Thursday Pebble Report: Greg Reynolds Twirls Gem, Ghosts Wield Boomsticks

AAA Colorado Springs, W 10-4 (62-76, 3rd, 10.0 GB)

PuRP #23 Cole Garner (2003, 26th round) is doing all he can to, ahem, "garner" a September call-up, as the outfielder pushed his batting average over .300 with a 4-for-6 day.  Matt Miller (2004, 13th round) and Jay Payton (2010, MiLB FA) also had multi-hit days, while PuRP #11 Michael McKenry (2006, 7th round) hit a bases loaded double.  It was a pretty good night in Tacoma for the boys we may see in coming days.  PuRP #18 Chaz Roe (2005, supp. round) scattered nine hits and had a good line going until running into a bit of a wall in the seventh inning.   He struck out seven and walked two, allowing three runs in 6.2 IP.  PuRP # 26 Edgmer Escalona got three air outs in the ninth for a 1-2-3 outing. 

AA Tulsa, L 1-3 (37-28, t-2nd, 2.5 GB)

7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 K, 0 BB, 12 GO, 6 FO.  That's the kind of line we have wanted to see from Greg Reynolds (2006, 1st round).  Unfortunately for him, he got the loss.  Three of those four hits came back-to-back-to-back to lead off the fourth inning, and with the help of a sac fly, accounted for the two runs Reynolds allowed.  Naturally, David Oh No was on site, and here's two tweets from him:

Tonight, he hit his spots well and stayed out of the middle of the plate. He's still a pitch to contact guy, but they have careers too....Threw to spots well. Fastball in low nineties, curve was shorter but sharper. Had chances to rattle but kept better comp.

Catcher Lars Davis (2007, 3rd round), who just polished off a .511 wOBA/1.165 OPS August in 46 PA, was one of two Drillers to collect two hits. The other, Bronson Sardinha (2010, MiLB FA), hit a solo home run for Tulsa's lone run.

High A Modesto, W 6-2 - (31-34, 4th, 9.0 GB)

PuRP #25 Ethan Hollingsworth (2008, 4th round) surrendered two solo home runs but otherwise had his way with the Ports of Stockton, striking out five, walking none and allowing just those two runs in 5.2 IP.  The offense gave him all the support he needed in the third inning on an RBI single from Scott Robinson (2006, 30th round), RBI walk from PuRP #29 Ben Paulsen (2009, 3rd round) and two-run double by Ryan Peisel (2008, 12th round).  Peisel tripled home two more runs in his next at-bat, and Paulsen singled three times to lead the Nuts to victory.

Low-A Asheville, L 3-10 - (38-27, 2nd, 1.5 GB)

Nicholas Schnaitmann (2008, 22nd round) was hammered for 7 runs (5 earned) in 3.1 innings.  He did not strike out a single Crawdad and committed the error himself.  Chad Rose (2008, 16th round), Marco Duarte (2007, MEX) and Daniel Perkins (2009, 27th round) completed the game for the Tourists, who walked nine and K'ed just three on the day.  There wasn't much offense to speak of, but PuRP #13 Nolan Arenado (2009, 2nd round), who Mike Newman recently called "one of the most underrated in MiLB," did clobber his 12th home run.  Three of those have come in the last week, not long after he polished off a nine-game double streak.  Muzia was there, and he had this to say:

"Arenado just crushed another one.  Kid can seriously mash.  He's showing some "fielding" too.  But that bat, goodgolly."

Short Season Tri City, W 7-3 - (12-22, 4th, 10 GB)

Mark Tracy (2010, 22nd round) singled home two immediately following a bases-loaded wild pitch in the first inning to help the Dust Devils jump out to an early 3-0 lead.  They tacked on two more in the second with a bases loaded error, and Chad Jacobsen (2008, 18th round) added the final two tallies with a two-run shot in the eighth.  Erik Stavert (2009, 7th round) pitched quite well (5.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H) for his third win.

2010 2nd rounder Chad Bettis was one of four pitchers named to the Northwest League All-Star Team, and the lone Dust Devil to earn the honor, though he is now a Tourist.  He was 4-1 with a 1.12 ERA in nine starts with Tri-City.

Rookie Casper, W 11-6, W 10-9 - (17-13, 2nd, 0.5 GB)

53.  That is how many runs the Ghosts plated against Missoula over the weekend in Casper, but their offense didn't stay in Wyoming as Casper swept a double-header in Orem, scoring double digits in both 7-inning games.  Jeffrey Squier (2009, 14th round), catcher Will Swanner (2010, 15th round) and Corey Dickerson (2010, 8th round) each hit two-run home runs in the opener.  Blake McDade (2010, 20th round), Brett Tanos (2010, 10th round), Rafael Ortega (2008, VZ) and Juan Crousset (2007, DR) each singled and doubled.  Nelson Gonzalez (2007, DR) allowed a run in three innings of relief for the win.

In the nightcap, Swanner struck out three times but also hit his sixth home run despite playing just twelve games.  As an 18-year-old fresh out of high school, he needs to be on your radar.  His stratospheric ISO out of the gate against older competition suggests legitimate power potential.  Dickerson added his team-leading 12th home run with a grand slam in an 8-run third inning, which also included home runs by Crousset and Robert de la Cruz (2007, DR).  Alving Mejias (2009, VZ) continues to struggle, as he allowed 6 ER in 3.2 IP.

The Ghosts have now won six consecutive games, scoring 74 runs in those six games.  With eight games remaining on the season, they are in prime playoff position, a half game out of first.