Cannonballs Coming: Brault goes six, Luplow hits 15th home run

Indianapolis (37-30) defeated Charlotte 6-5 as Steven Brault took the hill. Brault went six innings, allowing only two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Brault threw 60 of 96 pitches for strikes and lowered his ERA to 2.18. Indy had a 6-2 lead after six, and it looked as if the game was well in hand after Josh Lindblom pitched two scoreless innings. But then Johnny Barbato gave up two solo home runs in the top of the ninth and was pulled from the game, having only recorded one out. Dovydas Neverauskas was called upon and eventually walked in a run to make it 6-5, but struck out Jacob May with the bases loaded to preserve the win. Phil Gosselin was 3-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Eric Wood hit a two-run homer (7th), which ended up being the difference in the game. Austin Meadows was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game.

Steven Brault 6 IP, 5 hits, 3 K, 1 walk

Phil Gosselin 3-5, 2 doubles

Eric Wood 1-5, home run (7)

Altoona (36-30) resumed its game from yesterday, having a 2-0 lead on Hartford after 3 1-3 innings, but Tate Scioneaux promptly gave the lead away and the Curve lost 4-2. Scioneaux had been very good recently, but allowed three runs in 1 2-3 innings. Luis Heredia worked two scoreless innings in relief. Jordan Luplow provided most of the Altoona offense, going 2-4 with a double.

The Curve then played their regularly scheduled game and beat Hartford 2-0 behind a very strong performance by Tanner Anderson. The Yard Goats had no answer for Anderson, who threw six scoreless innings, allowing only two singles. Montana DuRapau pitched a scoreless seventh for his 10th save, and recorded three strikeouts. Luplow gave the Curve all the runs they would need when he hit his 15th home run on a solo shot in the second. Kevin Newman was 2-3 with a walk. Newman has been ice cold recently and had a .383 OPS over 10 games entering Saturday.

Kevin Newman 2-3, 1 walk

Jordan Luplow 2-3, home run (15)

Tanner Anderson 6 IP, 2 hits, 3 K, no walks

Montana DuRapau 1 IP, 3 K

Bradenton (36-28) had the night off.

West Virginia (30-35) squared off against Kannapolis and dispatched the Intimidators 6-1. Oddy Nunez worked 4 2-3 innings of scoreless work, allowing only one hit, but four walks with five strikeouts. It’s possible he was pulled because his pitch count was at 85. Jordan Jess worked the final two innings in relief, with no runs and three strikeouts. Ty Moore was 3-5 with a strikeout. Hunter Owen was 1-3 and drove in three runs for the Power.

The DSL Pirates (5-6) lost to the DSL Dodgers 4-1. Samuel Inoa was 2-4 with a triple.