=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Friday, July 2nd === (Games from Thursday, July 1st)

From The My Sportsbook

WILD ONE IN THE PCL

Jorge Piedra was the star among stars in this PCL shootout, going an incredible 6-for-6 with three home runs, six RBI, and five runs scored to lead the Colorado Springs Sky Sox to a 16-11 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes. The game featured a total of 27 runs and 39 hits, and multiple career nights at the plate. All three of Piedra's home runs came in his first three at-bats. Kit Pellow followed Piedra's lead for the Sky Sox, going 4-for-6 with a double, home run, five RBI and three runs scored. Erick Almonte chipped in with two RBI, while lead-off hitter Clint Barmes had three hits, including a solo home run, and scored four runs, as Colorado Springs improved to 42-38. Albuquerque's lineup featured a few stars of their own, the brightest being Derek Wathan. Wathan hit for the cycle, drove in three runs and scored three times. Needing just a home run late in the game, Wathan smacked a two-run shot in the bottom of the eight inning off of Mike Bumatay to earn the impressive feat. Joe Dillon had three hits, including his 18th home run, and three RBI for the Isotopes, who fell to 41-40 with the loss. Alex Herrera (3-2) picked up the win, tossing three innings of shutout relief ball. He was impressive in what was otherwise a miserable night for pitchers, allowing just two hits while striking out five. Albuquerque starter Scott Sanders (1-5) was rocked for 10 runs on 13 hits, including three homers, in five innings of work to absorb the loss.

RED HOT HOWARD

Ryan Howard smashed two more home runs, drove in three and scored three times as the Reading Phillies creamed the Binghamton Mets 12-6 in Eastern League action. Howard raised his league leading total to 31, just two shy of Reading's single season record of 33, which is held by Greg Luzinski. Kevin Barker and Brian Hitchcox also homered for the Phillies, who improved to 38-41 on the year. Kevin Dougherty (1-2) earned the win despite allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits in five innings of work. Wayne Ough (2-4) was rocked in 4 1/3rd innings of work. He allowed eight runs on nine hits to absorb the loss. Gil Velazquez had a two-run home run for the Mets, who dropped to 46-34. They remain atop the Northern Division, with a 1 1/2 game lead over New Hampshire.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES'

Garrett Jones went 5-for-7 with two home runs, four RBI and scored four runs including the game-winner in the top of the 14th inning as the New Britain Rock Cats outlasted the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 11-10, in an Eastern League Northern Division game Thursday afternoon. With its second consecutive victory, New Britain improved to 37-42 while New Hampshire, losers of two straight, fell to 44-35. After New Hampshire plated four runs to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, Jones poked a single and advanced to second base on a passed ball before scoring on a Rob Bowen RBI double in the top of the 14th inning. Pat Neshek (2-1) allowed one hit in two scoreless innings to earn the win. Bobby Korecky nailed down his 14th save with one scoreless inning of work. Losing pitcher Dan Jackson (3-8) gave up one run on three hits in two innings. In the loss, Aaron Hill went 3-for-6 with two RBI and scored two runs, while John-Ford Griffin doubled, homered and plated two runs.

OLE' FASHIONED PITCHERS DUEL

Willie Collazo barely out-pitched Ezequiel Astacio as the Arkansas Travelers held on for a 1-0 win over the Round Rock Express. Both pitchers tossed complete games. Arkansas and Round Rock are now both 4-4 in the second half of the season. Collazo (2-5) struck out ten, walked two and surrendered four hits while lowering his ERA to 4.58. Astacio (6-7) gave up the one run on four hits and struck out seven. Christian Guerrero knocked in Mike Eylward for the only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Round Rock's Mike Rodriguez hit two doubles and accounted for half of Round Rock's hits.

BAILEY'S BIG NIGHT

Jeff Bailey capped off his impressive night with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Portland Sea Dogs a dramatic 7-6 win over the Akron Aeros. Akron had taken a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth when Jason Cooper grounded out to bring home Ben Francisco. Francisco homered and drove in three on the night. Bailey, who had four RBI on the night, smashed his game winning shot to left field with one, with Sheldon Fulse aboard first. Fulse led off the frame with a single through the right side. Juan Perez (4-0) picked up the win despite giving up the lead in the ninth inning. He allowed a run on two hits in three innings of work. Lee Gronkiewicz (1-2) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on two hits in 2 1/3rd innings. Michael Aubrey had a solo home run in the loss for Akron, who fell to 25-45. Portland improved to 37-43 with the win.

