=== Daily Dugout Chatter - Thursday, August 19th === (Games from Wednesday, August 18th)
From The My Sportsbook
DIABLO EXPLOSION
Conor Jackson homered and drove in five runs, while three Diablos knocked in three runs apiece, as El Paso dismantled the Arkansas Travelers, 22-3 in a Texas League contest. Already leading in the game 9-3, the Diablos put up an eleven run inning in the seventh stanza. Jackson plated two runs in the frame on a pair of singles. Mike DiRosa contributed a pair of RBI with a double in the seventh. Carlos Quentin and Jesus Cota each scored four times in the drubbing. Cota also plated three runs in the win as all but one Diablo plated a run. Arkansas' David Gil (1-4) was rocked in six innings. He yielded eleven earned runs -- three earned -- on ten hits and three walks. Ben Grezlovski came in relief and didn't fair much better. Grezlovski gave up seven runs -- three earned -- on one hit and five walks in just 2/3rds of an inning. Bill Murphy earned the win for El Paso. In six innings, he surrendered three earned runs, six hits and struck out five to improve to 2-1. Derrick Gibson scored two of the three Arkansas runs and belted his sixth home run of the year in the loss.
BOOF TROOP
James Tomlin roped a three-run home run, while Boof Bonser picked up his fourth win in a row, as the New Britain Rock Cats downed the Portland Sea Dogs, 8-6. Tomlin's three-run jack came in the sixth inning, supplying the Rock Cats with their seventh run, good enough for the win. Gabby Torres added some insurance with a solo home run in the ninth. Torres drove in two on the night, as the Rock Cats improved to 59-63. Bonser improved to 10-9 with the win. He allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3rd innings. Bobby Korecky collected his 24th save, despite allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits in two innings. Greg Montalbano suffered the loss and fell to 0-1. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits in 4 1/3rd innings. Hanley Ramirez homered and drove in two runs in the loss for the Sea Dogs, who fell to 59-65.
BISONS STAMPEDING - WIN EIGHTH STRAIGHT
Sandy Martinez doubled, homered and drove in three runs to lead the Buffalo Bisons to a 9-8 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox on Wednesday night. Martinez connected on a two-run triple in the top of the fifth inning to give the Bisons a 4-1 lead. A pair of RBI singles in the sixth off the bats of Jason Tyner and Ryan Ludwick put Buffalo up, 6-1. Pawtucket cut the lead down to two runs in the home half of the sixth. Adam Hyzdu and Justin Sherrod belted a pair of home runs in the inning. Martinez and Jason Cooper struck a pair of solo home runs in the seventh inning and Buffalo went back up by four runs. Ryan Ludwick's RBI double in the eighth plated the eventual game-winning run. Pawtucket mounted a comeback in the bottom of the ninth. Cesar Crespo homered and Adam Hyzdu forced home a run with a walk in the inning. Andy Dominique's sacrifice fly cut the lead to 9-8, but that is as close as the Red Sox would come. Kazuhito Tadano (2-3) picked up the win in 5 2/3rd innings of work. Scott Cassidy (2-3) suffered the loss. The win was Buffalo's eighth in a row and the Bisons improved to 74-52. Pawtucket fell to a game above .500 at 63-62.
HOWARD HIT 44TH, BUT BARONS FADING
Jack Cust smacked his 16th home run of the season to lead the Ottawa Lynx to a 5-2 win over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons on Wednesday. Cust's two- run homer with one out in the second sparked a four-run inning and the Lynx never looked back. Mike Fontenot and Tim Raines, Jr. stroked back-to- back RBI singles later in the inning. Ryan Howard cut the lead in half with a two-run home run in the eighth. The round-tripper was his seventh with the Barons. Jose Leon provided the Lynx with some insurance in the home half of the eighth when he scored on JP Roberge's error. Mark DiFelice (8-4) picked up the win in 2 1/3rd innings of relief. He surrendered just one hit. Starting pitcher Matt Riley tossed 4 2/3rd shutout innings in the no decision. He allowed four hits and struck out eight. Robert Ellis (5-5) was touched up for five runs - four earned - on 10 hits in 7 2/3rd innings and suffered the loss. These two teams close out their two-game set on Thursday at 7:05 PM (ET).
