TRENTON - Jeff Karstens and two Trenton relievers combined on a four-hitter in a 4-1 Eastern League win over the Harrisburg Senators last night. The victory was the 12th in the last 16 games for the Thunder.
Karstens worked through six innings for the win, scattering four hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He allowed a home run by Prentice Redman in the sixth.
J.B. Cox followed with two scoreless innings of relief. Justin Pope worked the ninth to record his league-leading 18th save.
Trenton scored in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead.
Brett Gardner tripled off Senators starter Kip Bouknight and scored on an error by first baseman Rich Lane.
Vince Vaison tripled to start the third inning and scored on a single by Bronson Sardinha.
The Thunder added runs in the seventh and eighth on RBI singles by Felix Escalona and Gardner.
Eric Duncan walked four times, snapping his 12-game hitting streak.
Rochester 3, Scranton 1
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Jason Miller and Kevin Cameron combined on a five-hitter, and the Red Wings defeated the Red Barons in the International League.
Miller allowed three hits and retired the final 10 batters he faced before giving way to Cameron, who earned his fifth save by pitching three shutout innings.
The Barons scored in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Michael Bourn walked, stole second, moved to third on Joe Thurston's fly ball to right, and scored on a wild pitch by Miller.
Altoona 5, Reading 2
READING - Wardell Starling went six strong innings and Simon Pond homered and scored three runs as the Curve beat the Phillies in the Eastern League.
Gio Gonzalez allowed three runs in five innings to take the loss.
The Phillies got their first baserunner in the fourth inning when Peter Bergeron tripled off the right-field wall. He scored on a single by Joey Hammond.
Jason Jaramillo delivered an RBI single in the eighth for the Phillies, but Brandon Knight got the final four outs for his 15th save.
Hagerstown 8, Lakewood 2
HAGERSTOWN, Md. - Nick Evans went 4 for 4 with two doubles and drove in three runs to lead the Suns past the Blue Claws in the South Atlantic League.
Wilmington. The Blue Rocks' Carolina League game against the Indians in Kinston, N.C., was rained out. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader at 6 tonight.
