(I’ll take a break from the whole “every time I mention Zack Cozart I link to a YouTube video” gimmick this week. It appears to be jinxing his performance (12-for-43, .277 over his last ten).
Congrats to Louisville’s Jeremy Hermida (BA, OBP), Carolina’s Eric Campbell (OBP), and Dayton’s Josh Smith (ERA, K, WHIP) and Dan Renken (K) for placing among the leaders in professional affiliated baseball’s various categories. Dayton’s Billy Hamilton is leading all of professional baseball, period, win stolen bases- but SBs weren’t covered on the BA report.
AAA Louisville Bats
This week: 3-4
Overall: 44-36, second place, 9.5 games behind Columbus (CLE) . Down one from last week.
6/22: Schoolkid Special at Louisville Slugger Field! Daryl Thompson pitched exceptionally well, making just one mistake (a two-run homer; 2.42, 7.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) but the PawSox led…UNTIL THE SIXTH! Louisville scored four times, with three of those coming on 1B Danny Dorn’s 12th homer! 1B Yonder Alonso’s ground-rule double scored CF Dave Sappelt with the other one. 3B Juan Francisco singled in DH Jeremy Hermida with an insurance run in the eighth. RF Mike Griffin took a bases-loaded Rudy (6-2) and 2B Kris Negron added a sacrifice fly (7-2). Jerry Gil came on to strand Thompson’s baserunner in the eighth (4.46, 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) and Nick Christiani finished off the victory (5.63, 1 IP). Louisville got just five hits, but helped the case by drawing seven walks and Griffin’s HBP.
6/23: Scott Carroll has won all three of his starts in June to date (3.32 ERA) after a solid April (3.82) and mediocre May (5.20). As the Bats went for a split against the PawSox, Carroll gave up single runs in the first and second innings- then shut Pawtucket down. Hermida knocked in Cozart in the bottom of the first, 1B Todd Frazier (3-for-5, 2 2B, .273) singled and stole second (#10) and scored on Dorn’s double in the fourth to tie things at 2, and then Hermida (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, .351) singled in 2B Kris Negron to give Louisville a 3-2 advantage in the seventh. Carroll was lifted in favor of Jeremy Horst with one out and a man on first in the bottom of the eighth. Horst had a respectable four weeks with the Reds (allowing three earned runs in 8.1 innings) but here he served up a game-tying double. Jerry Gil managed to preserve the tie. Brandon Hynick got through the ninth with the help of C Devin Mesoraco’s throwing a man out stealing. Cozart (2-for-4, .322, R) singled to start the bottom of the ninth but after a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, but Mesoraco grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3. Brandon Hynick walked the first two PawSox he faced in the ninth but got out of the jam with a popped-up bunt/pickoff and a flyout. To extras we went. Hynick walked the first two PawSox he faced, but a sacrifice attempt was popped up and Hynick threw to first for the double play. But Pawtucket’s Daniel Nava doubled in the go-ahead run. Frazier doubled with two outs in the bottom of the tenth, bringing up Dorn with a chance to tie- but he grounded out to second, ending the game. Hynick fell to 0-3 as a Bat in seven appearances despite a not-terrible 4.50 ERA (1-7, 6.53 overall). Carroll added to his recent pile of quality starts (4.24, 7.1 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 99 pitches/63 strikes).
6/24: The Bats got solo homers from Alonso (#9) and Frazier (#13) in the sixth inning to grab a 4-3 lead over Toledo (DET)- but Dontrelle Willis allowed the Mud Hens to tie the score in the bottom of the inning. In the top of the seventh, however, Louisville loaded the bases with no one out on a walk to Sappelt, a Hermida HBP and a Mesoraco single. Alonso then walked to make it 5-4 Bats. Louisville blew a chance to break the game open when both Frazier and Dorn struck out swinging and Chris Valaika flied out. But Willis held the Hens to a single over his final two innings (W 5-2, 2.74, 8 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 2 HR, 105 pitches/68 strikes) and Nick Christiani made it five saves in six opportunities (5.00, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K). Hermida finished 3-for-4 with two RBI (.359) and his sixth home run.
