Sorry the Scaling the Rox recap is late this morning, I'm watching a delayed broadcast of last night's game right now.
Colorado Springs: Once again our boys on the farm came through against Randy Johnson, this time knocking eight hits in six innings off of him. Ryan Spilborghs started things off with a solo shot in the first, that homerun would have been a two run job had Jayson Nix not been caught stealing third moments before after he himself hit a ground rule double. Nix and Spilborghs each had two hits off RJ, combining with Clint Barmes and Sean Barker in the sixth for a two run rally off four singles to tie the game at three. Joe Koshansky would later hit a two run blast off of DJ Carrasco to help secure the six to five victory.
Tulsa: The Drillers game was suspended in the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied at three and will be finished tonight. Doubles by Ryan Mattheus and Joe Gaetti keyed the scoring for Tulsa so far in that contest. After it's completed Ching Lung Lo will pitch against Padres prospect Cesar Ramos in the regularly scheduled contest.
Modesto: last night Chris Nelson broke out some of the offense he's long been rumored to have but hasn't displayed much in his minor league career to date. Nelson hit two out of the Nuts' five HR's in Bakersfield (yes, it's a hitting friendly stadium) and added a double to boot. While table setters Dexter Fowler and Eric Young Jr didn't get in on the action (a combined one for eleven) the rest of the team seemed to have a good time, particularly in a ten run second inning off of Keith Ramsey. Ramsey's a veteran minor league soft tossing southpaw who pitched in Tulsa a couple of years ago. From our end, Brandon Hynick still hasn't allowed an earned run this season in eleven frames; he went five more last night to pick up the W. His peripherals last night weren't as solid as his opener, but he's still allowing just one baserunner per inning, which is a difficult task in the Cal League.
Asheville: Aneury Rodriguez had another difficult outing, he's allowed 22 hits and 11 runs in just under ten innings so far on the year. The rest of his line is solid, but there's a lot of contact being generated off of him right now. Five of the seven runs he gave up yesterday came in the first inning, and afterward he settled down. The weather's been unfavorable, so maybe that has something to do with it, and manager Joe Mikulik suggests maybe jitters at the home opener came into play as well. We'll keep an eye out to see how he progresses as the season wears on. First baseman Michael Paulk has been absolutely sensational to start the season, extending to nine games a streak of reaching base at least twice via hit or walk with a single and BB yesterday. His OBP on the year is now .550 with a .563 SLG. Michael McKenry hit his first homerun but also struck out three times as his bat heats up.