New Jersey started off the week with a 3 game series at home vs Milwaukee Choppers. Game 1: The opening season match was stale mate through 4 innings before New Jersey took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 5th. Thirdbaseman Dave Hines opened the 5th with a walk. Catcher Pat Newell followed that up with a groundball double. Julián Guerrero had a sacrifice fly to centerfield to allow Hines to score.
It stayed 1-0 till Milwaukee was able to score 1 in the 8th to tie it up. They proceeded to add two more in the top of the 9th. The River Rats were able to 1 more in the bottom of the 9th but that was as close as they'd get. They'd lose 3-2. Agniruha 'Legend' Gaekwad pitched 7.1 steller innings. Allowed 3 hits & 1 run over 113 pitches. He ended the game with a 1.23ERA. Tomás Álvarez took the loss. He pitched 1 inning allowing 2 hits, 2 runs and ended up 18.00ERA.
Game 2: The River Rats bounced back on Wednesday to outscore the Choppers in a high scoring 7-6 game. Starter Fernando Morán only lasted 5 innings despite throwing 100 pitches in those 5 innings. He gave up 3 runs on 6 hits, while also walking 3. Cisco Hernández came in in relief and promptly gave up 3 runs on 3 hits. He pitched 2.2 innings and ended up with a 10.13ERA but still left with the hold. Mark Perkins got the blown save, while Alberto Valenzuela got the save.
SS Juan Becerra went 3 for 5 with a RBI and a run. He's off to a fast .556 batting average across the first week. CF Fernando Cruz & C Pat Newell both went 2 for 4 on the day.
Game 3: Thanks to Ricardo Juárez and his big bat, the River Rats derailed the Milwaukee Choppers 12-2 today at Hudson River Stadium. The New Jersey right fielder had a standout game with 5 hits in 5 at-bats. Ricardo Juárez singled in the 1st, hit a solo-shot off Ian Lussu in the 3rd, hit an RBI single in the 4th, hit a solo-shot off Pedro Gutiérrez in the 6th and doubled in the 8th.
Game 4: Annapolis doubles up New Jersey 12-6. Starting pitcher Oscar Banfi lasted only 3.2 innings while giving up 5 runs on 5 hits with 3 walks. He threw 79 pitches across those 3 innings and left the game with a 12.27 ERA. 20 year old Luis Benítez came in as relief, and unfortunately didn't do any better. He lasted 3.1 innings and gave up 5 runs on 3 hits. He walked a additional 2 and threw 66 pitches to leave the game with a 10.80 ERA. Guy Das pitched a inning while giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and ended with a 7.71ERA.
Ricardo 'Wizard' Juárez continued his early season dominance to show maybe he's due for a call-up soon. Juárez went 4 for 5 with 4 RBI and 2 home-runs.
Game 5: Annapolis offense blows out River Rats. The starting pitching was again the let down for the River Rats. Starter Ephrem Lacchelo lasted a total of 2.2 innings, while somehow giving up 6 runs off 9 hits in the process. He left the game with what might be a record high 20.25ERA. The Rats called on Guy Das didn't fare much better. Going 2.1 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits with a walk. He left the game with a 7.71ERA.
The offense didn't fare much better. Lone semi bright side was C Pat Newell & Julián Guerrero both hit their first homers of the season.
Game 6: The River Rats were able to starve off a series sweep by winning game 3 of the series 5-4. Agniruha 'Legend' Gaekwad last 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 5 hits. He threw 97 pitches and left with a ERA of 2.51. Ed Guis pitched 1 inning giving up 1 run on 1 hit with a 9.00ERA but somehow still came away with the win. Alberto Valenzuela picked up his 1st save of the season.
LF Julián Guerrero went 2 for 4. With a double, his first of the season and also his first stolen base of the season.
Next week the River Rats host a 3 game series vs the El Paso Borderhounds before heading out of town for a 3 game set vs the Ashland Slowriders.
A quick note on the AA Mississauga Spartans. They went 4-1 during the opening week & currently sit tied for 1st in the Drake League Outpost Division with the Trois-Rivieres Salmon Kings & Medicine Hat Flaming Nukes.
In single A news, the Dearborn Heights Knights went 2-4 to start the season and currently sit 3rd in the Baxter League Upper Midwest Division.