Games of August 30

Alex Meyer is removed from the game as a precaution.  An excellent game for Taylor Rogers.  A shutout for Ethan Mildren.  The Appalachian League playoffs start this afternoon!

BUFFALO 3, ROCHESTER 0 IN ROCHESTER

Batting star:  Eric Farris was 2-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Mark Hamburger pitched seven shutout innings of relief, giving up two hits and one walk with six strikeouts.  Deolis Guerra pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition star:  Brad Mills pitched seven shutout innings, giving up three hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

The game:  In the first, Dalton Pompey singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly.  In the second, Matt Hague doubled in a run and later scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.  That's where the score stayed.  Rochester got two one-out singles in the third, but a double play ended the inning.  They did not get another hit until the seventh, when Chris Colabello hit a leadoff double but was stranded at second.  In the ninth, a walk and a single put two on with two out, but a fly out ended the game.

Of note:  Chris Herrmann was 1-for-4.  Josmil Pinto was 0-for-2 with two walks.  Colabello was 1-for-2 with a double.  Pedro Florimon was 0-for-4.  Starter Alex Meyer pitched only one inning, facing two batter in the second before being removed.  Reports say that his velocity had been down some in his start Monday and was down significantly further in this start.  He failed to reach 90 mph when he normally throws 95 or better.  Reports also indicate that his arm slot had been dropping in recent starts.  His line for this game was three runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk.

Pennant race update:  Rochester is barely hanging on.  They are back to third in the wild card race, two games behind Pawtucket and a half game behind Buffalo with two to play.  The best they can do is tie for the wild-card spot, in which case a tie-breaker would be used.  I don't know who holds the tie-breaker, but the milb.com standings do not indicate that Pawtucket has clinched or that the Red Wings have been eliminated.  Rochester plays Pawtucket in the final two games of the season.

NEW BRITAIN 3, NEW HAMPSHIRE 1 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Nate Hanson was 3-for-4 with three doubles, scoring once and driving in one.  Eddie Rosario was 2-for-4 with a home run (his seventh) and a double, scoring twice.

Pitching stars:  Taylor Rogers struck out nine in eight innings, giving up one run on three hits and no walks.  Daniel Turpen struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition star:  P. J. Walters struck out seven in 7.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks.

The game:  The was no score until the fourth, when Hanson doubled and Mike Gonzales singled him home.  Rosario homered in the sixth to make it 2-0.  New Hampshire got on the board in the eighth on two singles and a sacrifice fly, but New Britain got the run back in the bottom of the eighth on consecutive one-out doubles by Rosario and Hanson.  The Fisher Cats got the tying run up to bat with one out in the ninth but did no more damage.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4.  Gonzales was 1-for-4 with an RBI.

FORT MYERS 5, JUPITER 0 IN JUPITER (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Max Kepler was 1-for-3 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Stuart Turner was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

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

Opposition star:  Carter Capps struck out two in two perfect innings.

The game:  Fort Myers did not get a hit until the fourth.  The game was scoreless until the sixth.  A walk, a bunt, and a ground out put a man on third for the Miracle with two out.  An error allowed the first run to score.  Then came a walk, and RBI single by Turner, a Kepler two-run double, and a Tyler Grimes RBI single.  It was 5-0, and that was all the runs Fort Myers would need.  Jupiter did not get a baserunner after a leadoff single in the third; their last fifteen batters were retired.

Of note:  Aderlin Mejia was 0-for-3.  Travis Harrison was 0-for-4 with a run.  Dalton Hicks was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-1 with two walks.

FORT MYERS 7, JUPITER 3 IN JUPITER (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Bryan Haar was 3-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.  Dalton Hicks was 2-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in two.  Travis Harrison was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.

Pitching stars:  Starter Brett Lee pitched a perfect inning.  Brandon Peterson struck out four in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.  Nick Burdi struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition star:  Blake Barber was 1-for-2 with two walks and a run.

The game:  Hicks singled in a run in the first and Jason Kanzler singled one home in the second to give Fort Myers a 2-0 lead.  Jupiter tied it in the fourth on RBI doubles by Chadd Krist and Jesus Solarzano.  Each team scored once in the fifth to leave the score tied at three.  In the seventh, a one-out double and two walks loaded the bases for the Miracle.  An error scored one run, Haar brought home two with a single, and Jairo Rodriguez had a run-scoring single to make it 7-3 Fort Myers.  The Hammerheads did not get the tying run up to bat in the bottom of the seventh.

Of note:  Aderlin Mejia was 0-for-3 with two walks and a run.  Max Kepler was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Pennant race update:  Fort Myers is tied for second with Palm Beach, 1.5 games behind Bradenton.  Today is the last day of the regular season, but Bradenton plays a doubleheader, so the Miracle could still tie for the division championship. Either way, Fort Myers has qualified for the playoffs by winning the first half.

CLINTON 7, CEDAR RAPIDS 5 IN CLINTON

Batting stars:  Mitch Garver was 3-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.  Jonatan Hinojosa was 3-for-5 with two runs.  Alex Swim was 1-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Josue Montanez struck out four in 2.1 innings, giving up an unearned run on one hit.  Brian Gilbert struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up only a walk.

Opposition stars:  Seon Gi Kim struck out six in five innings, allowing one run on four hits and a walk.  Aaron Barbosa was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Christian Carmichael was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  Garver singled in a run in the first and Carmichael singled in a run in the second to leave the score tied 1-1.  Clinton's first two batters in the fourth were retired, but then a walk, a single, another walk, a hit batsman, and three consecutive singles produced five runs and gave the LumberKings a 6-1 lead.  The Kernels battled back, scoring two runs on an error in the sixth.  Clinton got one in the bottom of the sixth, but Cedar Rapids got two more in the seventh to make it 7-5.  That was as much as the Kernels could do, however, as they did not get a man past first base after the seventh inning.

