DotF: Ford’s homer sends Scranton to championship series

Triple-A Scranton (1-0 win over Lehigh Valley) they win the best-of-five first round postseason series three games to one … they’ll take on Durham (Rays) in the best-of-five International League Championship Series, which starts Tuesday … they’re looking to become the first back-to-back IL champs (and back-to-back Triple-A champs) since Columbus in 2010 and 2011

• CF Mason Williams, 2B Donovan Solano & RF Jake Cave: all 0-3 — Cave struck out twice and threw a runner out at second
• LF Billy McKinney: 1-4, 1 K
• 3B Miguel Andujar: 1-3, 1 2B — 5-for-16 (.313) with three doubles and a homer in the four-game series
• 1B Mike Ford: 1-2, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB — his eighth inning solo homer accounted for the game’s only run
• LHP Nestor Cortes: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 2/7 GB/FB — 67 of 98 pitches were strikes (68%) … wonder if he’s going to get popped in the Rule 5 Draft … stuff is iffy, but the performance at Double-A and Triple-A the last two years is undeniably great … seems like a rebuilding club could take a chance on him as a swingman
• RHP Jonathan Holder: 1 IP, zeroes, 2 K, 0/1 GB/FB — 12 pitches, nine strikes
• RHP Nick Rumbelow: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GB/FB — ten of 15 pitches were strikes … by Triple-A standards, Holder/Rumbelow is a dominant setup man/closer tandem

Double-A Trenton won their first round postseason series. They’ll take on Altoona (Pirates) in the best-of-five Eastern League Championship Series. That series begins Tuesday. This is their second straight trip to the title series. They lost to Akron last year.

High-A Tampa‘s season is over. They lost to Dunedin (Blue Jays) in their first round postseason series.

Low-A Charleston‘s season is over. They lost to Greenville (Red Sox) in their first round postseason series.

Short Season Staten Island (4-1 win over Hudson Valley) the best-of-three first round postseason series is now tied at a game apiece

• SS Wilkerman Garcia: 1-4, 1 R, 2 K
• RF Timmy Robinson: 1-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K — he’s driven in four of their six runs in the two games
• RHP Jonathan Loaisiga: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 8/3 GB/FB — 45 of 59 pitches were strikes (76%) … big outing for Johnny Lasagna with the season on the line
• RHP Glenn Otto: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 , 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 2/0 GB/FB — 27 of 40 pitches were strikes (68%) … that’s 33 strikeouts and five walks in 22.2 innings for this year’s fifth rounder

Rookie Pulaski‘s season is over. They lost to Elizabethton (Twins) in the Appalachian League Championship Series.

Rookie GCL Yanks East‘s season is over. They beat the GCL Nationals and won the Gulf Coast League Championship Series.

Rookie GCL Yanks West‘s season is over. They did not qualify for the postseason.