Comebacks for Rochester and Chattanooga and shutouts for Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids as Twins affiliates sweep!
ROCHESTER 8, BUFFALO 7 IN BUFFALO (14 INNINGS)
The Red Wings got two in the ninth to tie it 4-4. In the fourteenth, Adam Brett Walker II hit a bases-loaded triple and scored on a Wilfredo Tovar single to give Rochester an 8-4 lead. The Bisons came back with three in the bottom of the fourteenth, getting an RBI single from Domonic Brown and a two-run homer by Jesus Montero. Fortunately, the home run killed the rally, as the next three Bisons went out to end the game. Walker II was 4-for-7 with a triple and a double. Carlos Paulino was 3-for-7 and raised his average to .400. Kennys Vargas was 3-for-6. Starter David Martinez pitched 6.1 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts. Alex Wimmers, in his AAA debut, pitched two shutout innings, allowing a hit and a walk with one strikeout.
CHATTANOOGA 10, BIRMINGHAM 7 IN CHATTANOOGA
This time it was the Barons who blew a big lead. The Lookouts spotted them five in the first but came back to score three in the second and seven in the third to win. Daniel Palka hit a grand slam in the big third inning. Ryan Eades settled down some after the first inning but still gave up six runs on nine hits and four walks with three strikeouts in only 3.1 innings, throwing 93 pitches in that time. Leonardo Reginatto was 4-for-5. Palka was 3-for-4 with a home run (his third), a double, and a walk, raising his average to .338.
FORT MYERS 9, JUPITER 1 IN JUPITER
A triple, three singles, two walks, and two wild pitches led to a five-run third that carried the Miracle. Stephen Gonsalves was again dominant, striking out six in six shutout innings while giving up just two hits and two walks. His ERA dropped to 1.44, his WHIP to 0.72, and he has 24 strikeouts in 25 innings. Alex Swim was 3-for-5. Nick Gordon was 2-for-3 with two walks and raised his average to .357.
CEDAR RAPIDS 1, WEST MICHIGAN 0 IN WEST MICHIGAN
Sean Miller singled in a run in the second and Randy LeBlanc pitched six shutout innings to lead the Kernels to victory. LeBlanc allowed four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. C. K. Irby and John Curtiss, neither of who has given up an earned run this season (9.2 innings and 8 innings, respectively), finished the shutout. Miller was 2-for-3. Luis Arraez was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, raising his average to .371. LaMonte Wade again did not play, but he does not appear to be on the disabled list.
TODAY'S TILTS
12:05 Rochester (TBA) at Buffalo (TBA)
5:30 Fort Myers (Kohl Stewart, 1-0, 2.60) at Jupiter (Jeff Brigham, 0-1, 8.31)
6:35 West Michigan (Jordan Smith, 1-0, 2.45) at Cedar Rapids (Andro Cutura, 2-0, 3.38)
Chattanooga has no game scheduled. This will be the second consecutive game Rochester has had to scramble for a starting pitcher, as Alex Meyer was scheduled to start yesterday and Jose Berrios was scheduled for today. Ah, the life of a minor league manager.