Greensboro Grasshoppers 5, �West Virginia Power 3 (box)
The Power had the early lead, but could not keep up when Greensboro came from behind to tie the game, and then to on to win in the 9th.
LF Rogelios Noris blasted his 2nd home run of the season in the bottom of the 1st, after CF Evan Chambers walked, went to third on 2B Jarek Cunningham’s single, then scored on�1B Aaron Baker’s sacrifice fly. �Cunningham also scored on the 2-run homer, and the Power were up 3-0.
Greensboro got one of the runs back in the top of the 2nd, when Power starter Nathan Baker gave up a single to C Carlos Paulino and a double to 2B Michael Pasek. �With runners on second and third, the next batter, SS Terrence Dayleg, grounded to short, where SS Adenson Chourio pounced on it and threw to 3B Jesus Brito, catching the Pasek in a run-down. �The ball went to Cunningham and back to Brito, and while Paulino scored, bot Pasek and Dayleg were tagged out in a very weird double play.
Nathan Baker retired the side in order in the 3rd, then gave up back-to-back singles with one out in the 4th. �A double by Pasek brought in one run. �Dayleg reached on a throwing error by Brito, which also allowed a second run to score, tying the game at 3-3.
After a couple of quiet innings, the Power threatened in the bottom of the 4th. �With two outs, C Josue Peley and Chourio also hit back-to-back singles, and Chambers loaded the bases by working a walk. �A grounder to third for a force out ended the threat without a run scoring. �The Power put runners on base in each of the remaining innings except the 8th. �One of them, Chourio, was picked off base and caught stealing, but the rest were all left stranded.
Nathan Baker pitched 6 innings and allowed the 3 (2 earned) runs on 6 hits and a walk, with 4 strikeouts. �Marc Baca came on to relieve Nathan Baker in the 7th. �Baca allowed just a lone single in the 7th, then with two outs in the 8th, gave up a double and a walk. �Jason Erickson replaced Baca and gave up another walk to load the bases, before getting Dayleg to fly out to end the threat.
Brandon Holden came on to pitch the 9th for the Power. �After a strikeout, Holden surrendered a walk and two singles, scoring the go-ahead run, then a sacrifice fly to bring in an insurance run. �The Power could not respond, and Holded was charged with the loss. �Cunningham, Noris, and Chourio all had 2 hits in the game, and Noris’ homer was the only extra-base hit for the Power.
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Charlotte Stone Crabs 8, �Bradenton Marauders 1 (box)
The Stone Crabs put a pinch on the Marauders, holding them to just 3 hits and one run, while posting 13 hits for 8 runs themselves. �RF Austin McClune, C Tony Sanchez, and LF Quincy Latimore were the only Marauders to record a hit, all three singles. �No Marauders walked, but 3B Jeremy Farrell, CF Starling Marte, and DH Erik Huber all were hit by pitches.
Bradenton’s only run came in the 2nd inning, when Sanchez led off by slipping a grounder into left field for a single. �Latimore also singled, and Farrell was hit by a pitch to load the bases. �1B Calvin Anderson lifted a fly ball to center field, deep enough for Sanchez to score on the sacrifice. �That was all they would get, though.
Charlotte came right back with 3 runs in the bottom of the frame, on a lead-off homer, a hit batter, and two doubles off starter Jeff Locke. Locke also gave up three singles in the 3rd inning, though a stellar throw from Marte in center field to Sanchez at the plate, threw out the lead runner at home to end the inning. �A double plus a single complicated by a throwing error added another run for the Stone Crabs in the 4th. �That was all for Locke, who was charged with the loss, giving up the 4 runs on 9 hits and a walk, with 4 strikeouts in 4 innings.
Tyler Cox came on for Locke to begin the 5th, and he was greeted by another lead-off home run. �Cox also gave up a run in the 6th on two walks, three stolen bases, and an RBI ground out. �Tom Boleska retired the side in the 7th, then gave up a run on a double and a triple in the 8th. �A passed ball by Sanchez allowed an unearned run to score as well.
After the 2nd inning, the Marauders had only one base runner over the next 3 innings. �McClune singled, but was picked off first base. �Erik Huber was also picked off, after being hit by a pitch in the 8th. �Marte was hit also, in the 6th, but he was left stranded.
Catcher/infielder�James Skelton was added to the Marauder’s roster, and he made his debut with a pinch-hitting appearance in the 7th (strikeout) then remained in the game to play second base. �Skelton is a 24-year old from California, who was initially drafted by the Tigers in the 14th round of the 2004 draft. �He has mostly been a catcher, but has also played first and second base, and some corner outfield. �He hit in the .300 range in 2006 at Short Season A level, in 2007 at A level, and in 2008 at both A+ and AA levels in the Tigers organization. �In December 2008, Skelton was taken by the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 Draft, but didn’t stick at the major league level. �After clearing waivers, the Tigers let the D’backs keep him. �He played in 68 games at AA Mobile, but hit just .182, and then hit .236 for A+ Visalia in another 52 games. �Skelton is reported to have a good arm, though a small wiry frame. �He was released by the D’backs at the end of spring training, signed with the Phillies, but didn’t play for them, then signed with the Pirates.
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