CUBBIE COMEBACK
Richard Lewis's two-run double in the bottom of the ninth capped off a six-run inning as the Iowa Cubs came from behind to defeat the Nashville Sounds, 8-7, on Wednesday night. Nashville built a 7-2 lead through the course of the game. Tomas de la Rosa drove home three runs in the game and Terry Shumpert and J.R. House collected three hits each. The Sounds, however, could not hold on to the five-run advantage. Gookie Dawkins's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and one out started the rally. Two batters later, Bill Selby stroked a two-run single to right field. Fernando Lunar scored on a passed ball to cut the lead down to a run. After Trenidad Hubbard walked, Lewis doubled home the game-tying and game-winning runs. Erik Eckenstahler (1-0) picked up the win in relief. Pat Mahomes (1-2) allowed three runs on two hits in 1/3rd of an inning and suffered the loss.
CORKY MILLER - LIVIN' THE HIGH-LIFE
Corky Miller drove in five runs to pace the Louisville Bats' 16-5 win over the Columbus Clippers on Wednesday night. Columbus took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth, but Louisville erupted for seven runs in the inning and took a 9-4 lead. Aaron Holbert tied the game by belting a two-run home run off of Javier Ortiz. Later that inning, Ortiz surrendered a three-run homer to Robert Stratton. Miller capped off the big inning by slapping a two-run single to second base. The Bats tacked on four more runs to their total in the sixth. Miller cranked a three-run home run off of Andy Beal to round out his five-RBI output. Steven Smitherman added a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in the eighth. Matt Belisle (9-9) picked up the win in 5 2/3rd innings of work. Juan Cerros tossed 3 1/3rd shutout innings in relief and picked up the save. Ortiz (1-4) was roughed up for eight runs on nine hits in 3 2/3rd innings and suffered the loss. Louisville will take on Indianapolis on Thursday, while Columbus travels to Norfolk.
10-0, ROGER THAT!
Roger Deago was downright impressive in seven scoreless innings as the Mobile BayBears blasted the Montgomery Biscuits, 10-0, in a Southern League West Division game Wednesday night. Winners of two straight, Mobile improved to 24-28 in the second half of the Southern League season while Montgomery, losers of three, fell to 20-32. Deago (2-1) gave up five hits, did not walk a batter and struck out nine in seven scoreless innings to earn the victory. Providing the offense were Josh Barfield, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Ronnie Merrill, Ben Johnson and Joe Gerber, who drove in two runs apiece. Losing pitcher Mike Prochaska (3-9) was touched for seven runs on 10 hits in five innings. Montgomery and Mobile are scheduled to play again Thursday.
GOTTA HAVE HART
Corey Hart singled home Chad Santos with the winning run in the bottom of the tenth innings as the Wichita Wranglers edged the San Antonio Missions, 4-3 in an extra inning affair. The Wranglers improved to 30-23, with the win, while the Missions fell to 26-25. Chad Santos scored two runs in the win, while Angel Berroa smacked a home run and knocked in a run. Hart and Darren Fenster each collected three hits in the victory. San Antonio's TJ Bohn and Hunter Brown each homered in the effort. Wichita's JJ Trujillo earned the win in relief. He surrendered one hit in 2 1/3rd shutout innings to improve to 7-7 on the season. Trujillo struck out two Missions. Renee Cortez (2-5) suffered the loss as he allowed the winning run to cross the plate in the tenth.
ALLEY CAT STRUT - NINE IN A ROW
Eric Arnold homered and drove in two runs, while Joey Reiman and Jermy Acey each knocked in a run, as the Charleston-WV Alley Cats won for the ninth straight time, beating the Rome Braves, 4-3. Mike McDonald (1-0) picked up the win, allowing two runs on three hits in two innings of relief. Bradley Mumma picked up his third save, tossing a scoreless inning. Alley Cats' starting pitcher Thomas Mastny had a fine outing, allowing just a run on five hits in five innings while striking out six. Jose Ascanio (3-3) allowed a run on two hits in three innings to suffer the loss. Carlos Guzman knocked in a run and scored twice in a losing effort.
ORENDUFF BRINGS HIS STUFF
Justin Orenduff tossed five innings of no-hit ball to lead the Ogden Raptors to a 2-1 win over the Billings Mustangs. Orenduff struck out nine while issuing four walks, and evened his record at 2-2. Wesley Wright was strong in middle relief, tossing three innings of one-hit ball, while striking out five without yielding a walk. Mark Alexander picked up his ninth save, allowing a run on two hits in an inning. Cory Dunlap and Justin Ruggiano each knocked in a run in the win. Ramon Ramirez suffered the loss and fell to 3-5. He allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in four innings. Trevor Lawhorn drove in the lone run for the Mustangs.
