Jupiter Hammerheads 5, Bradenton Marauders 2
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Four errors by the Marauders gave Jupiter 4 unearned runs tonight. Starter Brett Lorin got off to a good start with four scoreless innings, allowing only two singles in the 3rd and two more singles (one to rehabbing Hanley Ramirez) in the 4th. He worked around one of the Marauders’ errors — a fielding error by SS Kelson Brown in the 2nd — and erased the runner with a double play. But two errors in the 5th put the Marauders into a hole. With two outs, a walk and a throwing error by 2B Jarek Cunningham brought in a run. Ramirez singled again, driving in the second run of the inning, and Ramirez scored on a fielding error by 3B Elevys Gonzalez, to give Jupiter a 3-0 lead (all three runs unearned).
The Marauders tried to get started in the top of the 1st. RF Robbie Grossman led off with an infield single, and went to second base on a wild pitch. He was picked off trying to steal third base, though. C Ramon Cabrera walked in the 1st, and Grossman walked in the 3rd, and they were the only Bradenton base runners until DH Calvin Anderson singled in the 5th.
Jason Erickson took over for Lorin to begin the 6th. He too gave up an unearned run, when Cunningham made a fielding error. The runner stole second base, advanced on a ground out, and scored on an RBI single. Zach Foster pitched a scoreless 7th inning. He walked the first two batters, then retired the next three batters he faced. Eliecer Navarro gave up the only earned run the Hammerheads scored on a solo homer.
The Marauders put two runners on base in the 7th inning, when Elevys Gonzalez singled and CF Evan Chambers reached on a fielding error. Gonzalez got as far as third base, and Chambers stole second, but both were left in scoring position when the inning ended with two strike outs. The Marauders’ only runs came in the top of the 9th with some help by a wild pitcher. Cabrera led off with a line drive single into right, and he went to third on Elevys Gonzalez’s double into right. A wild pitch let Cabrera score and let Gonzalez advance to third base. Then another wild pitch gave Gonzalez the chance to score too. Chambers walked and LF David Rubinstein was hit by a pitch, but they were left on base.
Reading Phillies 4, Altoona Curve 0
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Starter Kyle McPherson’s AA debut was spoiled by a 4-run 6th inning by the R-Phils. McPherson pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, no walks, with 4 strikeouts in his first game with the Curve. McPherson began with 5 scoreless innings. He gave up a pair of 2-out singles in the 1st inning, and left them both on base. He retired 12 R-Phils in order, then gave up a double in the 5th, and also left that runner on base. The bottom of the 6th began with a bunt single, with the runner advancing to second on C Tony Sanchez’s throwing error. The next batter singled into left field, and LF Quincy Latimore made an on-target throw to the plate, where Sanchez tagged out the lead runner. After a strikeout, McPherson gave up back-to-back homers, for a 3-0 lead, and that was the end of McPherson’s night. Diego Moreno came on in relief, and he gave up another run on two singles and a wild pitch. Moreno pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 8th, then Tim Alderson pitched a scoreless 9th, allowing a walk and a hit batter.
The Curve were held to 4 hits — two by CF Starling Marte, on by Latimore, and one by 1B Matt Curry. Curry also walked twice, as did SS Jordy Mercer. Curry’s double was the only Curve hit in the first three innings. The Curve had two runners on base in the 4th, when Marte led off with a single and Mercer walked. Marte was doubled off second base when Latimore lined right to the shortstop. Curry also walked, but he and Mercer were left on base. Marte singled again in the 6th and Curry walked again in the 7th. Mercer was the only Curve batter to reach third base when he walked in the 9th, moved to second on Latimore’s single, and advanced to third base on Curry’s ground out. But two strikeouts ended the inning and the game.
West Virginia Power 3, Lakewood Blue Claws 0
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The regularly scheduled game was supposed to go just 7 innings after the completion of the suspended game… but after 7 innings, neither team had scored. The Power had been held to just 4 hits over those 7 innings, including a triple by CF Mel Rojas in the 2nd, and a single by 2B Andy Vasquez in the 3rd. Vasquez stole second base, and moved on to third on a throwing error by the Lakewood catcher. RF Dan Grovatt also walked in the 3rd, and LF Rogelios Noris singled in the 7th. The Power threatened in the 6th. Vasquez singled and in an instant replay of the 3rd inning, he stole second and went to third on another throwing error by the catcher. Grovatt walked again, and he advanced to second on a wild pitch. After two outs, Rojas was intentionally walked to load the bases, but C Elias Diaz struck out to end the threat without a run scoring.
Brandon Cumpton pitched 5 scoreless innings in his start for the Power, scattering 5 hits and a walk, with 5 strikeouts. He gave up one hit, the walk, and hit a batter in the 1st inning, but did not allow a run to score. In the 3rd, Cumpton gave up two lead-off singles to put runners on the corners. The next batter struck out, and the runner from third was tagged out at home. Another strikeout ended that inning. Casey Sadler relieved Cumpton to begin the bottom of the 6th. He pitched 3 scoreless innings, allowing a single in the 6th and a walk in the 7th.
The Power scored the only runs of the game in the 8th. With one out, 1B Justin Howard walked, and after the second out, Rojas also walked. Howard stole third base, which put him into position to score on Diaz’s single to third. Noris doubled into center field, driving in both Rojas and Diaz, but Noris was out at third trying to stretch his double into a triple. Those three runs were all the Power needed though, as Sadler retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning. Sadler was credited with the win, his second of the season.
