I'm going to try and have the Pebble Report up by around 9:30 - 10a.m. Mountain every weekday, none on Sunday, and Saturday's you'll just have to wait until the afternoon sometime. Today, that sometime is now:
Asheville actually won again last night 9-8 behind a thrilling six run rally in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game before scoring again in the tenth. Matt Miller led the offensive charge again hitting his sixth homerun of the season, a three run shot to cap the Tourists' rally. Miller has been performing exceptionally this season so I hope to see him move up to try his hand at more advanced pitching soon. Juan Morillo started strong through four and two/thirds but couldn't get the final out of the fifth and wound up allowing six runs. For the second night in a row, Tourists' relievers couldn't help their starters out of a jam, this time Jason DiAngelo allowed a bases clearing double as soon as he came in before registering the third out. Chris Buechner pitched well enough to earn the victory late.
Modesto split a pair with current D-Rays affiliate Visalia. Steven Register took the loss in the first game, despite homeruns by Matt Macri and Erik Dean and a two hit game by Ian Stewart. Jordan Czarniecki went hitless in three at bats for his 2005 debut. I didn't put Dean anywhere on the depth chart I made the other day, and I'm not completely convinced he'll make it with his heavy strikeout totals, but he should be in there on one of the corner infield spots nonetheless. I'd probably rank him at the bottom of either first (fourth place) or third (fifth) right now. Ian Stewart made his second error of his short season, which isn't good, while Matt Macri made his fourth of his somewhat longer one, which isn't bad considering his position switch.
Game two featured another solid pitching performance by Sandy Nin, and offense supplied mostly by Dean's two runs and Joe Gaetti's two-run homer. Macri, Stewart and Jud Thigpen all reached twice as well. Jim Miller picked up his seventh save, striking out two in the ninth. Jason Burch had a nearly as dominant eighth, and is starting to rise again on my radar.
Tulsa blanked Frisco 3-0 behind Zack Parker's easily best performance of the season on the mound, seven innings, three hits, no walks and five K's. I hope this is a sign of things to come as Parker has shown some really great things in the past, and is still young enough to be a promising part of the Rockies' plans (even if that part happens to be a part of a trade). On offense, Sean Barker (two hits including a triple) and Ryan Spilborghs (two, including a homerun) continued their strong starts to lead the Drillers to the victory.
Colorado Springs was the fourth Rockie affiliate to register a win yesterday, 3-1 over the Padres'
Portland squad. Denny Stark earned the victory, but the big news was Jeff Baker finally registered a hit for the Sky Sox, after eighteen empty at bats prior (including a GIDP and strikeout earlier in the game) he actually registered two in his last two appearances including the decisive two run triple in the ninth. Matt Anderson then came on to pick up the save, and given Jay Witasick's performance yesterday and the continued presence of Byung Hyun Kim lurking on the bullpen, Anderson maybe a Rockie before long.
Stark's strong performance might win him a brief callup to the big club considering Joe Kennedy is expected to miss one start, but I haven't read what decision, if any has been made. I'll have a pregame discussion thread up soon and sometime today or tomorrow Brandi and Geraldine will sit back and discuss Jamey Wright's unique fashion sense, so keep your eyes peeled.