MLN 5/9 - Villalona Busts Out, Ishikawa's Tear Continues

By: Erik Egan

Fresno Grizzlies: New Orleans 1, Fresno 0

Top Lines:
RF Nate Schierholtz – 0-3, 1 SO, .300
C Eli Whiteside – 1-3, .250
2B Travis Denker – 1-3 1 SO, .250
CF Clay Timpner – 1-4, 1 SO, .283
SP Victor Santos – 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 4.06 ERA, L (2-1)
RP Erick Threets – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO, 1 WP, 3.00 ERA

Game Notes: Santos was superb, limiting New Orleans to three hits over seven innings. Unfortunately, one of those hits was a solo homer in the seventh which proved to be the difference.

The offense was virtually non-existent, managing just four singles. Threets pitched a scoreless eighth inning as he continues to make his way back from a rib cage injury. After winning eight of nine games, Fresno has now lost two straight.

Connecticut Defenders: Connecticut 9, Harrisburg 5

Top Lines:
2B Kyle Haines – 2-5, 1 2B (4), 1 BB, 1 SO, .333
LF Eddy Martinez-Esteve – 4-5, 1 R, 1 2B (3), 2 RBI (13), .302
RF Carlos Sosa – 3-4, 2 R, 1 2B (7), 1 HR (4), 4 RBI (22), 1 BB, 1 SO, .284
1B Travis Ishikawa – 2-5, 1 R, 1 HR (3), 1 RBI (18), 2 SO, .265
C Nestor Rojas – 2-5, 1 RBI, .273
CF Antoan Richardson – 2-3, 4 R, 1 3B (3), 2 SB (10), 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 HBP, .191
SP Dave McKae – 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 4.21 ERA, W (3-1)
RP Justin Hedrick – 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 1 HR, 2.81 ERA

Game Notes: Connecticut’s offense exploded for nine runs and 16 hits in a victory over Harrisburg. Sosa led the attack with three hits, including a three-run homer in the seventh. His huge day at the plate enabled him to take the team lead in RBI with 22.

Ishikawa hit his third long ball of the season, as he continues to tear the cover off the ball offensively. In his last five games he is 12-for-20 with two home runs and eight RBI. After a slow start, Ishikawa has seen his average climb to .265.

Martinez-Esteve had four hits and a pair of RBI, to lift his average to .302. Richardson hit his third triple of the year, and stole two bases. He also scored four runs.

Not to be overlooked, McKae turned in a solid effort on the mound, limiting Harrisburg to two runs in six innings, while fanning three.

San Jose Giants: San Jose 4, Lake Elsinore 2

Top Lines:

SS Omar Vizquel – 0-2, .375
C Pablo Sandoval – 0-1, 2 BB, 1 HBP, .427
1B Brett Pill – 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B (9), 1 HR (4), 2 RBI (17), .227
LF Robert Felmy – 3-4, 1 R, 1 PO, .294
3B Ryan Rohlinger – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR (4), 1 RBI (21), .276
SP Tim Alderson – 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO, 2 WP, .303
RP Wilmin Rodriguez – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 3.18 ERA, W (1-1)
RP Mike Musgrave – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO, 3.38 ERA, H (4)
RP Taylor Wilding – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.09 ERA, SV (5)

Game Notes: San Jose used the long ball to defeat Lake Elsinore on Thursday. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Brett Pill smashed a two-run blast to give the Giants the lead. It was Pill’s second round tripper in the last three games. He has also driven in five runs in that same span. Rohlinger’s solo shot in the fourth gave San Jose the slim 1-0 lead.

Alderson gave up a run in the fifth to tie the score, and he allowed the go-ahead run to score an inning later, when he uncorked a wild pitch. Other than that, Alderson was in command on the mound for most of the afternoon allowing two runs and six hits, while striking out seven.

Rodriguez struck out the side for the second consecutive appearance, and also picked up his first win of the year. Wilding closed it out in the ninth to pick up his fifth save. After a rough stretch Wilding has not given up a run in his last two outings. Vizquel played five innings in the field before being removed from the game. His return to San Francisco appears imminent. Sandoval saw his eight game hitting streak snapped, but still managed to get on base three times.  Felmy had three singles.

Augusta GreenJackets: Augusta 6, Columbus 4

Top Lines:
2B Nick Noonan – 1-4, 1 R, 1 E (7), .285
3B Brock Bond – 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (4), 1 RBI (15), 1 BB, 1 SO, .378
LF Garrett Baker – 2-4, 2 RBI (16), 1 SO, .243
1B Angel Villalona – 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR (2), 2 RBI (11), 1 SO, 1 E (5), .198
DH Thomas Neal – 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI (21), 2 SO, .326
SS Charlie Culberson – 1-3, 1 SB (2), 1 BB, 1 E (17), .130
SP Craig Clark – 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, WP, 3.03 ERA
RP Orlando Yntema – 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 SO, 4.15 ERA
RP Andrew De La Garza – 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 3.97 ERA, W (2-0)
RP Daniel Otero – 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1 WP, 0.00 ERA, SV (7)

Game Notes: Mired in a big slump, Villalona busted out the whooping stick on Thursday, with his first multi hit/RBI game in the last 10 contests. Villalona clubbed a solo homer in the second, and then delivered a RBI single in seventh to cap a three run rally that propelled Augusta to the victory. Entering the game he had just one hit in his last 15 plate appearances.

Baker and Neal also came through with clutch run scoring singles in the seventh inning. Baker’s bat has been heating up in a big way. He is 9-for-15 with 7 RBI over the past three games.

Clark had a shaky outing, but the bullpen came in and kept the game close, shutting out Columbus over the final 4 1/3 innings. Otero slam the door shut in the ninth for his seventh save. He has not allowed a run in 15 1/3 innings this season, while registering 15 strikeouts.

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