Bradenton Marauders �5, �Charlotte Stone Crabs �2 (box)
The Marauders scored single runs in each of three consecutive innings to break a 2-2 tie and take the win from the Stone Crabs. �1B Calvin Anderson provided the Marauders with 3 of the 5 RBI in the game, and he was the one who got them onto the scoreboard in the top of the 1st. �2B Jose De Los Santos opened the game with a walk, and CF Robbie Grossman singled. �C Eric Fryer was hit by a pitch (no word on where, or how severe an injury) and had to leave the game, replaced by Andrew Walker. That loaded the bases, and moments later, Anderson knocked a single into right field, driving in De Los Santos and Grossman for a 2-0 lead.
Starter Melkin Laureano retired the Stone Crabs in order for the first two innings, and worked around a lead-off single in the 3rd. �He gave up one run in the 4th when he loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, then gave up a sacrifice fly. �The Stone Crabs added the tying run in the 5th on a double and a single.
The Marauders’ bats were quiet for three innings, until they put two runners into scoring position in the 5th, on lead-off singles by SS Greg Picart and De Los Santos. �Picart went to third on De Los Santos’ hit, and De Los Santos stole second base. �Both were left on base, though, when two pop outs ended the inning.
Bradenton did score in the 6th, to take the lead again. �Anderson was hit by a pitch to begin the inning. �He was forced out at second base on a grounder by RF Austin McClune, who was safe at first base. �3B Adam Davis moved McClune to third base with a single, and he scored on DH James Skelton’s RBI ground out. �They added another run in the 7th, when they loaded the bases on Grossman’s walk, Walker’s single, and LF Quincy Latimore being hit by a pitch. �Anderson drove in Grossman with a sacrifice fly. �An unearned run gave the Marauders a little more insurance in the 8th. �Skelton singled, and advanced to second on a missed catch error. �He scored on De Los Santos’ double.
Laureano earned his second win, going 5 innings and allowing those 2 runs on 5 hits and one walk, with 4 strikeouts. �He was relieved by Casey Erickson, who pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing one single. �Tyler Cox pitched the 8th inning, and hit a batter — who proceeded to steal both second and third bases, but was left standing on third base. �Noah Krol earned his Florida State League- leading 18th save with a scoreless 9th inning.
UPDATE: Eric Fryer�was hit in the face by a pitch. �He has broken facial bones and will require surgery. �That will keep him out of action for at least several weeks.
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West Virginia Power �8, �Delmarva Shorebirds �3 (box)
Home runs by 1B Aaron Baker and LF Jose Hernandez sparked the Power, who posted 11 hits in the game. �Both home runs came in the 2nd inning — the solo blast by Baker to lead off the inning, followed by a double by C Ramon Cabrera, and the 2-run shot by Hernandez to give the Power a 3-0 lead. �They added 2 more runs in the 4th, when Hernandez and 3B Jose Brito started the inning with back-to-back singles. �A wild pitch scored Hernandez from third base, and a sacrifice fly by CF Evan Chambers brought in Brito to make it 5-0.
Nate Baker made the start for the Power, and he retired the first 14 batters he faced, including striking out the side in the 3rd inning. �A 2-out double in the 5th was the first hit by the Shorebirds. �In fact, all four of the hits Baker surrendered in his 6 innings were doubles. �With 2 outs in the 6th, Baker gave up three doubles in a row, to bring in 2 runs. �Baker did not walk any batters in his 6 innings, and he struck out 7. �Maurice Bankston pitched 2 innings in relief, and gave up one run in the 7th on a double and a single, which tied the score at 3-3.
The tie did not last long. �With one out in the bottom of the frame, Chambers and 2B Jarek Cunningham both walked (Chambers also stole second base), and a ground out by RF David Rubinstein moved both into scoring position. �Aaron Baker hit towards first base, and a fielding error allowed both Chambers and Cunningham to score, giving the Power a 5-2 lead. �They added an (earned) insurance run in the 8th, on Brito’s double and SS Benji Gonzalez’s RBI single.
Bankston and�Marc Baca each retired the side in order in the 8th and 9th to end the game.
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State College Spikes �8, �Williamsport Crosscutters �3 (box)
Five runs in the 2nd inning gave the Spikes the edge, as 1B Gerlis Rodriguez went 3-for-3 and C Miguel Mendez had 2 hits. �The Spikes began their night with 2 runs in the 1st inning. �2B Walker Gourley walked and went to third on LF Adalberto Santos’ line drive single. �Santos stole second base and when the Crosscutters’ catcher threw wildly to second base for an error, Gourley scored from third. �A single by DH Chase Lyles brought in Santos, to give the Spikes a 2-0 lead.
The Crosscutters tied the score in the top of the 2nd, on a hit batter, a walk, a bunt, then a sacrifice fly and an RBI single. �Then the Spikes broke it open when they sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning. �RF Justin Bencsko began with a walk and stole second base. �Mendez singled and SS Gift Ngoepe walked to load the bases. �Gourley cleared the bases with a double into left field, and the score was 5-2. �Gourley advanced to third base on a balk, and walks to Santos and Lyles loaded the bases again. �Rodriguez walked next, forcing in another run, and 3B Kelson Brown’s ground out plated the 5th run of the inning: �Spikes ahead, 7-2.
Two more walks began another rally in the 6th. �Ngoepe and Gourley worked back-to-back free passes to open the inning. �Santos’ grounder forced out Gourley at second, leaving runners on the corners. �Lyles grounded to short, and a fielder’s choice play had Ngoepe out at the plate. �Rodriguez’s single to third brought in Santos moments later.
Kevin Decker started for the Spikes and allowed those 2 runs in the 2nd inning. �He worked around a single in each of his other 5 innings, but did not allow another run to score. �Jhonatan Ramos gave up just one run in 3 innings of relief, and erased that base runner with a double play. �Jason Townsend made his pro debut in the 9th inning for the Spikes, and allowed the Crosscutters one more run, on a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly, then retired the next two batters to end the game.
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GCL Blue Jays �5, �GCL Pirates �2 (box)
The Blue Jays scored early and the Pirates could not catch up in this afternoon’s game. �Pirates’ starter Vincent Payne pitched a scorelesss 1st inning, then gave up a walk, an RBI double, and a 2-run homer in the 3rd. �Yerfi Taveras took the next 4 innings for the Pirates, allowing one run on 4 hits. �The run came in the 3rd inning on two doubles.
The Pirates answered with 2 runs in the 5th inning. �LF Exicardo Cayonez singled through the hole into left field, C Dylan Child singled into center, and RF Daan Cornelissen walked to load the bases with one out. �SS Kevin Mort singled into right field, scoring both Cayonez and Child. �The Pirates had only two more base runners in the rest of the game — 3B Eric Avila singled in the 6th, and Cayonez singled again in the 9th.
Joan Montero pitched the final two innings for the Pirates. �He gave up a single and a walk in the 8th, and a fielding error by Child allowed the runner to score the unearned run for the Blue Jays. �Montero’s own throwing error and a balk put a runner on second base in the 8th, but he settled down and got the next three batters out.
