Games of April 29

Good pitching in both games that were played.  Good offense in one of them.

CHARLOTTE AT ROCHESTER

Rained out

NEW BRITAIN AT HARRISBURG

Rained out.

FORT MYERS 7, BRADENTON 1 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Travis Harrison was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Levi Michael was 2-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Aderlin Mejia was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Matt Tomshaw, in his first start of the season, struck out four in four innings, giving up one run on five hits and a walk.  Tim Shibuya pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.  Tyler Jones retired all five batters he faced, striking out two.

Opposition stars:  Max Moroff was 2-for-4 with a double.  Jason Creasy pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with four strikeouts.

The game:  Jordan Steranka triple and scored in the second to give Bradenton a 1-0 lead.  In the third, Harrison doubled and scored on a Dalton Hicks single to tie the score.  It stayed tied until the sixth, when Mejia hit a two-run double to put Fort Myers in front 3-1.  Harrison delivered a two-run single in a four-run eighth that put the game away.  The Miracle was aided by two Marauder errors in the inning.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-5.  Adam Brett Walker II was 2-for-4 with a run.  Max Kepler was 0-for-3 with a run.

KANE COUNTY 2, CEDAR RAPIDS 1 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Batting stars:  Mitch Garver was 3-for-4 with a double and a run.  Zach Larson was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.  Ivory Thomas was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Ethan Mildren pitched six innings, giving up one run on eight hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  Alex Muren pitched two shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Jacob Hanneman was 3-for-4 with a double and a triple, scoring once and driving in one.  Will Remillard was 3-for-4.  Tyler Skulina pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

The game:  Garver doubled and scored on a Larson single in the fourth to give Cedar Rapids a 1-0 lead.  Hanneman tripled and scored in the sixth to tie it up.  In the eighth, a walk and a pair of singles put Kane County ahead 2-1.  The Kernels twice put men on first and second, with one out in the seventh and with none out in the ninth, but could not tie the score.

Of note:  Jason Kanzler was 0-for-4.  Tanner Vavra was 1-for-4.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-4.

TODAY'S TILTS

6:00  New Britain (Taylor Rogers, 0-3, 9.33) at Harrisburg (Matt Purke, 0-4, 9.37)

6:05  Bradenton (Tyler Glasnow, 0-0, 0.00) at Fort Myers (Brett Lee, 2-1, 3.04)

6:35  Kane County (Juan Paniagua, 0-1, 5.17) at Cedar Rapids (Josue Montanez, 0-0, 6.75)

Rochester--No game scheduled.

Games of April 28

Three shutouts!  Two 1-0 victories!  And then there's New Britain.

ROCHESTER 1, CHARLOTTE 0 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Doug Bernier was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Chris Parmelee was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Alex Meyer struck out eleven in six innings, giving up two hits and three walks.  Matt Hoffman pitched 1.2 innings, giving up one hit.  Matt Guerrier pitched 1.1 innings, giving up a walk and striking out one.

Opposition star:  Dylan Axelrod struck out seven in six innings, allowing one run on three hits and three walks.

The game:  Charlotte had a couple of threats early, getting two men on in each of the first two innings.  Rochester's lone run came in the third, when Danny Santana singled, stole second, and scored on a Parmelee double.  Meyer seemed to get stronger as the game went on, not giving up a hit after the second.  The bullpen was equally strong to preserve the 1-0 victory.

Of note:  Santana was 1-for-4 with a run.  Deibinson Romero was 0-for-2 with a walk.  Oswaldo Arcia was 0-for-2 with a walk.  Wilkin Ramirez was 0-for-3.  Eric Farris was 0-for-3.

HARRISBURG 9, NEW BRITAIN 0 IN HARRISBURG

Batting stars:  None.

Pitching stars:  Jim Fuller struck out four in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Ryan O'Rourke struck out three in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Kevin Keyes was 3-for-5 with a triple, scoring once and driving in two.  Justin Martinson was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and driving in two.  Robert Gilliam struck out four in 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks.

The game:  Harrisburg scored all its runs in two innings.  They took a dominant early lead with six in the second.  Two of the first three batters were retired, but a single, a double, a single, an error, another error, a single, and a two-run triple by Keyes made it 6-0.  The score stayed there until the seventh, when the Senators added three more on Martinson's two-run double and an RBI double by Brandon Bantz.  The closest New Britain came to scoring was in the third, when a single and a hit batsman put men on first and second with two out.

Of note:  Kenny Wilson was 0-for-2 with a walk.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-4.  Kennys Vargas was 0-for-2 with two walks.  Matt Koch was 1-for-3.  A. J. Pettersen was 1-for-3.

FORT MYERS 7, BRADENTON 0 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Niko Goodrum was 4-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in three.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk, scoring twice.  Travis Harrison was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once.

Pitching star:  Jason Wheeler pitched a complete game, giving up two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Opposition star:  Josh Smith struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks.

The game:  It was scoreless until the fourth, when Hicks led off with a homer.  Goodrum had an RBI double later in the inning to make it 2-0.  Fort Myers added two more in the fifth on a wild pitch and a bases-loaded walk.  They scored one in the seventh and two in the eighth, but the game was decided by then.  Wheeler was dominant, allowing only two baserunners, both on singles.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 2-for-4 with a run.  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-5 with a run.  Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run.  Max Kepler was 1-for-4.

