Louisville has now lost eight in a row, wiping out almost all of the nine-game win streak from before. Only Pensacola had a winning week; the Wahoos have taken nine of fourteen in the second half so far. Bakersfield was doing okay before they were blown out on the 3rd and 4th. Dayton remains unable to really get a streak going. The AZL Reds still aren’t doing much, while Billings dropped back into a tie for first from what was a three-game cushion.
AAA Louisville Bats
Record this week: 0-7.
Overall: 31-57. Last. Once again, the worst record in the IL by far (eight wins).
I have to say- with the way rosters change at this level, how much is this going to get fans to the ballpark?
6/28: After nine wins, the Bats drop back-to-back games to the Bisons of Buffalo (NYM, 40-41). Here it was 4-2, with Sean Gallagher leaving after four innings and 83 pitches (L 6-5, 5.20, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K) and Louisville unable to score in the final five off the Buffalo bullpen. Willie Harris celebrated his second outright minors assignment by entering midgame and getting hits in both his at-bats (.259).
6/29: Make it three for the Bisons, 8-0. Prospect Matt Harvey whitewashed the Bats for seven innings on two hits. Ryan Feierabend lost (1-2, 5.81, 5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 HR).
6/30: Four Bats errors, four straight Bats losses. Indianapolis (PIT, 51-31) wins 10-3. C Dioner Navarro, the Bats’ lone All-Star representative, was 3-for-4 with two doubles (.343). 3B Mike Costanzo was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, #6 (.265). RF Felix Perez was 2-for-3 with a walk (.273). Chad Reineke started and lost (3-6, 4.30, 6 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 2 HR). Donnie Joseph gave up his first AAA earned run in appearance #7.
7/1: Five losses. And none have been that close. Indy cruises again, 8-3, beating Tim Gustafson (L 3-2, 5.28, 4 IP, 5 ER, 3 HR) in a game that ended in the eighth due to rain.
7/2: Gotta give the Bats credit for battling, as they fought first-place Indy through 14 innings- but in the end it’s just a sixth straight loss, 6-4. The Indians got two off Nick “Sister” Christiani (tm Red Reporter) in the top of the 14th (L 0-4, 2.85, 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) with help from Paul Janish’ second fielding error of the game. 1B Neftali Soto hit homer #9 (2-for-5, .239), RF Bill Rhinehart #8 (2-for-5, 2 RBI, .245) and CF Denis Phipps #5. Starter Pedro Villareal managed a quality start (4.18, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K). Good work from JJ Hoover (1.29, 2 IP, 3 K) and Donnie Joseph (0.79, 2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K).
7/3: Seven, 7-3. Not much of note… Dioner Navarro got three more hits (.349)? Sean Gallagher (5.42, 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR) fell to 6-6? I’m really reaching here.
7/4: Reach further, I guess. The Bats get two-hit and make it eight losses in a row, 6-1. RF Kris Negron had both hits (.214). Feierabend (L 1-3, 6.23) lost. I suspect he’s just filling space until one of the Reds’ Double-A prospects earns a bump. And that’s going to happen sooner rather than later.
Transactions: 6/29: OF Denis Phipps and 1B Neftali Soto activated from the DL. OF Daryl Jones (.187/.282/.363 in 27 games) released. 6/30: OF Danny Dorn also released. Dorn, 28 in a few weeks, was suffering through a .230/.321/.394 season this year after hitting .275/.337/.457 in 2009, .302/.398/.545 in 2010, and .248/.310/.440 in 2011 for the Bats. A 32nd-round pick in 2006 out of Cal State-Fullerton, Dorn exceeded expectations by even making it as high as Triple-A. I hope he lands in the right place and gets a crack at the big leagues the way Mike Costanzo and Quintin Berry did earlier this year. 7/4: OF Felix Perez placed on the 7-day DL. UT Willie Harris, same. INF Henry Rodriguez activated from rehab and promoted right to Louisville! That’s a surprise. C Brian Peacock up from Pensacola.
Around the minors: The Mariners released ex-Red INF Eric Campbell from their Double-A Jackson affiliate. Campbell was a second-round pick of the Braves a few years back and he raked in the first half of last year at Bakersfield before spending the second half at Double-A. 7/2: LHP Dontrelle Willis, 30, announced his retirement. Willis again struggled to throw strikes after conquering the problem for long enough last year to earn 13 starts with the Reds (1-6, 5.00, 37 BB in 75.2 IP) after pitching very well in 13 starts for Louisville (5-2, 2.63, 20/67 BB/K in 75.1 IP). He was 0-3, 8.53 in four appearances for Triple-A Norfolk in the Baltimore system.
AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos
This week: 5-2.
Overall: 9-5 second half, tied for first with Montgomery (TB) 43-40 overall.
6/28: Jackson (SEA, 5-3) got its immediate revenge for Tony Cingrani’s 8-3-0-0-1-15 line against them the night before. Starter Anthony Fernandez, a 22-year-old Dominican lefty making just his second start at this level, threw a 6-0, two-hit shutout. That was his second straight complete game, too! He did it in just 97 pitches over the Blue Wahoos, who got just a Miguel Rojas single and a Didi Gregorius double. Starter Kyle Lotzkar pounded the strike zone- a little too much (L 4-3, 4.21, 4 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 2 HR). Drew Hayes now has a 1.59 ERA over his last ten (3.71, 1.1 IP, 2 BB, 3 K) and Wirfin Obispo continues to do well at this level after some rough stuff in Triple-A (1.04, 3 IP, 1 H, 2 K).
6/29: Daniel Corcino bounced back from control problems with his previous start to fire eight strong for the second time in three (W 4-4, 3.18, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 90 pitches/59 strikes). Pensacola wins it, 6-2. CF Ryan LaMarre homered (#3) and doubled (.276, 2 RBI) and both 3B David Vidal (#2) and LF Bryson Smith (3-for-4, #1) hit solo homers.
6/30: The Wahoos clinch a series win in the rubber match of this five-game set, whipping the Generals 4-2! JC Sulbaran had a quality start (W 6-5, 4.20, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 HR). DH Beau Mills knocked in two with a double(.296) and 1B Stephen Hunt had a single and double from the #9 slot (.214). Drew Hayes again pitched scoreless ball (3.57, 1.1 IP, 1 K) and Curt Partch notched save #4 (4.50, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB).
7/1: On the road to Jacksonville to face the Suns (FLA, 5-6). The Wahoos get burned in the opener, 10-4, with Tim Crabbe suffering the double whammy of control problems and gopher balls (L 3-5, 4.66, 4 IP, 3 H, 6 ER, 6 BB, 3 K, 3 HR). Smith finished 4-for-4 with a double and stolen base, but was stranded each and every time (8-for-15 since promotion). Mills did hit homer #3 and Gregorius knocked in a pair with a triple.
7/2: Tony Cingrani earned himself his own BA blogpost after he blotted out the Suns for 6.2 innings in a 2-0 Pensacola shutout win (W 3-1, 1.75, 2 H, 4 BB, 9 K, 97 pitches/59 strikes). Justin Freeman set down seven straight, four by strikeout, for save #5 (3.96). Gregorius and C Brian Peacock knocked in runs in the sixth.
7/3: Kyle Lotzkar got hit (4.72, 4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR) but Pensacola scored three in the sixth to win a come-from behind 7-5 contest. BWs take two of three in this unusually short series. Mark Serrano survived a pair of fifth-inning walks to notch the win (5-1, 3.21, 1 IP, 2 BB). Chris Manno struck out a pair (3.34), then Drew Hayes carried the load (3.35, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K) to Partch for the close (save #5, 4.40, 1 IP, 1 K). Gregorius connected for his first home run of the season, a two-run blast, while finishing 3-for-5 with four RBI overall (.281). Mills hit homer #4.
7/4: Five in the second gave the BWs a big lead they never relinquished; they take game one of this three-game home set from Birmingham (CWS, 8-6), 7-3. DH Brodie Greene, who’s suffered through a rough offensive year after a solid 2011 at Bakersfield (it was the Cal League…), hit a three-run homer in that big second inning (.233, 1-for-2, 4 RBI, 2 BB). LaMarre was 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs, and steal #19 (.276). Vidal continues to make slow progress as well (2-for-4, 2B, .239) and Smith keeps hitting (.385, 2-for-3, BB). Daniel Corcino got the win, allowing just two other hits outside of a pair of solo homers (W 5-4, 3.17, 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K). Justin Freeman (save #6, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 3.79) bailed out Manno (who allowed both men he faced to reach) to close it out.