Of note:  Starter Stephen Gonsalves struck out six in 3.2 innings but gave up six runs on six hits and five walks.

TODAY'S TILTS

9;35  Fort Myers (TBA) at Jupiter (Cody Crabaugh, 1-1, 5.40)

12:35  New Hampshire (Ben White, 1-0, 4.26) at New Britain (Jose Berrios, 3-4, 3.54)

2:00  Cedar Rapids (Lewis Thorpe, 3-2, 3.72) at Clinton (TBA)

3:00  APPALACHIAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS, GAME 1

Elizabethton (John Curtiss, 2-1, 2.30) at Johnson City (TBA)

5:05  Rochester (TBA) at Pawtucket (Henry Owens, 2-1, 3.66)

Games of August 29

Rochester stays alive in the wild card race.  New Britain loses one late.  Elizabethton prepares for the playoffs.

ROCHESTER 3, BUFFALO 2 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Chris Colabello was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.  Eric Farris was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his third.

Pitching stars:  Sean Gilmartin struck out five in 5.1 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and no walks.  A. J. Achter struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.  Lester Oliveros pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Cole Gillespie was 2-for-2 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Rob Rasmussen retired all five batters he faced, striking out two.

The game:  A sacrifice fly put Buffalo on top 1-0 in the first.  In the third, Chris Rahl singled and Farris hit a two-run homer to give Rochester a 2-1 lead.  A. J. Jimenez delivered a two-our single in the fourth to tie it at two.  In the sixth, Colabello hit a one-out double and scored on two wild pitches to give the Red Wings a 3-2 advantage.  The Bisons put a man on third with two out in the eighth, but a strikeout ended the inning and they went down in order in the ninth.

Of note: Pedro Florimon was 1-for-4.  Chris Herrmann was 1-for-4.  Josmil Pinto was 0-for-4.

Pennant race update:  With the win, Rochester moves into second place in the wild card race; however, the Red Wings remain two games behind Pawtucket with three games to play.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 4, NEW BRITAIN 3 IN NEW BRITAIN

Batting stars:  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with a home run, his twenty-first.  Tony Thomas was 1-for-4 with a home run, his twelfth.  Stephen Wickens was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Pat Dean pitched seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Madison Boer struck out two in 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Michael Lee struck out eight in seven innings, giving up three runs on six hits and no walks.  K. C. Hobson was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.  Gustavo Pierre was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer.

The game:  Hobson doubled in a run for New Hampshire in the second inning to start the scoring.  In the bottom of the second, Rodriguez homered and Wickens provided an RBI double to give New Britain a 2-1 advantage.  Thomas homered in the fourth to make it 3-1 and it looked like that might be enough.  Two singles and a ground out made it 3-2 after seven, but it was still 3-2 going to the ninth.  With two out, however, Sean Ochinko singled and Pierre followed with a two-run homer to give New Hampshire a 4-3 lead.  The Rock Cats did not advance a man past first base in the ninth.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-4.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-4.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch.  Mike Gonzales was 0-for-4.

JUPITER 3, FORT MYERS 1 IN FORT MYERS (GAME 1--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Max Kepler was 2-for-3 with a walk.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-2 with two walks.  Niko Goodrum was 1-for-4 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  D. J. Baxendale pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and no walks with four strikeouts.  Todd Van Steensel struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Matt Juengel was 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run.  Jesus Solarzano was 2-for-3 with a double and a run.  Ryan Goetz was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The game:  It was scoreless until the fourth, when Fort Myers got three singles and a walk but could score only once.  In the fifth, RBI singles by Juan Avila and Goetz put Jupiter ahead 2-1.  The Hammerheads added a run in the sixth on Cody Keefer's RBI single.  The Miracle loaded the bases in the fifth and got the tying run on base with one out in the seventh, but could not score.  Fort Myers stranded eleven runners in seven innings.

Of note:  Aderlin Mejia was 0-for-4.  Travis Harrison was 0-for-3.  Adam Brett Walker II was 1-for-4 with a run.

JUPITER AT FORT MYERS (GAME 2)

Rained out.

Pennant race update:  Fort Myers remains third in the Florida State League South, two games behind Bradenton and a half game behind Palm Beach with three games to play.  The Miracle will be in the playoffs because they won the first half.

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

Batting star:  Mitch Garver was 1-for-2 with a home run, his sixteenth).

Pitching star:  Starter Mat Batts struck out two in two perfect innings before being removed following a rain delay.

Opposition stars:  Jonathan Martinez pitched a 5.1 inning "complete game", allowing one run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Trey Martin was 2-for-3 with a home run (his fifth) and two RBIs.  Jeimer Candelario was 1-for-2 with a two-run homer (his sixth) and a walk.

The game:  Garver homered leading off the second to give Cedar Rapids a 1-0 lead.  That was as good as it got for the Kernels.  An error, a wild pitch, a walk, and two singles gave Kane County a 2-1 lead after four.  In the fifth, Martin hit a solo homer and Candelario a two-run homer to give the Cougars control of the game at 5-1.  Margin had an RBI single in the sixth to make it 6-1.  Cedar Rapids was batting in the sixth with a man on first and one out when the game was ended.

Of note:  Jonatan Hinojosa was 0-for-3.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-3.  Alex Swim was 1-for-2.  Max Murphy was 0-for-2.

KINGSPORT 5, ELIZABETHTON 2 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  T. J. White was 1-for-2 with two walks.  Alex Real was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Randy LeBlanc struck out four in 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up one hit.  Josh Burris struck out three in two perfect innings.

Opposition stars:  Persio Reyes struck out nine in seven innings, allowing one run on three hits and three walks.  Leon Canelon was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Jean Rodriguez was 1-for-3 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Three walks and a two-run single by Oswald Caraballo gave Kingsport a 2-0 lead in the first.  Rodriguez singled in a run in the second and another scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0 after two.  Each team scored once in the fifth.  Tyler Kuresa singled in a run in the eighth and Elizabethton had the bases loaded with two out, but a ground out ended the inning and the Twins did not threaten again.

