Daily Recap: 7/29

Crowe powers Bisons past Bulls

Trevor Crowe finished the night a double shy of the cycle as the Buffalo Bisons hung on to beat the Durham Bulls 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Crowe, in just his 5th game with the Bisons, got his first multi-hit game at the AAA level off to a good start in the first inning leading off with a single against Rays prospect Jeff Niemann (7-5) and coming around to score on a 2-out bases loaded walk to 3B Morgan Ensberg to stake the Bisons to a 1-0 lead.

The Bulls would answer back in the bottom half against another new Bison RHP Anthony Reyes, making his first start since being acquired from the St Louis Cardinals organisation for RHP Luis Perdomo. Reyes would allow a lead-off walk, followed by a 1-out RBI double by CF Justin Ruggiano to tie the game at 1-1. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases with only one out, Reyes would wriggle out of trouble striking out 3B Joel Guzman and enducing a grounder to first by C John Jaso to end what was a 33 pitch inning.

The Bisons offense would again get on the board in the second inning with a 2-out rally; Crowe walked, stole second base and scored on a single by DH Tony Graffanino. 1B Michael Aubrey then made the score 3-1 on an RBI double to right.

After SS Reid Brignac pulled the Bulls to within one with a leadoff HR in the bottom of the 2nd the Bisons offense would take charge from the 5th inning onwards. Morgan Ensberg staked the Herd to a 5-2 lead with a 2-run HR with one down in the 5th and after Justin Ruggiano had made it 5-3 with a leadoff HR in the bottom half against Reyes (1-0), Crowe continued his good night with his 2nd AAA HR in the 6th inning, before RBI doubles by Ensberg and CF Brad Snyder in the 7th put the Bisons on top 8-3 with some much needed insurance.

The Bulls rallied for 4 runs in the bottom half of the 7th against Bisons reliever RHP Preston Larrison on an RBI groundout by Joel Guzman, a 2-run double from Brignac and a 2-out RBI single by 2B Elliot Johnson to cut the deficit to 8-7. But, Bisons relievers RHP Ed Buzachero and LHP Rich Rundles worked the final 2.1 hitless innings to close the game out.

Reyes finished the night with 5IP, 5H, 3R/ER, 4BB, 4K and settled down to only throw 66 pitches over his final 4 innings after his 33 pitch first inning to pick up his first Bisons win.

Trevor Crowe finished the night 3-for-5 with a 3B, HR, 3 runs scored and a stolen base as he stretched his modest AAA hit streak to 4 games. Morgan Ensberg (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 4RBI) and Brad Snyder (2-for-5, 2B, 3B, RBI) the other offensive standouts for a Bisons team that will continue their 3 game series with Durham at 7.05pm on Wednesday. RHP Jeff Weaver is scheduled to start for the Herd.


Aeros overpowered by Seawolves

The Akron Aeros were outslugged 11-5 by the Erie Seawolves on Tueday night in front of 8,062 fans at Canal Park.

The Seawolves posted crooked numbers in the 2nd (4 runs) and 5th (5 runs) innings doing most of the damage against Aeros starter Kevin Dixon (4IP, 7H, 4R, 3ER) and reliever Jim Deters (2.1IP, 8H, 6ER).

On a more encouraging note, LHP Chuck Lofgren with another strong outing out of the bullpen working 1.2 scoreless innings without a walk (12.2IP, 9H, 1BB, 7K, 1.42ERA in 5 relief appearances).

2B Josh Rodriguez broke out of a 1-for-19 slump with a 3-for-3 day at the plate with a 2B. DH Matt Whitney (10), C Wyatt Toregas (11) and LF Nate Panther (5) all homered for an Aeros team that saw its lead in the Southern Division of the Eastern League cut to 3.5 games.


Mills powers Indians past Pelicans

Beau Mills hit his 17th home run of the season and drove in 4 runs to lead the Kinston Indians to a 7-2 win over the Myrtle Beach Pelicans at Grainger Stadium.

The Indians got on the board in the 3rd inning against Pelicans starter Carlos Rivas as newly acquired C Carlos Santana ripped a 2-out double off the wall in CF to score Cirrilo Cumberbatch and was brought home on an RBI single by Mills.

The K-Tribe then broke the game wide open in the 4th on RBI singles by DH Matt McBride and LF Lucas Montero capped off by Mills opposite field blast with 2 runners on and 2 outs to make the score 7-0.

The offensive outburst made a winner of RHP Jeff Harris (1-0) who was sent to Kinston from the AAA Buffalo DL prior to the game. Harris allowed 1 run off 4 hits in 3.1 innings pitched in relief of Indians starter Sung-Wei Tseng who worked 4.2 scoreless innings.

Mills finished the night 2-for-3 with a 2B, HR, HBP, 4RBI and has now homered 8 times in 29 games since the High-A All Star break compared to 9HR in 73 games prior to the break. Mills 73RBIs rank him 1st in the Carolina League and his 17HR rank 2nd.


In other games....

- Captains lose 6-1 to Greensboro. Joannel Montero (5.2IP, 4H, 3R, BB, 5K) sees his record fall to 1-5. 1B/DH Todd Martin hit his first HR of the year in the 9th for a Captains team that managed only 5 hits and was no-hit for the first 4.2 innings.

- Scrappers score 14 runs in the final 4 innings to beat Spikes 14-2. Russell Young picks up his 2d win allowing 2 runs in 5.2IP. Isaias Velasquez (3-for-6), Jeremie Tice (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 3RBI), Brock Simpson (2-for-5, HR, 4RBI) and Donnie Webb (4-for-5) powered the Scrappers 17 hit attack.

- DSL Indians lose 3-1 to DSL Orioles. Jesus Quintero (6IP, 3H, 2R, 0ER, 6K) with the tough luck loss.

- GCL Indians win completion of suspended game from 7/18 by a score of 7-3 over GCL Braves. Abner Abreu (2-for-4, 2B, 2RBI) the top performer. Lose the regularly scheduled game 4-2 in 7 innings. Alexander Perez (5IP, 3H, 2R, 7K) with another strong start - allowed 2ER or fewer in 6 of 7 starts. Delvi Cid (2-for-3) the only standout for an Indians team that was 3-hit.

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