More Bats fireworks, although they remain prone to losing big on any given night. Didi Gregorius’ newfound power is intriguing but likely temporary. Everyone else was generally one up and one down, as they’ve been the last few weeks. The problem in some cases is the opposition; while Pensacola and Billings have been hovering just above .500, Montgomery (two) and Great Falls (four) have leaped into first place. The AZL Reds did stop some of their freefall, splitting six. They’re still just 7-19.

AAA Louisville Bats

Record this week: 3-4.

Overall: 40-66. Last. Only two worse than 42-win Toledo.

7/19: Columbus (CLE, 54-49) held off a furious Louisville ninth-inning comeback to win the game, 13-12, and the series, 3-1. With pinch-runner Didi Gregorius, the tying run, on first base with one out in the ninth-the Bats couldn’t get him around. Earlier on, the lumber was booming- 3B Mike Costanzo hit #7 (2-for-5, 3 RBI, .259), LF Cody Puckett (#4), SS Henry Rodriguez (#2, 4-for-5, 3 R, .327) and 1B Neftali Soto (#12, a grand slam, 2-for-4 with 5 RBI total). But the Clippers scored six in the fifth to bust a tie game out to 10-4, and it was catchup from there. Chad Reineke started (L 3-7, 4.90, 4.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R ,4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR) and Carlos Fisher had a rough time of it as well (5.06, 0.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER).

7/20: Louisville headed back for a four-game set with Pawtucket (BOS, 58-46) and rewarded the 8,774 paid attendance by getting thrashed 9-1. Pedro Villareal has turned in solid work this year, but he got hit hard here (L 3-7, 4.09, 4 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K). Travis Webb gave up hits to five of the seven batters he faced (4.86, 3 ER, 1 HB). Fisher (1.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K), Josh Judy (5.65, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K) and Donnie Joseph (2.45, 1 IP, 1 K) all turned in good work after things were out of hand. CF Denis Phipps had a pair of doubles (.198).

7/21: New acquisition Todd Redmond, acquired from Atlanta for Paul Janish a few days before, was quite impressive in his Reds system debut. Redmond whiffed eight PawSox in seven shutout innings (W 7-6, 3.36, 5 H, 1 BB, 113 pitches/75 strikes) of a 4-0 win. Gregorius hit a three-run homer, his second in Triple-A (2-for-4, .256).

7/22: The Bats led 3-1 into the eighth, but Pawtucket got single runs in the eighth and ninth at the expense of Joseph (2.89, 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER) and JJ Hoover (1.48, 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER) to tie the game. A few extras later, they mauled Kanekoa Texeira (L 0-2, 2.77, 2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) and Josh Judy (6.34, 1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER) for six in the 12th to win it 9-3. Phipps had three hits overall, including homer #7 (.207, 2 RBI) and 2B Chris Valaika picked up three and homer #5 (.235). DH Willie Harris also had three hits (.250). Starter Tim Gustafson worked 5.2 decent innings (5.11, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 K). New signee Will Ohman struck out both batters he faced. It was a throwing error on Rodriguez that set the stage in the ninth for the run-scoring single that sent the two clubs to extras.

7/23: Triple-A veteran Billy Buckner and his 6-ish ERA stymied the Bats on four hits through seven innings as Pawtucket takes three of four, 8-1. Sean Gallagher lost (L 8-7, 4.89, 5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) Gregorius had two hits and scored the only Bats run (.271/.280/.479 in 12 games, just one walk).

7/24: Buffalo (NYM, 51-52) The Bats busted a 1-1 stalemate in the seventh with three runs, thus making a winner of Nick Christiani for the first time in 2012 (W 1-5, 3.44, 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K). Donnie Joseph got save #5. Starter Chad Reineke (4.76, 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) battled Buffalo’s Chris Schwinden for a while. Louisville’s first run came as a result of Gregorius’ third homer as a Bat; I wouldn’t count on this whole “power” thing to be a consistent part of Didi’s game, but you never know. He finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. LF Felix Perez lashed three hits and drove in one (.279, RBI).