6/25: Make it two straight to start this four-game set. Toledo got single runs in the first and second off Chad Reineke (W 6-4, 3.13, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 97 pitches/63 strikes) but that was it. Meanwhile, the Bats boomed- scoring in five separate innings, including four runs in the fifth. Three of those came on homers from Francisco (#8) and Dorn (#13). Hermida was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Mesoraco had two doubles and two RBI (.320). Crafty Tom Cochran retired six straight (3.67, 2 K) and Justin Lehr finished up (4.91, 1 IP).
6/26: Travis Wood doesn’t figure to stay down in Louisville for long- but then again, you never know. Travis struck out eight in five innings but also gave up three runs (L 0-1, 6 H, 1 BB) and threw wayyyy too many pitches (104, despite 70 strikes). Toledo wins, 4-2, as only a Mesoraco two-run single in the sixth dented the scoreboard. Jerry Gil threw a 1-2-3 eighth- extending his scoreless streak to 12 innings and through the entire month of June so far. Jerry’s whiffed twelve against five walks over those innings and cut his ERA from 6.20 to 4.29.
6/27: Toledo busted open a 2-2 game with two in the seventh and three in the eighth to earn a split, 7-2. Daryl Thompson again pitched pretty well (2.54, 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 86 pitches/57 strikes) but he was betrayed by his bullpen. Jeremy Horst fell to 0-2 (2.28, 0.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) and Brandon Hynick absorbed the other three (6.82, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER). Cozart bounced back with three hits and a walk in five trips (.320, steal #9) but was left on base each time. Frazier’s 14th homer accounted for both runs. (.273, 2-for-4).
6/28: Carroll had a tough time in this one, as a bunch of elevated pitches resulted in Gwinnett (ATL) hammering him for eight hits and six runs over five innings (L 6-3, 4.58, 2 BB, 5 K, 73 pitches/50 strikes) in the Braves’ 9-4 win. Hermida (#7) and Francisco (#9) homered for the Bats and Frazier, playing second base for the first time in a good while, was 2-for-3 with a double, run scored, and walk (.278).
Transactnotes: 6/22: RHP Chad Reineke outrighted to Louisville. LHS Travis Wood optioned from Cincinnati (likely temporary) as RHS Homer Bailey’s rehab is ending. 6/23: LHR Jeremy Horst down from Cincinnati; RHR Chris Mobley to Carolina. 6/24: The Reds traded RHR Steven Jackson, 29, to the Pittsburgh organization for a player to be named later. Jackson was signed after being released by the Dodgers a month earlier and posted a 5.59 ERA in 10 games. He had 40 big-league games of a 3.14 ERA with the Pirates in 2009 before washing out of the bigs the next year, so it’s easy to see why they might try him out again. 6/26: RHR Carlos Fisher down from Cincinnati to make room for the now-activated Homer Bailey. 6/28: RHR Brad Boxberger up from Carolina; RHR Brandon Hynick down.
Quell your anger about the Reds’ failure to call up Zack Cozart with this video interview.
Bats broadcaster Matt Andrews interviewed LHS Dontrelle Willis.
Around the league: Arizona called up OF Wily Mo Pena- and the slugger immediately launched a couple of bombs in his first week active, including a game-winner. Florida signed highly nomadic OF DeWayne Wise. Milwaukee ended the Danny Ray Herrera experiment by optioning the lefty back to Triple-A. Herrera gave up six hits and five runs (four earned) in two appearances spanning 1.2 innings. Toronto called up RHS Zach Stewart, although they optioned him back to Triple-A three starts of varying effectiveness later.
AA Carolina Mudcats
This week: 3-3.
Overall: 3-3, second place, 1.5 games behind Chattanooga (LAD). Overall 26-50
6/22: All-Star Break!
