Jose Berrios has nothing to learn in Rochester.  The Lookouts are still struggling to score runs.  A couple of minor league free agents lead the Miracle.  The Kernels lose one late.

ROCHESTER 10, SYRACUSE 0 IN SYRACUSE

After two days of rainouts, the Red Wings were more than ready to play.  Mitch Garver doubled home Daniel Palka for the first run in the second inning.  Garver struck again in the third with a two-run double in a three-run inning.  It stayed 4-0 until the seventh, when Rochester took a page from the Twins' book and scored six runs, capped by Ben Paulsen's grand slam.  The only times the Chiefs got a man into scoring position were when they got two-out doubles in the third and fourth.

Jose Berrios struck out seven in six shutout innings, giving up three hits and a walk.  D. J. Baxendale followed with three shutout innings, giving up just one hit.  Matt Hague was 3-for-6 with two doubles.  Garver was 2-for-2 with two doubles and two walks, driving in four.  Byungho Park was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.  Palka was 2-for-4 with a walk and scored three times.  Paulsen was 1-for-3 with a walk to go with his grand slam.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-3 but drew two walks and scored twice.

MOBILE 3, CHATTANOOGA 2 IN CHATTANOOGA

The Lookouts continue to have trouble scoring runs in the young season.  Wade Wass homered in the second and Bo Way hit a two-run single in the fourth to give the BayBears a 3-0 lead.  Chattanooga threatened in the second and third, but then did not get another hit until the seventh, when they loaded the bases with none out.  Unfortunately, they did not score, as a strikeout and a double play ended the inning.  The Lookouts finally broke through in the eighth, scoring one on another bases loaded double play and another on a Dan Gamache single.  They got a man to third with one out in the ninth and again loaded the bases, but again could not score, as Travis Harrison struck out to end the game.

Fernando Romero made his AA debut and got a rather quick hook, giving up three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out four in 3.1 innings.  He threw 74 pitches--I don't know if he was on a pitch count.  Nik Turley was the pitching star for Chattanooga, striking out ten in four shutout innings of relief while giving up just one hit and no walks.  Gamache was the only Lookout with more than one hit, going 2-for-4.  Chattanooga stranded ten runners in the game.

FORT MYERS 5, JUPITER 2 IN FORT MYERS

Daniel Kihle hit a two-run homer to give the Miracle an early two-run lead, but the Hammerheads got single runs in the sixth and seventh to tie it up.  No matter.  Max Murphy delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh, an infield out scored a second run, and Alex Perez doubled home a third run to put Fort Myers up 5-2.  Jupiter did not get a man past first after that.

David Fischer, a free agent who has spent the last two years in independent ball, started and struck out five in four shutout innings, giving up five hits and no walks.  Jonny Drozd, another minor league free agent who had been with the Yankees, struck out two in a scoreless inning to get the save.  Kihle was 2-for-2 getting a double to go with his home run and also getting hit by a pitch.  Luis Arraez appeared to trip over first base running out a ground ball and had to be taken off the field on a cart, apparently with a leg injury.

BELOIT 7, CEDAR RAPIDS 6 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

The Kernels let this one get away, losing a 6-1 lead after four innings.  The Snappers got two in the fifth and one in the eighth, but it was still 6-4 going to the ninth.  With one out, a single, a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly tied the game and Nate Mondou's RBI triple brought home the winning run.  The Kernels went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Sean Poppen struck out seven in seven innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and no walks.  Tom Hackimer gave up the three runs in the ninth.  Travis Blankenhorn was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and a double.  Shane Carrier also hit a home run.

TODAY'S TILTS

12:05  Rochester (Nick Tepesch) at Syracuse (Jacob Turner)
Game 2  Rochester at Syracuse (Taylor Hill)
1:15  Mobile (Jordan Kipper) at Chattanooga (Felix Jorge)
2:05  Beloit (Brandon Bailey) at Cedar Rapids (Alex Schick)
3:05  Jupiter (Felipe Gonzalez) at Fort Myers (Keaton Steele)