7/25: Didi, baby. The walk-off blast, off just-demoted reliever Pedro Beato, gave the Bats a comeback 5-4 win; four in the eighth wiped out a shutout. Credit should also be given to LF Cody Puckett, whose clutch two-run single set the stage for Gregorius’ heroics. Brett Tomko is now back and struggling (3.41, 3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) but the rest of the pen pitched well- Travis Webb threw 2.2 hitless innings (4.43, 2 BB, 5 K) and JJ Hoover moved his record to 4-0 (1.42, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K).

Of all the players in this farm system, the one mentioned in the BA Prospect Hot Sheet is… noted phenom Corky Miller.

Transactions: 7/21: LHS Ryan Feierabend released. The Grafton, OH native was 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA in seven Louisville starts. RHS Pedro Villareal placed on the 7-day DL. LHR Will Ohman signed and activated. 7/25: C Dioner Navarro and RHS Brett Tomko activated; C Brian Peacock disabled with a strained lower back.

Ohman, 34, was originally a Chicago Cubs draft pick out of Pepperdine in 1998 (8th round). He made it to the big leagues in 2000, but after failing to stick with the Cubs in part of two seasons he missed all of 2002 and 2003 with arm injuries. The Cubs actually released him after the ’03 season but re-signed him a couple of months later- and he made quite a comeback, spending three solid years in the Chicago bullpen and a fourth with the Braves after a trade sending both Ohman and infielder Omar Infante to Atlanta for never-stuck-in-the-bigs pitcher Jose Ascanio (oops). Will then signed with the Dodgers in spring training of 2009, but didn’t pitch well in 21 appearances. He bounced to Baltimore for 2010, turning in fifty-one decent outings before heading to the Marlins in exchange for RHP Rick Vandenhurk in a deadline deal. Despite solid work, he was let go after the year and then returned to the White Sox for 2011. He struck out 54 in 53.1 IP on the South Side last year, but was unceremoniously released on July 3rd after posting a 6.41 ERA in 32 appearances spanning 26.2 IP this season.

With just 353 career IP despite almost five hundred career appearances, Ohman is strictly a situational lefthander. Lefties have hit .210/.294/.348 off him in his career versus .267/.359/.423 for righties. I’m not sure if he’s supposed to be insurance for another Bill Bray injury or a possible replacement in case Bray continues to pitch uninspiringly.

Around the minors: The Braves called up C JC Boscan, a longtime minor-league journeyman who took a tour through the Reds’ system at one point. The White Sox snapped up RHP Scott Carroll, just released by the Reds. Detroit signed 1B-OF Danny Dorn. Best of luck to both men in their quest for the big leagues.

AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 18-14 second half, two games behind Montgomery (TB). 52-49 overall.

7/19: Off to Mobile to face the BayBears (ARI, 12-14). Kyle Lotzkar continued to struggle with his control, allowing just two hits in 4.1 innings but six walks and four earned runs (5.23, 6 K, 1 HR, 93 pitches/49 strikes). The Futures Gamer has walked thirteen in three July starts with a 9.49 ERA after whiffing 36 against just eight free passes in five June outings (25.2 IP). Two of his runners were let in by Drew Hayes (3.48, 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB). But the Wahoos got four runs in the fifth, three on RF Josh Fellhauer’s three-run homer (#3, 3-for-5, .295, 4 RBI), then broke a 6-6 tie with single runs in the seventh and eighth to win it 8-6. Josh Ravin came off the DL to strike out three over 1.2 scoreless for the win (1-0, 0.00, 1 H) then Curt Partch (4.59, 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K) and Justin Freeman (save #9, 3.23, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) slammed the door. 2B Brodie Greene was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored (.226, steal #7) and SS Billy Hamilton had two hits, a walk, a RBI, and a run scored (and steal #7/111, also CS #2/23).

7/20: Daniel Corcino had an off-start (L 7-5, 3.25, 5 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) as Pensacola lost 6-2. Hamilton got steal #8 and CS #3 (0-for-2, 3 BB, R, .258) while CF Ryan LaMarre (.275, 2-for-4, R) and 1B Beau Mills (2-for-4, RBI, .286) had decent nights at the plate.

