Friday
Louisville Bats 2, Columbus Clippers 3
Jermaine "Lee" Curtis bumped his batting average to a nifty .319 while supplying the Bats' only multi-hit performance on Friday as the club's offense faltered in Columbus. "Uncle" Jesse Winker provided Louisville's only RBI despite an 0-for-3 showing. Josh Smith did nothing but continue his "what the hell am I still doing down here" audition with six quality innings in which he allowed three runs and struck out six. His ERA sits at 2.70.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 1, Chattanooga Lookouts 2
Amir "No, You Come 'Ere" Garrett spread out nine hits and one walk over six innings to limit Chattonooga to just two runs as the Blue Wahoos fell on Friday. Garrett's ERA remains a tidy 1.51 for the year. Nick Routt "66" and Jimmy "Get A Brain" Moran(s) combined for five strikeouts across two scoreless innings of relief. There was nothing much to be spoken for offensively, as Calten Daal simply continued to be a contact juggernaut at the bottom of the order, smacking another two singles to bump his average to .442.
Daytona Tortugas 2, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (7 innings) Tejay Antone went the (shortened) distance for the Tortugas to start Friday's doubleheader, allowing three runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out six. Blake "Long Black" Trahan paced the offense with a three-hit game that included a double and a ribbie, while "Other" Blake Butler chipped in with two hits of his own. Jeff Gelalich tripled and walked in the game. Daytona Tortugas 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7 (7 innings) All it took was a five-run third inning to ensure Friday wouldn't end any better for Daytona than the way it started. Evan Mitchell got lit up for five runs in just 2+ frames, with Brennan Bernardino absorbing the rest of the damage to close out the third. Blake Trahan remained solid with a pair of hits, while Angelo Gumbs finishing 2-for-3 out of the cleanup spot. Dayton Dragons 6, Great Lakes Loons 2 James Vasquez stepped up in a big way for the Dragons on Saturday, collecting three hits, a dinger and five RBI's to knock out the Loons. Zack Shields collected three hits in the leadoff spot and scored twice. Tanner Rainey was solid on the mound, giving up two runs in four innings while walking three and fanning four. Manuel Aybar, Michael Sullivan and Ariel Hernandez then combined for five shutout frames out of the bullpen.
Saturday
Louisville Bats 8, Columbus Clippers 6
The sticks woke up for Louisville just in time to help Robert Stephenson earn his third International League win of the season, as the top prospect went 5.1 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, while striking out four. His IL ERA sits at 2.80. Carlos Triunfel and Seth Mejias-Brean each collected two hits including a double in the effort, while Juan Perez doinked his first doinker of the season. Three very rememberable names made relief appearances in this one, as J.J. Hoover, Keyvius Sampson and Jumbo Diaz combined for 3.2 innings of work, with Sampson being the only one to surrender runs.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 5, Mississippi Braves 4
The Wahoos made the most of just five hits on Saturday, stroking three doubles and inching past Mississippi. Chad "Walla Walla" Wallach provided the biggest shot with a 3-run double in the bottom of the ninth to tie it, before Alex "The Great" Blandino ended it with a walk-off single in the tenth. "Better Call" Sal Romano was incredibly sharp in this one, tossing seven innings and allowing just two runs, one earned, on four hits while fanning seven and walking one.
Daytona Tortugas 2, Lakeland Flying Tigers 7
Just as the Tortugas were figuring out how to hang in there for seven innings, they went and extended the games on them. Lakeland put together five runs in the ninth inning to run away with this one, doing much of the damage off Nick "Record Scratch" Ehret. Nick "Shrug, Sigh" Howard surrendered a pair of runs on two hits while retiring just two batters in the seventh, with all of this coming after Ismael Guillon piecing together a four-inning, zero run, six-strikeout start on the bump. Blake Butler smacked another couple of hits in this one, including a double.
Dayton Dragons 4, Great Lakes Loons 7
The Dragons' offense was kept quiet Saturday, with Shed Long providing the only notable day at the plate as he drove in another pair of runs with a ninth-inning homer. Zack Shields and Brantley Bell each went 1-for-4 with a ribbie at the top of the order as well. Jesus Reyes got the loss here, surrendering three runs on seven hits in just 3.2 innings while walking three and fanning two.
Sunday
Louisville Bats 8, Columbus Clippers 12
Jon Moscot was back on the mound on Sunday, and appeared to show a lot of reason for optimism. Working on a pitch count of around 75, he got through five innings while allowing just two runs on two hits, walking three and striking out four. The Bats' defense broke down again in this one, making three errors for the second straight game. That, combined with a hideous line from Stephen Johnson (0.2 IP, 6 R, 5 ER), doomed the Bats on Sunday. Hernan "Wants To Be A Dentist" Irribarren and Scott Schebler each posted three-hit afternoons in the loss, with Schebler's day including a homer.
Louisville will return home Monday to face Scranton Wilkes-Barre, with Daniel Wright slated to get the start.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3, Mississippi Braves 4
Alex "The Curse of the" Blandino launched his third homer of the season as Pensacola fell to former No. 1 pick Dansby Swanson and the Braves on Sunday. Jeff Gelalich, making his Pensacola debut, reached base three times in the afternoon. Jackson "5" Stephens gave up four earned in five innings to get tagged with the loss. Carlos Gonzalez, Matt Magill and Jimmy Moran combined four shutout innings out of the pen, with Moran notching the rare "four strikeouts in one inning" achievement.
Barrett Astin will get the call opposite Sean Newcomb against Mississippi on Monday.
Daytona Tortugas 4, Lakeland Flying Tigers 5
Tyler "Let's Go To The" Mahle suffered a small hiccup on Sunday, allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks in 6.2 innings, as his ERA swelled to 3.30 with the loss. Blake Butler and Aristedes "Heiress Titties" Aquino each finished with three hits and a double. Greg Williams pitched 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, but Daytona never managed to rally.
The Tortugas head to Charlotte Monday looking to get off the schneide, starting pitcher TBD.
Dayton Dragons 5, Great Lakes Loons 4
Austin Oreweiler "Redenbacher" walked the tightrope on Sunday, holding the Loons to four runs, three earned, on ten hits and a walk in 5.1 innings of work. Jake "Nick Miller" Johnson, Juan Martinez, and Ariel Hernandez combined to shut out Great Lakes out of the bullpen the rest of the way. Tyler "Ty Steve" Stephenson tripled in this one, while James Vasquez doubled and drove in a run as part of a two-hit afternoon. Shed Long, meanwhile, drove in another two.
Jacob Constante will lead Dayton against the Lake County Captains on Monday.