CEDAR RAPIDS 1, KANE COUNTY 0 IN CEDAR RAPIDS (6 INNINGS--RAIN)

Batting star:  Mitch Garver was 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

Pitching star:  Ryan Eades struck out six in a complete game, giving up three hits and a walk.

Opposition star:  Paul Blackburn pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts.

The game:  Kane County nearly got on the board in the first inning, as Jason Kanzler threw out a man trying to score from second on a single with two out.  The Cougars would not threaten again.  Cedar Rapids did not exactly have an offensive juggernaut, but scored in the second when Garver led off with a double and scored on a ground out and a sacrifice fly.  It turned out to be enough.

Of note:  Kanzler was 0-for-3.  Tanner Vavra was 0-for-3.  Zach Larson was 1-for-2.  Ivory Thomas was 0-for-2.

TODAY'S TILTS

10:35  Charlotte (Duente Heath, 1-0, 1.69) at Rochester (Kris Johnson, 2-2, 2.86)

6:00  New Britain (Taylor Rogers, 0-3, 9.33) at Harrisburg (Matt Purke, 0-4, 9.37)

6:05  Bradenton (Jason Creasy, 1-1, 3.48) at Fort Myers (Tyler Duffey, 3-0, 2.82

6:35  Kane County (Tyler Skulina, 1-0, 4.29) at Cedar Rapids (Ethan Mildren, 0-1, 3.00)

Players of the Week: April 21-27, 2014

ROCHESTER

Position player:  Chris Parmelee was 11-for-29 with two doubles, two homers, and three walks.  For the season he is hitting .330/.388/.511 in 88 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Logan Darnell made two starts, giving up three earned runs on eight hits and three walks with twelve strikeouts in 11.1 innings.  For the season, he is 0-0, 1.69, 1.03 WHIP in four starts (21.1 innings).

NEW BRITAIN

Position player:  Kennys Vargas was 12-for-27 with three doubles, a home run, and two walks.  For the season he is hitting .286/.356/.455 in 77 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Virgil Vasquez made two starts, giving up no runs on six hits and one walk with ten strikeouts in thirteen innings.  For the season he is 0-0, 1.15, 0.83 WHIP in 15.2 innings (four appearances, two starts).

FORT MYERS

Position player:  Travis Harrison was 7-for-23 with three doubles, a triple, and two walks.  For the season he is hitting .308/.353/.449 in 78 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Tyler Duffey made one start, giving up no runs on one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings.  For the season he is 3-0, 2.82, 1.21 WHIP in four starts (22.1 innings).

CEDAR RAPIDS

Position player:  Tanner Vavra was 10-for-26 with three doubles, two walks, and a stolen base.  For the season he is hitting .368/.419/.474 in 57 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Kohl Stewart made one start, giving up no runs on one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings.  For the season he is 1-1, 3.15, 0.75 WHIP in four starts (20 innings).

Games of April 27

Chris Parmelee backs up the excellent pitching of Logan Darnell and Yohan Pino with a walkoff homer.  New Britain wastes the excellent pitching of Virgil Vasquez as two relievers hit three batters with the bases loaded.  A big inning carries Fort Myers.  Aaron Slegers handles everyone but Burt Reynolds.

ROCHESTER 3, CHARLOTTE 2 IN ROCHESTER (10 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Chris Parmelee was 2-for-5 with a home run, his fourth.  Danny Santana was 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.  Doug Bernier was 0-for-3 with two walks and a run.

Pitching stars:  Logan Darnell struck out six in 6.1 innings, giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits and one walk.  Yohan Pino struck out six in 3.2 scoreless innings, giving up three hits.

Opposition stars:  Andy Wilkins was 1-for-4 with a home run, his fourth.  Carlos Sanchez was 3-for-5.  Charlie Leesman pitched six innings, allowing one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

The game:  There was no scoring until the fifth, when Chris Rahl singled, stole second, and scored on a Santana single.  Charlotte tied in the seventh on the Wilkins homer and took the lead later in the seventh when Dennis Phipps doubled, took third on a bunt, and scored on a single by Blake Tekotte.  A walk, a single, a walk, and a sacrifice fly tied the score in the eighth.  The Knights had a chance to go ahead in the top of the eleventh when Gorkys Hernandez singled and stole second.  Carlos Sanchez followed with a single, but Doug Bernier, playing right field, threw him out at the plate.  In the bottom of the tenth, Parmelee hit a one-out walkoff homer over the right field fence.

Of note:  Deibinson Romero was 0-for-4.  Oswaldo Arcia was 0-for-2 with a walk.