Not only did Tony Cingrani get a BA blog post, but he also got a spot on the BA Prospect Hot Sheet for his 15-K extravaganza.
Transactions: 7/4: C Brian Peacock up to Louisville. INF Henry Rodriguez activated and immediately promoted to Louisville. C Tucker Barnhart, 21 and boasting a .278/.371/.409 line at Bakersfield, promoted to Pensacola. His .382/.455/.603 June capped major improvements at the dish from April (.173/.279/.269) and May (.268/.381/.352).
High-A Bakersfield Blaze
This week: 2-5.
Overall: 6-8 second half. 47-37 overall. Playoff-bound.
6/28: Brooks Pinckard fought with his control again (L 1-3, 7.90, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K) as Modesto (COL, 7-1) came from behind to win it 6-4. Pinckard has now issued 31 BB in 27.1 Cal League innings after none in 10 Dayton innings earlier this season; perhaps there is something wrong here? The Baylor product doesn’t have a history of major control problems. Dan Renken pitched eight solid innings (4.24, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 2 HR). Bakersfield was caught on four of six stolen base attempts. 1B Dominic D’Anna was 4-for-4 with a double (.267) and LF Don Lutz returned to action with a single, triple, and RBI (.304).
6/29: Bakersfield managed to make an early 3-0 advantage stand up, as Kyle McMyne worked a 1-2-3 ninth for save #2 in a 4-3 victory. Justice French (W 1-2, 4.32, 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB) got the win backing up starter Pat Doyle (4.06, 3.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K). SS Billy Hamilton was 3-for-4, all doubles, and also nabbed bags #95 and #96 while being picked off (CS #21) once as well. RF Juan Duran picked up two hits and D’Anna had a double and a pair of runs scored in two at-bats.
6/30: Modesto manages to win the series at Sam Lynn Stadium, routing the Blaze 11-5. Chad Rogers was out after four (L 4-3, 2.74, 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR). LF Juan Duran was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer (#8) and three RBI. RF Steve Selsky had three hits, one a double, while scoring two and driving in two others (.395). CF Theo Bowe had two hits and steal #30 (.359).
7/1: Lake Elsinore (SD) had won eight of their first ten to start the second half, but the Blaze won game one of this series, 4-2. Josh Smith worked five for the win (W 7-4, 3.65, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) and McMyne got save #3. Both Hamilton (98) and Bowe (32 in 43 G) got a pair of steals, with Theo also driving in two runs.
7/2: Hamilton made headlines for getting steals #99 and #100 while going 1-for-3 with a run scored and walk (.327), but the Blaze as a whole were held to five hits in a 3-2 defeat. Jamie Walczak had his best start to date (L 2-2, 4.76, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K).
7/3: Thud. Lake Elsinore almost gets a no-hitter, but CF Kurtis Muller managed a ninth-inning double to break that up. Storm still win 10-0. Dan Renken was chased after a single inning (L 4-4, 4.70, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K).
7/4: Lowly Stockton (OAK, 33-51) came to Sam Lynn Stadium, but they didn’t play lowly. They hammered the Blaze 14-3, beating Pat Doyle (L 7-3, 4.89, 6 IP, 12 H, 8 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) and Dan Wolford (5.57, 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 HR). Bowe did hit homer #3 and Hamilton steal bag #101. Selsky was 3-for-4 with a double (.365) and Duran 2-for-3 with a walk (.248).
Transactions: 6/28: OF-1B Don Lutz activated from the DL. Lutz did not play between May 24 and June 27 due to his shoulder injury. 6/30: INF Devin Lohman placed on the 7-day DL; INF James Ewing up from Dayton. C Danny Vicioso back to the Dragons. 7/4: C Tucker Barnhart promoted to Pensacola. LHR Chris Joyce placed on the 7-day DL. C Danny Vicioso back from Dayton to cover for the promoted Barnhart. LHP Tanner Robles, 23, promoted from Dayton; the Oregon State product (2010, 9th-round) was made to repeat the Midwest League after a 5.40 ERA and 69 BB in 86.2 IP last season. He improved this year, cutting the ERA to 4.45 and the walks to 33 in 85 innings. Robles was a postseason All-Star in 2010 in the Pioneer League.
