NEW YORK, SCHAUMBURG, AND TRI-CITY COMPLETE SWEEP

New Jersey vs Tri-City

The New Jersey Jackals and Tri-City ValleyCats wrapped up their weekend series Sunday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

Olbis Parra would take the mound for Tri-City, opposing him was right hander Jorge Tavarez.

Following back to back innings where the Tri-City defense would strand a Jackals runner in scoring position, outfielder Carson McCusker would get the 'Cats on the board first with an RBI double, plating Denis Phipps. 

Parra and the 'Cats would stand their ground through the early innings of the contest, only surrendering one hit through the first three innings of play. The Jackals offense would come alive in the fourth and fifth frames, scoring four unanswered runs. An RBI double from Alfredo Marte got the Jackals on the board in the fourth inning, tying the game at one. New Jersey would take the lead just three pitches later on an opposite field single from Josh Rehwaldt. In the fifth, a two-run shot over the ValleyCats bullpen, giving them the 4-1 lead. 

The 'Cats would storm back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. A two-run home run from Cito Culver brought Tri-City within one, and first Brad Zunica tied the game with an RBI-double of his own. 

Tri-City would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning when catcher Austin Elder rocketed a solo home run off of Hansel Rodriguez in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving the ValleyCats the lead they would never relinquish. 

Elder added an insurance for Tri-City in the bottom of the eighth, an RBI single that brought Jesus Lujano around to score from second base. 

ValleyCats closer Trey Cochran-Gill would quiet any chance of a New Jersey comeback with a six out save, his second six out save of the series. 

Empire State vs New York

The New York Boulders hit eight home runs, including two by David Vinsky, and completed a perfect six-game homestand with a 16-8 win over the visiting Empire State Greys on Sunday at Clover Stadium in Pomona.

The Boulders swept a three-game series with the Greys and Trois-Rivieres Aigles as they improved to seven games over .500 (39-32) and moved within 1 1/2 games of the Sussex County Miners for the third and final playoff spot in the Eastern Division.

Leading 2-0 in the third inning, Gabriel Garcia hit a two-run home run to increase the New York advantage to 4-1. Later that inning, Tucker Nathans' solo home run pushed the home team's lead to 5-1.

The home run was Garcia's 14th, while it was Nathans' 11th of the year.

Giovanni Garbella blasted a two-run shot, his ninth of the season, in the fifth to make it 7-1; then, in the sixth, David Vinsky's 15th of the year, also a two-run shot, increased the lead to 9-1.

Gian Martellini and Max Smith hit back-to-back solo shots in the eighth to make it an 11-2 game, The home run was Martellini's eighth of the year, while it was Smith's 12th. Later in the inning, Vinsky hit his second two-run shot of the game to increase the New York advantage to 13-2. The home run gave Vinsky 16 on the season.

Also in the eighth inning, Chris Kwitzer connected for a three-run shot to push the Boulders' advantage to 16-2 and give the first baseman 16 homers on the year.

The Boulders scored once in each of the first two innings on RBI singles from Chris Kwitzer and Ray Hernandez.

All nine starters in the Boulders' line-up had at least one hit in the win.

After being blanked in the first two games of the series, the Greys finally got on the scoreboard in the third on a run-scoring fielder's choice by Trey Woosley. The run also snapped a scoreless streak of 28 innings by Boulders' pitchers stretching back to the second inning of their 3-1 win ovee Trois-Rivieres on August 4.

Jordan Holloman-Scott added an RBI single in the eighth for the Greys.

Trey Woosley had four hits and drove in two runs for the Greys in the loss.

July Sosa got the win for the Boulders, going seven innings and allowing only one run ion six hits, while walking nine and striking out a career-high nine. He improved to 4-1 on the year.

Mizuki Akatsuzka started and pitched into the sixth inning for the Greys. He surrendered eight runs on 10 hits as he fell to 0-3 on the season.

Sussex County vs Ottawa Titans

The Ottawa Titans (43-29) used multi-hit performances from five different players to defeat the Sussex County Miners 6-4 on Sunday afternoon, taking the rubber match, and the season series.