RICHMOND 7, NEW BRITAIN 5 IN RICHMOND

Batting stars:  Kennys Vargas was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once.  Brandon Waring was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.  A. J. Pettersen was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Pitching star:  Virgil Vasquez pitched six shutout innings, giving up three hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Mario Lisson was 1-for-3 with a home run (his second) and two RBIs.  Matt Duffy was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Edwin Quirarte pitched four innings of relief, allowing one run on two hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

The game:  It looked good for quite a while.  Waring had a two-run double in the first to give New Britain a 2-0 lead.  RBI doubles by Kyle Knudson and Pettersen made it 4-0 after four.  Waring singled home another run in the seventh to make it 5-0.  Lisson homered in the bottom of the seventh, but it was still 5-1 and the Rock Cats appeared to have the game under control.  Then came the eighth.  Richmond opened the inning with a single, a walk, a single, and a walk to make the score 5-2 with the bases loaded.  The next batter struck out, but the next three batters were hit by pitches to tie the score.  Ricky Oropesa then delivered a two-run single to give the Flying Squirrels a 7-5 lead.  New Britain loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but a strikeout and a pop up ended the game.

Of note:  Corey Wimberley was 0-for-5.  Nate Hanson was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs.

FORT MYERS 10, PALM BEACH 7 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Travis Harrison was 3-for-5 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in two.  Levi Michael was 1-for-2 with three walks and three runs.  Max Kepler was 1-for-4 with a grand slam.

Pitching stars:  Mason Melotakis pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout.  Madison Boer pitched two shutout innings, giving up no hits and no walks.

Opposition stars:  David Washington was 2-for-4 with a home run, his fourth.  Casey Rasmus was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Nick Martini was 1-for-4 with a home run and a walk.

The game:  Jacob Wilson's two-run double keyed a three-run first for Palm Beach.  Washington's homer and an RBI single by Breyvic Valera made it 5-0 after two.  Fort Myers got two in the third, but single runs for the Cardinals in the fourth and fifth gave Palm Beach a 7-2 lead.  In the sixth, however, the Miracle opened the inning with two walks, a single, and a grand slam by Kepler.  It did not kill the rally, as a double and a walk came next, followed by a Harrison double to tie the score.  Jorge Polanco made the first out of the inning, a sacrifice fly which put Fort Myers ahead 8-7.  The Miracle bullpen took over from there, allowing only a single the rest of the way, and Fort Myers added two in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

Of note:  Polanco was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Dalton Hicks was 0-for-4 with a walk.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-2 with three walks, scoring once and driving in one.  Starter Alex Wimmers pitched five innings, surrendering seven runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

CEDAR RAPIDS 12, CLINTON 1 IN CLINTON

Batting stars:  Zach Larson was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring three times and driving in two.  Ivory Thomas was 2-for-3 with a home run and two walks, driving in three.  Chad Christensen was 3-for-5 with a walk, scoring three times and driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Aaron Slegers struck out eight in seven innings, giving up one run on six hits and no walks.  Todd Van Steensel struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up no hits and no walks.  Christian Powell struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Burt Reynolds was 1-for-4 with a home run.  Marcus Littlewood was 2-for-3 with a double.  Mark Bordonaro pitched two perfect innings.

The game:  RBI singles by Christensen and Mitch Garver gave Cedar Rapids a 2-0 lead in the first.  Reynolds homered in the second to cut the lead to 2-1, but from there it was all Kernels.  Bryan Santy hit a two-run single in the third to make it 4-1.  Cedar Rapids added two in the fourth, three in the sixth, and three in the ninth, with a Thomas two-run homer coming in the ninth inning.

Of note:  Joel Licon was 1-for-5 with a walk and a run.  Mitch Garver was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in two.  Tanner Vavra was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.

TODAY'S TILTS

6:00  New Britain (TBA) at Harrisburg (Robert Gilliam, 0-0, 6.92)

6:05  Bradenton (TBA at Fort Myers (Jason Wheeler, 1-1, 3.86)

6:05  Charlotte (Dylan Axelrod, 1-2, 4.71) at Rochester (Alex Meyer, 0-0, 3.78)

6:35  Kane County (Paul Blackburn, 2-0, 3.10) at Cedar Rapids (Ryan Eades, 1-3, 4.43)

Games of April 26

Scott Diamond struggles again.  Adam Brett Walker II hits his fifth homer.  And we're caught up!

CHARLOTTE 9, ROCHESTER 4 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Danny Santana was 3-for-5 with a double and a run.  Oswaldo Arcia was 3-for-3 with a run.  Deibinson Romero was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Edgar Ibarra pitched 1.2 scoreless innings despite giving up three hits and two walks with one strikeout.  A. J. Achter retired all four batters he faced, striking out two.

Opposition stars:  Josh Phegley was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring three times and driving in one.  Matt Davidson was 2-for-4 with a home run (his second) and three RBIs.  Tyler Saladino was 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

The game:  Phegley's RBI double and a pair of sacrifice flies put Charlotte up 3-0 in the first inning.  Each team scored once in the fourth and twice in the fifth, leaving the Knights with a 6-3 lead.  Charlotte put the game away in the ninth, getting a single, two walks, a wild pitch, and a two-run single by Saladino.

Of note:  Doug Bernier was 2-for-5 with a double and a run.  Chris Parmelee was 1-for-5 with an RBI.  Wilkin Ramirez was 1-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly, scoring once.  Eric Farris was 0-for-4 with a sacrifice fly.  Starter Scott Diamond pitched five innings, surrendering six runs on nine hits and no walks with four strikeouts.