7/21: The BWs stormed from a 2-0 deficit to a 4-2 win, grabbing a 2-1 lead in this four-game series. LaMarre hit homer #4 and added a single (.278) while Hamilton came off the bench to single in a run. JC Sulbaran pitched five solid innings (4.08, 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K) but the win went to Hayes in relief (W 2-2, 3.40, 1 IP, 1 K). Ravin again turned in good work (1.1 IP, 2 BB, 2 K) and Freeman closed it out again (save #10, 3.12, 1.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K). Pensacola pinned the L on lefty David Holmberg, one of the better pitching prospects in the Diamondbacks system.

7/22: Hamilton came around from first to score on a Fellhauer double to tally the game’s only run in the eighth! Wahoos take three of four as Hamilton finished 3-for-4 with a double (.333). These three hits were listed as a grounder to second, a soft fly to left (double), and a grounder to short. He actually didn’t steal a base, getting thrown out (CS #4/25) on his only try. Starter Wirfin Obispo looked excellent for five innings (1 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 2.48) but the win went to righty Brian Pearl (W 1-1, 7.31, 1 IP, 1 H) and the save to Partch (#6, 2 IP, 3 K, 4.42). After an ugly start to his Double-A career, Pearl has permitted just one run over his last six outings.

7/23: Off.

7/24: After skipping a start to hold down his innings, Tony Cingrani went right back out there and dominated Huntsville (MIL, 13-17)… for three innings. The Stars figured him out in the fourth and finally chased him in the sixth (L 5-2, 2.15, 5.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 2 HR, 87 pitches/51 strikes). This was by far the lefty’s worst start in Double-A to date. Huntsville takes the game, 6-1. LaMarre hit homer #5 (2-for-4, steal #24, .283) and Hamilton reached base twice (1-for-3, BB) but was picked off once and did not attempt a steal. This being Billy, BA wrote an article about it.

7/25: Lotzkar’s struggles continued (L 4-5, 5.32, 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 3 HR) as Huntsville whipped the Wahoos again, 6-2. Hamilton did get swipe #9 and RF Bryson Smith was 2-for-4 to move his average to .333.

High-A Bakersfield Blaze

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 15-18 second half. 56-47 overall. Playoff-bound.

7/19: High Desert (SEA, 20-11) sweeps the three-game set 5-2. These three games had reasonable non-PAC-10 scores, sure, but Bakersfield still got beat in all three. Anyway, Josh Smith started (L 7-6, 3.91, 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K) and SS Devin Lohman hit a solo homer (#10).

7/20: Visalia (ARI, 14-14) picked up a 10-8 win in 11 innings in game one of this three-game set. Andrew Brackman (L 0-2, 5.20, 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER) gave up a game-losing two-run homer to the Rawhide’s Ryan LaPensee in the bottom of the eleventh. The Blaze had tied the game at 8 in the top of the ninth on a balk. Lohman homered again (#11) and added a triple. CF Theo Bowe drew three walks, scored a run, and stole two bases (37). Starter Dan Renken was out after five (5.06, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K) but Jamie Walczak (5.14, 3 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 5 K) and Dan Wolford (5.48, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K) did decently in relief on a night where runs were easy to come by.

7/21: Bakersfield evened the series with a 10-6 victory. Tim Crabbe got his second win in as many High-A starts (W 2-0, 2.08, 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K). 2B Niko Vasquez hit #4 and C Danny Vicioso #2. RF Steve Selsky had three hits and two RBI (.336).

7/22: Tanner Robles pitched well in a launching-pad environment (W 2-1, 1.93, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K) as the Blaze win the game 10-3 and the series 2-1. 3B Moose Mattair launched homer #16 (3-for-5, .259), 1B Dominic D’Anna hit #3, Selsky added #8 and C Chris Berset #2. Bowe was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a double (.345, steal #38).

7/23: Off.

7/24: San Jose (SF, 13-18) mauled the Blaze 12-0. Chad Rogers continued his second-half struggles (L 5-4, 3.16, 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) but it was the bullpen that took the real beating. 1B Stephen Hunt didn’t make an out (2-for-2, 2 BB, .200) but all of his teammates made plenty. Selsky kept his average up with a pair of singles (.339).

7/25: Josh Smith gave up a two-run homer in the first… then the Blaze allowed no more runs the rest of the way. After Smith finished five (3.89, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K), Pat Doyle (5.14, 1 IP, 1 K), Kyle McMyne (W 2-1, 3.95, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 K) and Andrew Brackman (save #1) set the stage for Bakersfield to tie the game in the seventh, then win it in the eighth with two runs. Bowe and Mattair had clutch RBI singles to provide the margin of victory in the 4-2 win.