6/23: Matt Klinker (3-4, 3.60) to the hill to kick off the second half. Never should a team be more relieved than the Mudcats that the Southern League has two halves considered separately. Huntsville (MIL) finished third in the first half at 37-33; they were perennial champions a couple of years ago but now they have a lot of veteran players given the mining of Milwaukee’s system. Carolina got a run in the second, one in the fourth, and one in the sixth to build a 3-0 lead, but Klinker hit a wall in the seventh as the four men he faced all reached (W 4-4, 3.53, 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K). On came Justin Freeman to get a forceout grounder that cut the Mudcat lead to 3-2, then a fielder’s choice at home for the second out. James Adkins then came on to coax another forceout grounder to end the inning. Tim Hamulack (still 0.00 in 7 IP, 1 IP, 2 K) and All-Star Brad Boxberger (save #4, 1.44, 1 IP, 2 K) allowed nothing thereafter as Carolina began the second half with a win. 2B Cody Puckett, in the throes of a slump that’s been going for a month and a half, was 2-for-4 with a double and his ninth homer (.247). 1B Neftali Soto popped homer #6 (2-for-4, .263). CF Denis Phipps was awful early on but a .394 June, including two hits in this one, has brought him up to .263. Finally, an excellent Double-A debut for C Yasmani Grandal, who singled and doubled in four trips.
6/24: Oh, brother. So Carolina led 5-1 in game two of the second half going to the top of the ninth. Manager David Bell called for Donnie Joseph, who has obviously struggled badly at times this year but he was riding a string of eight straight scoreless appearances. Unfortunately:
Huntsville Top of the 9th
• Pitcher Change: Donnie Joseph replaces Travis Webb, batting 9th.
• Brandon Jones walks.
• Angel Gonzalez walks. Brandon Jones to 2nd.
• Anderson De La Rosa singles on a ground ball to left fielder David Cook. Brandon Jones to 3rd. Angel Gonzalez to 2nd.
• With Sergio Miranda batting, wild pitch by Donnie Joseph, Brandon Jones scores. Angel Gonzalez to 3rd. Anderson De La Rosa to 2nd.
• Sergio Miranda walks.
• Pitcher Change: Tim Hamulack replaces Donnie Joseph, batting 9th.
• Matt Cline doubles (7) on a sharp fly ball to center fielder Denis Phipps. Angel Gonzalez scores. Anderson De La Rosa scores. Sergio Miranda to 3rd.
• Logan Schafer strikes out swinging, catcher Yasmani Grandal to first baseman Neftali Soto.
• Erik Komatsu singles on a sharp line drive to center fielder Denis Phipps. Sergio Miranda scores. Matt Cline to 3rd.
• Sean Halton grounds into a force out, second baseman Henry Rodriguez to shortstop Jose Castro. Matt Cline scores. Erik Komatsu out at 2nd. Sean Halton to 1st.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Martin Maldonado replaces Robert Wooten.
• Martin Maldonado flies out to center fielder Denis Phipps.
Huntsville rallied for five runs and the 6-5 win as the Mudcats went meekly in the bottom of the ninth. The loss was pinned on Hamulack (L 0-1, 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER). Joseph was charged with four earned runs in one-third of an inning, blowing his ERA back up over 9. James Avery (4.63, 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 1 K) and Travis Webb (5.36, 2 IP, 2 K) both pitched very well. Soto homered again (#7), a two-run shot, and Phipps was 2-for-4 with a double, walk, RBI, and run scored (.269). More sadness: LF Cody Puckett was hit on the wrist by a pitch in his first at-bat. He stayed in the game long enough to score a run, but he was then subsequently removed and later diagnosed with a fractured wrist. No telling how long he’ll be out, but an injury like that usually means several weeks at minimum.
6/25: Give Carolina a little credit- they bounced back from the demoralizing collapse the day before by beating the Stars in 10 innings, 6-4, when Soto hit his third homer in as many games in the bottom of the tenth (#8). Phipps was 4-for-4 with a double and triple, two runs scored, a walk, and a RBI (.284). Tim Gustafson worked five (5.22, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 0 K) but Justin Freeman was scored on in relief (5.82, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 K). James Adkins (3.32, 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 K) and Chris Mobley (0.00, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K) got into jams but weren’t scored on. Boxberger took over and mowed down six straight Stars for the win (W 1-2, 1.35, 2 K).
