Cannonballs coming: Keller throws six scoreless; Kang hits another homer

Thanks to Brian’s diligent work I have some transactions to announce:

• The West Virginia Power have released C Yoel Gonzalez.
• The Power have also released 2b Andrew Walker.
• Altoona has placed pitcher Austin Coley on the 7 day DL retroactive to May 31, 2018.
• Garret Brown has been assigned to Bradenton from the WV Black Bears.
• Cam Vieaux has been assigned to Altoona from Bradenton.

--Indianapolis(29-27) defeated Rochester 7-2 as Alex Mcrae gave up 2 runs over five innings and the Indy bullpen held Rochester scoreless for the final four frames. Rochester jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first but Indy tied the game in the third when Jose Osuna drove in Kevin Newman with a RBI single. Rochester reclaimed the lead in the fourth on a a Chris Carter solo homer but Indy responded with a Erich Weiss 2 run homer in the 6th. Pablo Reyes would follow with a sacrifice fly to increase Indy’s lead to 4-2. Chris Bostick doubled home Kevin Newman in the the eighth to extend Indy’s lead to 5-2. Kevin Kramer hit a 2 run homer in the top of the 9th to push the lead to 7-2. Damien Magnifico, Bo Schultz, Johnny Hellweg, and Dovydas Neverauskas combined for 4 scoreless innings.

Kevin Newman: 2-4

Jordan Luplow: 1-5, double

Jose Osuna: 3-4

Kevin Kramer: 1-5, homerun(7)

Erich Weiss: 1-5, homerun(2)

Johnny Hellweg 1 IP, 3 Ks

--Altoona (27-27) beat Reading 4-0 with Mitch Keller on the hill. Keller threw six scoreless innings only allowing 2 hits with 8 Ks. As good as his line was, Keller still doesn’t seem to have the fastball command he has demonstrated in the past. He was missing his target a lot early in the game on fastballs and seemed to be relying on the curveball. Altoona scored all of its runs in the first inning as Ke’Bryan Hayes, Jason Martin, and Will Craig strung together singles. After a Bryan Reynolds strikeout Tyler Gaffney walked and Christian Kelley followed with a two run double. That would be all the runs the Curve would need as Bret Helton and Geoff Hartlieb combined for three scoreless innings in relief.

Cole Tucker: 1-4

Ke’Bryan Hayes: 1-4

Jason Martin: 2-4

Christian Kelley: 2-3, double, walk

Mitch Keller: 6 IP, 8 Ks, 3 walks

--Bradenton(30-24) lost 3-2 to Florida. Adam Oller got his first start of the year for the Marauders and went five scoreless innings. Jung Ho Kang(DH) crushed his third homer over the left field fence to give Bradenton a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Alfredo Reyes drove in Casey Hughston the following inning to increase the Marauders lead to 2-0. But Jess Amedee ran into trouble in the seventh allowing two runs tying the game. Ronny Agustin surrendered a run in the top of the ninth and Florida went on to win 3-2.

Jared Oliva: 2-4

Jung Ho Kang: 1-4, homerun(3)

--West Virginia(28-26) defeated Lexington 5-3. Domingo Robles pitched 3 scoreless innings before being replaced by Sergio Cubilete(no word if there was an injury). The Power jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Calvin Mitchell singled home Oneil Cruz and then Deon Stafford hit a three run homer(5). Cubilete allowed three runs in the fifth but that was as close as Lexington would get. Blake Cederlind pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

Oneil Cruz: 1-4

Cal Mitchell: 2-4, double

Deon Stafford: 2-4, homerun(5)

-- The DSL Pirates 1 (1-3) lost to the DSL Indians 3-1.

Juan Pie: 2-5

Ruben Gonzalez: 3-4