Billy Hamilton makes the team photo on the BA Prospect Hot Sheet with the following blurb: "The worst thing a pitcher could see is Reds SS Billy Hamilton getting a lead off first base. The bad news for California League pitchers is that the Bakersfield shortstop has gotten much better at figuring out how to get to first. Hamilton, 21, was 7-for-29 this week with one extra-base hit, but he drew eight walks compared to four strikeouts, which allowed him to still swipe 12 bases in 15 attempts. Hamilton has walked 22 times compared to 17 strikeouts this month. The Cal League's hitting environments don't hurt, but Hamilton has managed to significantly cut his strikeout rate this year while upping his walk rate, it's a great combination for a leadoff hitter."
Low-A Dayton Dragons
This week: 3-4.
Overall: 4-9 second half. 34-49 overall.
6/28: Dayton broke a five-game losing streak the night before, but headed to South Bend (ARI, 4-5) just in time to start another one. The Silver Hawks won a 12-4 rout, chasing starter Dan Jensen after three (L 3-8, 5.85, 3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K). Cole Green wasn’t effective, either, serving up five hits and five earned runs over the final two (4.96). Only El’Hajj Muhammad had a halfway decent line (2.59, 2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K). I root for this distinctively-named 49th-round pick, what can I say? RF Yorman Rodriguez, quiet since homering in his first game back, did go 2-for-4 with a run knocked in (.207). 2B Joe Terry got up to .267 with a 2-for-4.
6/29: South Bend administered a 9-3 drubbing to clinch a series win. 1B Sean Buckley was 3-for-4 (.245) and Rodriguez doubled, walked, and scored two. Radhames Quezada threw four one-hit innings (3.56, 3 BB, 3 K) but things exploded on Erik Miller (L 0-3, 1 IP, 7 H, 8 ER).
6/30: Seven runs in the second allowed Dayton to salvage one, 9-2. SS Juan Perez went 3-for-5 with two doubles and homer #3 (.250) while Buckley popped #6 and CF Juan Silva #3. Tanner Robles got through six (W 5-5, 4.45, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K) and Muhammad set down nine straight for the long save (2.30, 2 K). 3B Junior Arias had two hits, two runs, and two steals (.206, 16).
7/1: Off to Bowling Green (TB, 5-4) and a Sunday afternoon score that more closely resembled a football game. The Hot Rods win, 20-10. I’ll stick to the offensive highlights: Perez (3-for-5, 4 R, 3B, 3 RBI, homer #4, .257) , DH Joe Terry (3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, 2 RBI, .269) and 2B Ryan Wright (3-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, .308).
7/2: Buckley’s two-run homer in the eighth (#7), following C Yovan Gonzalez’ RBI hit from the inning before (2-for-4, .252) helped the Dragons come back from a late two-run deficit to nip Bowling Green, 3-2. Jake Johnson worked six (3.51, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) but the comeback made Mike Dennhardt (W 2-3, 2.93, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) the winning pitcher. Carlos Contreras got save #8 (3.19, 1 IP, 2 K).
7/3: Bowling Green takes the game 5-1 (and the series 2-1). James Allen did okay in his first start (L 5-3, 3.58, 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR). Buckley had two hits to climb to .250.
7/4: South Bend (ARI, 6-7) rolled into town, but it was Dayton that did the rolling. A season-long offensive frustration exploded, resulting in the Dragons scoring eight runs in the first and 17 overall on 24 hits!
Dayton Bottom of the 1st
• Junior Arias reaches on fielding error by third baseman Ryan Court.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch runner Joe Terry replaces Junior Arias.
• With Juan Perez batting, wild pitch by John Pedrotty, Joe Terry to 2nd.
• Juan Perez reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by pitcher John Pedrotty.
• Yorman Rodriguez doubles (5) on a line drive to left fielder Tom Belza. Joe Terry scores. Juan Perez scores.
• Sean Buckley singles on a line drive to center fielder Chris Ellison. Yorman Rodriguez to 3rd.
• Ryan Wright singles on a ground ball to shortstop Niko Gallego. Yorman Rodriguez scores. Sean Buckley to 2nd.
• With Kyle Waldrop batting, wild pitch by John Pedrotty, Sean Buckley to 3rd. Ryan Wright to 2nd.
• Kyle Waldrop singles on a line drive to center fielder Chris Ellison. Sean Buckley scores. Ryan Wright to 3rd.
• Yovan Gonzalez singles on a line drive to left fielder Tom Belza. Ryan Wright scores. Kyle Waldrop to 2nd.
