Aneury Rodriguez led the staff on a shut out for the Casper Rockies, pitching five and a third innings of two hit baseball. Dexter Fowler hit his first professional homerun and Cole Garner added his third and a double in the six nothing win. Geoff Strickland, Trevor Allen and Corey Wimberly all continue to get on at a good pace for the Caspies.
Tri City had it's second dominant start in a row, although Zach Simons wasn't nearly as effective as Shane Lindsay was on Saturday. Still Simons pitched two outs into the seventh without giving up a run before his bullpen nearly blew it for him. Brian Kirby continues to try and be the next Rob Deer, hitting his fourth homerun (out of eight hits total) while his average sits at .235 and his strikeout total continues to escalate.
While nothing but good things are happening for the Dust-Devil pitchers, bad things continue to happen at Asheville for our top guns there. Saturday it was Samuel Deduno getting pounded in two thirds of an inning, yesterday Franklin Morales lasted longer (four innings longer) but gave up seven runs on seven hits and two walks anyway in a disastrous fifth where a throwing error by Morales on a single (the sixth he allowed that inning) with the bases loaded resulted in all four runners crossing the plate. The good news was until that string of singles, Morales was fantastic, allowing just one hit with five K's through four. Justin Nelson hit his twelfth homerun for the only score in the Tourists' fourteen to one loss.
Modesto won their eighth in a row (I told you this team was good) because Marc Kaiser found his goods again afer a couple of so-so outings. Der Kaiser struck out six in seven innings, allowing six hits (only one for extra bases), a walk and a run. Hammerin Joe Gaetti had two doubles to fuel what little offense was needed, particularly in the deciding three run ninth. Jason Burch picked up his seventh win in one awesome inning of relief (three K's) and Jim Miller got his nineteenth save when he closed them out.
Tulsa won in Ubaldo Jiminez's double A debut. Jiminez wasn't spectacular and ran into trouble in the start of the sixth, but the Drillers offense backed him up primarily because of the leadoff duo of Jeff Salazar and Tony Miller as well as support all the way down the lineup.
Colorado Springs won behind identical lines by the two Ryans, Shealy and Spilborghs each went three for six with two runs, two RBI and an HR. Jeff Baker, still playing third, also had two hits in just three at bats.