NEW BRITAIN 5, RICHMOND 4 IN RICHMOND (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, his second.  Kennys Vargas was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Kenny Wilson was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.

Pitching stars:  None.

Opposition star:  Tyler Graham was 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and scored twice.

The game:  A sacrifice fly and a Vargas RBI single gave New Britain a 2-0 lead after three.  Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 4-0.  Richmond got one in the sixth, but Nate Hanson got the run back in the seventh with an RBI single to make it 5-1.  In the bottom of the seventh, a single, a walk, and Graham's three-run homer cut the lead to 5-4 with two out.  A hit batsman and an error put men on first and third before a ground out ended the game.

Of note:  Corey Wimberley was 1-for-4 with a run.  Hanson was 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and two RBIs.  A. J. Pettersen was 1-for-3 with a run.  Starter Sean Gilmartin pitched well for six innings before tiring in the seventh.  His line is 6.2 innings, four runs, six hits, and one walk with seven strikeouts.

RICHMOND 5, NEW BRITAIN 2 IN RICHMOND (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Batting star:  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer, his third.

Pitching star:  Cole Johnson struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up only a walk.

Opposition stars:  Mario Lisson was 1-for-3 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.  Myles Schroder was 1-for-2 with a walk and scored twice.  Jarrett Parker was 2-for-3 with a run.

The game:  New Britain loaded the bases in the second on three walks but could not score.  In the bottom of the second, Tyler Graham's two-run single capped a three-run inning, aided by an error and a walk, to give Richmond a 3-0 lead.  Vargas homered in the sixth to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Flying Squirrels came right back in the bottom of the sixth on Lisson's RBI double and a wild pitch to re-gain the three-run lead.  The Rock Cats had men on first and second with none out in the ninth but could do nothing with them.

Of note:  Kenny Wilson was 1-for-4.  Nate Hanson was 1-for-4 with a run.  Matt Koch was 1-for-2 with a walk.  Starter Pat Dean pitched five innings, giving up five runs (one earned) on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

PALM BEACH 9, FORT MYERS 4 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Adam Brett Walker II was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, his fifth.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Aderlin Mejia was 2-for-3 with a walk and scored once.

Pitching stars:  David Hurlbut pitched five innings, giving up two runs on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.  Brian Gilbert pitched two shutout innings, giving up three walks.

Opposition stars:  Anthony Garcia was 4-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Jesus Montero was 2-for-2 with two walks, scoring twice and driving in two.  Cory Jones struck out six in six shutout innings, allowing two hits and four walks.

The game:  Two singles, a walk, and another single put Palm Beach ahead 2-0 in the third.  The Cardinals blew it open in the sixth, scoring six times.  After a pop out, Palm Beach got three consecutive singles to make the score 3-0.  The next batter grounded out, but then a single, a triple, a double, a walk, and two more singles, leaving the score 8-0.  All six runs came off Tim Shibuya in his only inning of work.  All four Fort Myers runs came in the ninth.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Max Kepler was 0-for-4.

CEDAR RAPIDS 7, CLINTON 6 IN CLINTON

Batting stars:  Zach Larson was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in two.  Tanner Vavra was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Mitch Garver was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run.

Pitching stars:  Felix Jorge pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts.  Hudson Boyd pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Tyler O'Neill was 2-for-4 with a home run (his fourth) and two runs.  Corey Simpson was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Zach Shank was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  O'Neill started the scoring with a second-inning home run, but consecutive doubles by Vavra and Chad Christensen tied it in the third.  Jason Kanzler had a two-run single in the fourth to make it 3-1 and Larson had a two-run double in the fifth to make it 5-1.  Cedar Rapids added two more in the eighth to go up 7-2 and they needed the runs, because Clinton came back with four runs in the bottom of the eighth.  They had men on first and third with two out before a ground out ended the inning.  The LumberKings did not get a man past first in the ninth.

Of note:  Kanzler was 1-for-5 with two RBIs.  Christensen was 1-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

Games of April 25

Jose Berrios was very good.  Kohl Stewart was even better.  A bad inning sinks Trevor May.

PAWTUCKET 6, ROCHESTER 2 IN PAWTUCKET

Batting stars:  Dan Rohlfing was 1=for-2 with a double and two walks.  Eric Farris was 2-for-4.

PItching stars:  Brooks Raley struck out three in three innings, giving up one run on three hits and a walk.  Aaron Thompson struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up two walks.

Opposition stars:  Christian Vazquez was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in one.  Corey Brown was 1-for-4 with a home run.  Matt Barnes pitched five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

The game:  Chris Parmelee singled in a run in the third to put Rochester up 1-0, but Pawtucket roared back with five in the bottom of the third.  Brown's homer led off the inning and tied the score.  A walk, a double, two more walks, a two-run double by Bryce Brentz, and a sacrifice fly made it 5-1.  The Red Wings put men on second and third with none out in the fifth, but could only score once, a run the Red Sox promptly got back in the bottom of the fifth.  The only other Rochester threat came when they got a pair of two-out singles in the sixth.

Of note:  Danny Santana was 0-for-4 with a walk and a run.  Doug Bernier was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Parmelee was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Wilkin Ramirez was 1-for-4.  Deibinson Romero was 1-for-3 with a walk.  Starter Trevor May struck out four in three innings, but surrendered five runs on three hits and four walks.

