Macri leads Pheonix over Javalinas. 7-5

Phoenix 7 at Peoria Javalinas 5

W: J. Chavez (1-1, 3.60); L: M. Rivera (0-1, 10.38); SV: B. McCrory (4)
HR: PDD: M. Macri (2), N. Reimold (1).

Twins prospect Matt Macri was 2-for-4 with 2 runs, including a home run in the top of the 6th, to help lead the Phoenix Desert Dogs over the Peoria Javelinas 7-5 Thursday afternoon.

Phoenix took an early lead when Cliff Pennington (Oakland) walked, moved to 3rd on Ryan Sweeney's (Chi Sox) single, and crossed the plate when Macri reached on a throwing error by Brandon Hicks (Atlanda). A wild pitch by Garrett Mock (Washington) saw Sweeney home to give the Dogs 2.

The Javelina's answered back when Atlanta's Jordon Schafer singled, stole 2nd then came home on a line drive by former Tampa Yankee Juan Miranda.

Peoria took the lead in the 2nd when they tallied 3 runs, including Matt Tulasosopo's (Seattle) marker that came on a throwing error by Twins prospect Drew Butera.

Macri's yard-ball single tied the score up in the 6th.

Butera drew a walk in the 7th, then came home on Pennington's double, along with Jeff Fiorentino (Baltimore), who had also walked his way onto base.

They added 2 more in the 8th after Macri singled his way onto base, then came home on Norlan Reimold's (Baltimore) home run. Butera would double in the inning, but it was for naught as Fiorentino would pop out to retire the side.

Butera finished up the game 1-for-3 with 1 run and 1 walk, while former Mircle shortstop Trevor Plouffe was 1-for-4 at the plate.

Jesse Chavez (Pittsburgh) took the win for the Desert Dogs, allowing 1 hit and striking out 1 in 1 innings worth of work. Seattle's Mumba Rivera suffered the loss, while Atlanta's Sung Ki Jung was charged with the blown save for the Javelinas.

The Desert Dogs take on the Surprise Rafters at home Friday at 12:35 MST.

Boxscore
Log
Recap

Clearwater, Brevard post wins

St. Lucie 2 at Brevard County 13

W: B. Wright (1-0, 2.35); L: E. Brown (0-1, 15.43)
HR: BRE: C. Gillespie (1).

First Half East Division Champion Brevard County progressed to the Florida State League finals, putting a 13-2 hurting on the St. Lucie Mets.

Cole Gillespie hit a home run in the first inning to put the Manatees on the board. Nestor Corredor reached on a fielding error in the 3rd and Lorenzo Cain walked. A Mat Gamel single scored the first runner, Cain was taken out on home on a fielder's choice that put Gillespie on base. Singles by Mike Bell and Yohannis Perez, mixed in with a Chris Errecart triple put the Manatees on top 6-0.

An Errecart double and a Perez single in the 7th extended the Manatees lead.

A Nick Evans double and a Dan Murphy single put St. Lucie on the board in top of the 8th, but the game was already out of reach. The Manatees tacked on another 5 runs in the bottom of the inning.

Brae Wright allowed only 2 hits on 8 hits and 1 walk in 7.2 innings while striking out 3. Patrick Ryan finish up on the mound for Brevard County. The Mets farm team threw 7 different pitchers at the Manatees, with Eric Brown suffering the loss for St. Lucie.

Boxscore
Log
Wrap
MiLB.Com
Florida Today
TCPalm

Clearwater 3 at Sarasota 2

W: A. Carpenter (1-0, 3.00); L: D. Thompson (0-1, 3.60); SV: W. Savage (1)
HR: None.

Andrew Carpenter did not throw another perfect game, but the Threshers ace was effective Thursday night against Sarasota as the Threshers tied up the West Division Championship series at one game each.

A Tony Gutierrez walk and a Jeramiah Piepkorn single put the Reds on the board in the bottom of the second. A Lou Marson double helped the Threshers put 2 runners over the plate in the 4th to give the Phillies farm team the lead.

Marson's double in 6th scored Jeremy Slayden for an insurance run, which would be needed as a Cody Strait single, a stolen base and Gutierrez ground ball would give the Reds another run.

Carpenter picked up the win allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2 in 6 innings. Darryl Thompson took the loss the for the Reds, allowing 2 runs, 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 4 through 5.

The final game of the series is Friday night at Ed Smith Stadium, with the win progressing to face the Manatees.

