Tigers Minor League Baseball Blog

Lakeland won one and lost one today as they split a doubleheader with the Reds.  Game one was the win and Rick Porcello had yet another solid outing.  He improved to 4-6 and he gave up one unearned run on five hits with two strikeouts in six innings.  James Skelton and Pedro Cotto both drove in a pair with two run homers.

In game two, the Flying Tigers were held to just three hits in a shutout loss.  No hitter reached base more then once and Matt O’Brien took the loss.  He fell to 5-4 and he gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts in six innings.

Ryan Strieby had a big day at the plate in the Flying Tigers 10-4 win over Jupiter.  Strieby went two for four with a triple, a homerun and five RBIs.  Gary Sheffield belted a solo homer, drew a walk and scored two runs.

Derek Witt pitched two shutout innings of relief and he improved to 3-2.  He gave up three hits and he struck out three.

Lakeland couldn’t get much done at the plate as they lost to the Reds 8-2.  Shawn Roof had the big hit with a two run single but that was the extent of the scoring in this one.

The pen struggled but Ramon Garcia was good enough in his start, he just didn’t get the support.  He gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Lakeland took care of the Reds 5-2 behind a nice outing by Jonah Nickerson. He improved to 6-3 and he gave up just four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Brennan Boesch had a single, a triple and two RBIs in the win.  Gary Sheffield went one for two with a homerun, two walks and two runs.

Cale Iorg singled home Pedro Cotto in the top of the eleventh inning as the Flying Tigers took care of the Reds 3-2.  Brennan Boesch had a nice day at the plate and he went four for six with a run while Ryan Strieby went three for five with an RBI.

Duane Below threw seven solid frames to keep Lakeland in the game.  Jay Sborz threw three perfect innings and he improved to 1-0.

Ramon Garcia was knocked around and he fell to 1-1 in the Flying Tigers 12-4 loss to Daytona.  He gave up twelve runs (eight earned) on eleven hits and a walk with one strikeout.  Joel Zumaya threw a shutout eighth inning and he struck out one.

Michael Beltram was the hitting star.  He went two for four with a three run homer.

Matt O’Brien improved to 5-1 on the season with another nice start in the Flying Tigers 6-1 win over Sarasota.  He gave up one unearned run on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in seven innings.

Pedro Cotto belted a two run homer in the win.  Louis Ott singled, drew a walk and scored twice.

Duane Below fell to 4-5 on the season with a tough start in the Flying Tigers 8-2 loss to Sarasota.  He gave up six runs (four earned) on eight hits in just three innings of work.

Cale Iorg was the hitting star in the loss.  He went three for four and he was a double short of hitting for the cycle.  Scott Sizemore was two for three with a double.

While you wouldn’t know it from his now 3-6 record, Rick Porcello has had a very solid season.  First, as a 19 year old, he should be over his head but in twelve starts, he still has a 2.87 ERA.  He’s kept the ball on the ground and while opponents have hit .255 against him and his 36 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings isn’t all that special, he’s given up just four homers and seventeen walks.  Today was probably his toughest start so far though.  He gave up four runs on nine hits and three walks with a strikeout in 4 2/3 innings.  It was his shortest start of the season since he threw four innings in Lakeland’s opener.

Jeramy Laster was the hitting star.  He went two for three with a double and a walk.