6/26: The veteran Hamulack blew his second save in as many appearances, allowing Huntsville to tie the score at 6 in the top of the ninth. Freeman was then hammered for four runs in the top of the tenth (L 1-3, 6.43, 1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER) as the Stars rallied to tie the series, 10-6. Kyle McCulloch was pretty hittable (5.68, 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) but Jason Braun, Joseph (8.80, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and Webb (5.25, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) did their respective jobs. The top three Mudcats in the batting order each had three hits, with Phipps (.309, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B), 2B Henry Rodriguez (R, RBI, .286) and 3B Mike Costanzo (R, 2 RBI, .286) each having good days at the plate. RF Felix Perez added two hits and two RBI (.232).
6/27: Pedro Villareal got to play stopper, firing six innings of four-hit ball (W 3-1, 4.88, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) and slumping LF David Cook led a 16-hit attack with a home run (#4) and a 3-for-3 day (.251, 2 RBI, 2 BB). Carolina rolls, 9-2, and wins their second series of the year! C Yasmani Grandal also had three hits and two RBI (.353, 2 2B). Soto homered for the fourth time in five games to highlight a 3-for-4 day (#9, 3 R, BB, .275). Mobley worked the seventh and eighth (1 H, 3 K) and Boxberger whiffed the side in the ninth (57 K in 34.1 IP on the year, 16 H).
6/28: Carolina fell just short in a slugfest with Tennessee (CHC), 12-11. The Mudcats grabbed a 4-1 lead, got down 7-4, tied it at 7, fell behind 10-7, then ended one run short. Eric Campbell smacked a pinch-hit homer (#3) with two outs in the ninth, but Denis Phipps struck out to end it. Phipps did homer earlier in the game, his first. Neftali Soto hammered his fifth bomb in six days (2-for-4, 3 R, BB, 3 RBI) and Henry Rodriguez hit his very first Double-A home run. SS Jose Castro was 3-for-4 (.312) and Grandal drove in three runs with a single and double (.364). Not a good day for starter Matt Klinker (L 4-5, 4.42, 4 IP, 10 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 HR). James Adkins gave up one run in two innings (3.43, 2 K) and Donnie Joseph did strike out four over his two inning stint (8.54, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 HR).
Transactnotes: 6/23: The cavalry starts to arrive- C Yasmani Grandal promoted from Bakersfield. C Kevin Coddington, who’s struggled at the plate (.214/.276/.252 in 32 games with the Mudcats) ever since his first full season in 2009 with Dayton, back to Bakersfield. 6/23: RHR Chris Mobley down from Louisville; RHR Jason Braun placed on the temporarily-inactive list. 6/24: OF Quintin Berry placed on the DL with a thumb injury; SS Miguel Rojas activated. 6/25: 2B-OF Cody Puckett placed on the DL with a fractured wrist (see above). 6/27: INF Jake Kahauleilo back from Bakersfield as Braun is sent to Cali. 6/28: RHR Brad Boxberger up to Louisville; RHP Brandon Hynick to the Mudcats.
OF Denis Phipps was named Southern League Batter of the Week for June 20-26, going 11-for-17 with four doubles, a triple, and six runs scored.
High-A Bakersfield Blaze
This week: 3-3.
Overall: 3-3 second half, second place, three games behind Stockton (OAK). 38-38 overall.
6/22: All-Star Break!
6/23: Minus their 900 OPS catcher, the Blaze return to action for the second half against Modesto (COL) at Sam Lynn Stadium. Starter Mark Serrano served up three solo homers, but only two other hits through 7.2 innings (W 2-1, 3.72, 2 BB, 8 K) as Bakersfield triumphed 5-3. Four runs in the first gave the 2009 sixth-rounder out of Oral Roberts a nice cushion (he is already 25, meaning he should be pitching well in High-A). Clayton Shunick worked the ninth for save #3(1.56, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K). It was a balanced Blaze attack, with only two players getting multiple hits- DH Alex Buchholz (2-for-3, .283) and SS Didi Gregorius (2-for-4, R, RBI, .301).