Chris Burica (win, 6-4) took the hill and did not allow a run through five in the series finale, going six strong to earn his first win since July 9. Burica allowed four runs on five hits while striking out six. At one point, Burica retired 12 Miners in a row from the second through fifth.

After leaving the bases loaded in the first, Tyrus Greene slugged a two-run double off Cody Whitten (loss, 0-2) to the gap in right-centre, plating Rodrigo Orozco and AJ Wright.

Jake Sanford led off the third with a double to right, scoring on an E5 following a Clay Fisher infield single. Two batters later, Kai Moody lined a triple to the alley in right-centre, making it 4-0 through three.

AJ Wright's leadoff triple in the third against right-hander Jimmy Boyce came across to score on a Tyrus Greene sacrifice fly to centre in the last of the fourth.

With the Titans ahead 5-0 after four, a 40-minute rain delay put a halt to the Titans' momentum, in an important rubber match.

Once play resumed, Fisher's lead-off solo shot in the fifth pushed the lead to six. Fisher's sixth homer of the season accounted for some much-needed insurance out of the delay. Four of Fisher's six homers this season have come at home.

The Miners made things interesting by putting up a four-spot against Burica in the top of the sixth. Headlining the big inning was Oraj Anu's two-run blast that put the Miners within a pair. The switch-hitting rookie finished the series with a homer from both sides of the dish.

Gavin Sonnier tossed two complete innings out of the bullpen, rolling two important double plays. Kevin Escorcia (save, 13) locked down the save with a perfect ninth, nailing down the series victory for the home side.

AJ Wright (2-for-3), Tyrus Greene (2-for-2), Clay Fisher (2-for-3), Kai Moody (2-for-4), and Rodrigo Orozco (2-for-4) accounted for multi-hit performances in the series finale, helping to push the Titans across the finish line.

Taking the series and regular season head-to-head against the Miners, the Titans move closer to the top spot in the division and grow their lead to two for second place.

Gateway vs Evansville

The Gateway Grizzlies scored eight runs in the top of the fourth inning against the Evansville Otters, and got another outstanding performance on the mound from Lukas Veinbergs (4-0) en route to a 9-3 win at Bosse Field on Sunday, taking the road series by winning the final two games of the weekend. 

Neither team had a hit in the first three innings, and in the fourth, the Grizzlies led off by drawing back-to-back walks off of Vinny Santarsiero (0-1). Trevor Achenbachsingled to load the bases, and Kevin Krause followed with a ringing, two-run double to center field to make it 2-0 Grizzlies. After Clint Freeman walked to re-load the bases, forcing a pitching change, Jay Prather walked to force in a run and make it 3-0. 

Gateway was far from done. Alex Hernandez followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead, and two batters later, with two outs, Isaac Benard walked to again load the bases for Zach Racusin, who singled home two more runs to make the score 7-0. A wild pitch by Jake Polancic capped the big inning at eight runs and an 8-0 lead, tying the most runs the Grizzlies had scored in any inning this year. 

Meanwhile, Veinbergs picked up right where he left off on Tuesday in his near-no-hitter against Washington, striking out a career-high nine batters in six shutout innings while keeping the Otters off-balance all day long. After Veinbergs departed, and after Benard extended the lead to 9-0 on s solo homer in the seventh, the Otters were able to plate three runs against the Grizzlies bullpen, but it was not enough, as Gateway took the road set at Bosse Field for the first time since June of 2016.  

Florence vs Joliet

Down by a couple of runs for the majority of the game, Joliet rallied to score four runs over the final four frames and walked it off in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Florence Y'alls 4-3 at Duly Health and Care Field Sunday evening. 

With the Y'alls up 2-0, Brylie Ware put Joliet on the board with a sixth inning solo home run. Paxton Wallace tied the game on a fielder's choice ground out in the seventh, and Tyler Depreta-Johnson gave the Slammers an eighth inning lead with an RBI double. 

