Comebacks fall short for Rochester and Chattanooga. No comeback in sight for Fort Myers. Clark Beeker pitched well in a Cedar Rapids loss.
NORFOLK 8, ROCHESTER 7 IN NORFOLK
Trailing 5-1 through five, the Red Wings scored six in the sixth to not only get back into the game but take the lead. Tommy Field had a three-run double in the inning. Unfortunately, in the bottom of the sixth the Tides turned, as Chris Dickerson hit a three-run homer to put Norfolk ahead 8-7. Rochester loaded the bases in the seventh and put two on in the eighth, but could not tie the score.
Aaron Slegers had his first bad start in nearly a month, lasting only five innings and giving up five runs on twelve hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Kevin Chapman and Trevor Hildenberger each pitched a scoreless inning, with Hildenberger lowering his ERA to 2.01. Kennys Vargas was 2-for-4 with a home run (his third) and a walk. Field was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. Zack Granite was 2-for-4.
BIRMINGHAM 7, CHATTANOOGA 6 IN BIRMINGHAM
Another comeback fell short. Trailing 6-0, the Lookouts scored six runs in the eighth to tie the score. Dan Gamache hit a two-run double in the inning. It was tied until the ninth, when the Barons put men on first and second with one out. The next batter popped up, but with two down Mason Robbins singled to center to end the game.
Randy LeBlanc, who had dominated high-A, continues to struggle in AA. He pitched five innings and allowed six runs on eleven hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Nick Anderson made his AA debut, striking out two in two shutout innings. T. J. White was 2-for-4. Nick Gordon was 1-for-5 and is batting .301.
PALM BEACH 8, FORT MYERS 1 IN PALM BEACH
The Cardinals scored five in the second to put this one out of reach early. They hit three doubles in the inning. There would be no comeback in this game. The lone Miracle run scored in the fifth on a wild pitch.
David Fischer had made three consecutive solid starts, but he faltered in this one, going four innings and allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Andrew Vasquez made a successful high-A debut, striking out four in 2.2 scoreless innings. Max Murphy and Zander Weil were each 2-for-4. Trey Vavra was 1-for-4 to raise his average to .097.
BURLINGTON 4, CEDAR RAPIDS 3 IN BURLINGTON (10 INNINGS)
The Bees led 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2, but each time the Kernels came back to tie the score. A Christian Cavaness triple tied it in the ninth at 3-3. Burlington scored in the bottom of the tenth, however, and there was no chance for Cedar Rapids to tie it again. With men on first and second and one out, Keith Grieshaber doubled to bring home the winning run.
Clark Beeker again pitched well, going seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts. His ERA is now 2.51 and his WHIP is 0.96. Cavaness was 3-for-4 and had a double as well as the triple. Brandon Lopez was 2-for-4.
DSL ANGELS 1, DSL TWINS 0 AT TWINS
The game's lone run scored in the sixth, when Oliver Carmona hit a two-out single and scored on an Oscateri Castillo triple. The Twins threatened in the ninth, putting men on first and second with one out and moving them to second and third with two out, but a fly out ended the game.
Michael Montero struck out five in four shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk. Fredderi Soto pitched three innings, giving up one run on four hits and no walks with one strikeout. Fernando Sanchez struck out two in two shutout innings. The Twins had four hits, all singles, and no one had more than one.
TODAY'S TILTS
12:00 Fort Myers (Lachlan Wells, 2-7, 4.14) at Palm Beach (Jake Woodford, 2-3, 3.40)
12:05 Rochester (Adam Wilk, 0-0, 7.71) at Norfolk (Jayson Aquino, 1-4, 5.01)
2:00 Cedar Rapids (Eduardo Del Rosario, 4-3, 5.12) at Burlington (Travis Herrin, 2-4, 3.61)
4:15 Jackson (Brad Keller, 3-3, 4.60) at Chattanooga