Of note:  Tanner English was 0-for-4.  Nick Gordon was 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.  Trey Vavra was 1-for-4.  Tyler Kuresa was 1-for-4 with an RBI.  Jorge Fernandez was 0-for-3.  Starter Brandon Poulson pitched 1.1 innings, giving up four runs on three hits and five walks with two strikeouts.

Pennant race update:  The regular season is over.  Elizabethton finished in first place with a record of 38-30, one game ahead of Johnson City.  The Twins will play in Johnson City Sunday in game one of the playoffs.

TODAY'S TILTS

4:05  Fort Myers (TBA) at Jupiter (Austin Brice, 8-8, 3.71)

Game 2  Fort Myers (Brett Lee, 10-5, 2.48) at Jupiter (Scott Lyman, 5--11, 3.44)

6:05  Buffalo (Brad Mills, 1-1, 3.91) at Rochester (Alex Meyer, 7-6, 3.41)

6:05  New Hampshire (P. J. Walters, 2-2, 2.42) at New Britain (Taylor Rogers, 10-6, 3.42)

6:30  Cedar Rapids (Stephen Gonsalves, 2-2, 1.91) at Clinton (TBA)

Games of August 28

A big day from Pedro Florimon keeps Rochester alive in the wild-card race.  Tony Thomas and Jason Wheeler lead New Britain.  A big inning clinches the pennant for Elizabethton.

ROCHESTER 6, SYRACUSE 3 IN SYRACUSE

Batting stars:  Pedro Florimon was 3-for-4 with a triple, scoring once and driving in three.  Chris Herrmann was 2-for-4 with a home run, his fifth.  Daniel Ortiz was 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs.

Pitching stars:  Logan Darnell struck out three in 3.2 innings of relief, giving up one run on one hit and one walk.  Stephen Pryor struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Emmanuel Burriss was 2-for-3 with two walks.  Steven Souza, Jr. was 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI.  Brandon Laird was 1-for-4 with a home run, his seventeenth.

The game:  Florimon singled in a run in the second to give Rochester a 1-0 lead.  Souza, Jr. singled in a run in the third and Jhonatan Solano had an RBI single in the fourth to give Syarcuse a 2-1 lead.  Herrmann tied it with a home run in the sixth.  The Red Wings went ahead to stay in the seventh on a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single by Eric Farris.  Florimon delivered a two-out two-run triple in the eighth to make it 6-2.  Laird homered in the bottom of the eighth.  The Chiefs threatened to come back in the ninth, loading the bases with two out, but a grounder to second ended the game.

Of note:  Farris was 1-for-5.  Josmil Pinto was 0-for-4.  Chris Colabello was 1-for-4 with two runs.  Starter Virgil Vasquez struck out five in four innings, giving up two runs on five hits and four walks.

Pennant race update:  Rochester remains third in the wild card race, two games behind Pawtucket and a half game behind Buffalo, with four games left.

NEW BRITAIN 5, BINGHAMTON 3 IN BINGHAMTON

Batting stars:  Tony Thomas was 3-for-4 with a home run (his eleventh) and three RBIs.  Nate Hanson was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.  Mike Gonzales was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.

Pitching star:  Jason Wheeler pitched seven innings, giving up one run on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Greg Peavey pitched eight innings, allowing two runs on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts.  Dilson Herrera was 3-for-4 with a home run (his tenth) and two runs.  T. J. Rivera was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The game:  Herrera homered in the first to put Binghamton up 1-0.  Thomas homered in the second to tie it 1-1.  A Thomas RBI single in the seventh gave New Britain a 2-1 lead.  The Mets came back in the eighth, getting a two-run single from Rivera to go ahead 3-2.  The Rock Cats would not be denied.  With one out in the ninth, Nate Hanson singled and scored from first on a Gonzales single-plus-error.  Thomas singled in the go-ahead run and a ground out provided an insurance run.  Binghamton went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Of note:  Corey Wimberly was 0-for-4.  Eddie Rosario was 0-for-4.

JUPITER AT FORT MYERS

Rained out.

KANE COUNTY 3, CEDAR RAPIDS 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS

Batting stars:  Jonatan Hinojosa was 3-for-4 with a walk.  Tanner Vavra was 2-for-4 with a double.

Pitching stars:  Hudson Boyd pitched three shutout innings, giving up two hits with two strikeouts.  Chris Mazza struck out five in two shutout innings, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Tyler Ihrig pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.  Cael Brockmeyer was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk.  Jeimer Candelario was 2-for-4 with a run.

The game:  In the first, Kane County got three consecutive one-out singles to score their first run, then got three consecutive two-out walks to score two more, giving the Cougars a 3-0 lead.  In the bottom of the first, Cedar Rapids loaded the bases with one out and scored on a rare thing, the sacrifice double play, as the runner from third tagged up and scored but the runner from second was caught in a rundown trying to go to third.  The Kernels got a man into scoring position in the second, third, and fifth, but did not score again until the ninth, when Logan Wade delivered a two-out RBI single.  Cedar Rapids loaded the bases, but a ground out ended the game.

Of note:  Chad Christensen was 1-for-4.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Alex Swim was 0-for-3 with an RBI.  Max Murphy was 0-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.  Starter Chih-Wei Hu struck out five in four innings, giving up three runs on four hits and three walks.

ELIZABETHTON 13, KINGSPORT 6 IN ELIZABETHTON

Batting stars:  Tyler Mautner was 2-for-5 with a home run (his tenth) and a double, scoring twice and driving in four.  Nick Gordon was 3-for-5 with a triple, scoring once and driving in four.  Tyler Kuresa was 1-for-2 with a double and three walks, scoring once and driving in two.