6/24: Not too many guys wearing a Blaze uniform was very effective on the mound in this game. The Nuts cracked 21 hits and routed Bakersfield 15-7. Curt Partch (L 4-7, 5.79, 1.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) took the defeat. Lance Janke worked four (6 H, 4 ER, 4 K) but gave up enough runs to push his ERA over 7. Unfortunately, that would draw him his release three days later. Only Scott Gaffney (5.87, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 K) and Tzu-Kai Chiu (5.79, 0.2 IP, 1 K) escaped damage. Gregorius kept hitting, going 3-for-5 with three RBI (.318, 3B). CF Ryan LaMarre was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk, a RBI, and steal #22 (.275).
6/25: JC Sulbaran dominated the Nuts, striking out ten over 6.1 scoreless innings (W 4-1, 4.73, 3 H, 1 BB, WP). Bakersfield wins, 6-1. Buchholz hit homer #4 and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored (.292). C Kevin Coddington also drove in a pair. A couple of days later, Sulbaran was named the California League Pitcher of the Week!
6/26: This one ended with a bang. The struggling Mace Thurman (1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR) had just served up a three-run homer to Modesto’s Nolan Aremado in the top of the ninth, giving the Nuts a 5-2 lead. Then:
Bakersfield Bottom of the 9th
• Pitcher Change: Sheng-An Kuo replaces Coty Woods.
• Alex Buchholz homers (5) on a fly ball to right field.
• Ryan LaMarre singles on a ground ball to second baseman Carlos Martinez.
• With Kevin Coddington batting, Ryan LaMarre steals (23) 2nd base.
• Kevin Coddington pops out to second baseman Carlos Martinez.
• Frank Pfister singles on a ground ball to first baseman Jared Clark. Ryan LaMarre to 3rd.
• Stephen Hunt homers (6) on a fly ball to center field. Ryan LaMarre scores. Frank Pfister scores.
Sure, he’s hit just .234 in June after a .514 April and .329 May, but Stephen Hunt is still having a great season with the bat. Far beyond expectations for a guy who was a 15th-round pick last year out of the University of South Florida. Hunt was a decent but non-star player who was a part-time pitcher until his sophomore year. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profi...Stephen-Hunt-3 Anyway, Blaze win the series- three games to one.
Tim Crabbe continues to pitch well as a swingman, starting this one and working 5.2 solid frames (3.51, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K). Gaffney (5.63, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) and Chiu (5.59, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) also did well. Thurman’s win ran his record to 3-2, even as his ERA ballooned to 4.46. The 24-year-old lefty out of Baylor (19th-round in 2008, also the same community college as Logan Ondrusek, McLennan CC) has a 9.00 ERA in ten June innings (despite 4 BB and 15 K) after a 2.19 April and 3.07 May.
6/27: The Blaze dropped game one of this four-game set in Stockton (OAK) to the Ports, 8-6. Drew Bowman gave up the tiebreaking runs in the eighth (L 2-2, 5.82, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K). Starter Josh Ravin hung in for six (4.45, 7 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 6 K). 2B Brodie Greene hammered a pair of homers (#3 and #4, 3 RBI, .281). Coddington had a solo shot (#1). LF Andrew Means, quiet for most of the last month, was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and steal #28 (.261).
6/28: Jason Braun got a rude introduction to the California League. Stockton mauled him for eight runs in the eighth (0.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) and routed the Blaze 14-4. Mark Serrano started and lost (L 2-2, 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K). Means had three hits and steal #29 (.268).
Transactnotes: 6/23: As we knew- C Yasmani Grandal to Carolina, C Kevin Coddington down from Carolina. 6/27: RHP Lance Janke released. 1B Chris Richburg activated from the DL. INF Jake Kahauleilo up to Carolina.