Transactions: 7/19: Struggling RHR Brooks Pinckard placed on the 7-day DL. 7/25: LHR Chris Joyce activated from the DL after a week and change in Arizona rehabbing.

Low-A Dayton Dragons

This week: 2-4.

Overall: 11-20 second half. 41-60 overall.

7/19: Clinton (SEA, 17-13) took the first two of this three-game set at Fifth Third Field, 10-6, with the help of six in the first off Dragons starter Jake Johnson (L 1-3, 5.26, 5 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 3 K). The righty does deserve credit for going back out there and pitching well for the four innings immediately following the big LumberKings first. 1B Sean Buckley was 3-for-4 with a double (.249) and 3B Junior Arias drove in two runs despite going 0-for-4 (.198).

7/20: Dayton salvaged one from this series, scoring six in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 1-1 tie and win it 7-1. James Allen had his best start yet (3.77, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K) but it went for a no-decision. Carlos Gonzalez (W 3-3, 4.55, 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K) got it in relief. Buckley had three more hits (.256, RBI, R) and RF Yorman Rodriguez did the same (.304, R, steal #4).

7/21: Kane County (KC, 15-13) hammered Dayton and Wes Mugarian (L 0-2, 8.10, 4.2 IP, 8 ER) 9-1. LF Kyle Waldrop (.269) had three hits and a run knocked in.

7/22: Four Cougars runs in the first doomed Dan Jensen (L 4-9, 5.82, 4.2 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K), although he allowed just one more run over the next three-plus. Lucas O’Rear did well in long relief (5.03, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K) but the Dragons were held to seven hits and lost 6-2. Waldrop tripled and singled and scored a run. Arias had two hits (.205) and Rodriguez swiped base #5 after singling.

7/23: Six very nice innings from Stalin Gerson (W 5-7, 4.27, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) allowed another salvage job, a 5-1 win. Gonzalez worked the seventh and eighth and Mike Dennhardt picked up the ninth (2.15, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K). 2B Joe Terry hit homer #4 and SS Juan Perez #6.

7/24: Off.

7/25: Dayton and Great Lakes (LAD, 15-15) battled in a seesaw matchup, but the Loons came out on top after they snapped a 7-7 tie with two in the home eighth off Ryan Kemp (L 1-3, 4.28). Johnson has had a rough stretch lately (5.37, 5.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 6 K). The Dragons hit three homers, with Kyle Waldrop’s sixth joining C Nick O’Shea’s third and a three-run bomb from Buckley (#8).

Rookie-Pioneer

This week: 3-4.

Overall: 19-17, four back of the streaking Great Falls (CHW).

7/19: Orem (LAA, 15-15) got the winning run in the home eleventh off Erik Miller (0-1), 9-8. 3B Seth Mejias-Brean had two hits and two RBI (.342), as did 2B Taylor Wrenn (.208). LF Jesse Winker singled and tripled (.352) and CF Beau Amaral went 0-for-3 but drew three walks and scored two (.233, steal #4).

7/20: Billings survived three errors and 12 Owlz hits to win it, 2-1. Joel Bender allowed eight (!) hits in 3.2 innings… but no runs (W 1-2, 6.46). Starter Jon Moscot, this year’s fourth-round pick, threw two scoreless before him. Jimmy Moran worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. The Mustangs got key RBI hits from two struggling players- SS Gabriel Rosa (.167) and DH Matt Lentz (.150). Rosa made three errors at shortstop; he had played primarily third base last year in the AZL.

7/21: Orem got six runs over their final three times up off the Mustangs bullpen to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 7-3 win. Loss to Sean Lucas (L 1-1, 3.60, 2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER). Starter Robert Stephenson allowed three hits, one a solo homer, over five more strong innings ( 2.05, 0 BB, 4 K). Mejias-Brean had two hits and two RBI (.356) while 2B Brandon Dailey was 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI (.333).

