OKC Dodgers 4 vs Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) 5
On the Mound
Jon Duplantier started for the Dodgers and had one of his best recent outings. He logged five scoreless innings giving up only two hits while walking three and striking out nine.
Blake Treinen on a rehab assignment followed Duplantier and pitched a clean inning with three strikeouts.
Right-hander Hansel Robles was unable to hold down the fort and gave up two runs in the seventh inning on two hits and a walk.
Jake Reed climbed the hill for the eighth inning and pitched a scoreless inning on one hit along with a strikeout.
Carson Fulmer came on to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning and after allowing two base runners induced a double play to send the game into extra innings. Fulmer returned for the bottom of the tenth inning and was not able to shut down the Space Cowboys. Following the placement of the ghost runner, Sugar Land scored two runs on a pair of doubles and the last runner advancing to third base on a wild pitch. The next batter with one out was walked intentionally.
Heath Hembree was called upon to strand runners on first and third with one out. The Space Cowboys then squeezed home the winning run on a bunt down the first base line.
At the Plate
The Dodgers scored a lone run in the top of the second inning on a James Outman walk, a Ryan Noda single and a Jacob Amaya RBI single.
OKC did not score again until the seventh inning when a Miguel Vargas double brought home Michael Busch who had walked to start the inning. That run knotted the score at 2-2.
In the top of the tenth inning Jacob Amaya started at second base and came home on a Devin Mann double. The Dodgers scored again on an Edwin Rios ground out following a Miguel Vargas IBB.
Player of the Game
Left-hander Jon Duplantier who tossed five scoreless innings in a pitcher’s duel gets penciled in for the award.
Tulsa Drillers 4 vs Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) 7
On the Mound
Things did not start well for the Drillers as starter Alex Gamboa gave up four earned runs on four hits and five walks over 2.1 innings pitched.
Gus Varland gave up an additional run in his 1.2 innings pitched on two hits, a walk and a strikeout.
Guillermo Zuniga pitched a scoreless inning while Nick Robertson in his inning pitched was the victim of two stolen bases and a fielding error to give up the Wichita sixth run.
Tanner Dodson pitched a scoreless inning while Jordan Leasure gave up a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
At the Plate
Brandon Lewis got the Drillers on the scoreboard with a solo home run (17) in the top of the fourth inning.
They chipped away with two runs in the seventh inning on on a Buddy Reed double, a Leonel Valera single (RBI), an Andy Pages single and a Justin Yurchak single (2 RBI.)
A fifth Driller run scored in the top of the eighth inning on a Carson Taylor solo home run (4).
Justin Yurchak, Buddy Reed, Carson Taylor and Leonel Valera all had two hits while Andy Pages had three.
Player of the Game
Carson Taylor gets the curtain call with his two hits, one a home run, walk, run scored and two runs batted in.
Great Lakes Loons 7 vs Lansing Lugnuts (A’s) 12
On the Mound
The Loons had scored 12 runs in three consecutive games against the Lugnuts and it appeared they might need a dozen or so to win the game on Sunday.
Ryan Sublette pitched the first 1.1 innings in a relief pitcher game and gave up two unearned runs on a hit and walk while striking out three. He was the victim of his own mishaps with a HBP and a throwing error.
Antonia Knowles followed Sublette for 1.1 innings and surrendered one run on two hits and a walk.
Ben Casparius was the Loons third pitcher and he allowed the flood gates to open giving up five earned runs over 2.1 innings pitched.
Jeff Belge took over for Casparius and stranded the runner he inherited in the sixth inning before striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning. Belge has struck out 9 out of the last 10 batters he has faced.
Braydon Fisher came on in the bottom of the eighth inning and things did not go well. Following a double lost in the sun by Harold Restituyo and two walks, a stolen base and two singles the Lugnuts scored three more runs taking an 11-6 lead.
At the Plate
In the top of the second inning the Loons pushed across four runs on RBI singles by Kekai Rios, Eddys Leonard and a two-run single by Jorbit Vivas.
They scored another run in the third inning on back-to-back doubles by Austin Gauthier and Luis Yanel Diaz.
Trailing 8-5 going into the top of the eighth inning the Loons scored one run on consecutive singles by Luis Yanel Diaz, Aldrich De Jongh and Kekai Rios but could do no more damage in the inning.
Heading into the bottom of the ninth inning the Loons indeed needed 12 runs to win as they trailed 11-6.
They made a bit of noise with an Imanol Vargas solo home run followed by two singles but that was it.
Player of the Game
Kekai Rios was a bright spot with three hits and two runs batted in.
Modesto Nuts (Seattle) 7 vs Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 2
On the Mound
The Quakes had a uneasy start to the game with three fielding errors in the first two innings. Gabe Emmett started and gave up three runs, two earned, on one hit and three walks. He was followed by Benony Robles who pitched three innings and gave up four runs, two earned, on five hits.
Carlos De Los Santos pitched two scoreless innings on one hit and one strikeout.
Kelvin Bautista pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Reinaldo De Paula came to pitch the ninth inning which he closed it out on seven pitches.
At the Plate
The Quakes scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning with a Kyle Froemke walk, a Chris (Bubba) Alleyne double, a Jake Vogel SF, a Yeiner Fernandez walk and a Dalton Rushing RBI ground out.
Player of the Game
This is a bit of a different pick. Relief pitcher Reinaldo De Paula has been on an August roll. Over 12 appearances and 12 innings pitched he has struck out 12. He has not allowed a run while giving up but four hits and two walks.