Pitching stars:  Zach Tillery pitched three innings, giving up one run on two hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Kuo Hua Lo struck out five in two innings, giving up two hits and two walks.  Keaton Steele struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Jimmy Duff pitched five shutout innings, giving up five hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Luis Ortega was 3-for-4 with two doubles, scoring twice and driving in one.  Zach Mathieu was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

The game:  It didn't go well early.  Kingsport opened the game with three singles that produced a run, a ground out scored a second, and RBI doubles by Ortega and Mathieu made it 4-0 before Elizabethton even came to bat.  The Mets added single runs in the third and fifth to go up 5-0 half-way through.  The second half of the game belonged to the Twins, though.  An RBI single by Jorge Fernandez and a two-run double by Mautner made it 6-3 in the sixth.  Elizabethton then exploded for a nine-run seventh.  They batted fifteen.  Gordon tripled in two, Trey Vavra singled in the tying run, a wild pitch brought home the go-ahead run, an error brought home one more, Austin Diemer had an RBI single, Gordon brought home two more with a single, and a bases-loaded walk closed out the scoring for the inning.  Kingsport loaded the bases in the eighth and got two on in the ninth but could not get back into the game.

Of note:  Tanner English was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs.  Vavra was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Fernandez was 1-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.  Starter Derrick Penilla struck out four in three innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and no walks.

Pennant race update:  The win clinches first place for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League West.

GCL RAYS 3, GCL TWINS 1 AT RAYS

Batting star:  Joel Polanco was 2-for-4 with a run.

Pitching stars:  Alexis Tapia pitched five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts.  Miles Nordgren pitched three shutout innings, giving up four hits with two strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Matt Reida was 3-for-4 with two home runs, his second and third.  Cade Gotta was 2-for-4 with a run.  Angel Yepez struck out three in three shutout innings, allowing two hits and a walk.

The game:  Reida homered in the first to put the Rays up 1-0.  Two singles, a passed ball, and a ground out tied it at one after two.  Reida homered again in the third to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.  Jack Barrie doubled to lead off the fifth, but was thrown out trying to score on a single.  In the bottom of the fifth, a hit batsman, a balk, and two errors put the Rays ahead 3-1.  The Twins got a pair of two-out singles in the eighth but did not otherwise threaten to tie the score.

Of note:  Dubal Baez was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Nelson Molina was 0-for-4.

TODAY'S TILTS

4:00  Jupiter (Matt Milroy, 1-9, 7.47) at Fort Myers (Ethan Mildren, 2-3, 6.31)

Game 2  Jupiter (Austin Brice, 8-8, 3.71) at Fort Myers (D. J. Baxendale, 4-3, 6.24)

6:00  Kingsport (Persio Reyes, 1-0, 1.35) at Elizabethton (TBA)

6:05  New Hampshire (Michael Lee, 2-1, 1.80) at New Britain (Pat Dean, 8-9, 4.93)

6:15  Buffalo (TBA) at Rochester (Sean Gilmartin, 2-4, 4.35)

6:35  Kane County (Jonathan Martinez, 3-0, 2.50) at Cedar Rapids (Mat Batts, 2-0, 2.36)

Where They Stand: Through Games of August 27

Three teams in the playoffs, and one more still with a chance.

Minnesota is 58-74, fifth in the American League Central, 16 games behind Kansas City.  The Twins are 3-7 in their last ten games and have lost four consecutive games.

Rochester is 74-65, fourth in the International League North, 5.5 games behind Syracuse.  The Red Wings are third in the wild card race, 2 games behind Pawtucket.  Rochester is 6-4 in its last ten games and lost its most recent game.

New Britain is 69-68, third in the Eastern League Eastern, 16 games behind Portland.  The Rock Cats are 6-4 in their last ten games and won their most recent game.

Fort Myers is 38-28 (79-56 overall), third in the Florida State League South, 1 game behind Bradenton and Palm Beach.  The Miracle has clinched a spot in the playoffs by winning the first half.  Fort Myers is 6-4 in its last ten games and lost its most recent game.

Cedar Rapids is 41-24 (72-63 overall), second in the Midwest League Western, 2 games behind Kane County.  The Kernels have clinched a spot in the playoffs.  Cedar Rapids is 7-3 in its last ten games and has won two consecutive games.

Elizabethton is 37-29, first in the Appalachian League Western, 2 games ahead of Johnson City.  The Twins have clinched a spot in the playoffs.  Elizabethton is 5-5 in its last ten games and won its most recent game.

The GCL Twins are 23-36, fourth in the Gulf Coast League South, 12 games behind the GCL Red Sox.  The Twins are 4-6 in their last ten games and lost their most recent game.

The DSL Twins finished their season 43-27, second in the Dominican Summer League Boca Chica Baseball City, 4 games behind the DSL Orioles1.  The Twins were 5-5 in their last ten games and lost their last two games.

Games of August 27

Three extra innings games, all won by Twins affiliates.  Unfortunately, Rochester could not force extra innings.  A big day for Jorge Polanco.

SYRACUSE 4, ROCHESTER 3 IN SYRACUSE

Batting star:  Chris Herrmann was 1-for-4 with a two-run homer, his fourth.

Pitching star:  Kris Johnson pitched six innings, giving up two runs on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  Steven Souza, Jr. was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Jeff Kobernus was 2-for-3 with a run.  Aaron Laffey pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts.

The game:  In the first, Herrmann hit a two-run homer and another run scored later in the inning to give Rochester a 3-0 lead.  That was all the offense for the Red Wings.  For a while it looked like it might be all they would need, as it was still 3-0 after six.  In the seventh, two walks and two singles produced two runs to cut the lead to 3-2.  In the eighth, Souza, Jr. doubled in the tying run and Brandon Laird singled in the go-ahead run, giving Syracuse their first lead at 4-3.  Rochester did not get a hit in either of the last two innings.

Of note:  James Beresford was 0-for-4.  Pedro Florimon was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.  Josmil Pinto was 1-for-4 with a run.  Chris Colabello was 1-for-4.  Aaron Hicks was 0-for-3 with a walk.

