielder Michael Griffin. Daniel Nava scores. Lars Anderson to 3rd.
-Ryan Kalish singles on a ground ball to right fielder Michael Griffin, deflected by first baseman Yonder Alonso. Lars Anderson scores. Aaron Bates to 3rd.
-With Dusty Brown batting, Ryan Kalish steals (1) 2nd base.
-Dusty Brown walks.
-Tug Hulett walks. Aaron Bates scores. Ryan Kalish to 3rd. Dusty Brown to 2nd.
-Pitcher Change: Jesus Delgado replaces Aroldis Chapman.
-Coaching visit to mound.
-Gil Velazquez called out on strikes.
-Niuman Romero strikes out swinging.
-Angel Sanchez strikes out swinging.
Jesus Delgado came on to bail Chapman out (L 5-3, 4.45, 2 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 6 BB, 1 K, 2 WP, 1 HR) with four scoreless innings (2.97, 3 H, 5 K) and Baez (3.00, 2 IP, 3 BB) and Joe Krebs (1.08, 1 IP, 3 K) followed with scoreless ball as well, but Louisville couldn’t get the bats going and fell, 7-2. Valaika finished 3-for-4 with a double (.306) and C Wilkin Castillo and Frazier each had a pair of hits (.265 and .215, respectively). Alonso is still hitting just .228/.284/.347, but did hit his second homer- off ex-Red Ramon Ramirez.
6/8: Rehabbin’ Homer Bailey to the mound to throw about 80 pitches. Normally this would be good for five, maybe six innings- but Syracuse (WAS) belted him for four runs in the second and another in the fourth. It might have been more than five runs (4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 87 pitches/52 strikes) if Ben Jukich hadn’t come on to strand some runners (Denove also threw out a man stealing). Down five, the Bats fired back for four in the fifth and two more in the sixth- three of those came on Cozart’s eighth homer of the season. Castillo and Frazier had run-scoring hits in the sixth. Carlos Fisher recovered the satellites by retiring six straight (3.09, 2 K) but Jared Burton again struggled- with two outs and nobody on, he walked a man and then served up a two-run bomb to the Skychiefs’ Pete Orr, an ex-big leaguer who’s never hit more than ten homers in a professional season. This gave Syracuse the 7-6 lead. Valaika led off the ninth with a base hit, but Denove grounded into a double play. Mike Griffin followed with a double, but Sutton struck out to end the game. Burton, who’s needed at the big-league level, saw his ERA rise to 6.30 (L 1-1, BS #2, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K).
6/9: Some good news for the Reds’ starting pitching depth, as Matt Maloney rebounded from a beating his last time out to baffle Syracuse on five hits and two unearned runs over 7.1 innings (W 5-3, 3.10, 2 BB, 6 K, 101 pitches/69 strikes). Three double plays helped Maloney even as Todd Frazier’s error opened the door for the two runs the Skychiefs got off Maloney and Jon Adkins (save #7, 6.65, 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 K) in the eighth. But the Bats held on- thanks to Adkins pulling it together after letting in one of Maloney’s inherited runners- and took it 3-2. Sutton was 2-for-4 with a RBI, walk, and run scored (.291), Frazier continued to raise his batting average (.223, 2-for-4, RBI) and Cozart added a single, double, and run scored (.247).
Transactions and Notes: According to the Bats website, INF Drew Sutton is working on a 26-game on-base streak, longest in the International League.
AA Carolina Mudcats
Record this week: 1-5.
Overall: 25-34, last place, 11 back of Tennessee (CHC).
6/3: Carolina came roaring out of the blocks following a rain delay in the fourth inning with the score still 0-0, scoring three in the fifth and then holding on to beat Jacksonville (FLA), 3-1. Phenom Mike Stanton did get a RBI single off Ruben Medina in the eighth, but that was it for his production. Tom Cochran worked the first three innings (2.94, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) but yielded to Lee Tabor following the delay. Tabor went three strong (W 1-0, 3.29, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 K) to grab the win. Jordan Smith (5.79, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) induced a game-ending double play with the tying run at the dish to secure save #9. Again 2B Jake Kahauleilo proved pivotal in the offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and RBI from the #3 spot despite being possibly the least-imposing three-hole hitter imaginable. A 20th-round draft pick out of Oral Roberts with just five career homers in two seasons prior to 2010, Kahauleilo is hitting .287/.358/.471 this season with six bombs. CF Dave Sappelt smacked three singles, stole bag #11, and scored a run from the leadoff slot to raise his AA line to .351/.383/.505. C Devin Mesoraco, who hit homers in each of his first two Southern League starts, went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch to fall to .154.
