on the brink for the final weekend

This season, and the playoff spots for the post season, are all coming right down to the end:


In Viera, the Threshers and the Manatees split a doubleheader, with Clearwater winning the opener, 2-0 behind Brody Colvin. Colvin (3-8, 4.71) came within 1 out of a complete game, throwing 6.2 innings of shut out ball, scattering 6 hits and 2 walks. Jiwan James (.270) had 2 hits and stole his 30th base, and Cesar Hernandez (.270) added 2 hits, and drove in a run. The other RBI went to team leader Darrin Ruf, his 81st. In game 2, Clearwater got just 2 hits and lost, 4-2. With Dunedin winning their game, 7-2 over Lakeland, the Threshers are now 1.5 games out. Clearwater will need to win 3 of the final 4 games to pass the Blue Jays, as the teams match up for the final 4 games starting tonight.

In Akron, home runs by Matt Rizzotti (#24) and Derrick Mitchell (19) helped Reading to an early 5-1 lead over the Aeros, but the home team came back, eventually winning 6-5 in the 13th inning. Tyson Brummett pitched the first 7 innings, and gave up 3 runs on 5 hits, leaving with a 2-run lead. Les Walrond gave up the tying runs in his inning, before Mike Cisco came on for 3 excellent frames of 1-hit ball. Jacob Diekman got through the 12th before getting into trouble in the 13th. New Britain also lost, so the Rock Cats stay a half game ahead of the Phillies for the final spot.

In Lehigh Valley, the IronPigs dropped their 4th straight, this time 6-2 to Scranton. The IronPigs' slide finds them 2 games behind Pawtucket, and in a 3-team fight for the wild card with Gwinnett and Indianapolis, who has won 4 in a row to get back in it. While it seemed very unlikely all year long, the truth is Lehigh Valley could miss the playoffs!





In Lancaster, the JetHawks split a doubleheader with Visalia. The JetHawks took the opener behind 2 hits and an RBI by Jonathan Singleton, 3-2. Singleton (.336 since being traded) walked 3 times in the second game, a 12-3 Visalia victory.............In Corpus Christi, Jonathan Villar (.229 since promotion, .240 overall) had 2 hits and stole his 14th base for the Hooks (34th overall), who lost to Frisco, 6-5................In Trenton, Anthony Gose walked, stole 2 bases (# 67 & 68) and scored a run for New Hampshire, but the Thunder won the game, 7-2.