7/22: After the Owlz scored six in their sixth to take a 7-5 lead, one might have though we were in for yet another comeback. But Billings scored two or more in each of its final three at-bats to win going away, 13-8. Mejias-Brean had a career day- 5-for-5 with a double, triple, three RBI, and two runs. He’s now hitting .420 in 14 games. RF Jeff Gelalich is also heating up- he had four hits and three RBI, including his first pro homer (.293). Wrenn added a 4-for-6 (.246) and Billings stole six bases without being caught once. Ismael Guillon fought his control a bit but didn’t look bad (3.10, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K). Jesus Adames got the win in relief (1-0, 4.82, 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER). Alejandro Chacin faced the minimum six over the last two for the save (2.38, 1 BB, 3 K).

7/23: Grand Junction (COL, 17-16) led the whole game but turned it into a rout in the home eighth, scoring eight times to take a 12-0 lead. Billings did get four in the top of the ninth to lose by just eight. The Mustangs made five errors and its pitchers walked seven Rockies. Sal Romano was a little better (L 1-4, 6.33, 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K). Mejias-Brean smashed a two-run homer (#3) and Gelalich got #2. SS Zach Vincej, a 37th-round pick this year out of Pepperdine, was 2-for-3 with a run scored and double after entering mid-game.

7/24: Billings led 2-0 for most of this one, but the Rockies got single runs in the sixth and seventh and two in the eighth to take a 4-2 lead. Five Mustangs errors helped them out; two of the unearned runs were charged to losing pitcher Jose Amezcua (L 0-4, 4.94, 3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K). Starter Drew Cisco had his most promising outing yet (4.58, 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K). Amaral doubled in Vincej to cut the deficit to one in the top of the ninth, but Dailey grounded out and Mejias-Brean struck out to end the game.

7/25: Mustangs try to salvage one from this three-game set, and tallying five runs in your first two at-bats is a good start. The Rockies got to both Jon Moscot (1.50, 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) and Joel Bender in each of their first four at-bats, though and Billings led just 6-5 after four. Amaral walked in his first at-bat and doubled in each of his next two while scoring twice, while Mejias-Brean had a pair of hits and a steal of home. GJ got three more in the fifth, as Billings committed two more errors to run their game total to five. This would be the third straight game with five or more, which is not good at all. Jimmy Moran bailed out the struggling Bender (7.36, 2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR). The Ponies cut it to 8-7 when Amaral lashed a third double, scoring C Fray Sosa from first. DH Robert Maddox managed to get the tying run in with a groundout. Rockies 2012 first-rounder David Dahl singled in a run off Moran in the home sixth to put GJ up 9-8, though. Mejias-Brean tied it again by launching homer #4 in the Mustangs seventh. Righty Bennett Klimesh had managed a 1-2-3 seventh, and Sean Lucas attempted the same in the eighth. Alas, a passed ball from Sosa again gave the Rockies the advantage, 10-9.

Now for the visitors’ ninth:

Billings Top of the 9th
• Pitching Change: Jesse Meaux replaces Raul Fernandez.
• Carlos Sanchez singles on a line drive to right fielder Julian Yan.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch-runner Jon Matthews replaces Carlos Sanchez.
• Taylor Wrenn singles on a line drive to center fielder David Dahl. Jon Matthews to 2nd.
• Offensive Substitution: Pinch-hitter Brandon Dailey replaces Fray Sosa.
•Brandon Dailey out on a sacrifice bunt, catcher Chris Cowell to second baseman Juan Ciriaco. Jon Matthews to 3rd. Taylor Wrenn to 2nd.
• Zach Vincej singles on a fly ball to center fielder David Dahl. Jon Matthews scores. Taylor Wrenn scores.
• Beau Amaral grounds out, second baseman Juan Ciriaco to first baseman Ben Waldrip. Zach Vincej to 2nd.
• Jesse Winker lines out to shortstop Jason Stolz.

On came Alejandro Chacin to attempt a save:

Grand Junction Bottom of the 9th
• Robert Maddox remains in the game as the first baseman.
• Defensive Substitution: Wagner Gomez replaces Jon Matthews, batting 6th, playing catcher.
• Pitching Change: Alejandro Chacin replaces Sean Lucas, batting 8th.
• Matt Wessinger singles on a ground ball to center fielder Beau Amaral.
• With Jeffrey Popick batting, wild pitch by Alejandro Chacin, Matt Wessinger to 3rd.
• Jeffrey Popick pops out to catcher Wagner Gomez in foul territory.
• Julian Yan grounds out, second baseman Taylor Wrenn to first baseman Robert Maddox.
• With Ryan Garvey batting, wild pitch by Alejandro Chacin, Matt Wessinger scores.
• Ryan Garvey grounds out, second baseman Taylor Wrenn to first baseman Robert Maddox.