• With Juan Silva batting, passed ball by Roidany Aguila, Kyle Waldrop to 3rd. Yovan Gonzalez to 2nd.
• Juan Silva walks.
• Jefry Sierra grounds out, third baseman Ryan Court to first baseman Matt Helm. Kyle Waldrop scores. Yovan Gonzalez to 3rd. Juan Silva to 2nd.
• Joe Terry singles on a line drive to left fielder Tom Belza. Yovan Gonzalez scores. Juan Silva scores.
• Juan Perez singles on a line drive to right fielder Marc Bourgeois. Joe Terry to 2nd.
• Pitcher Change: Keith Hessler replaces John Pedrotty.
• Yorman Rodriguez grounds into a force out, shortstop Niko Gallego to second baseman Eric Groff. Joe Terry to 3rd. Juan Perez out at 2nd. Yorman Rodriguez to 1st.
• Sean Buckley flies out to right fielder Marc Bourgeois.
Everyone in the lineup except 3B Junior Arias, who left after one at-bat with an injury, contributed at least one hit. Arias’ replacement, Joe Terry, was 4-for-5 with two RBI (.274). CF Jefry Sierra drove in four with three hits (.222), Gonzalez three with three (.262), RF Kyle Waldrop two with four (.271) and Rodriguez three with three (.250). Starter Carlos Gonzalez went four solid innings (3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K) then Dan Jensen did enough for the win (W 4-8, 6.02, 3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K).
Transactions: 6/28: RHS Dan Tuttle placed on the DL with a strained elbow ligament. RHP Carlos Gonzalez up from Billings. 6/30: C Danny Vicioso back from Bakersfield; INF James Ewing up to the Blaze. 7/1: RHR Lucas O’Rear back from Billings; RHR Erik Miller to Billings. 7/4: RHS Wes Mugarian promoted from Billings. LHP Tanner Robles on to Bakersfield. C Danny Vicioso on to the Blaze as well.
Rookie-Pioneer
This week: 3-4.
Overall: 10-7, now tied for first with Great Falls (CHW).
6/28: A wild pitch to DH Robert Maddox with CF Sammy Diaz on third got the Mustangs the winning run in the tenth, 4-3. 1B Carlos Sanchez keeps raking; he doubled and tripled here and is batting .378/439/.622 in his first nine games. Starter Wes Mugarian worked five decent frames (3.21, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR). Joel Bender ripped through nine straight, whiffing six (9.39) but it was lefty Nick Routt who got the win with the final two (1-0). Routt (16th-round, Mississippi State) has allowed only one hit over his first four pro appearances.
6/29: The Mustangs win the series at home over Great Falls, 5-3. Robert Stephenson made it three straight solid performances (2.57, 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K). Sean Lucas got the victory in relief (1-0, 0.00, 1 IP, 2 K) while Matt Wiley got save #4 (also 0.00). Sanchez hit homer #2 to bring Billings within 3-2 in the seventh, then he contributed an RBI triple to other run-scoring hits by Diaz and RF Spencer Dickinson in a three-run eighth. Sanchez finished 3-for-4 with two triples, the homer, and a .415 average. Dickinson is at .381 (2-for-3, 2 R, BB).
6/30: Missoula (ARI, 6-5), trailing the Mustangs by a few so far, got one back with a 10-5 win. Billings made five errors, leading to four unearned runs. Ismael Guillon had a couple strong innings before getting chased in the fourth (L 0-1, 5.40, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K). 2B Brandon Dailey hit homer #2. Sanchez hit #3 (2-for-5, 2 RBI, .410). RF Jesse Winker added two hits (.366) and so did C Fray Sosa (.333, 2B). Dickinson doubled, drew three walks, and threw out a runner at third.
7/1: After two good starts, righty Sal Romano was never able to find his arm slot in #3. He left after two-plus (L 1-1, 4.09, 2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) as the Osprey made it back-to-back wins over the Mustangs by a 6-2 score. Winker didn’t make an out, going 4-for-4 with a walk and a RBI- but Billings left him on base five times (10 LOB total). CF Beau Amaral got two hits and an outfield assist in his first pro start and LF Daniel Pigott was 2-for-3 in his.
7/2: Billings got good pitching work from Drew Cisco (4.50, 3 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) and Dan Langfield (3.00, 2 IP, 2 H, 2 K) but the Osprey jumped on Jose Amezcua (L 0-2, 5.00, 3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR) for four in the seventh and eighth to rally to a 5-2 win. Amaral had a single, double, run scored, and steal while Winker drew three walks in four at-bats.
