Kennys Vargas is on a hot streak. A solid AA debut for Clark Beeker. Andro Cutura makes a strong start. Trevor Larnach and Michael Helman keep hitting. Jean Carlos Arias delivers two clutch hits. Shane Carrier is hitting well in his rehab assignment.
PAWTUCKET 7, ROCHESTER 2 IN ROCHESTER
The Red Sox scored three in the third and two in the fifth to build a 5-0 lead. Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer in the fifth.
Kennys Vargas was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, driving in two. He is batting .378 (14-for-37) with five home runs in his last ten games. Juan Graterol was 0-for-4 and is batting .315.
Fernando Romero pitched three innings, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk and striking out two. John Curtiss pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two walks and striking out one. His ERA is 2.82.
MONTGOMERY 3, CHATTANOOGA 2 IN MONTGOMERY
Jaylin Davis hit a two-run homer in the first and for a long time it looked like it would be enough. In the bottom of the eighth, however, and error tied the score and a wild pitch brought home the lead run.
Davis was 1-for-4 and the home run was his sixth. Luis Arraez was 1-for-3 and is batting .300.
Clark Beeker pitched four shutout innings, giving up two hits and no walks and striking out two in his AA debut. There was no apparent reason for him to come out at that point, as he had thrown just fifty-five pitches.
FORT MYERS 6, PALM BEACH 1 IN PALM BEACH
A four-run fourth carried the Miracle. They started the inning with five hits, two of them doubles and three of them singles.
Taylor Grzelakowski was 3-for-5 with a double and is batting .308. Mark Contreras was 2-for-3 with a double. Caleb Hamilton was 2-for-3 with a walk. Ben Rortvedt was 2-for-4 with a double. Ernie De La Trinidad was 2-for-5 with a double and is batting .322. Ryan Costello was 2-for-5. Alex Kirilloff was 1-for-5 with a double and is batting .369.
Andro Cutura pitched seven strong innings, giving up one run on four hits and three walks and striking out four. Adam Bray pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits and striking out one. His ERA is 1.11.
CEDAR RAPIDS 8, BELOIT 4 IN BELOIT
The Kernels scored two in the first and five in the second, building a 7-0 lead. Akil Baddoo hit a two-run homer in the second.
Trevor Larnach was 3-for-5 with a home run (his second) and a double, scoring twice and driving in two. He is batting .317. Baddoo was 2-for-4 with a home run (his eleventh) and a triple, scoring twice and driving in two. Ben Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a triple and a walk, driving in two. Michael Helman was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs. He is batting .387. Michael Davis was 2-for-4 with a double.
Blayne Enlow struck out eight in five innings, giving up four hits and a walk. Derek Molina pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit. His ERA is 2.48.
ELIZABETHTON 2, GREENEVILLE 1 IN ELIZABETHTON (11 INNINGS)
Jean Carlos Arias singled home a run in the ninth to tie it 1-1. Oddly, no one scored in the tenth. A bunt and a pair of strikeouts kept the Reds scoreless in the eleventh. Arias came through again in the eleventh, singling home the deciding run.
Arias was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Trevor Casanova was 1-for-5 with a double and is batting .313. DaShawn Keirsey was 1-for-3 with two walks and is batting .306.
Tyler Palm pitched 6.1 innings, giving up one run on five hits and a walk, striking out four. Jacob Blank struck out five in 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk.
GCL RAYS 8, GCL TWINS 7 AT RAYS
The Twins scored six in the seventh to tie it 7-7, but Yunior Martinez singled home a run in the bottom of the inning to put the Rays back in front. The Twins had men on second and third with one out in the eighth but could not tie the score.
Victor Tademo was 2-for-3. Estamy Urena was 2-for-4 with a walk. Shane Carrier was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs and is batting .409.
Prelander Berroa pitched 3.2 innings, allowing seven runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk. He struck out four and his ERA is 2.29. Denny Bentley pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two walks and striking out one. His ERA is 2.76. Petru Balan pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and two walks and striking out one. His ERA is 2.01.
DSL NATIONALS 5, DSL TWINS 3 AT NATIONALS
Daniel Hernandez hit a two-run triple and later came around to score to give the Nationals a 3-1 lead after two. The Twins closed to 3-2 in the third but got no closer.
Jim Caceras was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, driving in two. Luis Milla was 2-for-4 with a double and is batting .305. Luis Gomez was 1-for-4 and is batting .338. Ruben Santana was 0-for-4 and is batting .315.
Cristian Castro struck out ten in five innings, giving up three runs on one hit and two walks.
PENNANT RACE UPDATE
Fort Myers remains second, a half-game behind Charlotte.
Cedar Rapids is in first, leading Kane County by 3.5 games.
Elizabethton is in first, leading Kingsport by four games.
The DSL Twins fall to second, a game behind the DSL Cardinals Blue.
TODAY'S TILTS
9:30 DSL Nationals at DSL Twins
5:30 Fort Myers (Bryan Sammons, 1-1, 8.20) at Palm Beach
6:00 Greeneville (Jacob Heatherly, 1-4, 6.46) at Elizabethton (Andrew Cabezas, 1-3, 2.95)
6:05 Pawtucket (Josh A. Smith, 5-6, 4.34) at Rochester (Zack Littell, 4-6, 3.63)
6:35 Chattanooga (Sean Poppen, 5-6, 3.55) at Montgomery (Forrest Snow, no record)
7:00 Cedar Rapids (Melvi Acosta, 2-4, 2.56) at Beloit (Ivan Andueza, 3-9, 5.36)