Snake Stars:
3 Stars: Jackson RHP Taylor Clarke 5 1⁄3 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 12 K, GS 71
2 Stars: Reno LHP Aaron Laffey 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, GS 75
1 Star: Reno CF Socrates Brito 4 for 4, 2B, 3B, BB, SB, R
0 Stars: Reno RHP Jimmie Sherfy 1 1⁄3 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 K, BS (1)
Reno Aces 7, Sacramento River Cats 6: The Aces got 7 scoreless from Aaron Laffey, making it 3 quality starts out of 3 possible starts. Laffey got run support this time, with the Aces clubbing 3 home runs in support of him for 5 runs. Unfortunately, the bullpen decided to suck with Kaleb Fleck giving up 3 runs while only recording 2 outs in the 8th before having to be bailed out by Jimmie Sherfy. In the 9th inning, Sherfy gave up back to back homers, the first tying the game at 5 and the second putting the Aces in a 6-5 deficit. After loading the bases with 1 out, Jeremy Hazelbaker tied the game with a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the 11th, Ronnie Freeman, who had come in the game as a defensive replacement, singled home the winning run. That made a winner out of Matt Stites, who reminded me how much of an idiot I am.
Jackson Generals 4, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 2: Taylor Clarke did his best to snap a 3-game losing streak with 12 strikeouts in a game he recorded only 16 outs. Unfortunately, the offense decided to not try to win the game until the 8th inning and an ill-timed home run given up by Joey Krehbiel put Clarke on the hook for the loss. Between Clarke, Krehbiel, and Gabe Moya, the Generals recorded 20 strikeouts, 2 short of the Southern League Record for a 9-inning game. Stewart Ijames keyed the 8th inning rally with a double off the bench and Colin Walsh scored the tying run on a passed ball. In the 9th, an RBI double by Oscar Hernandez and a sac fly from Evan Marzilli plated the winning runs while Moya pitched a perfect 9th to remove any thoughts of a comeback. Moya also picked up the win.
Visalia Rawhide 0, Lake Elsinore Storm 4: The Rawhide continued to struggle at the plate as they wasted a quality start from Jose Almonte, who gave up 2 runs in 6 innings while striking out 11. The offense picked up 9 hits and 2 walks, but stranded all of them as they missed any sort of big hit in the game. Grant Heyman had 2 doubles for the only extra base hits for the Rawhide. It didn’t help that Keegan Long poured gasoline on the fire, allowing 2 runs to score in the 7th to put the game out of reach.
Kane County Cougars 0, Cedar Rapids Kernels 6: The Cougars were dead at the plate, with Marcus Wilson being the only batter to reach base twice with a single and a walk in 4 trips to the plate. Mack Lemieux took the start for Cody Reed, who has been promoted to Visalia. Lemeiux allowed 5 runs (4 earned) in 4 2⁄3 innings and did not record a single punchout in the game.