Monday Pebble Report:

Colorado Springs: L 4-5

Kip Wells was a bit more effective than the box score indicates, as it looks like he was kept in too long as he was losing his effectiveness. Two of the five runs he surrendered were in the seventh inning, the first off a solo homerun and the second off a two out single and double. He only threw 87 pitches in 6 and 2/3 innings, so he was clearly efficient, albeit that low pitch count probably masked how tired he actually was. Adam Melhuse went two for two with a homerun and a pair of walks while Cory Sullivan had a pair of doubles for the offense.

Tulsa: W 9-8

Dexter Fowler homered twice, once in the first and once to start a rally in the seventh, but it was Justin Nelson and Matt Miller who had the Drillers biggest hits of the night. Nelson homered with Tony Blaco aboard and one out in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, and then Miller made San Antonio pay for intentionally walking Fowler to pitch to him when he doubled home Eric Young in the bottom of the tenth for the winning run. Fowler wound up going three for four with two walks as he ecllipsed the 100 hit mark in his eightieth game of the season. Tony Blanco had four hits, including two doubles, and Brian Esposito and Eric Young each had three.

Chaz Roe, similarly to Wells at Colorado Springs, got through six innings with a quality start intact only to lose it in the seventh. Roe allowed six runs in all, four in the seventh,  but had trouble with the long ball, as he gave up three HR's.

Modesto: W 10-3

Jhoulys Chacin improved to 2-0 at Modesto, allowing six hits and two runs in six innings, walking none and striking out three. As was the case in Asheville, he was still very effective even when he doesn't have his best stuff, having an 11/4 GO/AO rate on outs off contact. The Nuts offense acted as if this was slow pitch softball in the fourth inning, lining out eight extra base hits (no homeruns, though) and scoring eight to put the game on ice early. Jay Cox had a double and triple that inning for his only two hits of the day. Daniel Mayora and Michael Paulk each had three hits, including XBH's in that fourth, in the win.

Asheville: W 4-1

Robinson Fabian still shows some wildness with four walks, but he was otherwise very sharp yesterday, striking out six and going 8/3 with his groundouts. Craig Rodriguez, Randall Taylor and Craig Baker finished the game. Brian RIke hit his fourteenth homerun in the win, but also struck out twice.

Tri-City: L 2-8

This game was closer than the final score indicates, until Jeff Murphy, Carlos Luna and a defensive breakdown at second by Thomas Field combined to allow the six deciding runs to score in the bottom of the eighth. Jonnathan Aristil pitched okay for five innings. allowing just five hits, two walks and a run, but his ground ball and K peripherals show some weakness. Bo Bowman had two of Tri-City's five hits, including a solo homerun, and Rhadames Nazario had two hits as well.

Casper: Suspended

Inclement weather suspended this game with the Ghosts trailing, 2-1.