6/4: Ugly, ugly outing for Matt Fairel- Jacksonville hit five homers off him in five innings (L 0-2, 9.00, 12 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 4 K). The Suns scorched the Mudcats 13-4. Sappelt was 3-for-4 again, including his third homer (.365).
6/5: Chattanooga (LAD) blasted Jeremy Horst (L 1-1, 2.93, 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) for three in the sixth to snap a 4-4 tie and take the decisive lead, 7-4. Carolina squandered a bases-loaded, no-out opportunity in the sixth as well as two on and two out in the seventh. Starter Travis Webb fanned nine in five innings (4.66, 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 HR). Carolina got 13 hits (but also stranded 13), with Sappelt (.367), LF Sean Henry (.308, R, RBI), RF Denis Phipps (.245, RBI) and 1B Eric Eymann (.261) each had a pair.
6/6: C Brandon Yarbrough singled in Sean Danielson and Jake Kahauleilo in the first inning, but the Lookouts beat on Alex Smit for four runs in the second to grab the two-run advantage. Kahauleilo led off the third with a ground-rule double and scored on 1B Mike Costanzo’s single to cut that to 4-3. Henry followed that with a single, but Yarbrough popped out and Costanzo was picked off to end the inning. Smit got hit again in the fourth, when a three-run double made it 7-3 Lookouts (L 1-5, 9.14, 3.2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER) and brought on Daryl Harang. Yarbrough hit his second homer to cut it to 7-4 in the sixth. But the Lookouts put that run back on in the bottom of the inning, just before a rain delay stopped play. Jerry Gil came on for Harang (5.96, 1.2 IP, 1 ER) with a man on third and one out and got a foul popup, but then his control problems cropped up- a wild pitch brought in the run before he escaped the frame. Kahauleilo walked with one out in the seventh and Sappelt followed with a single. Costanzo then stepped up and golfed a three-run homer (#2) to make it 9-7! Gil gave up another run in the bottom of 7 on a two-out single by Chattanooga’s Dee Gordon (5.17, 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB). Devin Mesoraco managed a pinch-hit single for the Mudcats in the eighth, but they could get no further. Phil Valiquette pitched a 1-2-3 eighth with a pair of strikeouts (4.26), bringing Carolina to their final opportunity. Kahauleilo flew out, but Sappelt singled. Costanzo followed with a walk, but Henry flied out. A wild pitch moved both runners up and Yarbrough drew a free pass, bringing Eric Eymann to the dish. On came the Lookouts’ closer, righty Jon Huber. Eymann got ahead in the count 3-0- but Huber came back to get a called third strike and end the game at 10-7. Costanzo finished 3-for-4 with four RBI (.295) and Yarbrough drove in the other three with a 2-for-4 afternoon (.298). Kahaulelio was 2-for-4 with three runs scored (.285, BB).
6/7: Back-to-back impressive starts for Scott Carroll (L 1-2, 0.76, 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 93 pitches/59 strikes) but he doesn’t get the win this time- Carolina got just four hits and fell 3-0 to the Lookouts. Kahauleilo had two of those hits (.289).
6/8: Carolina led this game for seven innings, but Chattanooga tied the score in the eighth at 2 off Jordan Smith (5.68, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, BS #3). Smith, normally the closer, had come in for Tom Cochran (another excellent outing- 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2.75) an inning early. He did manage a scoreless ninth, and on to extras we went. The Mudcats threatened in the 11th when Costanzo doubled with one out. Henry walked. Yarbrough grounded out, but both runners moved up. Denis Phipps stepped in- but flied out to end the inning. Finally, the Lookouts broke through on Jeremy Horst (L 1-2, 2.55, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) in the 12th. The first two men up singled (the second on a bunt), bringing up 3B Ramon Nivar. Nivar grounded to Kahauleilo at second, who flipped to Negron at short- but Costanzo mishandled Kris’ throw at first and the winning run scored.
6/9: Rain delayed this day game a bit, but as soon as it got going the Mudcats immediately jumped on the board. Negron led off the game with a double and scored on Sappelt’s double an out later. (Negron has struggled badly as of late, going 5-for-39 in the ten previous.) Henry and Eymann grounded out to end the inning. Starter Matt Fairel is trying to get his mojo back after a brutal second AA start- he gave up a single to the first Lookouts batter but immediately picked him off. Later a guy got a bunt single but otherwise the lefty finished the inning with a pair of strikeouts looking. Rain delayed the game again in the top of the second. That turned into a postponement.