7/3: Six runs in the third provided the eventual margin of victory for the Mustangs, 10-4. 1B Robert Maddox led the offense with a single, triple, and three RBI (.304) and Dickinson added two hits and two RBI. Jimmy Moran got the win (1-1, 4.26, 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) in relief of Joel Bender (4 IP, 3 ER). Sean Lucas worked the last 2.1 for save #2.
7/4: Helena (MIL, 5-12) got three in the top of the eighth to steal a one-run lead, then their bullpen held Billings to just one baserunner over the final two innings. Brewers win it 8-7. Maddox had a game to remember, though, smashing three home runs in his first three at-bats. He now has five homers and 16 RBI in 13 PL games. Does he get to go to Dayton yet? They could use some power. Robert Stephenson walked four but allowed just one hit over three innings (2.12, 3 K). Bennett Klimesh was stuck with the loss despite both of his runs being unearned (L 0-1, 1.29, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K).
Transactions: 6/28: RHP Carlos Gonzalez to Dayton. 6/30: OF Beau Amaral (7th round, UCLA) and OF Daniel Pigott (9th round, Florida) activated. Amaral is the son of former big league outfielder Rich Amaral, while Pigott is a 22-year-old senior sign who settled for just $40,000 (about one-third of slot value) 7/1: RHP Lucas O’Rear re-promoted to Dayton; RHR Erik Miller demoted to the Mustangs. 7/4: RHS Wes Mugarian promoted to Dayton. 3B Seth Mejias-Brean (8th round, 2012, U. of Arizona) activated.
Rookie-Arizona
This week: 2-3.
Overall: 3-8, fourth place.
6/28: Second-rounder Tanner Rahier drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the tenth to push the good guys up a run at 8-7, then Abel de los Santos worked a scoreless bottom of the inning (surviving a one-out triple) to give the Redlings the duke on their sixth try at win #2. Rahier finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and three free passes. His line in the early going: .269/.429/.423 with seven RBI in seven games. This game was also notable for featuring the United States debut of 19-year-old RHP Robert-Lewis Walker, the Reds’ first South African signee ever. The 6’3”, 195-pounder worked one inning, allowing one hit and striking out a man. And one final note: INF Henry Rodriguez returned to action following a broken hand suffered back in May; he went 1-for-3. Rodriguez, 22, was batting .348 with Pensacola in 33 games pre-injury.
6/29: The Royals built a 10-0 lead and won 13-4. Jonathan Perez didn’t allow a hit but walked five and left in the second inning (L 0-2). Richard McCaffrey took over and gave up ten hits and nine earned runs in three-plus. Luke Moran did soak up another three-plus (1.59, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K). Rahier hit his second home run (2-for-4, 2 R) to raise his average to .300.
6/30: Pedro Diaz fired five innings of one-hit, shutout ball as the Reds spanked the Mariners 5-2. Mike Saunders got the save. SS Humberto Valor, a 18-year-old Venezuelan repeating this level after a .207/.315/.257 line in 40 games last year, was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base. 2B Ty Washington went hitless, but scored a run, drove in two, drew two walks, and stole a bag.
7/1: Intra-complex contest against the Indians! The bad guys survived five errors to outslug the Redlings, 14-9. Lorgi Pineda (L 0-1) gave up seven earned in 2.1 for the defeat. Starter Vaughn Covington struggled again (2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K). Rahier slugged his third homer, while 2B Avain Rachal was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, and three runs (.448) and CF Jonathan Reynoso 3-for-5 with two runs and a triple. 1B Argenis Aldazoro, a 19-year-old lefty-swinging Venezuelan, hit his second home run. LF Brayan Arias had two hits and four RBI.
7/2: Off.
7/3: The Rangers survive seven (!) errors to beat the Reds, 7-4. This game marked the pro debut for left-hander Amir Garrett (very nice NY Times article) , 20. Garrett allowed one hit and one run in 0.2 innings with a strikeout. Jose Williams (2.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER) followed him and took the loss. Rahier had a two-run double and Aldazoro was 2-for-4 with a double.
7/4: Rained out.
Transactions: 7/1: RHP Joey Housey (27th-round, Oregon) activated.
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