Boxscore
Log
Wrap

Manatees bounce back

St. Lucie 6 at Brevard County 7

W: K. Roberts (1-0, 0.00); L: J. Hietpas (0-1, 7.71)
HR: BRE: C. Errecart (1).

Brevard County rallied back at Spacecoast Stadium to tie the Eastern Divsion finals at one game each with the St. Lucie Mets. Lorenzo Cain was hit by a pitch to force in a run, tying the game. Mat Gamel then singled in Fredy Parejo to put the Manatees on top.

St. Lucie let through most of the game. An Ender Chavez line drive brought in Dan Murphy to put the Mets on the board in the second. Brevard tied it up in the bottom of the fourth when Gamel reached on a fielding error by Nick Evans, stole second and was plated by Chris Errecart's fly out.

A pair of doubles by Evans and Sean McCraw led to 5 Mets runs that chased Manatees starter Mike McClendon from the mound. The Manatees got back into the game though when Errecart's homer scored 3.

Kevin Roberts picked up the win, allowing 1 hit and walking 2 while striking out 5 in 2.2 innings worth of work. Joe Hietpas suffered the loss and a blown save for St. Lucie.

The final game of the series will be played Thursday night at Spacecoast Stadium.

Boxscore
Log
Wrap
MiLB.com
Florida Today
TCPalm

Wednesday's game FSL West Division Finals game between the Clearwater Threshers and the Sarasota Reds at Ed Smith Stadium was postponed due to rain. It will played Thursday, September 6 at 7:00 PM. The Reds lead the best-of-three series, 1-0.

Sarasota, St. Lucie take early FSL playoff leads

Sarasota 2 at Clearwater 0

W: B. Jukich (1-0, 0.00); L: A. Cruse (0-1, 3.00); SV: D. Lutz (1)

HR: SAR: C. Strait (1).

Sarasota ace Ben Jukich blanked the Clearwater Threshers for 7 innings at Bright House Networks Field and Cody Strait put a home run ball over the left field fence to lead the Reds to victory in game one of the West Division finals.

Jukich walked 2 and stuck out 5 before giving way to Sean Watson and Derrik Lutz who finished out the game. Clearwater only managed 2 hits agains the Reds staff.

Andrew Cruse took the loss for the Threshers, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 4 in 6 innings worth of work.

Strait's yarder came at the top of 4th inning for the Reds. Chris Valaika also scored a run in the top of the 5th off Eric Eymann's sac-fly.

Ron "Bear" Hill finished off the game for the Threshers, allowing 1 hit and striking out 3 in 3 innings. Jason Donald and Matt Thayer were the only Threshers to record hits.

The series now travels to Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota for games 2 on Wednesday. Zac Stott will take the start for Clearwater. The Reds will counter with Daryl Thompson.

Boxscore
Log
Wrap
Herald Tribune
MiLB.com

Brevard County 0 at St. Lucie 8

W: J. Niese (1-0, 0.00); L: D. Welch (0-1, 3.38)
HR: None.

In the East Division finals, the St. Lucie Mets pounded out 8 runs on 12 hits, pasting the Brevard County Manatees.

Jonathan Niese allowed only 1 hit and walked 2 through six innings while striking out 9. Cole Gillespie tripled in the top of the 4th with 2 outs for the Tees, but Chris Errecart struck out swinging to preserve Neise's no hitter.

Victor Mendez scored in the bottom of the 3rd off a Hector Pellot single give the Mets the only run they would need, but there would be plenty of insurance, as the Mets scored consistently in through the next four innings.

Mendez was 2-for-3 with 1 run and 2 RBIs while Nick Evans was 2-for-4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI to lead the Mets. Catcher Sean McCraw and right fielder Ambiorix Conception were also 2-for-4 for the Mets, Conception with a run and an rbi in the contest. Pillot was 2-for-5 with 1 run and 1 RBI in the friendly confines of Tradition Field.

Gillespie was 2-for-3 for Brevard County; Darren Ford and Yohannis Perez had the other 2 hits for the Manatees.

David Welch suffered the loss, allowing 5 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3 in 5.1 innings.

The two teams meet tonight in Melbourne for game 2, with Mike McClendon taking to the Spacecoast Stadium mound for the home team, while St Lucie will send right hander Eric Brown.

Boxscore
Log
Wrap
MiLB.com
Florida Today
TCPalm