Kinston beat Myrtle Beach 9-2 Sunday night in Myrtle Beach. The rain shortened affair was halted in the top of the seventh inning. Kinston takes two of three games in Myrtle Beach to win the series from the Pelicans. Kinston ends up taking the season series from Myrtle Beach with a 12-8 record.
Kinston got to Pelican’s starting pitcher Zeke Spruill in the top of the first frame. Bo Greenwell led off the game with a single, followed by a Karexon Sanchez double. Jeremie Tice then walked to load the bases. Chun Chen delivered a sacrifice fly to score Greenwell and send Sanchez to third base. Kyle Bellows then followed with a sacrifice fly to score Sanchez and give Kinston a 2-0 lead. After an Abner Abreu single, Juan Diaz put Kinston up 4-0 with a two RBI double.
K-Tribe starter Joe Gardner (11-5, 2.81) picked up his Carolina League leading eleventh win of the season. Gardner was very good, giving up just five hits and one earned run in five innings of work. Gardner struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Leading 4-2 after five innings, Kinston put things away in the sixth. Donnie Webb and Alex Castillo led off the top of the sixth inning with back-to-back singles, putting Pelicans starter Spruill out of the game. Spruill (3-4) took the loss, giving up seven hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three. With Pelicans reliever Chad Rodgers in the game, Greenwell delivered a sacrifice bunt, advancing both runners. With the infield pulled in, Sanchez hit a hard two-hopper to Pelican’s shortstop Mycal Jones. Jones delivered a late, low throw to home plate that got by the catcher and allowed both Webb and Castillo to score. The error put Kinston up 6-2. The K-Tribe would add to the lead when Abreu delivered a two RBI single later in the inning. Kinston added another run before rain halted play in the top of the seventh inning when Greenwell delivered an RBI single to score Webb. Tyler Sturdevant pitched a three strikeout inning of scoreless work from the bullpen for Kinston.
The K-Tribe returns to Historic Grainger Stadium for their final seven home games of the season starting on Monday. Austin Adams will get the start for Kinston on a Monday Buck Night, game time 7pm in Kinston.
Losing streak hits five as Hens top Clippers, 4-2
Carlos Carrasco looked as sharp as he has all year through five-and-two-thirds innings Sunday against the Toledo Mud Hens. But a pair of two-out rallies, coupled with no run support, resulted in the Clippers dropping their fifth consecutive game Huntington Park, despite a late rally of their own, 4-2.
Carrasco (10-6) hit the first batter he faced, but then picked Scott Sizemore off at first base and didn't allow another runner to reach base until Shawn Roof's broken-bat infield single started a two-out rally in the sixth. Roof scored on Cale Iorg's single and then Scott Sizemore (who had walked) came home on a Jeff Frazier hit.
Toledo added two more runs in the eighth inning against Carrasco, with a two-out rally that included doubles from Roof and Sizemore and a single from Iorg. Carrasco's final line included seven hits and four earned runs, along with eight strikeouts, over seven-and-two-thirds innings. Ryan Ketchner (4-4) pitched five scoreless innings to earn the win for the Mud Hens.
The Clippers had chances to take the lead early, leaving the bases loaded in the third inning and going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position until they finally broke through with two outs in the ninth. An Argenis Reyes single scored Jordan Brown and then Drew Sutton's ground-rule double plated Cord Phelps and put the tying runs in scoring position.
Ezequiel Carrera was called out on strikes, however, to end the game and earn a save for Josh Rainwater.
The Clippers fell to 15-6 in Sunday games this season, but, more importantly, blew an opportunity to reclaim the International League West Division lead, as Louisville had lost to Indianapolis earlier Sunday. The Bats continue to hold a half-game advantage.
The Columbus portion of the five-game series concludes Monday night at 7:05, with the Clippers sending left-hander David Huff (7-1, 3.99) to the hill opposite Toledo southpaw Charlie Furbush (2-3, 6.06).
Senators Sweep Aeros with Pair of Wins
The Aeros lost to the Harrisburg Senators Sunday afternoon by scores of 6-1 and 2-1 in front of 4,187 fans at Canal Park, resulting in a sweep in a pivotal three-game series. Akron now falls to 64-62 while Harrisburg improves to 67-59. With the sweep, the second-place Sens now stand 3.5 games in front of fourth-place Akron in the tight Western Division standings.
Harrisburg scored first in the third inning on an RBI double by Chris Marrero that brought in Jesus Valdez. Akron tied it up in the bottom of the sixth when third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall doubled in center fielder Jordan Henry from first.
The Senators took the advantage in a wild eighth when Jhonathan Solano hit a two-RBI single to left that scored Edgardo Baez and Ofilio Castro. The Harrisburg rally continued on triple by Steve Lombardozzi that brought home Solano and Brad Coon. Lombardozzi then scored on Josh Johnson’s single for the final 6-1 count.
Left-handed reliever Nick Hagadone took the loss in the opener giving up two runs on two hits while striking out and walking two each. Four-time World Series champion Orlando Hernandez earned his first victory with four strikeouts over 2.1 perfect innings of work.
In game two, the Sens jumped out 1-0 in the second frame when Devin Ivany hit in Chris Marrero on a groundout. Ivany added a second RBI in his next at bat in the fourth on a single that scored Josh Johnson.
The Aeros finally scored in the sixth when shortstop Carlos Rivero hit and RBI single and drove in right fielder Jerad Head, who reached on a walk and moved over on a ground out by first baseman Beau Mills. It was not enough, however, as the hosts left three on base in the inning and fell 2-1.