NEW BRITAIN AT RICHMOND

Rained out.

FORT MYERS 5, PALM BEACH 1 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Jorge Polanco was 3-for-4 with a home run (his second) and three runs.  Dalton Hicks was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Max Kepler was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Jose Berrios struck out seven in six innings, giving up one run on eight hits and two walks.  Mason Melotakis struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.  Tyler Jones pitched a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Charlie Tilson was 3-for-5 with a run.  Dixon Llornes retired all seven men he faced, striking out three.

The game:  Palm Beach got its run in the first on two singles, a walk, and a ground out.  Polanco homered in the bottom of the first to tie the score.  In the fourth, a one-out Polanco single was followed by a Hicks double to give Fort Myers a 2-1 lead.  In the sixth, two singles, a walk, a sacrifice fly, and a two-run double by Kepler put the Miracle in control at 5-1.  The Cardinals had a couple of two-out threats, getting a pair of two-out singles in the second and a trio of two-out singles in the sixth, but did not score again.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 0-for-4.  Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-3 with a walk and scored once.

CEDAR RAPIDS 6, CLINTON 1 IN CLINTON

Batting stars:  Mitch Garver was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs.  Tanner Vavra was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Engelb Vielma was 3-for-4 with two runs.

Pitching stars:  Kohl Stewart struck out six in six innings, giving up an unearned run on one hit and one walk.  Yorman Landa struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up only a walk.  Brandon Peterson struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition star:  Jake Zokan pitched 5.1 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

The game:  An error and a pair of singles put Cedar Rapids on the board in the first.  Clinton tied in on a walk and an error in the fourth.  The Kernels got the lead back on a single, a hit batsman, a walk, and a ground out in the fifth.  Cedar Rapids scored twice in the seventh, as three singles produced one run and a double steal of second and home plated another.  Other than the gift run in the fourth, the LumberKings only put one man past first base.  That came in the eighth on a two-out walk and a stolen base.

Of note:  Jason Kanzler was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs.  Chad Christensen was 1-for-5 with an RBI.  Bryan Haar was 0-for-5.  Zach Larson was 0-for-3 with a walk.

Games of April 24

More good pitching in Rochester.  A big inning for Fort Myers.  New Britain gets Decked.

ROCHESTER 8, PAWTUCKET 1 IN PAWTUCKET

Batting stars:  Danny Santana was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Doug Bernier was 1-for-2 with three walks and three runs.  Eric Farris was 2-for-5 with a triple, scoring once and driving in two.

Pitching stars:  Kris Johnson struck out six in six innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits and four walks.  Matt Hoffman struck out four in three perfect innings.

Opposition star:  Bryce Brentz was 2-for-4 with a run.

The game:  Rochester opened the game with a single, two walks, and an RBI single by WIlkin Ramirez, going on to score twice in the first inning.  The Red Wings scored once in the third and then put the game away with a four-run fourth.  Ramirez singled in the first run, a run scored on an error, and Farris capped the inning with a two-run triple.

Of note:  Chris Parmelee was 1-for-4 with a walk.  Ramirez was 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.  Eduardo Nunez was 0-for-2 with an RBI.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 5, NEW BRITAIN 3 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-3 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Corey Wimberley was 1-for-5 with a double and an RBI.  Daniel Ortiz was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Pitching star:  Lester Oliveros struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and two walks.

Opposition stars:  Mike Crouse was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Andy Burns was 3-for-5 with a run.  Deck McGuire struck out eight in 7.1 innings, allowing three unearned runs on seven hits and two walks.

The game:  Vargas doubled in one and Ortiz singled in another to give New Britain a 2-0 lead in the first.  New Hampshire tied it in the second on a two-run single by Jonathan Jones.  The Rock Cats got an error and two singles to load the bases with none out in the fourth but only scored once, on a force out, to go ahead 3-2.  Three two-out singles by the Fisher Cats tied the score at three in the fifth.  There was no more scoring until the eighth, when a walk, a double, and a single plated two for New Hampshire to give them their first lead of the game at 5-3.  New Britain put men on first and second with one out in the eighth and brought the tying run up to bat with two out in the ninth, but could not score.

Of note:  Tony Thomas was 0-for-5.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-5 with a run.  Matt Koch was 1-for-4.  Aderlin Mejia was 1-for-3.  Starter Taylor Rogers struck out six in six innings, but gave up three runs on nine hits and three walks with six strikeouts.

FORT MYERS 9, JUPITER 6 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Jorge Polanco was 2-for-4 with a double and a grand slam.  Mike Gonzales was 1-for-3 with a two-run homer (his third) and a walk, scoring twice.  Travis Harrison was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching star:  Madison Boer pitched a perfect inning.

Opposition stars:  Blake Barber was 2-for-4 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in one.  Matt Juengel was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Alonzo Harris was 1-for-2 with a triple and a walk, driving in two.

