As we start trying to get caught up: An awesome start by Chih-Wei Hu! Byron Buxton was grand! John Curtiss pitched well until he didn't.
ROCHESTER 4, DURHAM 3 IN ROCHESTER (GAME 1)
Batting stars: Brock Peterson was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his fifth. James Beresford was 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Danny Ortiz was 2-for-4 with a run.
Pitching stars: Chih-Wei Hu struck out six in six innings, giving up one run on two hits and four walks. Caleb Thielbar pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk.
Opposition stars: Hak-Ju Lee was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, and a walk. Alexi Casilla was 1-for-3 with a double and two walks, scoring once. Jim Miller struck out two in 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up only a walk.
The game: Beresford singled in a run in the second and Peterson hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give the Red Wings a 3-0 lead. Each team scored once in the fifth, making the score 4-1. It was still 4-1 after seven, but the Bulls got a run in the eighth and loaded the bases with two out. In the ninth, Lee hit a leadoff homer but the Bulls went down in order after that.
Of note: Eric Farris was 1-for-4 with a run. Eric Fryer was 0-for-4. Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-2.
DURHAM 4, ROCHESTER 2 IN ROCHESTER (GAME 2)
Batting star: Eric Farris was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run.
Pitching stars: Lester Oliveros struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and two walks. Ryan O'Rourke pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a walk. Logan Darnell struck out two in a perfect inning.
Opposition stars: Eugenio Velez was 3-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one. Jake Elmore was 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs. Enny Romero pitched four shutout innings, giving up two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
The game: The Bulls scored two in the first and two in the third to go up 4-0. It was still 4-0 through seven. The Red Wings finally got on the board in the eighth, scoring twice on a single, a double, a single, and an error. The tying run was on base, but the next two batters struck out. The Red Wings got a man to second with one out in the ninth, but again the last two batters of the inning were retired.
Of note: Josmil Pinto was 1-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one. Danny Ortiz was 1-for-3 with a walk. Alex Meyer struck out seven in 4.2 innings but gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks.
CHATTANOOGA 10, MONTGOMERY 3 IN CHATTANOOGA
Batting stars: Byron Buxton was 2-for-5 with a grand slam (his fifth homer) and two runs. Mike Gonzales was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Stuart Turner was 1-for-4 with a home run (his second) and three RBIs.
Pitching star: Greg Peavey pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks with six strikeouts.
Opposition stars: Patrick Leonard was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in one. Tyler Goeddel was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Daniel Robertson was 2-for-4 with a triple and a double, scoring once.
The game: Turner hit a two-run homer in a three-run second that put the Lookouts up 4-0. Leonard's double keyed a two-run fourth that cut the lead to 4-2, but Buxton hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth that put the game out of reach.
Of note: Jorge Polanco was 1-for-5. Miguel Sano was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Travis Harrison was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run. Max Kepler was 2-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one. Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-4.
BRADENTON 6, FORT MYERS 1 IN FORT MYERS
Batting stars: Mitch Garver was 1-for-3 with a run. Logan Wade was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Pitching stars: Brian Gilbert struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up one hit. Luke Westphal pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout. Brandon Peterson struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit.
Opposition stars: Austin Meadows was 3-for-5 with a home run (his second) and two runs. JaCoby Jones was 3-for-4 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one. Steven Brault struck out six in six innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks.
The game: Jose Osuna hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Marauders never looked back, building the lead to 6-0 after four. The lone Miracle run came on three singles in the fifth.
Of note: Zach Granite was 0-for-4. Niko Goodrum was 1-for-4. Chad Christensen was 1-for-4. Mitch Garver was 1-for-3 with a run. Ethan Mildren pitched four innings, giving up six runs on ten hits and a walk with no strikeouts.
PEORIA 7, CEDAR RAPIDS 5 IN CEDAR RAPIDS
Batting stars: Trey Vavra was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, his sixth. Pat Kelly was 2-for-4 with two runs. Zack Larson was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.
Pitching star: Yorman Landa pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.
Opposition stars: Steve Bean was 2-for-3 with a grand slam (his second homer), a double, and a walk. Collin Radack was 2-for-4 with a triple, scoring twice and driving in one. Justin Ringo was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.
The game: The Kernels trailed 2-1 after two but Vavra hit a three-run homer in the third to put them ahead 4-2. The lead held up until the sixth, when a single, a walk, and another single loaded the bases with none out and Bean unloaded them with a grand slam. An error allowed the Kernels to get one back in the seventh, but they left the tying run on second and would never get him there again. Radack tripled and scored in the eighth to provide a Chief insurance run. The last seven Kernels were retired, four striking out.
Of note: Tanner English was 1-for-3 with a walk. Nick Gordon was 0-for-4 with a run. Max Murphy was 0-for-4. John Curtiss pitched six innings, giving up six runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.