Low-A Dayton Dragons
This week: 3-2.
Overall: 3-2, tied for third, one game behind Lansing (TOR). Overall 38-37.
6/22: All-Star Break!
6/23: All-Star Break!
6/24: It’s been up, it’s been down- but the Dragons ultimately finished the first half at .500. Dan Renken (2-7, 4.30) was very solid in April and May but is 0-3 with a 7.29 ERA in four June starts. Renken opposed the Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB), who won the Dragons’ Eastern Division with a 41-29 first-half record. The right-hander was a little more effective than he was earlier in the month, but still very hittable (L 2-8, 4.25, 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K). He departed down 3-2, and the Hot Rods went on to add two unearned insurance runs off Blaine Howell. Dayton was held to six hits, losing 5-2. DH Donald Lutz hit a two-run homer, #10. The Dragons left nine men on base, including both of their top two hitters in the lineup, CF Theo Bowe (2-for-4, BB, steal #9, .269) and SS Billy Hamilton (2-for-5, .236).
6/25: Kyle Lotzkar bounced back to pitch well (7.24, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) and fellow injury case Luca Panerati followed with 2.1 scoreless (0.00, 2 H, 2 K) as the Dragons rallied for two in the sixth and one in the seventh to win, 4-3. The 21-year-old Italian lefty was held to ten relief appearances in 2010 due to injury after spending all of 2009 in the Billings rotation. Theo Bowe’s bases-loaded walk and C Tucker Barnhart’s single tied the game at 3, while Hamilton created some Havoc by walking, stealing second (#54), moving to third on 2B Ronald Torreyes’ sacrifice and scoring on a wild pitch in the seventh. Hamilton finished 2-for-4 (also committed error #24) to raise his line to .240/.299/.331; the only concern with his June is the sudden lack of walks (.292/.312/.381). Lutz was 2-for-4 with two runs scored as well (.262).
6/26: Again the Dragons rally, coming back from a 4-0 deficit by scoring two in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to beat BG, 5-4! The Dragons’ veteran bullpen did a great job filling in for All-Star Josh Smith, a bit off his game (1.97, 4 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR), by throwing five innings of three-hit, no-walk, seven-strikeout ball. Pat Doyle got the duke (W 5-2, 3.27, 2 IP, 2 K). Drew Hayes got save #10 (1.13, 2 K). Torreyes was 2-for-4 with two RBI- his double in the seventh plated the tying and go-ahead runs. He’s batting .350. CF Jefry Sierra, who hit all of .136 in May after a solid April, smacked three hits (.216, R, RBI, steal #18). 1B Dominic D’Anna was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored (.277). Hamilton was 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored, and RBI.
6/27: Daniel “Little Cueto” Corcino held Lansing (TOR) to three hits over seven (W 8-3, 2.53, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) and Dayton scored six runs in the seventh to detonate a tie ballgame. They win easily, 9-2. Torreyes was 3-for-4 with a run scored, two stolen bases (4) and two more RBI (.417). Hamilton extended his hitting streak to seven games, scored twice, and nabbed bag #55. Barnhart was 3-for-4 with two runs scored (.282) and Bowe 2-for-4 with two runs (.275). Dan Wolford finished up for Corcino with two scoreless (2.04, 1 H, 3 K).
6/28: Lansing scored four runs in the first off starter Tanner Robles, who left after allowing the first two men he faced in the third to reach (L 3-7, 7.16, 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K). Dayton got within two runs later but fell short, 9-5. The Lugnuts committed four errors, but Dayton was 3-for-11 with men in scoring position (stranding nine). Pat Doyle worked four innings of one-run ball in long relief (3.19, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K). 3B David Vidal was 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI (.278) despite a pair of errors. Torreyes picked up two more hits and a run scored (.414).
Transactnotes: 6/23: RHS Dan Tuttle assigned to the AZL Reds. 6/24: LHP Luca Panerati promoted from the AZL Reds and activated.