The game:  Jupiter scored once in the first and once in the second to take a 2-0 lead.  Fort Myers then scored all nine of its runs in the bottom of the second.  Two walks and a single loaded the bases.  A walk, a hit batsman, and another walk put the Miracle up 3-2.  Polanco then hit a grand slam to make the score 7-2.  Following another walk, Gonzales hit a two-run homer to make it 9-2.  The Hammerheads scored two in the sixth and two more in the eighth but never really got back into the game.

Of note:  Adam Pettersen was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Starter Brett Lee pitched six innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

CEDAR RAPIDS AT PEORIA

Rained out.

Games of April 23

A brilliant outing by Alex Meyer isn't enough.  Good pitching in three of the four games, but only one win.  Four errors sink the Rock Cats.

PAWTUCKET 3, ROCHESTER 1 IN PAWTUCKET

Batting stars:  Chris Parmelee was 2-for-4 with two doubles.  Doug Bernier was 2-for-4.

Pitching star:  Alex Meyer struck out eleven in 6.2 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and three walks.

Opposition stars:  Garin Cecchini was 1-for-1 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Allen Webster pitched 6.1 innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

The game:  There was no scoring, and really no threats to score, until the seventh, when Rochester got on the board with a walk, a stolen base, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly.  It looked like it might be enough, but in the eighth Cecchini hit a two-run double and scored on a Ryan Lavarnway single to give Pawtucket a 3-1 lead.  The Red Wings got a pair of singles in the ninth, putting men on first and second with one  out, but a ground out and a strikeout ended the game.

Of note:  Wilkin Ramirez was 1-for-4.  Deibinson Romero was 0-for-4.  Eric Farris was 1-for-3 with a walk.  Matt Guerrier pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs on a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 7, NEW BRITAIN 5 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Tony Thomas was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and a walk, driving in two.  Daniel Ortiz was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

Pitching stars:  Daniel Turpen pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and striking out one.  Ryan O'Rourke pitched two innings, giving up an unearned run on two hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Andy Burns was 2-for-3 with a triple, a double, and a walk, scoring three times.  Andy Fermin was 2-for-4 and scored twice.  Richard Bleier pitched four innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts.

The game:  It looked good early for New Britain.  Ortiz hit a two-run double in the first to make the score 2-0 and Thomas had an RBI double in a two-run second that put the Rock Cats up 4-1.  New Hampshire kept coming back, though, getting one in the third and one in the fourth to make it 4-3 and taking the lead in the fifth.  Two Rock Cat errors led to three runs in the fifth inning to give the Fisher Cats a 6-4 advantage.  Thomas homered in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-5, but another error allowed New Hampshire to make it 7-5 in the eighth.  The last nine New Britain batters were retired.

Of note:  Nate Hanson was 1-for-4 with a run.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-4.  Starter D. J. Baxendale struck out four in 4.2 innings, giving up six runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk.  The Rock Cats made four errors which led to five unearned runs.

FORT MYERS 4, JUPITER 2 IN FORT MYERS

Batting stars:  Travis Harrison was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Adam Pettersen was 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

Pitching stars:  Tyler Duffey pitched six shutout innings, giving up one hit and one walk with five strikeouts.  Tim Shibuya pitched two innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout.

Opposition star:  Brian Ellington struck out two in two shutout innings, allowing only a walk.

The game:  A single, a double, a single, and an error put Fort Myers on the board with two in the first inning.  A two-run single by Harrison made it 4-0 after five.  Jupiter did not even threaten until the ninth, when three consecutive two-out singles produced two runs before a fly out ended the game.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 1-for-4 with a run.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Dalton Hicks was 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-4.  Max Kepler was 0-for-4.

PEORIA 2, CEDAR RAPIDS 0 IN PEORIA

Batting star:  Logan Wade was 2-for-4.

PItching stars:  Ethan Mildren struck out six in five no-hit innings, giving up only a walk.  Alex Muren struck out three in two innings, giving up an unearned run on a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Cesar Valera was 1-for-1 with a double and two walks, scoring once.  Ronald Castillo was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.  Arturo Reyes pitched five shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks with two strikeouts.

The game:  Cedar Rapids threatened in the second, putting men on first and third with one out, but a strikeout/throw out double play ended the threat.  They threatened again in the sixth, getting men to second and third with one out, but a short fly and a strikeout again ended the threat.  Peoria broke through in the seventh on a double, an error, and a ground out.  The Chiefs scored again in the eighth on a double, a passed ball, and a wild pitch.  The Kernels went down in order in the ninth.

Of note:  Jonatan Hinojosa was 0-for-3.  Tanner Vavra was 1-for-3.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Bryan Haar was 0-for-4.  Zach Larson was 1-for-4.

Games of April 22

A big seventh inning carries Rochester.  No other Twins team could score more than one run.  We continue to get caught up.

ROCHESTER 7, PAWTUCKET 5 IN PAWTUCKET

Batting stars:  Eric Farris was 2-for-4 with two runs.  Chris Parmelee was 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI.  Brad Nelson was 1-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching star:  Logan Darnell struck out six in five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks.

Opposition stars:  Brandon Snyder was 2-for-4 with two home runs (his third and fourth) and three RBIs.  Mike McCoy was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Rubby De La Rosa struck out seven in six innings, allowing one run on three hits and a walk.