Pennant race update:  Rochester has fallen to third in the wild card race, two games behind Pawtucket and a half game behind Buffalo, with four games remaining.  There's still a chance, but it's not looking good.

NEW BRITAIN 11, BINGHAMTON 7 IN BINGHAMTON (11 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Jorge Polanco was 3-for-6 with a home run and three RBIs.  Kyle Knudson was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs.  Corey Wimberly was 3-for-5 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

Pitching stars:  Jim Fuller pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits with one strikeout.  Mason Melotakis pitched 1.1 scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars;  Jayce Boyd was 3-for-5 with a triple and a double, scoring twice and driving in two.  Brandon Nimmo was 3-for-5 with two doubles, scoring once and driving in one.  Travis Taijeron was 3-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in two.

The game:  RBI doubles by Boyd and Taijeron put Binghamton ahead 2-0 in the first.  Two out doubles by Knudson and Wimberly put New Britain on the board in the second, but Boyd tripled in one, Taijeron singled in another, and Juan Centino singled in a third to give the Mets a 5-1 lead after three.  Polanco homered leading off the fourth, but Nimmo got the run back with an RBI double in the sixth, making it 6-2 after six.  The Rock Cats cut the lead to 6-4 in the seventh.  In the ninth, Tony Thomas homered and another run scored on an infield out to tie it at six.  In the eleventh, New Britain batted around, scoring five runs.  Eddie Rosario singled in the go-ahead run, Mike Gonzales doubled in two, and Polanco hit a two-run single.  A walk and three singles scored one for Binghamton in the bottom of the eleventh and brought the tying run up to bat with two out, but a grounder to short ended the game.

Of note:  Rosario was 1-for-6 with a run and three RBIs.  Nate Hanson was 1-for-6.  Gonzales was 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs.  Starter Cole Johnson pitched three innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

BRADENTON 8, FORT MYERS 1 IN BRADENTON

Batting stars:  Adam Brett Walker II was 2-for-4 with a double.  Stuart Turner was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Pitching star:  B. J. Hermsen pitched a perfect inning.

Opposition stars:  Tyler Sample struck out nine in four perfect innings of relief.  Eric Wood was 2-for-4 with a triple and a double, scoring three times.  Jose Osuna was 2-for-4 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Fort Myers got a run in the top of the second, but it was all Bradenton after that.  Wood tripled and scored in the bottom of the second to tie it up.  A four-run fourth on two singles, a walk, another single, and a two-run error put the Marauders up 5-1 and gave them control of the game.  Bradenton added two in the sixth and one in the seventh.  The Miracle loaded the bases with one out in the third, but did not threaten again until the eighth, when they put men on first and third with two out.

Of note:  Aderlin Mejia was 0-for-2 with two walks.  Dalton Hicks was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Max Kepler was 0-for-4.  Starter Matt Tomshaw struck out five in five innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk.

Pennant race update:  Fort Myers remains in third place, one game behind Bradenton and Palm Beach.  The Miracle has already qualified for the playoffs by winning the first half.

CEDAR RAPIDS 3, KANE COUNTY 2 IN CEDAR RAPIDS (11 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Jonatan Hinojosa was 2-for-6 with a home run and two RBIs.  Zack Larson was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Ryan Eades struck out six in six innings, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk.  Brandon Bixler struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a walk.  Jake Reed struck out two in two shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Jen-Ho Tseng pitched six innings, allowing one run on two hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Trey Martin was 1-for-2 with a double and two walks.  Jeimer Candelario was 1-for-4 with a double and a walk, driving in one.

The game:  Candelario doubled in a run in the top of the first, but Hinojosa tied it up with a homer in the bottom of the first.  It stayed 1-1 until the sixth, when Mark Zagunis doubled and scored to give Kane County the lead.  Two singles and two wild pitches tied the score in the seventh.  Cedar Rapids had an excellent chance to take the lead, loading the bases with one out, but could not get the job done.  No matter.  Tanner Vavra led off the eleventh with a single, went to second on a bunt, and scored on a two-out single by Hinojosa to win the game.

Of note:  Chad Christensen was 0-for-4 with a walk.  Mitch Garver was 0-for-2 with two walks and a hit-by-pitch.  Alex Swim was 1-for-5 with a run.  Max Murphy was 1-for-5.

Pennant race update:  Cedar Rapids has clinched second place in the second half, which gives the Kernels a spot in the playoffs.  They are two games behind Kane County.

ELIZABETHTON 9, KINGSPORT 8 IN ELIZABETHTON (10 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Tyler Kuresa was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring twice and driving in one.  Jorge Fernandez was 2-for-4 with a triple and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Trey Vavra was 2-for-5 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching star:  C. K. Irby struck out four in three shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk.

Opposition stars:  Wuilmer Becerra was 3-for-5 with a triple, scoring once and driving in four.  Jean Rodriguez was 3-for-5 with two runs.  Oswald Caraballo was 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  Kingsport scored one in the second and three in the third to go up 4-0.  With two out and none on in the bottom of the fourth, Nick Gordon singled, Vavra doubled, Kuresa singled, Fernandez tripled, and T. J. White singled to tie the score at four.  Elizabethton took a 7-4 lead in the sixth on RBI singles by Pat Kelly and Gordon and a run-scoring wild pitch.  Jeremias Pineda singled in a run in the seventh to make it 8-4 and the game appeared to be well in hand.  In the top of the ninth, though, a single, an error, another single, a hit batsman, and Becerra's triple tied the score 8-8.  No worries.  In the tenth, an infield single, a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt, and an intentional walk loaded the bases with one out.  An error then brought home the winning run.

Of note:  Tanner English was 0-for-5.  Gordon was 2-for-5 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Starter Felix Jorge struck out three in five innings but gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk.

Pennant race update:  Elizabethton has clinched a spot in the playoffs.  The Twins lead Johnson City by two games for the division championship.