Sigh. And on we played, knotted 11-11. Maddox smashed homer #8 in the visitors’ tenth to make it 12-11! This also put Robert into the Pioneer League’s home run lead. Chacin returned to the mound for the tenth:

Grand Junction Bottom of the 10th
• Ben Waldrip walks.
• Chris Cowell bunt pops out to first baseman Robert Maddox.
• Jason Stolz singles on a ground ball to third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean. Ben Waldrip to 2nd.
• Juan Ciriaco grounds into a double play, second baseman Taylor Wrenn to shortstop Zach Vincej to first baseman Robert Maddox. Jason Stolz out at 2nd.

And Billings finally wrapped up the win. Chacin ran his record to 3-0.

Rookie-Arizona

This week: 3-3.

Overall: 7-19, last place.

7/19: The Dodgers got two in the top of the ninth, unearned off Abel de los Santos (L 1-1, 2.00, 1 IP, 1 H, 3 BB) to steal a 5-4 win. The Reds made six errors, five by SS Brent Peterson. Rough game for the Reds’ 12th-rounder this year out of the Army and Bakersfield College. It should be noted that he did not make an error in the ninth- that was 2B Humberto Valor. Anyway, tandem starters Pedro Diaz (4.22, 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) and Luke Moran (2.70, 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K) both pitched very well and CF Jonathan Reynoso hammered a pair of solo home runs. C Daniel Paula was 3-for-4 with a double (.367). RF Adam Matthews did get his first pro hit in his third game; the single drove in two runs.

7/20: Finally, everything goes right! The bats boomed (19 hits), the arms shoved, and the Reds whipped the Padres 12-6. Peterson bounced back from his nightmare game the day before with four hits (.306) and Matthews was 3-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. 3B Tanner Rahier busted his slump with a 4-for-5 (.222, 2 R, 2 RBI) and LF Jose Valdelamar had a home run and three RBI. Starter Mike Saunders worked four (2.35, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K), although it was reliever Michael Salter who got the win (1-0, 2.77, 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER). Vaughn Covington pitched 1.2 good innings in relief, whiffing three (7.90).

7/21: The Angels won this one, 7-3. Amir Garrett worked two innings with some slight improvement (8.53, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K). Jose Williams (L 0-2, 5.12, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB) took the defeat. Robert Lewis-Walker threw two hitless innings of relief.

7/22: Game one for 2012 first-round pick Nick Travieso! The Reds opted to start the right-hander off easy, and he responded- two ground balls and a strikeout en route to a 1-2-3 first inning. Wandy Peralta (6.00, 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER), Richard McCaffrey (W 1-0, 4.43, 3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K), and Chris Joyce (0.00, save, 2 IP, 4 K) picked up the rest of it as Peterson homered and Australia’s Elliott Hargreaves was 3-for-4 (.286, 2B, RBI) in a 6-4 Reds win! 1B Jhimmy Lopez added two hits and two RBI (.310). Four for the Reds in the sixth wiped out a 3-1 Cubs lead. The Reds also withstood the first pro home run by Cubs phenom Jorge Soler, hit off Peralta.

7/23: Off

7/24: First of back-to-back games against the Rangers. They take the one at home, 3-1. Pedro Diaz worked three (L 1-2, 4.44, 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K), then Luke Moran, Abel de los Santos, and Jackson Stephens shut the Rangers (the Ranger Ricks?) down the rest of the way. Peterson committed two more throwing errors.

7/25: REDS REVENGE! The Redlings take the second game in Goodyear, 8-3, by scoring six in the first two innings. Jose Guzman had to leave after three batters due to a presumed injury, but Mike Saunders (W 1-0, 1.89, 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K) and Mike Salter (2.40, 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K) kept the Rangers off the scoreboard into the endgame. Rahier drove in three runs despite going just 1-for-4, while C Jose Ortiz had a two-run triple and a pair of walks. SS Humberto Valor hiked his average to .246 with a pair of singles and runs scored along with a steal of third (7).