Jose Berrios and Adam Brett Walker II lead the Red Wings. Nick Gordon has a big day in a Fort Myers loss. The Kernels stay unbeaten.
ROCHESTER 4, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 1 IN ROCHESTER
A two-run single by Buck Britton capped a three-run third that put the Red Wings up 3-1 and provided all the runs they needed. Jose Berrios struck out nine in five innings, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks. Alex Meyer then came in to strike out four in four shutout innings, giving up three hits and two walks. Adam Brett Walker II led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a double. Ex-Twin Anthony Swarzak started for the RailRiders and took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks with one strikeout. Ex-Twin Chris Parmelee is also with S/WB, and went 0-for-3 with a walk.
BILOXI 8, CHATTANOOGA 5 IN BILOXI
The Lookouts scored four in the seventh to go ahead 5-2, only to see the Shuckers put up five in the eighth to take the lead for good. The big inning came against Mike Strong, who gave up all five runs on four hits and a walk in just two-thirds of an inning. It spoiled a good performance by starter Aaron Slegers, who went six innings and allowed two runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Zach Granite was 3-for-5 and Travis Harrison went 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, and a walk.
BRADENTON 4, FORT MYERS 3 IN BRADENTON (10 INNINGS)
Chase Simpson circled the bases on a triple-plus error in the ninth to tie the score and an RBI single by Connor Joe, whose name seems to be backwards, gave the Marauders the victory. Keaton Steele pitched well for the Miracle, going 5.2 innings and giving up one run on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Nick Gordon had a big day, going 4-for-6 with three doubles, and Alex Real was 3-for-3 with a double and a walk.
CEDAR RAPIDS 3, QUAD CITIES 2 IN QUAD CITIES (10 INNINGS)
Each team scored once in the sixth and once in the ninth before Chris Paul delivered an RBI single for the Kernels in the tenth. It looked like the River Bandits might tie it again in the bottom of the tenth, as they opened the inning with two singles, but a double play and a strikeout ended the game. Paul was 4-for-5 on the day and LaMonte Wade went 2-for-3 with a triple. Sam Clay struck out seven in six innings, allowing only an unearned run on five hits and two walks.
TODAY'S TILTS
5:35 Lehigh Valley (Zach Elfin) at Rochester (Logan Darnell)
6:05 Brevard County (Bubba Derby) at Fort Myers (Randy Rosario)
6:30 Cedar Rapids (Dereck Rodriguez) at Kane County (Justin Donatella)
6:40 Chattanooga (Ryan Eades) at Biloxi (Jorge Ortega)
I'm guessing Alex Meyer was just getting a chance to pitch because of rainouts since it was announced that he was going to be a starting pitcher at the start of the season.
That's my thought, too. And this early in the season starters are only going five or, at most, six innings, so four innings is not that far off from what he'd have thrown in a start.