Transactions and Notes: 6/8: LHS Alex Smit has decided to retire and return to his home country of the Netherlands.
High-A Lynchburg Hillcats
Record this week: 1-6.
Overall: 25-35, last place, 11 behind Frederick (BAL).
6/3: Frederick (BAL) RF Jake Julius hit a three-run homer off Sean Watson (L 1-2, 3.38, 2 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) in the seventh to push the Keys past the Hillcats, 7-4. Starter Curtis Partch lasted five (3.91, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 HR). Donnie Joseph worked a 1-2-3 eighth with a strikeout (still 0.00). SS Miguel Rojas hit his first High-A homer (.219) and LF-RF Cody Puckett homered #7) and drove in two (2-for-5, 2 R, 2B, .279). CF Efrain Contreras was 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored, and steal #2 from the bottom of the lineup (.250).
6/4: Three Frederick pitchers stymied Lynchburg on six hits as the Keys took it, 5-1. Brad Boxberger started and lost, although he did pitch better (L 3-5, 3.47, 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K). 3B Alex Buchholz hit homer #3 for the lone Hillcats run.
6/5: The Keys make it three straight, taking the game by the same score as the day before as Lynchburg committed five errors (three by 2B Cody Puckett). Mark Serrano started and lost (L 2-3, 3.57, 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR). Bill Bray began his official game rehab with a scoreless sixth inning (1 BB, 1 K).
6/6: 1B Neftali Soto doubled in two in the top of the first, but James Avery gave up a two-run homer to Frederick’s Joseph Mahoney to even things up. RF Josh Fellhauer got Kevyn Feiner home with a grounder to give the Hillcats the advantage the next inning. The Keys soon re-tied things in the third, but Contreras slammed a two-run homer (#2) to make it 5-3 Lynchburg. Watson came on but couldn’t get through an inning; Joseph was summoned to strike a man out and strand two. 5-4 Hillcats after six. Joseph then worked a scoreless seventh as well, but the Keys surprisingly took the lead in the eighth with a pair of runs (L 0-1, 2.70, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). Lynchburg mustered only a single in the ninth, and so the Keys sweep the series. 1B Carlos Mendez was 3-for-4 with a run scored (.297) and Contreras 2-for-4 with the aforementioned bomb (.260).
6/7: Salem (BOS) steals one with three in the ninth, 5-4. Three singles, a fielder’s choice/throwing error on Buchholz at third, and a game-winning RBI double stuck Justin Freeman (L 1-2, 4.85, BS #3, 1.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) with the defeat. Bill Bray was even better in his second rehab stint (2 IP, 4 K). Starter Jordan Hotchkiss lasted five solid (1.80, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K). Buchholz did go 2-for-3 with a homer (#4, .279) and SS Miguel Rojas chipped in two hits, a RBI, and a walk (.225). CF Josh Fellhauer was 0-for-3 with a walk and a pair of strikeouts; he is now 4-for-39 (.105) over his last ten.
6/8: Oh, man. Again. Lynchburg led the whole way, but Salem got two in the ninth off the normally-reliable Nick Christiani (1.31, BS #1, 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER) to tie the game at 5 and send us to extras. Light-hitting utilityman Kevyn Feiner golfed a solo homer in the top of the 11th to make it 6-5, so Drew Bowman came on to try and earn the save.
Salem Bottom 11th
-Pitcher Change: Andrew Bowman replaces Jeff Jeffords.
-Mitch Dening singles on a fly ball to right fielder Cody Puckett.
-Peter Hissey singles on a fly ball to center fielder Josh Fellhauer. Mitch Dening to 2nd.
-Luis Segovia pops out to first baseman Neftali Soto in foul territory.
-With Oscar Tejeda batting, wild pitch by Andrew Bowman, Mitch Dening scores. Peter Hissey to 3rd. Throwing error by catcher Kevin Coddington.
-Andrew Bowman intentionally walks Oscar Tejeda.
-Andrew Bowman intentionally walks Will Middlebrooks. Oscar Tejeda to 2nd.
-Jorge Padron flies out to left fielder Kevyn Feiner.
-Tim Federowicz hits a grand slam (3) to left field. Peter Hissey scores. Oscar Tejeda scores. Will Middlebrooks scores.