The game:  Pawtucket led most of the way, and when Snyder hit a two-run homer in the sixth the Red Sox had a 5-1 lead.  Then came the seventh.  Wilkin Ramirez tripled and scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.  Chris Rahl doubled in a run to cut the lead to 5-3 and Deibinson Romero singled in a run to make it 5-4.  A bases-loaded walk evened the score and RBI singles by Parmelee and Nelson gave Rochester a 7-5 lead.  Pawtucket got only one more hit after that, a two-out double in the ninth which broke a string of eleven met in a row set down by Yohan Pino.

Of note:  Ramirez was 1-for-4 with a walk and a triple, scoring once.  Danny Santana was 1-for-5 with an RBI.  Romero was 1-for-2 with an RBI.  Doug Bernier was 0-for-1 with a run.

NEW BRITAIN 2, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Aderlin Mejia was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a double.  Brandon Waring was 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

Pitching stars:  Virgil Vasquez pitched seven shutout innings, giving up three hits and no walks with six strikeouts.  Cole Johnson struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Jonathan Jones was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.  Casey Lawrence struck out seven in 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks.

The game:  It was scoreless until the fifth, when Waring led off with a double and scored on a pair of productive outs.  The 1-0 lead held until the eighth, when Jones doubled home Mike Crouse to tie the score.  The first two Rock Cats in the bottom of the eighth struck out, but then Tony Thomas doubled and Mejia singled him in.  New Hampshire put men on first and second with one out in the ninth but could not get the ball out of the infield after that.

Of note:  Thomas was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-4.  Kennys Vargas was 1-for-3.

JUPITER 5, FORT MYERS 1 IN JUPITER

Batting stars:  Travis Harrison was 1-for-4 with a triple and a run.  Levi Michael was 2-for-4.

Pitching stars:  Tyler Jones struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up no hits and no walks.  Mason Melotakis pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Viosergy Rosa was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Ross Wilson was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Scott Lyman pitched six shutout innings, allowing five hits and no walks with five strikeouts.

The game:  Jupiter got two in the third on a walk, a single, and a pair of productive outs to go ahead 2-0.  The Hammerheads tallied twice more in the fourth, highlighted by a Matt Juengel homer, to go up 4-0.  Fort Myers did not threaten to get back into the game after that.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-4.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-4.  Max Kepler was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Starter Jason Wheeler pitched 4.2 innings, surrendering five runs on seven hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

PEORIA 4, CEDAR RAPIDS 1 IN PEORIA

Batting star:  Chad Christensen was 3-for-4 with a run.

Pitching star:  Josue Montanez struck out two in 2.1 innings, giving up one run on three hits.

Opposition stars:  C. J. McElroy was 2-for-4 with two runs.  Kenneth Peoples-Walls was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.  Nick Petree struck out eight in six shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks.

The game:  Juan Herrera doubled and scored on a Peoples-Walls single to give Peoria a 1-0 lead in the first.  Peoples-Walls singled in a run in the third to make it 2-0.  Single runs in the sixth and seventh increased the margin to 4-0.  Cedar Rapids threatened in the fourth, putting men on second and third with two out, but could not dent the plate until the ninth.

Of note:  Jason Kanzler was 0-for-4.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-4.  Zach Larson was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Starter Ryan Eades struck out five in 5.2 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks.

Games of April 21

A rare good outing for Scott Diamond.  Unearned runs cost New Britain and Fort Myers.  We continue to work toward getting caught up.

ROCHESTER 5, SYRACUSE 2 IN SYRACUSE

Batting stars:  Chris Parmelee was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, his third.  Danny Santana was 2-for-5 with two runs.  Wilkin Ramirez was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Scott Diamond pitched six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  A. J. Achter struck out four in three shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Ex-Twin Brock Peterson was 3-for-4 with an RBI.  Ryan Mattheus struck out two in 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits.

The game:  Parmelee hit a two-run homer in the first to get Rochester the early lead.  Syracuse scored single runs in the second and third to tie it at two.  Ramirez doubled in a run to highlight a two-run fifth that gave the Red Wings a 4-2 advantage, and a squeeze bunt made it 5-2 after six.  The Chiefs started the bottom of the sixth with a pair of walks that brought the tying run to the plate, but they failed to advance the runners and did not threaten after that.

Of note:  James Beresford was 0-for-3 with an RBI.  Dan Rohlfing was 0-for-4 with a walk.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 7, NEW BRITAIN 4 IN NEW BRITAIN (14 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Nate Hanson was 2-for-6 with a home run and a walk.  Brandon Waring was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring once.  Tony Thomas was 2-for-6 with a walk and a run.

Pitching stars:  Lester Oliveros pitched two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.  Cole Johnson retired all five men he faced, striking out two.  Daniel Turpen pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a walk.

Opposition stars:  Brad Glenn was 3-for-6 with two home runs (his second and third), scoring three times and driving in three.  Jon Berti was 4-for-7 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in one.  Ryan Schimpf was 2-for-5 with two doubles and two walks, scoring once.

