Ryan Eades makes a successful AAA debut. Fernando Romero has his second consecutive scoreless outing. Tough games for Fort Myers and Cedar Rapids.
ROCHESTER 6, DURHAM 1 IN DURHAM (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)
Niko Goodrum hit a two-run homer in the third that gave the Red Wings a 3-0 lead. The Bulls got their lone run in the fourth, but doubles by ByungHo Park, John Ryan Murphy, and Leonardo Reginatto led to a three-run sixth that put the game out of reach.
Ryan Eades made his AAA debut and pitched well, striking out five in five innings while giving up one run on five hits and a walk. Trevor Hildenberger struck out three in two perfect innings, making his ERA 2.11 with a WHIP of 0.98. He has struck out 24 and walked 6 in 21,1 innings. Goodrum was 2-for-4 and the home run was his fifth. Park was 2-for-4 with two doubles.
DURHAM 4, ROCHESTER 0 IN DURHAM (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)
The Red Wings batted last, as this was a makeup of a game rained out in Rochester. It didn't help. The Bulls scored on in the first, two in the second, and one in the fourth. The Red Wings only twice got a man to second base and never got one farther. They had only two hits and made three errors.
It was a bullpen game for Rochester, as D. J. Baxendale pitched 2.2 innings in his first start of the season. He gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with one strikeout. Kam Mickolio, who is 33 and has been pitching in Japan since 2012, made his Rochester debut with 1.1 scoreless innings.
CHATTANOOGA 11, BIRMINGHAM 0 IN BIRMINGHAM
The Lookouts scored single runs in the first, second, and fifth, got three in the sixth, and put the game away with five in the ninth. The biggest threat for the Barons came in the seventh, when they had men on first and second with none out and had the bases loaded with two out.
Fernando Romero had his second consecutive strong outing, striking out seven in six shutout innings while giving up just two hits and two walks. Todd Van Steensel struck out two in two shutout innings to drop his ERA to 1.96. He has 22 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. Tyler Jay struck out two in a scoreless inning. Ryan Strausborger was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring three times. Travis Harrison was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Nick Gordon was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk and is batting .306. LaMonte Wade was 2-for-5 with a walk and is batting .300. Levi Michael was 2-for-5. Ryan Walker lived up to his name, going 1-for-1 with a double and three walks.
BRADENTON 8, FORT MYERS 4 IN FORT MYERS
The Miracle overcame a three-run Marauder first with a four-run second to take a 4-3 lead. In the fourth, however, Kevin Krause hit a two-run homer and Bradenton led the rest of the way. The Marauders scored single runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth to cement the victory. Fort Myers got only one hit after the second inning.
Lachlan Wells pitched four innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. Williams Ramirez pitched a scoreless inning to make his ERA 2.39. Cam Booser walked five in two-thirds of an inning but was only charged with one run. Chris Paul, who is batting .351, left the game in the first inning with an injured hand. I have no word on his condition.
QUAD CITIES 8, CEDAR RAPIDS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS
Leading 2-0, the River Bandits scored four in the fifth to put the game out of reach. The Kernels runs both scored in the seventh on a Jermaine Palacios homer.
Eduardo Del Rosario struck out six in 4.2 innings, but allowed six runs on ten hits and four walks. Zach Tillery struck out four in two shutout innings. Max Cordy pitched a scoreless inning. Palacios went 1-for-4 to make his average .313. The home run was his seventh.
TODAY'S TILTS
5:30 Fort Myers (Brady Anderson, 2-0, 3.45) at Bradenton (Pedro Vasquez, 4-3, 2.24)
6:05 Rochester (Yohan Pino, no record) at Durham (Blake Snell, 1-0, 3.86)
6:35 Quad Cities at Cedar Rapids
7:05 Chattanooga at Birmingham (Michael Kopech, 3-2, 2.66)