Back-to-back last-half losses for the Hillcats. Bowman, who started the season well, saw his ERA jump to 6.60 (L 1-3, 0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 HR). Starter Curt Partch lasted 5.2 (3.83, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and Sean Watson followed him by setting down four straight, three by punchout (2.84). Rojas had a great game from the nine-hole, going 3-for-3 with a sacrifice and walk (.238). Lynchburg did make four errors, two by the catcher Coddington. Fellhauer did break out of his recent slump a bit, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and one batted in (.270). Soto hit his eighth homer in the eighth.
6/9: Brad Boxberger had his longest pro outing to date (W 4-5, 3.20, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) and Donnie Joseph bailed out a struggling Sean Watson by leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, then knifing through the ninth (save #1, 2.16, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) to cap a 6-2 Hillcats win. Again Alex Buchholz homered, a two-run shot in the first (#5, 2-for-3, 2 R, BB, .279). Rojas added a single, double, and run scored (.243). Puckett, playing right field while Buchholz was at second, was 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and two stolen bases (7).
Low-A Dayton Dragons
Record this week: 3-3.
Overall: 24-35, seventh place, 15 games behind Lake County (CLE).
6/3: Kane County (OAK) took advantage of starter Josh Ravin’s wildness (L 2-6, 4.80, 2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, 1 HR) to build a 9-0 lead and eventual 9-3 win. Ezequiel Infante threw three innings of one-hit relief, albeit with four more walks (2.79, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K). Mike Konstanty pitched two scoreless in mop-up duty (0.00, 1 H, 2 K). LF Cameron Satterwhite was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored, and RBI (.317) while 1B Chris Richburg hit homer #6 (.240).
6/4: Clinton (SEA) tied the score at 6 with four runs in the top of the ninth off Ricky Bowen (7.71, 2.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER) and Jason Braun (W 1-0, 2.25, BS #1, 0.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 HR) but Satterwhite singled in 2B Henry Rodriguez for the winning run in the bottom of the inning! Rodriguez finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored (.267, steal #7). Richburg slammed homer #7 and drove in three runs (.245). 1B Tommy Nurre was 3-for-4 with a RBI (.268) and C Mark Fleury hit homer #4 (.203).
6/5: Rodriguez hit a two-run homer (#6, 2-for-4, .271) to highlight a four-run fifth as Dayton beat the LumberKings again, 7-5. Fleury and Richburg each finished 2-for-4 with a double and run scored (.212 and .252, respectively). Jake Johnson gave up just three hits in five innings for the win (2-4, 5.13, 5 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K). Blair Carson bounced back strong with three scoreless (1.61, 1 H, 2 K) and Chase Ware finished up for the save (#3, 1.52, 1 IP, 2 H, 3 K).
6/6: Dayton built an early 2-0 lead, but a Clinton four-spot in the fifth off Pedro Villareal (L 3-4, 3.59, 5 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) but Dayton could only get one run in the final four innings despite having men in scoring position in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. LumberKings hang on, 4-3. Tim Crabbe, recalled from Billings to replace the DL’ed Doug Salinas, fired four innings of two-hit shutout ball (3.12, 5 K). Rodriguez did not make an out the entire day (3-for-3, 2B, 3B, R, RBI, BB, .281). Richburg had three hits and a RBI (.263) and Gregorius two hits and two runs scored (.274).
6/7: Off.
6/8: Nice solid win for the Dragons, as they beat Beloit (MIN), 5-2. Ricky Bowen, getting his first start of the season, fired five innings of two-hit shutout ball and whiffed six. Bowen, a 43rd-round draft pick last year, is the kind of guy who has to take advantage of every opportunity he gets- cause he hasn’t had and won’t get many. Junior Martinez gave up a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, but picked up the win when Dayton broke the tie in the seventh (W 1-0, 4.30, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K). Jason Braun turned in a 1-2-3 seventh and Chase Ware took care of the final two for save #4 (1.45, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K). Gregorius was 3-for-5 with a triple, run scored, and two RBI (.281) and Garton had a single, triple, and RBI (.288).
6/9: The Hammerheads blew up the Dragons bullpen for six runs between the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to come from behind and win it, 8-4. Mike Konstanty (L 0-2, 3.00, 1.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER) took the defeat and Ezequiel Infante (3.16, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER) let in some insurance runs. Starter JC Sulbaran struggled with his control and left after four (4.94, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 2 HB). Satterwhite entered for an injured Andrew Means early on and ended up 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored (.323, RBI).
Transactions and Notes: 6/5: RHR Doug Salinas placed on the DL; RHP Tim Crabbe added from Billings.
Neat moment for RHR Chase Ware, getting engaged in the middle of a Dragons/Cougars game at Fifth Third Field last week.
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Originally Posted by Doc. Scott