Left handed starter Matt Packer (0-2, 4.50 ERA) took the loss despite a decent outing, giving up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk across five innings. The Sens’ Rafael Martin earned the win in relief to improve to 5-2. Cole Kimball recorded his seventh save and second of the series.
Akron travels to Bowie tomorrow to play another doubleheader. The two teams will finish their suspended game from July 28th before starting their originally scheduled three game series.
Dragons take Second Straight from the Captains 12-7
The Dragons won their second straight game at home against Lake County Sunday afternoon by the final of 12-7. Henry Rodriguez led the Dayton offensive with a four RBI game.
Adam Abraham’s twelfth homerun of the season gave Lake County the lead 1-0 in the second inning.
In the bottom half the second inning, with one out Captains’ starter Trey Haley walked Ryan LaMarre and then Josh Garton. A double steal by the Dragons put both runners on second and third. Dominic D’Anna picked up his first RBI of season with a sacrifice fly to leftfield to score LaMarre to tie the game.
The Captains came right back in the top of the third inning. Tyler Holt doubled down the third baseline to lead things off. Delvi Cid was hit by a Jacob Johnson pitch. Casey Frawley doubled into the leftfield corner scoring both Holt and Cid for a 3-1 lead.
Trey Haley walked Dayton catcher Chase Weems to start the bottom of the third. Didi Gregorius singled to put runners on first and second. Henry Rodriguez smoked a ball over the head of Cid in leftfield that scored Weems and Gregorius to tie the game at three. Mark Fleury reached on a Haley walk. Ryan LaMarre singled to left loading the bases. Haley walked Josh Garton, his fifth walked allowed that scored Rodriguez giving the Dragons a 4-3 lead.
Tyler Holt leadoff the fifth inning with a base hit to center to reach. Cid was hit by a pitch for the second time putting two runners on. The Captains moved the runners into scoring position with a double steal. Abraham picked up his second RBI of the game with a ground out to third scoring Holt. Chris Kersten laced one off of third baseman Frank Pfister into leftfield for a RBI single giving Lake County a 5-4 edge.
Didi Gregorius doubled to start the bottom half of the fifth inning. Rodriguez ground to second pushing the runner Gregorius over to third. Haley walked his sixth hitter putting Fleury on first. LaMarre with a sacrifice fly to center scored Gregorius. A Haley wild pitch scored Fleury from third and makes it 6-5 Dayton.
Nick Sarianides pitched in relief and walked Chase Weems with one out. Justin Reed singled to putting runners on the corners. Didi Gregorius tripled down the right field line driving in two runs. Henry Rodriguez crushed a Sarianides pitch to right for a two-run homerun giving Dayton the lead 10-5.
The Dragons kept on swinging in the seventh after one out walk to Chase Weems, Justin Reed hit his first homerun of the year, a two-run homerun off Preston Guilmet to make 12-5.
The Captains picked up two runs in the ninth inning without a base hit. Ramon Martinez walked the bases loaded, by walking Argenis Martinez, Holt and Cid. Jamie Walzcek entered the game for Martinez and walked Frawley scoring Martinez. Abraham hit into a double play that allowed Holt to score and the Captains fell 12-7.
Jamie Johnson (7-6) picked up the win for the Dragons, working five innings allowing five runs on six hits and striking out three. Haley (5-9) suffered the loss allowing six runs, five of them earned on four hits over 4.2 innings, walking six and striking out five.
Lake County and Dayton continue their four game series from Fifth Third Field at 7:00PM on Monday night. The Captains will start LHP Vidal Nuno (5-6) and will be matched up against RHP Clayton Shunick (1-1) for Dragons.
Scrappers shutout by Spikes, 4-0
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers were shutout in game two of a three-game series by the State College Spikes 4-0 Sunday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. With the loss, the Scrappers fell to 26-36 on the season, while the Spikes improved to 30-31.
In his second start of the season, Cole Cook lost his first game for the Scrappers pitching four innings, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out three.
Tyler Waldron picked up the win for the Spikes pitching five scoreless innings and giving up just two hits.
Chase Burnette extended his hitting streak to 13 games tonight going 1-3 with a single.
Scrappers' short stop Nick Bartolone was ejected in the bottom of the second inning by field umpire Ryan Bealo after arguing a play at second base.
The Spikes got on the board in the bottom of the first inning off Cook scoring two times to take the lead 2-0. Cook settled down after the first allowing just two hits over his next three innings of work.
The Spikes added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning off reliever Julio Ramirez. Pat Irvine opened the inning with a solo home run to right field to give the Spikes a 3-0 lead. Kelson Brown followed with a double then advanced to third base on a Matt Skirving ground out. He later scored on a Ramirez wild pitch to make it 4-0.
The Spikes pitching staff did the rest as the Scrappers only had four base runners and were only able to muster three hits in the game two loss.
The Scrappers and Spikes play the rubber match of this three-game series tomorrow night. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
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2 comments:
Salem wins as well...keeping Kinston still a game and a half out. They have a three game series yet with Salem which is obviously important, but a lot of games yet to play...
Gardner's pitch mix seems eerily similar to Carmona. He appears very reliant on his sinker, and right now his secondary pitches are marginal and require work.
Being so reliant on his sinker, which reportedly has significant movement, I hope he's able to keep the pitch in the strike zone. Otherwise, major league hitters will eventually lay off the sinker and Gardner will face the same issues Carmona faced in '08 and '09.
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