Another strong game for Zack Littell. Stephen Gonsalves gives up a big inning. Brent Rooker hits a walkoff grand slam. A Miracle comeback runs out of steam. A ninth-inning win for the Kernels.
ROCHESTER 5, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 4 IN SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE (GAME 1--8 INNINGS--SCHEDULED 7 INNINGS)
Eric Kratz hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at three. The Manfred Rule kicked in. The first batter flied out, but two walks and a hit batsman forced in a run and James Ramsey singled to put the Red Wings up 5-3. The RailRiders scored once on a wild pitch and a ground out but did not get the tying run past first.
Ramsey was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Wynston Sawyer was 2-for-3 and is batting .462. Zack Littell had another strong game, striking out eight in six innings and giving up one run on two hits and two walks. His ERA is 0.75.
SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 7, ROCHESTER 0 IN SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)
The RailRiders scored six in the second to take control early. Brandon Drury, on a rehab assignment, hit a grand slam in the inning.
Willians Astudillo was 2-for-3. The Red Wings had only four hits. Stephen Gonsalves lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing six runs on four hits and three walks and striking out two. Luke Bard pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and striking out one. His ERA remains at zero in 5.1 innings.
CHATTANOOGA 6, JACKSON 2 IN CHATTANOOGA
The Lookouts lost a 2-0 lead, but Brent Rooker hit a walkoff grand slam with two out to win it.
The home run was the second of the season for Rooker. Alex Perez was 1-for-3 with a walk and is batting .393. Nick Gordon, who needs to move up, was 1-for-3 and is batting .341. Anthony Marzi pitched 7.1 innings, giving up two runs on five hits and no walks and striking out four. His ERA is 2.04. Ryan Eades struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.
DUNEDIN 4, FORT MYERS 3 IN DUNEDIN
The Blue Jays scored three in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. The Miracle scored once in each of the fifth and sixth innings but did not get a hit after the sixth.
Jimmy Kerrigan was 2-for-3 with a double and is batting .330. Travis Blankenhorn was 2-for-4 with a home run (his sixth) and two RBIs. Brady Anderson struck out five in five innings but allowed four runs on seven hits and no walks. Hector Lujan pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and two walks and striking out one. Tom Hackimer pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out one.
CEDAR RAPIDS 7, BOWLING GREEN 5 IN BOWLING GREEN
The Hot Rods had leads of 3-1 and 5-3. The Kernels scored two in the fifth to tie it. In the ninth, RBI singles by Ben Rortvedt and Jordan Gore carried Cedar Rapids to victory.
Shane Carrier was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, scoring twice. Rortvedt was 2-for-4 with a walk. Jean Carlos Arias was 2-for-5 with a home run, his second. Akil Baddoo was 2-for-5 with a walk, scoring twice. Gore was 2-for-5 with a walk and is batting .316. Royce Lewis was 1-for-5 with a double and is batting .348. Blayne Enlow pitched just 3.1 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks and striking out three. Jovani Moran struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk. Carlos Suniaga pitched 3.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out two. His ERA is 1.93.
NEXT DAY'S GAMES
Rochester at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Tennessee (Trevor Clifton) at Chattanooga (Lewis Thorpe)
Fort Myers (Trevor May) at Dunedin (Juliandry Higuera)
Cedar Rapids (Bryan Sammons) at Bowling Green (Josh Fleming)