GCL RAYS 5, GCL TWINS 2 AT TWINS

Batting stars:  None.

Pitching star:  Jhon Silva pitched three shutout innings, giving up a hit and a walk with two strikeouts.

Opposition stars:  David Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with a triple and a double, scoring three times.  Isias Alcantar was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.  Bill Pujols was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  Christian Knott tripled in a run in the second and RBI singles by Pujos and Alcantar plated two in the fourth to give the Rays a 3-0 lead.  The Twins got a run in the fourth and Dubal Baez singled in a run in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2.  They loaded the bases with two out in that inning and got a man to third with two out in the eighth, but could not tie the score.  In the ninth, Alcantar delivered a two-run single and the Twins did not threaten to tie it again.

Of note:  Manuel Guzman was 0-for-4.  Amaurys Minier was 0-for-0 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.  Rainis Silva was 0-for-3 with an RBI.  Starter Michael Theofanopolous struck out five in five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk.

TODAY'S TILTS

9:30  GCL Twins at GCL Rays

5:35  New Britain (Jason Wheeler, 5-4, 2.94) at Binghamton (Tyler Pill, 9-5, 3.83)

6:00  Kingsport (Jimmy Duff, 3-1, 2.15) at Elizabethton (Derrick Penilla, 5-4, 3.88)

6:00  Rochester (Virgil Vasquez, 1-1, 4.50) at Syracuse (Taylor Hill, 11-6, 2.81)

6:05  Jupiter (Matt Milroy, 1-9, 7.47) at Fort Myers (TBA)

6:35  Kane County (Tyler Ihrig, 2-1, 2.53) at Cedar Rapids (Chih-Wei Hu, 7-1, 1.94)

Games of August 26

Another strong start for Jose Berrios.  A huge day for Stuart Turner.  Lewis Thorpe does well before running into pitch count issues.

ROCHESTER RED WINGS

No game scheduled.  The Red Wings are tied for second with Buffalo in the wild card race, two games behind Pawtucket, with six games remaining.  They're still in it, but it's not going to be easy.

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

Batting star:  Tony Thomas was 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, his ninth.

Pitching stars:  Jose Berrios pitched six innings, giving up one run on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Ryan O'Rourke pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up one hit.

Opposition star:  Brian Burgamy was 1-for-3 with a double and a run.

The game:  Burgamy doubled and scored on a Jayce Boyd single to put Binghamton up 1-0 in the first.  New Britain countered with a Thomas three-run homer in the second and added two in the third on three singles and two productive outs.  The Mets put men on first and third with two out in the second and again in the fourth, but ground outs ended both innings.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 1-for-4 with a run.  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-2 with a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Mike Gonzales was 1-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and a run.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-3 with a run.

BINGHAMTON 3, NEW BRITAIN 2 IN BINGHAMTON (GAME 2--7 INNINGS)

Batting stars:  Nate Hanson was 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.  Tony Thomas was 1-for-2 with a walk.

Pitching star:  Daniel Turpen struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up two walks.

Opposition star:  Hansel Robles struck out six in 3.2 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks.

The game:  A wild pitch put New Britain on the board in the first inning.  Binghamton started the fourth with three singles (two of them infield hits) and a double play scored a run to tie it up 1-1.  Hanson doubled in a run in the fifth to put the Rock Cats back in front 2-1, but the Mets got two in the bottom of the fifth in a rally that consisted of catcher's interference, a single, a bunt, a passed ball, and a wild pitch.  The last six New Britain batters went out.

Of note:  Levi Michael was 0-for-1 with a walk and a run.  Jorge Polanco was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Reynaldo Rodriguez was 0-for-2.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-3.  Starter Adrian Salcedo pitched five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

FORT MYERS 7, BRADENTON 4 IN BRADENTON

Batting stars:  Stuart Turner was 4-for-4 with three doubles and a walk, scoring once and driving in four.  Adam Brett Walker II was 2-for-5 with a double, scoring twice and driving in one.  Jason Kanzler was 2-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Steven Gruver pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  Nick Burdi pitched 1.1 scoreless innings, giving up a walk with one strikeout.  Alex Muren pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Jacob Stallings was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in three.  Eric Wood was 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk, scoring twice.  Adam Frazier was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

The game:  With two out and nobody on in the first, singles by Travis Harrison and Dalton Hicks and doubles by Walker II and Turner produced three runs.  Stallings hit a two-run double in the second to cut the lead to 3-2.  Turner doubled in another run in the fifth to make it 4-2, but in the seventh, Bradenton got an RBI single by Stallings and a run-scoring double by Frazier to tie the score.  Max Kepler singled in a run in the eighth to put Fort Myers back in the lead and in the ninth, Turner doubled in one more run and Kanzler added an RBI single.  The Marauders got the tying run up to bat with two out in the ninth, but a fly out ended the game.

Of note:  Niko Goodrum was 2-for-6 with a double.  Kepler was 2-for-6 with a run and an RBI.  Harrison was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run.  Hicks was 2-for-5 with a run.

Pennant race update:  Fort Myers is tied for second with Bradenton, a game behind Palm Beach.  The Miracle has already qualified for the playoffs by winning the first half.  Fort Myers has five games remaining in the regular season.

CEDAR RAPIDS 6, QUAD CITIES 1 IN QUAD CITIES

Batting stars:  Mitch Garver was 1-for-3 with two walks, scoring once and driving in two.  J. D. Williams was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs.  Alex Swim was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Pitching stars:  Lewis Thorpe struck out eight in four innings, giving up an unearned run on one hit and four walks.  Chris Mazza pitched two shutout innings, giving up four hits and a walk.  Brian Gilbert struck out three in two shutout innings, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  A. J. Reed was 2-for-4.  J. D. Davis was 1-for-3 with a walk.