An article from the Dayton Daily News outlined the family tragedies suffered by OF Yorman Rodriguez, the altered delivery of RHS Kyle Lotzkar, and Eric Davis lovin’ on 2B Ronald Torreyes.
Rookie-Pioneer Billings Mustangs
This week: 4-3.
Overall: 5-4, second place, one game behind Helena (MIL).
6/22: Billings scored two in the eighth and two more in the ninth, but still fell two short, 7-5. 1B Robert Maddox grounded out to end the ninth with the tying runs on base. The Mustangs dug themselves quite a hole early, though, committing five errors resulting in three of the five runs off starter Radhames Quezada (L 0-1, 4 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR) being unearned. Three of them came from 2B Cristobal Rodriguez, who was pulled midgame and replaced by Sammy Diaz (who went 2-for-3). 3B Sean Buckley’s first pro game went well- he was 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, a walk, and a stolen base (and a throwing error). SS Devin Lohman’s demotion from Dayton has apparently awakened his bat- he lashed three hits and drove in a run, making him 7-for-14 in three games. Righty Dan Jensen (20th round), the 6’8” pitcher from the University of Cincinnati, allowed three hits and one run in two innings. Seventh-rounder James Allen threw a scoreless inning, walking two. Rehabbin’ Derrik Lutz (see last week’s report) gave up a run in his inning.
6/23: 2011 fourth-round pick Kyle McMyne, 21, wasted no time getting his pro career underway- he’s started a game four contests into the season. The 5’11” 220-pounder out of Villanova looked very solid in his two innings of work, allowing one hit and no runs and whiffing three (the only blemish: two wild pitches). Lefty Mitchell Clarke (19th-round, 2009) took over and shut Great Falls out for three innings (3 H, 2 BB, 2 K) but the Voyagers snapped the scoreless tie in the sixth with a run off Matt Leonard (38th-round, 2010). Leonard did strike out three in 1.2 innings. Billings tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Maddox tripled and scored on Buckley’s sacrifice fly. The Mustangs grabbed a 2-1 lead the next inning when 3B Junior Arias doubled, moved to third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch. In the eighth, Billings added an insurance run when Maddox reached on a wild pitch after striking out, stealing second, and scoring on RF Kyle Waldrop’s single. Righty Carlos Contreras worked 1.1 for the win (1-0, 0.00, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K) and Brooks Pinckard (10th-round, 2011) set GF down in order in the ninth for the save. CF Kurtis Muller was 2-for-4 (.308).
6/24: Helena (MIL) got the winning run in the bottom of the tenth off righty Pat Quinn (0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K) and nipped Billings 7-6. Venezuelan lefty Ismael Guillon had a tough time in his PL debut (2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 3 K); the 19-year-old whiffed 73 in 57 IP in the AZL last year. El’Hajj Muhammad struck out four over 2.2 innings (3.60, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB) and Brian Pearl (2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) and James Allen (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K) did a nice job in middle relief. Lohman hit his second home run, a three-run bomb in the first, and LF Juan Silva was 3-for-5 with a double, stolen base, and two runs scored (.462, RBI).
6/25: The Brewers take game two of the series as well, 8-5. Wes Mugarian started (L 0-2, 4.50, 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). CF Dayne Read had a double and triple (.333). DH Nick O’Shea, this year’s 24th-rounder out of the University of Minnesota, hit his first pro homer and added a double.
6/26: Righty Stalin Gerson stymied Helena on three hits through six innings (W 2-0, 0.75, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K) as Billings salvaged one, 7-1. DH Drew Poulk hit his second homer, Read was 3-for-5 with three RBI, and Muller was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a triple (.333). SS Cristobal Rodriguez doubled twice (.400). Gerson was subsequently named the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Week for his week-one heroics.
