Summaries of Tuesday's games:
-P- Indianapolis beat Lehigh Valley, 7-2. Rudy Owens didn't have as dominant a start as his previous four, as he gave up eight hits over six innings, but he allowed only two runs while walking none and fanning four. Dan McCutchen and Evan Meek each had 1-2-3 innings in relief. Chase d'Arnaud returned from his concussion to go 0-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. Jordy Mercer went 3-4 with a double, extending his hitting streak to nine games and raising his average to .289. It's not time to get excited or anything, but at worst Mercer should provide a reasonable alternative--more so than d'Arnaud--in the event Clint Barmes gets hurt. Gorkys Hernandez went 2-4 with his first HR. The veteran depth contingent did well: Jeff Clement hit his first HR, Brandon Boggs went 2-3 with a double and a walk, Jose Morales went 2-3 with a walk and is now hitting .300, and, finally, FreeMattHagueJakeFox went 1-3 with a walk.
-P- Altoona's game with Bowie was suspended with a 4-4 score and two out in the top of the 4th. Kris Johnson started for the Curve and went 3.2 IP until the game was stopped. He gave up three earned runs on six hits and four walks, while striking out six. Altoona fell behind 4-0, but tied the game in the bottom of the 4th, mainly on a Tony Sanchez bases-clearing double. Robbie Grossman walked in both of his plate appearances.
-P- Bradenton beat Clearwater, 5-2. Drew Maggi returned to the lineup and went 2-4 with two RBIs, and Alex Dickerson, Stefan Welch and Wes Freeman all had doubles. Evan Chambers hit his first HR of the year. He's had a rough year despite repeating the level, regressing mainly in the form of almost no power; he's slugging just .286. Tyler Waldron went six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks, while walking three. Jeff Inman pitched an inning and two-thirds, allowing a hit and a walk, and fanning one. Quinton Miller got the last four outs, including two strikeouts, for his fourth save.
-P- West Virginia got hammered by Greensboro, 10-2. Nick Kingham, who tops my "most disappointing list" so far, had another rough start, allowing seven runs in 3.1 IP. Six of the runs were unearned, but he allowed seven hits, including two HRs. He walked none and fanned four. One thing about the Power . . . even when they're struggling, somebody always seems to do something worthwhile. Gregory Polanco in this one went 2-4 with a double and a walk. He's now hitting 301/352/504. Dan Gamache also went 2-4 and hit his first HR. Alen Hanson didn't play.