Pacific Coast League Snaps Skid in Pitcher's Duel, 3-0
With the way the game began, the contest was destined to be a high-scoring affair. After the opening frame, the pitchers took over the contest. The two teams allowed a combined three runs off 13 hits, while striking out 22 batters.
The 11-member PCL pitching staff secured the win for its team, holding the IL to five hits, including 11 strikeouts.
The IL was led by Buffalo starter Matt Harvey, who pitched two scoreless frames in the second and third innings. For his efforts, the Herd starter was selected as the MiLB.com Top Star, while not allowing a hit and striking out a pair of runners.
The PCL scored a pair of runs in the opening frame to take a 2-0 lead over the IL. After reaching first on the PCL's first hit of the day, Reno outfielder Adam Eaton sped to third on the next hit by Reno infielder Jake Elmore. On a sacrifice fly to right field, Oklahoma City infielder Mike Hessman drove in PCL-leading run scorer Eaton for the 1-0 PCL advantage.
The PCL would take a two-run lead on a slow, rolling RBI-single into right field by Omaha outfielder Wil Myers, scoring Elmore from second.
Myers went 2-for-3 in the contest with a run scored and an RBI-base hit, leading to his selection as the PCL MiLB.com Top Star
In his Triple-A All-Star Game debut, Harvey forced three ground outs in the second inning to retire the PCL All-Stars on 11 pitches.
Working a 3-2 count, Pascucci drilled the ball off the leftfield wall for a double, moving Lavarnway to third. Lavarnway got caught in a rundown at home on a fielder's choice, keeping the runners at first and second with Rochester shortstop Pedro Florimon swinging.
After a hit batter and a wild pitch to open the top of the third, Harvey retired the next three batters he faced. Ranked second in the League in strikeouts (102), the reliever held off the PCL offense, leaving a pair of batters swinging to retire the side.
In the top of the fourth, the PCL secured its lead with a run off RBI-single by Albuquerque catcher Tim Federowicz on a line drive to right, driving in Myers from third for a 3-0 lead over the IL.
Looking to erase the three-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh, Pascucci opened the inning with his second walk of the evening. Buffalo-native and Syracuse Chiefs infielder Jim Negrych sent a screaming-base hit into the left corner.
After the spark of offense, Albuquerque pitcher Josh Wall prevented the IL from getting on the board by retiring the next two batters. On the final out, Wall forced Indianapolis outfielder Starling Marte to ground into a force out at second, ending the inning.
Sacramento pitcher Graham Godfrey recorded the win for the PCL in 1.0 inning of work, allowing no runs and only one hit. Reno pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo collected the save in 0.2 hitless innings, striking out one batter.
For the IL, Lehigh Valley pitcher Tyler Cloyd collected the loss in 1.0 inning, allowing a pair of runs off three hits.
In his second career Triple-A All-Star Game appearance, Pascucci provided the IL with great plate presence, going 1-for-1 with three walks. Durham outfielder Leslie Anderson was a spark of offense for the IL, going 2-for-3.
Notes: Harvey's selection as the Top Star marked the first time a Bison was honored since INF Russell Branyan in 1999... With five participants this year, Buffalo has had the most selections (62) in Triple-A All-Star Game history... In the last ten outings, the IL remains in the lead, capturing seven of the last ten... An announced attendance of 18,025 set the third-highest mark among Triple-A All-Star Games.