Pinstriped Performances: Pitching, Scranton Offense Open Third Week

The hurlers in Hudson Valley and Somerset led the charge for their teams, while Scranton Wilkes-Barre mashed its way to yet another big win as the third series of the year got underway.

Brandon Wagner (Robert M. Pimpsner)

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (10-3): Three RailRiders hit their first Scranton homers of the season and the team banged out 13 hits to take care of visiting Rochester 11-6.

• Star of the Game: Brandon Wagner – 1-for-4, 1 home run (1), 3 RBI, 2 runs scored, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts. The 25-year-old’s three-run home run in the fourth inning gave Scranton a 7-1 lead and was his first extra-base hit of the season
• Estevan Florial: 1-for-5, 1 home run (1), 2 RBI, 2 strikeouts. Florial’s long home run with two outs in the third inning was his first at the Triple-A level
• Rob Brantly: 2-for-5, 1 home run (1), 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, 1 strikeout
• Thomas Milone: 2-for-4, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout. Milone was promoted from Somerset on Tuesday and picked up right where he left off at Double-A
• Hoy Jun Park: 3-for-5, 1 double, 2 RBI, 1 run scored, 2 strikeouts
• Brody Koerner: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 72 pitches (49 strikes)
• Trevor Lane: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 31 pitches (19 strikes). Lane got a win in this one – if you haven’t already, check out Alexis Farinacci’s interview with him on Pinstriped Prospects
• Reggie McClain: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 37 pitches (20 strikes)
• Addison Russ: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 35 pitches (15 strikes)

Dermis Garcia. (Chris Jones)

Somerset Patriots (8-5): A dominant pitching performance, and one knockout punch courtesy of a big bat, was enough to propel the Patriots to a 2-1 win over host Hartford.

• Star of the Game: Matt Krook – 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K, 66 pitches (39 strikes). The minor league Rule 5 draft pick is in the midst of a solid 9.2 inning stretch during which he’s given up two earned runs and struck out 13
• Hitting Star of the Game: Dermis Garcia – 1-for-4, 1 home run (3), 2 RBI, 1 strikeout. Garcia provided the only offense the Patriots needed once they were down to their last three outs in the ninth. His two-run home run provided Somerset’s margin of victory
• Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-for-3, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. Cabrera’s four-game hitting streak was snapped, but his on-base streak, which spans all 13 games of the season, is still intact
• Donny Sands: 1-for-4, 1 double, 1 run scored, 1 strikeout
• Max Burt: 1-for-4, 1 double, 2 strikeouts
• Carlos Espinal: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 50 pitches (27 strikes)
• Keegan Curtis: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 15 pitches (11 strikes). Because he pitched a clean eighth, Curtis picked up the win
• Greg Weissert: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 19 pitches (9 strikes). Weissert has two saves on the year

Hayden Wesneski (Brian Blalock/Sam Houston State)

Hudson Valley Renegades (7-6): This is a big week for the guys in High-A, as they play six games against the rival Cyclones in Brooklyn. Renegades pitching struck out 11 and the offense provided just enough to snatch a 4-3 win.

• Star of the Game: Hayden Wesneski – 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 67 pitches (45 strikes). While much attention has rightfully been paid to his rotation mates Medina and Waldichuk, Wesneski has more than held his own with 16 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed in three starts
• Oswald Peraza: 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts. Peraza lost his five-game hitting streak
• Ezequiel Duran: 1-for-3, 1 run scored
• Josh Breaux: 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts. Breaux has struck out 21 times in 49 at-bats
• Kyle MacDonald: 2-for-3, 1 home run (1), 3 RBI, 1 run scored. The 24-year-old Canadian was appearing in just his third game of the year and hit a go-ahead two-run blast in the sixth
• Zach Greene: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 47 pitches (38 strikes). Greene picked up both a win and a blown save

Chad Bell (Photo by John Brophy/Pinstriped Prospects)

Tampa Tarpons (9-4): A tough all-around day for the Tarpons resulted in an 8-2 loss to visiting Fort Myers.

• Star of the Game: Chad Bell – 2-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 1 strikeout. Bell accounted for two of Tampa’s five total hits
• Anthony Volpe: 0-for-4, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts. After hitting .412 through his first four games, Volpe is just 3 for his last 25
• Austin Wells: 1-for-5, 2 strikeouts
• Trevor Hauver: 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts
• Carlos Narvaez: 1-for-1, 1 double, 3 walks
• Sean Boyle: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 40 pitches (27 strikes). Boyle was Tampa’s most effective pitcher on an off night for the staff
• Kevin Milam: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 35 pitches (17 strikes)
• Zach Kohn: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 6 pitches (3 strikes)
• Jhonatan Munoz: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 54 pitches (28 strikes). Munoz has made two starts this year, but he came out of the pen in this one and struggled to find the plate
• Carson Coleman: 1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 38 pitches (24 strikes)
• Connor Pellerin: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 20 pitches (9 strikes)