Minor League Games, 7/24

[Bourgeois Zee]

AAA Louisville v. Memphis
The Bats are on the bad side of a butt whoopin', 7-1 in the 9th. Mariot stunk up the joint. As you might infer from the score, no one's really done much offensively. Want a clue as to how bad the Bats are? Beau Taylor-- he of the .190 BA-- is hitting cleanup tonight. It's not Hide the Women and Children Night, but it probably should be. Sigh.

AA Chattanooga v. Birmingman
Lookouts lead, 2-0 at the end of the 7th. Robbie Tenerowicz homered early, then Wilson Garcia doubled in Yoel Yanqui for the two Lookouts scores. Brian Rey's gone 1-3 and is now hitting .284 in AA. After about a month-long slump to start his tenure, Rey's heated up nicely. AA OPS up to 715 or so. Still doesn't walk enough, but the kid (23) might be a good one. Speaking of good ones, my goodness, Graham Ashcraft, have yourself a(nother) day. 7 IP (so far), 4 H, 8 K, 93 pitches (64 strikes). 1.85 AA ERA at this point. Could he be a rare three-level mover in Redland? When was the last one?

A+ Dayton v. Fort Wayne
The Dragons are up 4-2 in the bottom of the 7th. Stop me if you've heard this: Francisco Urbaez has a couple of hits. He's 2-2 with a BB. Discussion question: What was, in your opinion, the best opening NDFA season in Red history? Urbaez may stake a claim. .333 with an OPS over 900 is pretty special. Jacques Pucheu-- who sounds like he might be some cruel FBI agent's joke of an assumed identity... or perhaps a French villain in a bad B rom com-- pitched like his hair was on fire. (Not really, I'm pretty sure you couldn't pitch at all with your hair on fire.) Picheu (or whatever his real name is) tossed 5 innings of one hit, one run baseball with 9 Ks balanced against one BB. That's getting it done, folks.

A- Daytona v. Fort Myers
The 'Tugas are currently blanking the Mighty Mussels (ugh), 2-0. Elly De La Cruz has a hit in three trips while playing 3B tonight. SS Ivan Johnson-- afraid he might get Pipped by the young upstart-- had the big blow, his 5th HR of the season. Over the past month (82 PAs in 21 games), Johnson's done alright: .270/ .341/ .432/ .774. His fielding percentage might need some work, though. He's made 9 errors in 126 total chances. That works out to a .929 percentage. Ick. What's not Ick is Bryce Bonnin's pitching so far: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7K. It's going to be difficult to choose a Player of the Day tonight, folks. Three of the four starters dominated in every sense of the word.

Question of the Day: Who would you rather have, Graham Ashcraft or Bryce Bonnin?

Alternative Question of the Day: What did Jacques Picheu do in order to get put in Witness Protection under an assumed name so hideous that everyone would make fun of him? Best answer receives a No Prize.

[Bourgeois Zee]

I miss texasdave.

[kearns and dunn]

I miss texasdave.

Where’d he go?

[Bourgeois Zee]

Where’d he go?

Dunno. He's not been commenting.

His writing is often a highlight for me. Others too, I suspect.

[mth123]

Best NDFA in Reds history might be Dan Driessen.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Rey had his second hit of the game. Now up to .289 and a 720 OPS in AA.

Hector Perez ruined the shutout by allowed a run in the 9th, but he closed it out with his second save in AA this season. He's slummed it a bit in Chattanooga-- a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 IP is pretty solid. Then again, it should be.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Louisville rallied hard in the bottom of the 9th. Alas, to no avail. Bats lose, 8-4.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Dayton's delayed by rain with the TinCaps threatening. Two on, two out. JC Keys is tasked to hold a two-run lead. Mike Siani stole his 17th base on the night, while Jacob Hurtubise stole his 29th.

[Fil3232]

Is Nick Howard interesting at all? See he got bumped to Louisville after a good start in AA this season.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Tortugas got something happening in the top of the 8th.

A walk and an Ivan Johnson single (his second hit of the night) have 'Tugas on first and second.

And just like that, a caught fly ball and a K mark two quick outs.

Good thing Daytona still leads, 2-0.

- - - Updated - - -

Is Nick Howard interesting at all? See he got bumped to Louisville after a good start in AA this season.

More interesting now that he's back with the Reds.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Ricky Karcher tried to give it away, but held on to fizzle a would-be TinCap rally at one run.

Dragons still on the smiling side of the scoreboard, 4-3.

That K lowers Karcher's ERA to 10.38

[Bourgeois Zee]

Frainger Aranguren (second the name game to Jacques Picheu amongst tonight's contestants) had managed to allow the Mighty Mussels (ick) to threaten with two on and one in. Zero outs. The shutout's toast. The game might be too. Aranguren has given up two hits and 3 BBs in one inning of less-than-inspiring work. At least he's learning how the Reds' pen does it, right?

[Bourgeois Zee]

Somehow, Aranguren wiggles out of it. A huge K, a slow roller to SS, and another grounder to 2B produce the desired result.

Tugas hanging on by one, 2-1. Mussels down to their last AB.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Francisco Urbaez had a chance to put the game away. After a leadoff double by Reinel Ozuna, both Hurtubuse and Siani K'ed (a not uncommon happening, sadly). Urbaez, no Danny Driessen, grounded meekly to first.

Ricky Karcher, now full of pee and vinegar, is ready to close it out, shut the door, kill the rally, and many other cliches.

Dragons lead by one, 4-3.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Karcher does indeed do his job. It wasn't without interest, however.

He walked a guy who had 24 steals, then watched him steal #25.

That's when James Free silently vowed that this Schildt had to stop. He gunned down the TinCap trying to take third.

Karcher then pulled a Chick Gandil, making an error on an easy play. With the new TinCap on first, Karcher managed to K the last of the TinCaps.

Dayton wins, 4-3.