The Undercards: Stone Crabs Play TRIPLE-Header!

Tropical storms and hurricanes can do that- sideline you for four straight days. To make up for the lost time, the Stone Crabs had to play a triple-header, yes three games, on Wednesday. The games were all less than 9 innings, but nevertheless, wow.

Triple-A International League: Durham Bulls 4, Syracuse Chiefs (WSN 3

This game turned out pretty well for the Bulls as they rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win. Alex Torres’ schedule had been thrown off after an MLB call-up on Sunday in which he didn’t make an appearance, and rust was evident as Torres lasted just 1+ innings in this game, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, striking out 2 while walking 2 and throwing just 14 of 30 pitches for strikes. A couple innings later, Kyle Farnsworth came in for another relief appearance and was crisp again, tossing a shutout inning with 2 strikeouts, throwing 12 of 17 pitches for strikes. Lance Pendleton finally gave the Bulls some length, tossing 4.2 shutout innings, although he did allow 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out just 2, and recently-named International League All-Star Dane De La Rosa recorded a 1-out save, his 8th of the season. The run production for the Bulls came from the top of the order as Rich Thompson had a huge game, going 3 for 4 with a walk, 2 stolen bases, an RBI, and a run scored, and Jesus Feliciano went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 RBI. Reid Brignac went 1 for 4, extending his on-base streak to 19 games, but more noticeable was Tim Beckham, who went 2 for 4 with a run scored. It was his first 2-hit game in about forever- since April 13th.

Double-A Southern League: Jackson Generals (MIA) 5, Montgomery Biscuits 2 (10 innings)

The Biscuits went just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring positions, and that cost them here. Kyle Lobstein had a good yet extremely enigmatic start, allowing 2 runs on 2 hits in 5 innings, striking out 6 while walking 4 and posting just a 1-6 groundout to flyout ratio. Scott Shuman was even more frustrating following him, tossing a scoreless inning, but walking 3 while striking out 1. The Biscuits’ only run came on a Tyler Bortnick solo shot, despite the fact that Hak-Ju Lee went 3 for 5 with his 27th steal of the season, and Brad Coon went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles  and a walk. Greg Sexton also went 2 for 4.

High-A Florida State League: Game 1: Brevard County Manatees (MIL) 8, Charlotte Stone Crabs 1 (7 innings)

Albert Suarez got off to an awful start, allowing 6 runs, 4 earned in the first inning of this game, and Brewers top prospect Jed Bradley was outstanding against him, going the 7 inning complete game allowing just 1 run on 5 hits, striking out 5 while walking 1. Suarez managed to carve out a decent outing for himself after the first frame of horrors, going 4 innings allowing the 6 runs on 7 hits, striking out 4 while walking 2 and posting a 6-2 groundout to flyout ratio. Good thing, because the Stone Crabs had three games to deal with here. On offense, Mikie Mahtook went 1 for 3 with the Stone Crabs’ only RBI, and David Wendt went 2 for 3 with a double.

Game 2: Stone Crabs 5, Manatees 3 (8 innings)

This one went 8 innings because it was tied after the prerequisite 7. Enny Romero had no control whatsoever, going 4 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, striking out not a single batter while walking 5 and hitting another. But Chris Andujar and Jim Patterson combined for 4 innings of scoreless relief behind him. The Stone Crabs faced another tough matchup in another Brewers top pitching prospect, Taylor Jungmann, but they got him for 2 runs, both unearned, on 2 hits in 4.1 innings as he struck out 3 while walking 2. Mikie Mahtook laced an electrifying 2-run triple in the top of the 8th as part of a 2 for 4 day.

Game 3: Manatees 8, Stone Crabs 5 (7 innings)

Eliazer Suero made the spot start for Charlotte in this one and unfortunately could not do the job, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings. Lenny Linsky followed with his first appearance of the season for Charlotte, and he did not pitch well, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits in 1 innings, striking out 2 but walking 2 as well. On offense, Derek Dietrich slammed a solo homer, Christopher Murrill went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI, and Mahtook capped off a crazy day going 1 for 4 with an RBI.

Low-A MIdwest League: West Michigan Whitecaps (DET) 7, Bowling Green Hot Rods 0

This one was a pitcher’s duel that was scoreless through 5, but the Hot Rods wilted in the 6th and 7th innings. Ryan Carpenter tossed the first 5 for the Hot Rods, but couldn’t record an out in the 6th and wound up going 5+ innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits, striking out 3 while walking 1 and posting a 5-3 groundout to flyout ratio. Wilsen Palacios was too good for West Michigan, tossing 7.2 shutout innings allowing just 6 hits and no walks while striking out 3 and posting an 11-2 groundout to flyout ratio, and with the Whitecaps ahead 7-0, they pulled a publicity stunt and called in Lebron to toss the final 1.1 innings, and he did so allowing just 1 walk and no hits. Just kidding, the reliever’s name was Ramon Lebron. On offense, the Hot Rods got just 6 hits and it was the Taylor Motter show as he went 3 for 3 with a double. Joshua Sale and Jake Hager each went 1 for 4.

Short Season-A New York-Penn League: Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) 4, Hudson Valley Renegades 1

This one was a little crazy. Sean Bierman made his second pro start, allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, on 6 hits in 2+ innings. Let’s say that being a groundball pitcher doesn’t help you much in the low minors as Bierman posted a 4-0 groundout to flyout ratio and a 7-0 groundball to flyball ratio (allowing 1 pop-up an 3 line drives). He better start missing some bats if he wants to succeed. After Ian Kendall tossed 3 innings of 1-run ball- but striking out 2 while walking 4- Ryan Garton was tremendous in 2 perfect innings, striking out 4, and Jose Molina (not the one you know) struck out the side in the 8th. On offense, Justin O’Conner, moved all the way up to second in the lineup, went 2 for 3 with a walk and a double, and Joel Caminero went 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Advanced Rookie Appalachian League: Princeton Rays 6, Greeneville Astros 3

This game was a nice all-around effort by the P-Rays. Jacob Faria had a decent start, going 5 innings allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, striking out 2 while walking 1 but posting just a 2-5 groundout to flyout ratio. Joan Guerrero and Zach Butler followed with 4 combined shutout innings, allowing just 1 hit. The offense came from power, as the P-Rays had 9 hits, 7 for extra-bases. Brandon Martin went 2 for 4 with a double, a triple, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, Granden Goetzman went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI, Oscar Hernandez went 1 for 3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, John Alexander went 1 for 4 with a 2-run homer, his first of the season, and Daryl George went 1 for 3 with a double, 2 walks, and a run scored.

Foreign Rookie Venezuelan Summer League: VSL Phillies 1, VSL Rays 0

19 year old lefty Douglas Parada, a pitcher for the VSL Phillies, has absolutely dominated this season and this game was certainly no exception as he went 7 innings of no-run, 4-hit ball, striking out 8. His ERA on the season is now a minuscule 1.02. After 18 year old Alberto Casanas tossed a scoreless first inning for the VSL Rays, Mario Fernandez, another 18 year old, gave them a great outing, allowing 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings, striking out 2 while walking 1. Eduardo Medina, 20, pitched the final 2 innings scoreless for the VSL Rays, but it was not enough. Parada was too good and a Francisco Herrera, 18, solo shot was the difference. 18 year old centerfielder Jose Paez went 2 for 4 with a triple for the VSL Rays.