Florence showed its own come-from-behind fight in the ninth inning, getting the leadoff man on base and eventually to score thanks to a Ray Zuberer RBI double. But in the ninth, Cameron Pferrer walked the first two Slammers, and the winning run ultimately scored on a dropped ball in outfield with the Y'alls playing five men on the infield. 

The Y'alls had four hits in the ballgame with three of them belonging to Zuberer. Luis Pintor had the other, an RBI double in the second inning to put Florence on the board. Alberti Chavez drove in the second Y'alls run with a fielder's choice groundout in the fifth inning.   

A two hour rain delay due left both starters waiting a long time to toe the rubber, and though neither factored into the decision today, both were very good. Jonaiker Villalobos went five 1/3 innings and gave up just one run for Florence. He struck out six and walked none. Alec Thomas went six innings and struck out six as well, allowing just two runs along the way. Jared Liebelt gets the win for Joliet and Pferrer the loss for the Y'alls.   

The series loss for Florence is just team's the second since the All-Star break, but the Y'alls have struggled versus Joliet this season. The Slammers have won six of the eight games including five of six at Duly Health and Care Field. In all but one of those games, the winning team has scored no more than six runs. 

Trois-Rivières vs Quebec 

The Quebec Capitales snapped their losing streak by beating the Trois-Rivières Aigles 9-1 at the Stade Canac on Sunday afternoon. 

The Capitales got their scoring started in the bottom of the third with a Jeffry Parra double to score the first run followed up by a Ruben Castro single to make it 0-2. 

They would continue to score in the bottom of the fifth, tacking on three more runs to make 0-6. 

The Aigles only run was in the top of the seventh when Steven Brown homered to left field. 

Quebec would add three more runs and would lead them to their 1-9 win. 

Sam Belisle-Springer would get charged with the loss for Trois-Rivières while Carlos Sano gets the win for Quebec. 

Lake Erie vs Washington

The Washington Wild Things defeated the Lake Erie Crushers 6-5 on Superhero Night to take the series and stay on top of the West Division. The victory came courtesy of early runs and the prevention of a comeback in the ninth.

The Wild Things' offense was at full power in the first inning. Wagner Lagrange, Ian Walters and Tyler Wilber all hit RBI singles to get a 3-0 lead for Washington. The runs kept coming in the second when Andrew Czech hit a two-run home run to make it 5-0. Walters got an insurance run in the sixth on an errant throw from right field to extend the lead to six.

After Justin Showalter and Kenny Pierson allowed no runs while on the mound, Dan Kubiuk entered the game in the eighth. Kubiuk struck out the first two batters he faced but hit the next two with pitches and walked two more to give Lake Erie a run on a walk. Christian James came in after this to end the inning.

James stayed in for the ninth to close the game but loaded the bases after two walks and a single. The fourth batter was struck out, but the next batter hit a grand slam off the right-field pole to make it a one-run game. Despite this, James struck out the last two batters to secure the win. He finished pitching 1.1 innings, allowed four runs, two hits and struck out three for his third save.

Showalter made his professional debut with the Wild Things in the win. He faced 19 batters in five innings, allowed four hits, walked three and struck out one to earn the victory. Pierson pitched two innings, hit one batter with a pitch and struck out three.

Windy City vs Schaumburg

The Schaumburg Boomers plated runs in five different innings to pick up a 9-3 win over the Windy City ThunderBolts and sweep the weekend series.

Nick Oddo opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer. Single runs in the third and fourth allowed the Boomers to lead 4-0. After Windy City scored in the top of the fifth Bake Berry singled home the fifth run in the fifth. Four more runs scored in the seventh to put the game away as Berry doubled in two while Alec Craig tallied an RBI single and Braxton Davidson coaxed a bases loaded walk.

All nine members of the lineup reached base as the Boomers finished with 12 hits, nine walks and a pair of hit batsmen. Clint Hardy tallied four hits and scored a pair of runs out of the leadoff slot. Berry finished with three RBIs. Davidson walked twice in addition to tallying a single and extended his on-base streak to 28. Jumpei Akanuma worked seven innings to improve to 4-0 on the year, allowing one run, striking out seven. Kristian Scott and Thomas Nicoll both threw an inning to conclude the contest.