6/27: Billings takes the bus two hours to Missoula (ARI), where they whipped the Osprey in game of this three-game set 11-5. Six runs in the top of the tenth after Arias doubled, went to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth to tie the game at 5. 1B Robert Maddox led off the tenth with a home run, then a fistful of wild pitches, a Muller RBI single, and a Read two-run homer provided the big rally. Muller homered earlier in the game (#1, .385, 3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI). Buckley hit his first pro homer (.304) as well. Arias finished with two doubles and three runs scored (.200). James Allen fired two more scoreless innings for the victory in relief of starter Quezada (4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). Jensen pitched well again, whiffing three over 1.2 innings of relief.
6/28: This time Billings does their rallying in regulation, as they scored six runs in the eighth inning this time to rack up another win over Missoula, 10-6. Maddox hit his second homer and was 3-for-5 (.235) and Read hit another two-run shot (2-for-5, 3 RBI, .414). Arias tripled in two runs and 2B Sammy Diaz drove in three with two hits (.333). Starter McMyne struggled (2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) but Canadian righty Mitchell Clarke worked four innings of two-hit ball (1.29, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) to keep in close. Pearl struck out four over two innings (2.25, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB) for the victory.
Rookie-Arizona AZL Reds
This week: 2-3.
Overall: 3-4, tied for second, two games behind the Dodgers.
6/22: Off.
6/23: The Dodgers got four in the seventh to beat the Reds, 7-5. Righty Jim Moran (18th-round, 2011) suffered the defeat, although all four runs were unearned. 1B Carlos Sanchez and CF Brennan May each launched two-run homers- both players have gone deep twice in three games. Dominican righty Eliezer Beard, 20, worked three one-hit innings with no walks (1 R, 0 ER, 2 K). Righty Carlos Gonzalez (21st-round, 2011) followed him with two scoreless (1 H, 2 BB, 2 K).
6/24: Three runs in the fourth provided the push needed for the Reds to beat the Padres, 5-3. 3B Juan Perez was 3-for-4 with a run scored, RBI, and two stolen bases (.545). DH Fray Sosa was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Starter Dan Tuttle, demoted from Dayton after making eleven starts there this season (4-3, 4.87, 57.1 IP, 58 H, 21 BB, 50 K, only 2 HR) pitched very well for the in (1-0, 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K). 25th-rounder Justice French, a righty out of Mercer College in Georgia, saw his pro debut go swimmingly (2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 K). Venezuelan righty Alejandro Chacin picked up the save on his 18th birthday, striking out three in 1.1 innings. Chacin put up a 1.53 ERA in the Venezuelan Summer League last year over 35.1 IP.
6/25: Dominican righty Abel de los Santos dominated the DSL last year to the tune of a 9-1 record and 1.85 ERA, but his first pro game on US soil was a rude awakening. The Mariners got him for seven earned runs over 3.2 innings (5 H, 2 BB, 5 K) as they beat the Reds 8-6. 36th-round pick Randy Yard debuted with 1.1 scoreless and righty Carlos Ramos (2 ER in 33 IP in the DSL last year) followed with two more. Perez kept raking, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks, and a RBI. He
6/26: The Reds grabbed a 5-4 lead over the Giants with two in the seventh, but the bad guys got two in the eighth to saddle Lucas O’Rear (L 0-1, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) with the loss, 6-5. Cincinnati native Joel Bender started and worked four (5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K). Fellow local native/non-drafted free agent Phil Bauer (Xavier) homered and CF Spencer Dickinson and 2B Brandon Dailey each had two hits.
6/27: Off.
6/28: Six runs over the final three innings got the Reds a nice comeback win over the Brewers, 7-4. Dickinson had a double and triple with two RBI (.417) and Sanchez doubled twice and scored twice. RF Jon Matthews (8th-round) was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI (.182). C Wagner Gomez socked a three-run home run. Starter Gonzalez lasted three (4 H, 3 ER, 4 K) then Beard followed with a dominant outing (W 1-0, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K). Chacin whiffed three straight for save #2.
Transactnotes: 6/22: 2011 31st-round pick Erik Miller, a RHP from TCU, added to the roster. 6/28: RHPs Ryan Kemp (14th-round, 2011) and Nick Fleece (13th-round, 2011) activated.
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