Minors Stuff

The Herd:

The Buffalo Bisons open a two-game set against Thruway rival Rochester beginning at 1:05 p. m. today (Radio 1520 AM) at Coca-Cola Field.

The series concludes at 6:05 p. m. Friday with the Bisons’ annual Independence Eve Celebration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

In their last series, the Bisons (26-49) were swept in four games by Charlotte and are now 17z games behind first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the International League North Division. Rochester (37-40) has dropped its last two and is 7z games behind Scranton.

The Bisons are scheduled to throw right-hander Nelson Figueroa (3-4, 2.61 ERA) against the Red Wings’ Jeff Manship (0-0, 4.50). In his last six starts Figueroa has allowed just six earned runs.

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bisons/story/721490.html


B-Mets:


Thursday, July 2 New Hampshire 7:05 pm RHP Brad Holt (0-1, 9.45) vs. LHP Luis Perez (4-6, 3.41)

Friday, July 3 New Hampshire 7:05 pm TBA vs. RHP Rey Gonzalez (3-5, 3.18)

Saturday, July 4 Erie 7:05 pm RHP Dylan Owen (0-5, 6.00) vs. TBA

Sunday, July 5 Erie 1:05 pm LHP Eric Niesen (0-4, 7.64)) vs. TBA



Shawn Bowman had a double, a triple and two RBIs but the Binghamton Mets lost 5-3 to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Wednesday night at NYSEG Stadium. All five of the B-Mets hits went for extra bases in the contest.Binghamton scored first when Lucas Duda drove in Caleb Stewart with a double down the right field line in the second inning. Stewart, who came off the disabled list earlier in the day after missing 58 games, reached on a leadoff walk by Fisher Cats’ starter Brandon Magee and scored from first on the play.Shawn Bowman added to the B-Mets lead in the fourth with a double. Stewart reached with one out after being hit by Magee and moved to third on D.J. Wabick’s 21st double of the season. Bowman then drove in Stewart and Wabick with a double to right to give Binghamton (29-48) a 3-0 lead.New Hampshire (34-44) roared back in the fifth to take the lead with four runs off Binghamton starter Eric Brown, who allowed four straight hits in the frame. Bryan Kervin, Brian Dopirak and David Cooper collected RBI’s for the Fisher Cats to make the score 4-3. Dopirak had two RBI’s on a double off the left-center field wall.Adam Calderone added an insurance run for the visitors in the top of the ninth with an RBI single to center off Jim Ed Warden to yield the final of 5-3. Brown was pinned with his eighth loss of the season as he went six innings, giving up four runs on five hits.

http://www.bmets.com/viewarticle.asp?a=1828


Gnats:


SEEING STARS: Every pitching staff needs an ace, and the Sand Gnats especially needed a stellar performance Wednesday to avoid matching a season-high five-game losing streak. That pitcher appears to be Robert Carson, who hurled a career-high eight innings to stifle the Tourists for a skid-stopping victory. "We just needed something to get momentum, to get our confidence up," said the left-hander, who had the longest outing of any Gnats pitcher this season in notching a team-best sixth victory. "We've got a talented team." That talent includes outfielder Raul Reyes, whose three-run homer in the second inning accounted for all of Savannah's scoring. That talent also includes shortstop Wilmer Flores, 17, who was having an outstanding night fielding until a bobble in the ninth inning. Flores had six assists, including in fourth when Jimmy Cesario's sharp grounder deflected off third baseman Jefry Marte. Flores plucked the ball and without hesitation fired a rocket to first baseman Stefan Welch for the out. "Wilmer's a very great young athlete," Carson said. "He really helped me stay focused."

DECISION MAKING: Carson, who lowered his ERA to 2.27, was followed in the ninth by closer Rhiner Cruz, who hit the first batter he faced in the helmet (David Christensen) with his first pitch, and put him on second base with a wild pitch. But Cruz kept his poise and registered his team-high 12th save. Charleston starter Jonathan Aristil (0-5) was much better than his record would indicate, as he went six innings with only three hits and the three runs (earned) allowed with five strikeouts. Charleston pitchers didn't allow a hit after Reyes' homer in the second inning.

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/747081


Clones:


Box ScoreThe Brooklyn Cyclones (10-2) remain undefeated at home on the strength of their starting pitching, and timely hitting. RHP Collin McHugh pitched six strong innings against the Tri-City Valley Cats (5-5). McHugh allowed just three runs with eight strikeouts and only walked two to earn his league-leading third win of the year. After Tri-City took an early lead, 1B Sam Honeck tied the game at 1-1 in the first inning on an RBI single that scored CF John Servidio. CF Servidio (pictured, by George Napolitano) provided more power to the Cyclones’ offense with a laser-shot solo home run in the third inning over the left field wall. It was Servidio’s third home run this season. DH Ralph Henriquez also doubled in the third inning to score Honeck. Henriquez then scored on a single by LF Luis Rivera. RHP Sam Martinez relieved McHugh, he went 0.2 innings with no strikeouts and surrendered two walks. LHP Matias Carillo relieved Martinez and he promptly struck out the first batter he faced, with the bases loaded, for the third out. Carillo earned a hold after pitching a scoreless eighth inning. He has yet to allow a run this season.RHP Michael Powers stranded a runner on third base (who reached base on an error by the second baseman) when he struck out the last two batters of the game for his second save of the season. The Cyclones continue their series with the Tri-City Valley Cats on Thursday night, and fans can take advantage of a special Eat For Free deal!. On Thursday, the first 2,500 fans in attendance will also receive an Edgar Alfonzo T-Shirt, presented by Long Island University.

Click here to get your tickets, or call 718-507-TIXX


K-Port:


The Kingsport Mets collected their fifth straight Appalachian League loss Sunday night, falling to the Bluefield Orioles 10-4 at Hunter Wright Stadium.

But in contrast to Saturday night’s dispiriting implosion, Kingsport fought to the last out. And that made all the difference to K-Mets manager Mike DiFelice.

“I’m proud of my guys. I’m proud of them. They played a nine-inning baseball game,” said DiFelice, whose squad pushed across a run in the ninth inning on an RBI single by Cesar Puello before Michael Moras grounded into a double play to end the nascent rally.

On Saturday, Kingsport obliterated opportunities by rapping into three double plays. But context is everything. Moras’ hard-luck lick in the ninth was a lot more forgivable

http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014864