Vegas takes difficult series against Newark

Vegas took game three against the Sugar Bears, winning two of three in the series in Newark. It is only the second home series the Sugar Bears have lost all year. The Rats won a 9-7 decision in 11 innings, scoring 3 runs in the top of the 11th and holding off the Crunch with Punch in the bottom half of the inning. The Rats move to within 2 games of first place in the Hanover Division. The Rats also lost reliever Pat Neshek in the game for the next two weeks. The Rats hold steady at 4 disabled players, though shortstop Jeff Keppinger is due back shortly.

Tampa Bay paid Hoboken their 7th straight loss by an 8-5 score. Akinori Iwamura was 2-4 with 4 RBIs and Jeff Francis pitched 7 solid innings to pick up the W. Ian Kinsler was 4-4 with 2 homers in defeat for the Cutters.

New Jersey pounded D.C. to an 8-1 tune and moved up ahead of Hoboken in the standings. Brad Penny gave up only an unearend run on 4 hits in 7 innings to pick up the win. Ivan Rodriguez (3-4, HR, 3 R) starred on offense for Team Buddah.

In the final game of the day, Carolina and Arkansas battled for 13 innings. Carolina held a 3-1 lead for most of the game, but the Falcons scored a run in each of the final two innings to knot the game at 3. Back-to-back RBI doubles by David Wright and Justin Morneau gave the Falcons a 2-run lead, but Dustin Pedroia's 2-run double in the bottom tied the game again at 5. Finally in the 13th, Aramis Ramirez hit a 3-run walkoff home run to win the game for the Cats.