The game:  Kennys Vargas singled in a run in the first, but Glenn homered in the second to tie the score at one.  Hanson homered in the third to put New Britain ahead 2-1.  Three singles and a wild pitch plated two Rock Cats in the fourth to make it 4-1.  An error cut it to 4-2 in the fifth, Glenn's second homer made it 4-3 in the sixth, and another error in the eighth tied the score.  New Britain threatened in the ninth, as a Vargas single and two wild pitches put the winning run on third with one out, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning.  A one-out double by Waring put the winning run into scoring position in the tenth, but a line-drive double play ended the inning.  That was the last real Rock Cats threat.  Finally, in the fourteenth, New Hampshire used a single, two doubles, and yet another error to score three times and take the victory.

Of note:  Vargas was 2-for-6 with a walk and an RBI.  Matt Koch was 1-for-5.  Aderlin Mejia was 1-for-6.  Starter Pat Dean pitched 5.1 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks with three strikeouts.  New Britain made four errors in the game, leading to three unearned runs.

JUPITER 3, FORT MYERS 2 IN JUPITER

Batting stars:  Max Kepler was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-4 with a triple and a run.  Levi Michael was 1-for-5 with a double and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Alex Wimmers pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts.  Steven Gruver pitched two innings, giving up an unearned run on one hit with one strikeout.  Madison Boer pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Viosergy Rosa was 1-for-2 with a double and two walks, scoring once.  Josh Hodges pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits and three walks with no strikeouts.

The game:  Jupiter scored single runs in the second and third to take a 2-0 lead.  Fort Myers got three singles in the sixth to get on the board and tied it in the seventh when Goodrum tripled and scored on a Michael double.  There were no outs, but the Miracle could not do any more damage in the inning.  The Hammerheads took the lead in the bottom of the seventh on a single, a bunt, an error, and a sacrifice fly.

Of note:  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-4 with a walk.  Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-4 with a run.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-3.

PEORIA 5, CEDAR RAPIDS 3 IN PEORIA

Batting stars:  Zach Larson was 1-for-4 with a home run.  Jason Kanzler was 2-for-4 with a double.  Bryan Haar was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.

Pitching star:  Brandon Bixler struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit and two walks.

Opposition stars:  Kenneth Peoples-Walls was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.  Mason Katz was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Chris Perry struck out three in 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits.

The game:  A wild pitch gave Peoria a 1-0 lead in the first.  Haar doubled and scored on a Logan Wade single to tie it in the second.  Tanner Vavra delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth to give Cedar Rapids a 2-1 lead, but the Chiefs bounced right back with two in the sixth to go up 3-2.  Larson led off the seventh with a homer to re-tie the score, this time at three, but in the eighth, Peoria took control.  A two-run double by Jake Stone made it 5-3 and there it stayed.

Of note:  Chad Christensen was 1-for-4 with a triple.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-4.  Vavra was 1-for-3 with an RBI.  Starter Aaron Slegers struck out five in 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits and three walks.

Players of the Week: April 14-20, 2014

ROCHESTER

Position player:  Chris Parmelee was 9-for-25 with a double, a home run, and four walks.  For the season, he is hitting .305/.390/.481 in 59 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Yohan Pino pitched seven shutout innings, giving up two hits and three walks while striking out four.  For the season, he is 2-0, 0.59, 0.78 WHIP with 12 strikeouts in 15.1 innings.

NEW BRITAIN

Position player:  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 5-for-13 with a double, a home run and a walk.  For the season, he is hitting .283/.353/.457 in 46 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Pat Dean pitched four innings, giving up one run on three hits an no walks with one strikeout.  For the season, he is 2-0, 4.11, 0.98 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 15.1 innings (three starts).

FORT MYERS

Position player:  Travis Harrison was 12-for-25 with two doubles, a home run, and a stolen base.  For the season, he is hitting .309/.350/.418 in 55 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Alex Wimmers pitched six shutout innings, giving up one hit and no walks with six strikeouts.  For the season, he is 2-0, 0.93, 0.62 WHIP with no walks and 7 strikeouts in 9.2 innings (two starts).

CEDAR RAPIDS

Position player:  Bryan Haar was 8-for-23 with two doubles, a home run, and three walks.  For the season, he is hitting .309/.371/.618 in 55 at-bats.

Pitcher:  Brandon Peterson pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and no walks with seven strikeouts.  For the season, he is 1-0, 0.93, 0.93 WHIP with 2 walks and 14 strikeouts in 9.2 innings (six appearances).

Games of April 20

A brilliant outing for Trevor May, as we start the long trek toward getting caught up.

ROCHESTER 9, SYRACUSE 3 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Doug Bernier was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a walk, scoring twice.  Chris Parmelee was 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.  Danny Santana was 2-for-6 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

Pitching star:  Trevor May pitched six shutout innings, giving up one hit and one walk with four strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Brian Goodwin was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks, scoring once.  Manny Delcarmen struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit.

The game:  Santana had a two-run double in a four-run second that put Rochester in control early.  James Beresford singled in a run in the fourth to make it 5-0 and Chris Rahl hit a three-run homer in the seventh to make it 8-0.  Syracuse did not get back into the game.

Of note:  Dan Rohlfing was 1-for-4 with a walk.

NEW BRITAIN

No game scheduled.

FORT MYERS

No game scheduled.

CEDAR RAPIDS

No game scheduled.