Thunder blow out Harrisburg to win Eastern League championship

Double-A Trenton (11-3 win over Harrisburg) they are Eastern League champions after finishing off the sweep of the best-of-five series, so congrats to them and manager Tony Franklin … this is Trenton’s first title since winning back-to-back championships in 2007-2008, the only other titles in franchise history … it’s the first championship in the farm system since both Short Season Staten Island and the Rookie GCL Yanks won in 2011, and first championship by a full season affiliate since High-A Tampa won back-to-back titles in 2009-2010

• CF Mason Williams: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB — singled in a run in the ninth as they broke it open
• LF Ramon Flores: 3-6, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K — tripled in a run in the ninth before being thrown out the plate for the team’s final offensive out of the season
• 2B Jose Pirela: 1-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 HBP
• C Gary Sanchez: 2-5, 1 R, 1 RBI — singled in their first run of the game as part of a five-run third inning
• RF Tyler Austin: 2-5, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 K — tripled in Sanchez in the third after a wild pitch plated another run
• 1B Kyle Roller: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
• DH Ben Gamel: 3-3, 2 R, 2 BB — helluva night
• 3B Reegie Corona: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
• SS Ali Castillo: 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 E (throwing) — really blew things open with a two-run homer in the fifth  … he was named the series MVP, so congrats to him
• RHP Shane Greene: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 WP, 9/1 GB/FB — 66 of 94 pitches were strikes (70%) … finishes the season with a farm system high 165.1 innings
• SwP Pat Venditte: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1/2 GB/FB — 16 of 25 pitches were strikes … came in and escaped a second and third, one out jam without allowing a run
• RHP Zach Nuding: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 11 of 15 pitches were strikes (73%)
• RHP Branden Pinder: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GB/FB — 12 of his 17 pitches were strikes (44%) … bullpen went 10.1 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K in the series

The Triple-A Scranton, High-A Tampa, Low-A Charleston, Short Season Staten Island, and both Rookie GCL Yanks seasons are over. Minor league baseball will return on October 8th, when the Arizona Fall League season begins.