The game:  Garver had a two-run single as part of a three-run first that gave Cedar Rapids the early lead.  RBI singles by Swim and Williams made it 5-0 in the top of the third.  Quad Cities scored its lone run in the bottom of the third, but the Kernels got the run back in the fifth when Williams hit an RBI triple.  The River Bandits loaded the bases in the fourth and had two on in the sixth and eighth but did not score again.  Quad Cities stranded ten runners and was 0-for-12 with men in scoring position.

Of note:  Ryan Walker was 1-for-5 with a run.  Chad Christensen was 2-for-5 with two runs.  Max Murphy was 3-for-4.

Pennant race update:  Cedar Rapids has clinched second place, which is good for a spot in the playoffs.

BRISTOL 6, ELIZABETHTON 5 IN BRISTOL

Batting stars:   Brian Navarreto was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Tyler Kuresa was 1-for-3 with two walks and a run.  Pat Kelly was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.

Pitching stars:  Samuel Clay struck out three in 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up four hits.  Keaton Steele pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Chris Harvey was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Enyel Vallejo was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Nick Buckner was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

The game:  Bristol opened the scoring in the third, getting an RBI single from Trey Vavra and a two-run single by Navarreto to take a 3-0 lead.  An error made it 4-0 in the top of the fifth.  In the bottom of the fifth, however, Bristol scored all six of its runs.  A home run made it 4-1, but there were two out with nobody on base.  The Pirates then put together a double, five consecutive singles, and another double to take a 6-4 lead.  Tyler Mautner singled in a run in the eighth to make it 6-5 and the Twins had men on first and third with none out, but a home-and-second double play ended the threat and the last five Elizabethton batters went out.

Of note:  Jeremias Pineda was 0-for-5.  Nick Gordon was 1-for-5 with a run.  Vavra was 1-for-5 with a run and an RBI.  Jorge Fernandez was 1-for-4.  Starter Sam Gibbons pitched 4.2 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

Pennant race update:  Elizabethton leads Johnson City by one game.  The Twins lead Kingsport by three games for the last playoff spot.  Their magic number is two.  Elizabethton has three games remaining.

GCL TWINS 4, GCL RAYS 3 AT RAYS

Batting stars:  Ariel Montesino was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.  Amaurys Minier was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.

Pitching stars:  Eduardo Del Rosario pitched three shutout innings, giving up one hit with one strikeout.  Trevor Hildenberger struck out two in a scoreless inning, giving up one hit.

Opposition stars:  Bill Pujols was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Jose Alvarado struck out three in 3.2 innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits and a walk.

The game:  Pujols singled in a run in the second and a run scored on a double play in the third to give the Rays a 2-0 lead.  Jarrard Poteete singled in a run in the fourth and Montesino doubled and scored in the fifth to tie it 2-2.  The Rays took the lead back in the bottom of the fifth without a hit, getting a hit batsman, a stolen base, and a pair of productive outs.  Montesino singled in a run in the seventh to tie the score.  The Twins took their first lead in the eighth when Minier doubled and scored on a Joel Polanco single.  The Rays got a one-out double in the ninth but did not advance him.

Of note:  Rafael P. Valera was 0-for-4.  Polanco was 2-for-4 with an RBI.  Starter Josh Guyer pitched five innings, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks with one strikeout.

TODAY'S TILTS

11:00  GCL Rays at GCL Twins

5:30  Fort Myers (Matt Tomshaw, 11-5, 3.43) at Bradenton (TBA)

5:35  New Britain (TBA) at Binghamton (TBA)

6:00  Kingsport (TBA) at Elizabethton (Felix Jorge, 4-2, 2.29)

6:00  Rochester (Kris Johnson, 9-7, 3.60) at Syracuse (Aaron Laffey, 12-5, 3.38)

6:35  Kane County (Jen-Ho Tseng, 6-1, 2.45) at Cedar Rapids (Ryan Eades, 9-11, 5.48)

Games of August 25

A good game for Alex Meyer.  A good game for Stephen Gonsalves, too.  A really bad inning for the GCL Twins.

ROCHESTER 4, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 2 IN ROCHESTER

Batting stars:  Chris Colabello was 1-for-2 with a double and two walks, scoring once.  Pedro Florimon was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

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

Opposition stars:  Bryan Mitchell pitched five innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.  Kyle Roller was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Carmen Angelini was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once.

The game:  Roller doubled in a run in the top of the first and Florimon tripled one in in the bottom of the first.  It stayed 1-1 until Ramon Flores hit an RBI triple in the fifth to give Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a 2-1 lead.  In the sixth, Daniel Ortiz tied the game with a run-scoring double, the go-ahead run scored on a passed ball, and a sacrifice fly plated an insurance run, giving Rochester its first lead at 4-2.  The RailRiders got only one hit after that, an eighth inning single that was cancelled by a double play.

Of note:  James Beresford was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run.  Chris Herrmann was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.  Josmil Pinto was 1-for-4.

Pennant race update:  Rochester is third in the wild card race, 1.5 games behind Pawtucket.  Their elimination number is six.

BINGHAMTON 4, NEW BRITAIN 1 IN BINGHAMTON

Batting stars:  Levi Michael was 2-for-4.  Mike Gonzales was 1-for-3 with a walk.

Pitching stars:  Taylor Rogers struck out six in six innings, giving up one run on four hits and four walks.  Mason Melotakis pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Rainy Lara pitched 7.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts.  T. J. Rivera was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring twice.  Dustin Lawley was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in two.

The game:  Lawley opened the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth.  New Britain tied it in the sixth on a single, a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly.  In the eighth, Lawley doubled in the go-ahead run and insurance runs scored on a sacrifice fly and Kyle Johnson single.  The Rock Cats got only a one-out single in the ninth.

Of note:  Jorge Polanco was 1-for-4 with a run.  Nate Hanson was 0-for-3 with a walk.  Eddie Rosario was 1-for-4 with a double.

