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Francisco Cervelli and Chris Dickerson celebrating as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees won their fifth division title in six seasons (Photo Credit: Chris Dickerson on Twitter)

Minors Wrap-Up: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Clinches Division

Francisco Cervelli and Chris Dickerson celebrating as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees won their fifth division title in six seasons (Photo Credit: Chris Dickerson on Twitter)

AAA: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees
John Maine took the ball tonight for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and turned in a masterful performance which would lead them to clinch their fifth division title in the past six years. Maine, a mid-season addition for the Yankees, turned in seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out five to earn his ___ win of the season. He is now in the midst of 19 straight shutout innings, spanning over the course of three games. After he left, Cory Wade and Ryota Igarashi would keep the shutout intact with two scoreless innings. At the plate, Kevin Russo, Eduardo Nunez, and Ronnier Mustelier did the majority of the damage for the Yankees. Russo and Mustelier each had two hits a piece, while Nunez drove home two runners. Austin Romine and Cole Garner each had an RBI as well.

AA: Trenton Thunder
Trenton fell to New Britain for the third time in four games tonight by a score of 5-3 as starter Shaeffer Hall allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks in five innings of work. After Hall left, the bullpen combined to allow just one hit over the next four innings, but the damage had already been done to the Thunder’s hopes. Offensively, Trenton saw Zoilo Almonte and Kevin Mahoney record two hits a piece, but that didn’t do much to put runs on the board. Instead, the Thunder scored three runs in the fourth inning, with a two-run home run by Addison Maruszak – his 16th of the season – and an RBI double off the bat of Walter Ibarra. J.R. Murphy and Adonis Garcia were the only other Trenton hitters to record a hit on the evening as the Thunder made a late ninth inning run at the Rock Cats.

In the ninth, Rob Segedin led off with a walk, though Luke Murton and Walter Ibarra both recorded outs before Adonis Garcia blasted a line drive to right field for a base hit, putting runners at the corners for Murphy. With a chance to win the game in his hands, Murphy hit a long fly ball to the center field warning track, where it was caught by Aaron Hicks to end the game. Since Reading won tonight, combined with a Thunder loss, Trenton will have to wait just a little longer to clinch the Eastern Division in the Eastern League.

High-A: Tampa Yankees
Tampa scored five runs in the ninth inning to come back and defeat Lakeland 5-4 thanks to a grand slam over the left field fence by top prospect Tyler Austin. As the Yankees entered the ninth, their offense had been shut down the entire night. However, after a single and a pair of walks, Slade Heathcott came through with an infield single, making it 3-1 Lakeland, and setting the table for the next hitter, Tyler Austin. This game was a pitching duel at first, with Yankees starter Jose A. Ramirez allowing just one run on five hits through six innings. However, Ramirez would not factor into the decision. Instead, it was Rich Mascheri who earned the win, despite allowing two runs in as many innings pitched.

Low-A: Charleston RiverDogs
Charleston split a double-header with West Virginia tonight to bring the final homestand of the season to go. The first game saw an offensive explosion, as Casey Stevenson went 2-for-3 with a triple, a pair of runs scored, and four RBIs to lead Charleston to a 7-2 victory. Ben Gamel, Casey McGehee, and Reymond Nunez would all record two hits each, with Nunez contributing a pair of RBIs as well. Brett Gerritse started on the mound for Charleston, and tossed three perfect innings while striking out five before being lifted for Philip Wetherell. Wetherell would earn the win, moving him to 6-8 on the season, as he allowed just two unearned run on a pair of hits.

In the second game, they fell to West Virginia by a score of 7-1, as they managed just two hits on the game. Francisco Arcia, batting ninth in the lineup, provided the only run of the game with a sixth inning home run. Rob Refsnyder had the team’s only other hit when he stroked a double off of Mike Jefferson. On the mound, William Oliver took the loss, despite allowing just one run in two innings of his start. Rigoberto Arrebato was the real culprit on the mound though, as he allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in two-plus innings. Daniel Mahoney would allow one run over the final three innings of the game.

Follow Dan on Twitter @danpfeiffer74 for more insight and analysis regarding the New York Yankees and the Yankee farm system.