Pitching matchup: RHP Mark Sorensen (NR) vs. RHP Brett Marshall (2-1, 5.40)

In the Standings: Trenton is in fourth place in the EL North, 3 games behind both New Britain and Reading. Erie is in fifth place in the EL South, 4 games behind Harrisburg.

Lineups: 

ERIE
Jamie Johnson CF
Brandon Douglas 2B
Niuman Romero SS
Jordan Lennerton 1B
Rawley Bishop DH
Rob Brantly C
Tony Plagman LF
Brent Dlugach 3B
Michael Rockett RF
Zach Sorensen RHP

THUNDER
Abe Almonte RF
Kevin Mahoney 2B
Ronnier Mustelier LF
Cody Johnson DH
Melky Mesa CF
Luke Murton 1B
Yadil Mujica 3B
Jeff Farnham C
Walter Ibarra SS
Brett Marshall RHP

NOTES: Kelvin De La Cruz and Niuman Romero, both former Akron Aeros, are with the SeaWolves. Romero saw major league time with the Indians in 2009 and 2010. He has two major league hits, both in 2009, one apiece off of Yasuhiko Yabuta and Clay Buchholz. ... Rob Brantly, BA's ninth-ranked Tigers prospect, is eighth in the EL in hitting (.356), second in slugging (.644) and fifth in OPS (1.012). ... Jordan Lennerton, Erie's cleanup hitter, is hitting a sweet .288/.339/.673 with a league-best six home runs.

Update - 6:12: So, Josh Romanski is on the disabled list with a blister. As it happens, that lines up perfectly for a few more rehab starts (after tomorrow) for Mr. Andrew Eugene Pettitte. Five and 10 days from now would be both Pettitte and Romanski on turn, so if Pettitte needed to start with Thunder, Romanski would be scratched in each case.

With Romanski on DL, he can, in theory, throw a few sim games in the bullpen or something instead of actually making a start that day. Fifteen days from now, when Pettitte is MLB-ready, Romanski can slide back into his spot in the rotation.

Speaking of injuries, manager Tony Franklin said not to expect Jose Pirela back "any time soon." He still won't say Pirela had a concussion, but he did say this:

"You can kind of draw your own conclusions as to what had happened and what the symptoms were. The symptoms were probably there, you know, for a concussion. We're just following the protocol that minor league baseball and major league baseball have set forth for when these incidents happen."


"I would be safe in saying that there's still tests that still need to be done, and because there are still tests that need to be done, he has to pass them. It's just that progression that we have to follow. When he follows them and everything seems to fall in place, we'll be ready for him to come back."


"Hopefully his season isn't lost, and when he's cleared to play, we can get him back in there. Here again, it's going to take time to get through the baseball stuff as well as all the medical stuff. It could be a while. I don't expect to have him back any time soon, to be honest with you. I think that by doing this, we're doing the right thing, medically."


Speaking of injuries, Rob Lyerly hasn't left yet for his second opinion on his ailing shoulder. When he does, he's going to see Dr. Pat Connor, in Charlotte, N.C., who specializes in sports medicine and orthopaedic surgery. He had surgery on the shoulder in 2008, and they want to make absolutely sure about what the problem is before they make a decision on a course of action.

I spoke to Yankees prospect and current RiverDog Tyler Austin earlier this afternoon, and Yankees hitting coordinator Rick Down before the game. I'll transcribe both of those soon, probably Down first.