BRADENTON 3, FORT MYERS 2 IN BRADENTON

Batting star:  Stuart Turner was 1-for-3 with a home run, his sixth.

Pitching stars:  Madison Boer pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up two hits.  Brandon Peterson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up two hits.

Opposition stars:  Jason Creasy struck out seven in six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and a walk.  Max Moroff was 2-for-2 with a double and two walks, driving in one.  Raul Fortunato was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, driving in one.

The game:  Aderlin Mejia doubled and scored in the first and Turner hit a home run in the second to give Fort Myers a 2-0 lead.  That was it for the Miracle offense.  Fortunato doubled in a run in the second to cut the lead to 2-1.  In the fifth, Moroff singled in the tying run and a wild pitch put Bradenton ahead 3-2.  Fort Myers got only one hit after the second inning.  It was a leadoff double in the sixth by Travis Harrison, who did not advance.

Of note:  Mejia was 1-for-4 with a double and a run.  Harrison was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI.  Dalton Hicks was 1-for-4.  Adam Brett Walker II was 0-for-4.  Max Kepler was 0-for-4.  Starter Brett Lee pitched 4.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout.

Pennant race update:  Fort Myers is third, 1.5 games behind Palm Beach, with an elimination number of six.  The Miracle has already qualified for the playoffs by winning the first half.

QUAD CITIES 3, CEDAR RAPIDS 2 IN QUAD CITIES

Batting stars:  Michael Quesada was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk, scoring once and driving in one.  Tanner Vavra was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch, scoring once.

Pitching stars:  Stephen Gonsalves struck out ten in five innings, giving up two runs on two hits and no walks.  Josue Montanez pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Chris Lee struck out seven in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and two walks.  A. J. Reed was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer (his sixth) and a double.  James Ramsey was 2-for-4 with a home run, his third.

The game:  It was scoreless through three.  Cedar Rapids led off the fourth with back-to-back doubles by Vavra and Quesada and a single by Ryan Walker to take a 2-0 lead.  A walk and a hit batsman loaded the bases with two out, but the Kernels could do no more damage.  In the bottom of the fourth, a hit batsman was followed by Reed's two-run homer to tie it at two.  Ramsey led off the sixth with a homer to give Quad Cities a 3-2 advantage.  Cedar Rapids loaded the bases in the seventh on an error and a pair of two-out walks, but did not score again.

Of note:  Jonatan Hinojosa was 1-for-5.  Chad Christensen was 0-for-4 with a walk.  Alex Swim was 1-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch.  Max Murphy was 0-for-4 with a walk.

Pennant race update:  Cedar Rapids has clinched a playoff spot with a second place finish in the second half.  Wisconsin could still tie them for second, but the Kernels hold the tie-breaker.

BRISTOL 4, ELIZABETHTON 2 IN BRISTOL

Batting star:  Tyler Kuresa was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run.

Pitching star:  Starter Kuo Hua Lo pitched three innings, giving up one run on two hits and no walks with one strikeout.

Opposition stars:  Junior Lopez pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with two strikeouts.  Jose Salazar was 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs.  Carlos Ozuna was 2-for-4 with a double, scoring once and driving in one.

The game:  Ozuna doubled and scored in the third to give Bristol a 1-0 lead.  Each team scored once in the fifth and once in the sixth to leave the score 3-2 Bristol.  The Pirates added a run in the eighth on Ozuna's RBI single.  The Twins did not get a hit after the sixth inning.

Of note:  Jeremias Pineda was 0-for-4.  Nick Gordon was 0-for-4.  Trey Vavra was 1-for-4.  Jorge Fernandez was 0-for-3 with a walk.

Pennant race update:  Elizabethton is in first place by two games over Johnson City.  The Twins lead Kingsport by three games for the last playoff spot.

GCL RAYS 12, GCL TWINS 3 AT TWINS (7 INNINGS--RAIN)

Batting stars:  Amaurys Minier was 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, his eighth.  Manuel Guzman was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.  Ruar Verkirk was 1-for-2 with a run.

Pitching star:  Callan Pearce struck out two in a perfect inning.

Opposition stars:  Cade Gotta was 2-for-4 with two home runs and a walk.  Zacrey Law was 2-for-4 with a triple, scoring once and driving in four.  David Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with a triple and a double, scoring twice.

The game:  The Rays scored a single run in each of the first three innings, with Gotta hitting a homer in the first, two walks, a single, and a sacrifice fly plating a run in the second, and Rodriguez hitting a triple and scoring on a Jose Rojas single in the third.  The Rays then scored nine runs in the ninth to put the game away.  Fourteen men batted in an inning that had a little of everything:  six singles, a double, a triple, a home run, a walk, two wild pitches, two passed balls, and two stolen bases.  All three Twins runs scored in the sixth on a pair of singles and a three-run homer by Minier.

Of note:  Rainis Silva was 0-for-3.  Starter Brandon Easton pitched four innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

DSL TWINS

The Dominican Summer League regular season is over.  For the DSL Twins, it ended with a pair of rainouts.  They had a good season, going 43-27.  Their .614 winning percentage was fourth-best in the Dominican Summer League.  Unfortunately, it was only good for second place in their division, and only the four division winners go to the playoffs, so the DSL Twins season is over.

TODAY'S TILTS

11:00  GCL Twins at GCL Rays

4:35  New Britain (Jason Adam, 0-0, 5.14) at Binghamton (Hansel Robles, 7-6, 4.50)

Game 2  New Britain (Jose Berrios, 2-4, 3.89) at Binghamton (Gabriel Ynoa, 3-1, 4.47)

5:30  Fort Myers (Steven Gruver, 4-6, 2.81) at Bradenton (Chad Kuhl, 12-5, 3.33)

6:00  Elizabethton (Sam Gibbons, 4-4, 3.28) at Bristol (TBA)

7:00  Cedar Rapids (Lewis Thorpe, 3-2, 3.96) at Quad Cities (Michael Feliz, 8-4, 3.69)