Pinstriped Performances: Nailbiters Galore

All five games around the system on Thursday were decided by one or two runs, and two of them went into extra innings.

JP Sears (Chris Jones)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (18-31): Two home runs were not enough for the RailRiders, who dropped a 3-2 decision to the IronPigs.

• Star of the Game: JP Sears – 4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 75 pitches (48 strikes). Sears was working on a no-hitter into the fifth inning, when a throwing error by Armando Alvarez proved the chance Lehigh Valley needed – and they strung together three hits to score three runs and knock Sears out of the game
• Phillip Evans: 1-for-4, 1 home run (3), 1 RBI, 1 run scored
• Armando Alvarez: 1-for-3, 1 home run (4), 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 2 strikeouts. Though his error was costly, Alvarez also provided half of Scranton’s offense
• Jose Mujica: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 20 pitches (14 strikes)
• Braden Bristo: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 39 pitches (25 strikes)
• Vinny Nittoli: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 10 pitches (8 strikes)

Brandon Lockridge. Photo by Matt Kardos

Somerset Patriots (30-17): Binghamton took the doubleheader opener from the Patriots 5-3, but Somerset got revenge in the nightcap – a 6-4 win in extra innings.

Game 1

• Star of the Game: Jesus Bastidas – 1-for-2, 1 home run (4), 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 1 stolen base. Bastidas has hit all four of his home runs in the last three weeks
• Anthony Volpe: 1-for-3, 1 double
• Will Warren: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 81 pitches (54 strikes). The jump from High-A to Double-A is a big one, and Warren felt the heat in his debut
• Kyle Zurak: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 11 pitches (7 strikes)

Game 2

• Star of the Game: Brandon Lockridge – 2-for-4, 1 double, 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout. Lockridge put the Patriots in front in the extra inning with a run-scoring double
• Andres Chaparro: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 1 run scored, 2 strikeouts
• Rodolfo Duran: 1-for-3, 1 double, 2 RBI, 1 walk. Duran supplied crucial insurance runs in the eighth
• Chad Bell: 1-for-4, 1 home run (5), 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout. Bell opened the scoring for Somerset with a two-run blast in the second inning
• Randy Vasquez: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 81 pitches (53 strikes). Vasquez has made eight starts and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of them
• Emmanuel Ramirez: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 18 pitches (12 strikes)
• Barrett Loseke: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 32 pitches (21 strikes). Loseke held the Rumble Ponies at bay in the sixth and seventh to move to 5-0 on the year

Cooper Bowman takes some ground ball drills at 3rd base (John Brophy/Pinstriped Prospects)

Hudson Valley Renegades (21-26): ‘Gades pitching was mostly dominant, but a two-run Aberdeen rally in the eighth inning doomed HV to a 2-1 loss.

• Star of the Game: Beck Way – 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 73 pitches (45 strikes). Way has looked much better in two of his last three starts
• Cooper Bowman: 1-for-4, 1 strikeout. Bowman has reached base safely in 15 of his last 16 games
• Aaron Palensky: 1-for-3, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout
• Carlos Gomez: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 38 pitches (22 strikes). Gomez took the loss and a blown save
• Ryan Miller: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 5 pitches (3 strikes)

Ryan Anderson (Photo by John Brophy/Pinstriped Prospects)

Tampa Tarpons (21-27): The Tarpons suffered a heartbreaker, blowing a 6-3 lead in the ninth and losing 7-6 in extra innings.

• Star of the Game: Ben Rice – 2-for-4, 1 home run (1), 1 double, 4 RBI, 1 run scored. Rice’s first long ball of the season was a grand slam in the fourth inning that reversed a 2-0 deficit
• Antonio Gomez: 1-for-5, 1 RBI, 2 strikeouts
• Juan Carela: 4 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 83 pitches (46 strikes). The 20-year-old has 50 strikeouts in 38.1 innings
• Kevin Milam: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 36 pitches (22 strikes)
• Bailey Dees: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 37 pitches (19 strikes). Dees has allowed three runs in back-to-back appearances
• Ryan Anderson: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 27 pitches (19 strikes). Anderson hit a batter with the bases loaded in the ninth to surrender the tying run, then allowed the automatic runner to score in the tenth and took his second loss as well as a blown save