Josh Winder takes a line drive to the neck area. A big inning calms the Wind Surge. The Kernels get a short start and just three hits, but win anyway. A three-run homer weakens the Mighty Mussels.
ST. PAUL 4, IOWA 2 IN IOWA
The Saints scored three in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.
Batting stars: Damek Tomscha was 2-for-4. Drew Stankiewicz was 1-for-3 with a walk.
Pitching stars: Juan Minaya pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and two walks. Andrew Vasquez struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two walks. Yennier Cano struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits. Nick Vincent struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a walk.
Opposition stars: Tony Wolters was 2-for-5. Michael Hermosillo was 1-for-3 with a home run (his fifth) and two walks.
Starter: Josh Winder struck out two in two innings, giving up two runs on two hits and...one walk. He apparently was hit in the "neck area" with a line drive and was removed from the game. Early reports are positive.
Good stats: Jose Miranda was 0-for-3 and is batting .333.
Bad stats: Keon Broxton was 1-for-4 and is batting .184. Roberto Pena was 1-for-4 and is batting .186.
Record: The Saints are 27-28, tied for third place with Indianapolis in the AAA East/Midwest, eight games behind Omaha.
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS 8, WICHITA 5 IN WICHITA
The Naturals scored five in the fifth to take an 8-2 lead.
Batting stars: Roy Morales was 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and two RBIs. Leobaldo Cabrera was 2-for-4. Andrew Bechtold was 2-for-5.
Pitching star: Jordan Milbrath struck out six in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and three walks.
Opposition stars: Edgardo Fermin was 2-for-3 with a home run (his third), a walk, and three RBIs. Brewer Hicklen was 1-for-4 with a home run (his fourth), a walk, and two runs.
Starter: Chris Vallimont struck out six in four innings, giving up three runs on two hits and four walks.
Good stats: Spencer Steer was 0-for-4 and is batting .303.
Bad stats: Milbrath has an ERA of 10.00. Adam Lau gave up no runs in two-thirds of an inning and has an ERA of 11.81.
Record: The Wind Surge is 31-25, in first place in the AA Central/North, a half game ahead of Tulsa.
CEDAR RAPIDS 5, PEORIA 3 IN CEDAR RAPIDS
The Kernels scored two in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead.
Batting star: Jair Camargo was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his eleventh. The Kernels had just three hits.
Pitching stars: Melvi Acosta struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits. Jordan Gore struck out five in three shutout innings, giving up one hit. Erik Manoah, Jr. struck out two in two perfect innings. Zach Featherstone struck out three in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.
Opposition stars: Leandro Cedeno was 2-for-3. Jhon Torres was 2-for-4 with a walk. Leonardo Taveras struck out three in two perfect innings.
Starter: Cody Laweryson pitched just two-thirds of an inning, giving up three unearned runs on three hits and no walks and striking out two. He threw thirty-five pitches, which I assume is why he was removed so early.
Good stats: Manoah, Jr. has an ERA of zero. Featherstone has an ERA of 1.46.
Bad stats: Yeltsin Encarnacion was 0-for-3 and is batting .152. Laweryson has an ERA of 5.17.
Record: The Kernels are 30-26, in second place in the High-A Central/West, seven games behind Quad Cities.
ST. LUCIE 6, FORT MYERS 2 IN ST. LUCIE
Joe Suozzi hit a three-run homer in the fourth to give the Mets a 5-0 lead.
Batting star: Misael Urbina was 2-for-4.
Pitching stars: Osiris German pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out one. Steven Cruz struck out four in two perfect innings.
Opposition stars: Suozzi was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer. Branden Fryman was 2-for-4. Matt Dyer was 1-for-4 with a home run, his sixth.
Starter: Brent Headrick pitched 3.2 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks and striking out three.
Good stats: German has an ERA of 2.51. Cruz has an ERA of 2.83.
Bad stats: Justin Washington was 0-for-3 and is batting .181. Aaron Sabato was 1-for-4 and is batting .183. Willie Joe Garry, Jr. was 1-for-3 and is batting .183. Will Holland was 1-for-3 and is batting .198.
Record: The Mighty Mussels are 31-25, in third place in the Low-A Southeast/West, seven games behind Tampa.
TODAY'S TILTS
5:10 Fort Myers (Sawyer Gipson-Long, 4-2, 4.97) at St. Lucie
6:35 Peoria at Cedar Rapids (Tyler Beck, 1-1, 2.20)
7:05 Northwest Arkansas at Wichita (Austin Schulfer, 2-4, 3.73)
7:08 St. Paul (Charlie Barnes, 4-2, 3.76) at Iowa