A big game for Nishioka.  Josmil Pinto stays hot.  Elizabethton opens its playoff series in Danville tonight.

ROCHESTER 10, BUFFALO 4 IN BUFFALO

Batting stars:  Tsuyoshi Nishioka was 3-for-4 with a double, driving in three.  Rene Rivera was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, and a home run, his ninth.  He also drove in three.  Clete Thomas was 2-for-4 with a walk and a double.

Pitching star:  Shairon Martis gave up two runs on six hits and three walks in six innings.  Luis Perdomo worked 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Matt Tuiasosopo was 2-for-4 with a home run.  Fred Lewis was 2-for-5 with a home run.

Key inning:  The eighth.  The Red Wings led 3-2.  Thomas led off with a double, took third on a bunt, and scored when Eduardo Escobar reached on a fielder’s choice.  Rivera then doubled to score Escobar and put Rochester ahead 5-2.

Other:  Each team doubled its score in the ninth inning.

TRENTON 7, NEW BRITAIN 4 IN TRENTON

Batting stars:  Josmil Pinto was 3-for-4 with a double.  Nathan Hanson was 2-for-4.  Deibinson Romero hit a home run, his nineteenth.

Pitching star:  Edgar Ibarra was able to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings despite giving up three hits and two walks.

Opposition stars:  Adonis Garcia was 2-for-5 with two home runs, driving in three.  David Adams was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, and a home run.  Vidal Nuno allowed one run on six hits and no walks in six innings.

Key inning:  The second.  Leading 1-0, the Thunder lived up to its name by scoring five times.  Trenton hit two homers, two doubles, two singles, and drew two walks.  Addison Maruszak drove in the first run with a homer.  Rob Segedin doubled in a run.  Garcia hit a two-run homer.  Zoilo Almonte delivered an RBI single.  The Rock Cats never really got back into the game.

BRADENTON 11, FORT MYERS 10 IN BRADENTON (GAME 1—SCHEDULED 7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Daniel Santana was 2-for-4 with a walk and a double.  Angel Morales was 1-for-3 with a walk and a grand slam, his seventh homer of the season.  He drove in five.  Steven Liddle was 1-for-3 with a home run, his third.  He drove in three.

Pitching star:  Ricky Bowen gave up three hits in 1.2 scoreless innings.

Opposition stars:  Carlos Paulino was 3-for-4 and scored three times.  Dan Grovatt was 2-for-2 with a double and a home run, driving in three.  Andy Vasquez was 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, and a triple, driving in four.

Key inning:  The fifth.  The Miracle trailed 5-4 when two walks, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly tied the score.  In the bottom of the inning, the Maruaders scored five to take the lead.  Justin Howard hit a two-run homer, Benji Gonzalez hit an RBI single.  Vasquez hit a two-run double to put Bradenton up 10-5.

Other:  Catcher Daniel “Danny” Rams had three passed balls in the fifth inning.

FORT MYERS 4, BRADENTON 2 IN BRADENTON (GAME 2—SCHEDULED 7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Daniel Ortiz was 2-for-3 with a double.  Steven Liddle hit a two-run homer, his fourth.

Pitching stars:  Pat Dean allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out five in five innings.  A. J. Achter gave up two hits and struck out two in two shutout innings.

Opposition stars:  Justin Howard was 2-for-3 with a triple.  Kirk Singer was 2-for-3.

Key inning:  The sixth.  The score was tied at two.  Lance Ray was hit by a pitch and scored on a homer by Liddle to give the Miracle a 4-2 lead.

Other:  Bradenton out-hit Fort Myers 9-6.  Daniel Santana was ejected in the fifth inning after being called out for batter’s interference.

CEDAR RAPIDS 5, BELOIT 0 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Batting star:  Jairo Rodriguez was 2-for-3.

Pitching star:  Tim Atherton pitched a scoreless inning despite two walks.

Opposition stars:  Ryan Crowley worked seven innings, allowing seven hits and a walk.  Juan Carlin struck out four in two perfect innings.  Andy Workman was 2-for-4 with a home run.

Key inning:  The first.  In a scoreless tie, the Kernels scored three times.  Zachary Borenstein hit an RBI double and scored on an error.  Zach Wright also hit an RBI double.

ELIZABETHTON 6, PRINCETON 4 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  Niko Goodrum was 2-for-4 with a walk, a double, and a triple.  Max Kepler was 2-for-5 with a home run, his tenth.  Byron Buxton was 2-for-4 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Tyler Herr struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks.  Joshua Burris struck out two and allowed one hit in two shutout innings.

Key inning:  The eighth.  The score was tied at four.  Kepler hit an RBI single to break the tie.  With Kepler on first and Byron Buxton on third, the two pulled off a double steal of second and home to score an insurance run.

Other:  This was the end of the regular season.  Elizabethton opens its best-of-three playoff series in Danville tonight.  No word on whether Phineas and Ferb will be at the game.

PENNANT RACE UPDATE

Rochester is fourth in the wild card race, five games behind Pawtucket.  A Pawtucket win and a Red Wings loss would eliminate Rochester.

New Britain is four games behind Reading for the last playoff spot.

TODAY'S TILTS

5:30  Fort Myers at Bradenton            Tom Stuifbergen v. Eliecer Navarro
6:00  Elizabethton at Danville             Jose Berrios v. TBA
6:05  New Britain at Trenton              Logan Darnell v. Mikey O'Brien
7:05  Beloit at Wisconsin                   David Hurlbut v. Chad Thompson