BULLS TRAMPLE OTTAWA

Matt Diaz doubled, homered and knocked in four runs and a trio of Durham players chipped in two RBI apiece as the Bulls crushed the Ottawa Lynx 16-7 Thursday. Diaz went 4-for-6, including his 12th homer, and scored three runs to lead the Durham offense. Midre Cummings, Jared Sandberg, and Luis Ordaz each had two RBI for the Bulls. Sandberg added his sixth home run of the year and finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Matt Carnes (2-0) picked up the victory after he tossed three innings in relief. Carnes allowed two hits, walked three, and fanned four batters without giving up a run. Dave Borkowski (6-9) gave up three runs, two earned, in two innings to take the loss for Ottawa. He allowed three hits and struck out three in his short outing. Brooks Badeaux contributed two hits and three runs scored in the win for Durham. Mike Fontenot hit his fifth home run of the year and drove in three runs for Ottawa. Durham (40-38) keeps their weak hold on first place in the South Division as they lead Richmond by 1/2 games. Ottawa (35-46) falls 15 1/2 games behind Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for first in the North.

TOLEDO HANGS ON

Pat Ahearne was on cruise control through 8 1/3rd innings and Guillermo Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs as the Toledo Mudhens barely held on to beat the Rochester Red Wings 6-5 Thursday night. Ahearne (6-7) allowed just one hit over 8 1/3rd innings but lost his control and eventually gave up five earned runs before John Ennis had to come in and record the final out. Ahearne surrendered five earned runs on four hits in 8 2/3rd innings to pick up his sixth victory. Ennis ended the game via groundout to earn his fifth save. Rodriguez went 2-for-2, including his third homer, and scored one run to lead Toledo at the plate. Seth Greisinger (1-2) was tagged for six runs, four earned, in four innings to take the loss for Rochester. He gave up 10 hits and struck out four batters in his outing. Danny Klassen chipped in two hits, including a double, drove in one run and scored one run to help the Toledo offense. Rochester mounted a comeback in the ninth inning as they scored five runs but fell just short. Justin Morneau and Juan Diaz both homered and scored one run to lead Rochester's comeback attempt. Morneau knocked in two runs while Diaz drove in one.

HOLY COLINA

Javier Colina knocked two home runs and drove in half of the Tennessee Smokies runs as they defeated the Birmingham Barons, 12-7 in a Southern League contest. Colina finished the day 4-for-5 with three runs scored and a double. In the second inning, Colina doubled in two runs to put the Smokies up 2-0. He then led-off the fourth to put Tennessee up 4-3. After the Barons tied the game at four, the Smokies put six runs on the board in the sixth highlighted by Colina's two-run single. He closed the scoring in the game with his second round tripper of the game, a solo blast in the eighth. Dan Moylan went 4-for-6 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI in the win. The Smokies' Jeremy Cook went five innings where he allowed five hits, four earned runs, walked one and struck out one. Cook evened his record at three with the win. Brad Murray suffered the loss for the Barons. Murray was rocked in three innings where he allowed six earned runs on eight hits and three walks. He fell to 0-3. Tommy Nicholson drove in two runs for Birmingham, while Rob Sasser went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI.

BRINGIN' HOME THE BACON

Richard Lewis' RBI single in the bottom of the 11th plated Dwaine Bacon as the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx edged the Montgomery Biscuits, 5-4 in game one of their scheduled doubleheader. After Mike Dzurilla flew out to start the 11th, Bacon got aboard with a walk. He then stole second and third to make way for Lewis' heroics. Lewis then singled to center to make a loser out of William Glen. Mike Mallory went 2- for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in the win. Ryan O`Malley recorded the win in two innings of relief work. He did not allow a run and walked one to earn his first win. O'Malley is 1-0. Starter Carmen Pignatiello went 6 2/3rd innings where he allowed four earned runs on seven hits and one walk. He struck out six as he did not factor in the decision. Glen suffered his fourth loss of the year. He surrendered two hits, one earned run, two walks and struck out three to fall to 3-4. Montgomery's Fernando Cortez drove in two runs in the loss.