Results and Highlights from 4/27/12

Reading (14-6) – 5
Portland (6-16) – 4
WP: Jordan Whatcott (1-0)
LP: Aaron Kurcz (0-2)
S: Justin Friend (4)
HR: Reading – Miguel Abreu (1)
Portland – Juan Carlos Linares (4)

HIGHLIGHTS: In his first start of the season, Stolmy Pimentel lasted 5 innings for the Sea Dogs, allowing 2 earned runs on 7 hits while striking out 7. He ran into trouble in the third inning when three runs scored, but he managed 1-2-3 innings in the second and fourth. He induced 5 ground ball outs and 1 fly out … Aaron Kurcz – one of two players sent to the Red Sox by the Chicago Cubs as compensation for Theo Epstein – blew his second save of the season, allowing two runs over the last two innings, including the game-winning home run by Miguel Abreu with two outs in the top of the ninth … Portland shortstop Juan Carlos Linares went 2 for 4 with a solo home run, his fourth of the season … Bryce Brentz came into the game batting .198, but went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 2 runs scored and raised his average to .212.

New Britain (13-8) – 4
Richmond (10-11) – 5
WP: Daryl Maday (2-1)
LP: Bobby Lanigan (1-2)
HR: New Britain – Aaron Hicks (4)

HIGHLIGHTS: The Rock Cats were down to their last out, trailing 2-0 in the top of the ninth when Aaron Hicks drove in Chris Herrmann with a single and Diebinson Romero followed up with a double to plate Hicks, who went on to hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the top of the 13th. The Flying Squirrels clawed back in the bottom of the 13th and Juan Perez hit a walk-off, two-run homer off of Bobby Lanigan … Rock Cats right fielder Evan Bigley went 1 for 4 and has hit safely in seven straight games … New Britain shortstop Estarlin De Los Santos stole his third base and was caught stealing for the second time this season … New Britain batters struck out 14 times.

Trenton (9-11) – 1
New Hampshire (9-11) – 2
WP: Ryan Tepera (2-1)
LP: Shaeffer Hall (2-3)
S: Ronald Uviedo (5)

HIGHLIGHTS: New Hampshire starter Ryan Tepera allowed 5 walks in 5 innings, but only let up 1 run and earned his second win of the season … Ronald Uviedo worked a scoreless ninth for his league-leading fifth save of the year .. Fisher Cats left fielder John Tolisano went 3 for 3 with 3 doubles, an RBI, a run and a stolen base. He came into the game with 3 doubles on the season … After reaching base in his last 10 games, first baseman Mike McDade’s streak ended when he went 0 for 4 with no free passes … New Hampshire reliever Clint Everts pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. In four appearances with the Cats he has pitched 6 innings, allowing 0 runs, 4 hits and 4 walks  to go with 11 strikeouts … It was the seventh time the Fisher Cats won by two runs or less this year.

Pawtucket (15-7) – 1
Columbus (11-10) – 4
WP: Zach McAllister (2-1)
LP: Ross Ohlendorf (3-1)
S: Chris Ray (4)
HR: Pawtucket – Josh Kroeger (1)
Columbus – Matt LaPorta (6)

HIGHLIGHTS: Only three PawSox players collected hits on the night, Jose Iglesias (1 for 4), Ryan Lavarnway (2 for 4) and Josh Kroeger (1 for 3, solo HR) … Pawtucket starter Ross Ohlendorf let up a season-high 10 hits over 6 innings … Andrew Miller pitched an inning in relief and served up a two-run homer to Matt LaPorta, but also recorded three strikeouts … Reliever Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless eighth in his fourth appearance with the PawSox since being demoted. He has tossed 6 1/3 innings with Pawtucket and has not allowed a run or a walk and has struck out 8 … Left fielder Alex Hassan went 0 for 2 and is now 3 for his last 16 after hitting a grand slam – his only HR of the year – back on April 20th.