Baby Bird Brief - May 28

BUF (23-24) - Day off
NH (23-24) - W 4-3 over Reading (PHI)
DUN (19-28) - L 5-4 to Jupiter (MIA)
LAN (28-20) - W 4-2 at Bowling Green (TB)

Buffalo Recap
Buffalo had a night off prior to welcoming Rochester to town for a doubleheader on Friday

New Hampshire Recap
New Hampshire & Reading were tied heading at 2 heading in to the 9^th, and it looked bleak when Reading scored a run to go ahead. New Hampshire got a leadoff HR to tie the game and then scored the winning run on an error at 1^st base to win the game 4-3. The Fisher Cats scored 4 runs on 6 hits, 5 walks and an error. They also struck out 8 times. Reading had 3 runs on 6 hits, 4 walks and an error. The Fightin Phils struck out 7 times.

• Matt Boyd started and was decent again. Boyd went 7 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 2 walks. Boyd struck out 4 and gave up a 2 run HR in the 4^th as the only real damage he allowed. Boyd had 2 ground outs and 9 fly outs on 101 pitches (62 strikes)
• Wil Browning allowed a run on 2 hits and 2 walks in 2 innings. Browning struck out 3 and picked up the win in the walk-off
  
  
• K.C. Hobson tied the game in the bottom of 9 with his 5^th HR of the year. He also walked in this one
• Ian Parmley had a good night with 2 hits, including a double. He also scored a run and drove in 1. He also pushed across the winning run, although the error made it less about him
• Jorge Flores had a single & a double, driving in 1. He was also caught stealing
• Newcomer Cole Garner had a hit and scored the winning run in the 9^th. Garner had been tearing up the Mexican League prior to joining New Hampshire with a .975 OPS, including 8 HR's. He had a brief MLB appearance with Colorado in 2011
• Shane Optiz walked twice
• Kevin Nolan & Ronald Torreyes both had a walk. Torreyes picked up a stolen base, while Nolan was caught stealing
• Dwight Smith had a rough night, going 0-4 with 3 K's

Dunedin Recap
Dunedin fell behind in the 1^st, but took the lead in the 5^th, only to give it right back up and then couldn't find the equalizer in a 5-4 loss to Jupiter, their 3^rd straight 1-run loss to the Hammerheads. This was one sloppy game, as the teams combined for 9 errors. Only 1 of the 9 runs was actually earned on this night. Dunedin had 5 hits and a walk, while striking out 4 times. They also committed 5 errors, which combined for 4 unearned runs. Dunedin had a chance to blow the game wide open in the 5^th inning, as they scored 3 runs, but had 2 runners thrown out with the bases loaded at home. Jupiter had 7 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 11 times. They also committed 4 errors on the night.

• Jairo Labourt started and allowed 3 runs (1 earned) over 5 innings. He allowed 3 hits and 3 walks and recorded 8 K's. Labourt also picked up 8 ground outs versus 0 fly ball outs
• Carlos Ramirez allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk in his inning. None of the runs were earned however, as Ramirez got the inning-ending double play ball, but it was thrown away at 1^st
• Chad Girodo pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out 3
  
  
• Roemon Fields had 2 hits and drove in a run
• Mitch Nay had 2 hits and scored a run
• Boomer Collins had a hit and made an error in the field
• Dickie Joe Thon had an RBI walk, struck out twice, scored a run and made 2 errors.
• Jason Leblebijian scored 2 runs after reaching twice on fielding errors. He also stole a base and made an error

Lansing Recap
Lansing built up a 4-0 lead after 5 innings, and then coasted home with a 4-2 win over Bowling Green to move a game ahead in the standings. Lansing had 6 hits and 2 walks, and they struck out 7 times in the game. Bowling Green had 7 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 3 times.

• Shane Dawson started and threw a solid game. He allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 7 hits and a walk over 8 innings. Dawson gave up a solo HR in the 7^th and then a run scored on a passed ball in the 8^th. Dawson recorded 3 strike outs, 7 grounds outs and 7 fly outs. He also picked a runner off 1^st
• Jose Fernandez pitched a scoreless 9^th, walking a batter as he picked up the save
  
  
• Richard Urena had another 2-hit game. He scored a run and drove in 2
• Rowdy Tellez had 2 hits and drove in a run
• Chris Carlson had a double
• Anthony Alford had a hit, a walk and 2 K's. He also scored 2 runs and picked up a stolen base
• Tim Locastro walked, stole his 22^nd base of the year and scored a run
• Michael De La Cruz continues to struggle at the plate as he struck out twice. He may be a candidate to move down to Vancouver next month

Look Ahead
BUF - Buffalo welcomes Rochester (BAL) to town for a doubleheader. Miguel Castro is scheduled to start game 1 with Jeff Francis starting in game 2 (though perhaps we see Scott Copeland now)              
NH - New Hampshire travels to New Britain (COL). Casey Lawrence gets the nod against the league leaders
DUN - Dunedin continues at Jupiter (MIA) trying to salvage one win in the series. Luis Santos starts
LAN - Lansing travels to Dayton (CIN). Conner Greene starts for the 1^st place Lugs, although Dayton is only 2 games back