Colorado Springs: Omar Quintanilla, Clint Barmes and Jolvert Cabrera each had three hits for the Sky Sox in the first three slots of the lineup, but Joe Koshansky and Chris Iannetta combined to go one for seven in the next two to put a damper on the potential run production for the Sky Sox. This combined with Bobby Keppel starting would lead to a seven to three loss to Tucson. Ugh. I hate the Snakes.
Tulsa: Ching-Lung Lo had one of his better starts of the year, pitching two outs into the eighth inning with only one run allowed and a thirteen to seven GB/FB ratio on his outs before getting bitten by a two-run Colby Rasmus homerun. I guess Rasmus is at the top of BA's Prospect Hot Sheet for a reason. At any rate, that HR broke a one to one tie and gave the hometown Cardinals a false sense of security as Jordan Czarniecki -with a run scoring double- and Rick Guarno -a two run homerun- came through in a big way for the Drillers with two outs in the ninth inning of this four to three win.
Modesto: After Brandon Hynick's dominant start last night, the Nuts need just one more win while in Stockton today and tomorrow to secure a playoff spot. Hynick pitched seven innings, allowing just five hits a walk and one run to win his fifteenth decision of the year. Chris Nelson hit a three run homerun and drove in four runs in the seven to one win. He also stole a base and was instrumental in two double plays in support of Hynick. Jeff Kindel and Neil Wilson each had three hits, and Eric Young two stolen bases in a game that seemed a microcosm of everything that has gone right for the Modesto squad this season.
Asheville: Daniel Mayora led the 11-3 rout of Kannapolis with three doubles among his four hits. He also drove in three and scored twice. Jay Cox, Michael McKenry and Bret Berglund all had multi-hit games, and Keith Weiser matched Hynick for the organizational lead in wins with his fifteenth of the year as well. Zach Simons had three K's in his scoreless two innings of work, he's been struggling of late, so it's nice to see something more in line with his early season performance.
Tri-City: A couple of times while perusing the box scores this season, I have wondered if the new shade screen at the Dust Devils' home park has affected the scoring there. Yesterday's nine to eight win is a case in point that this place is not quite as pitcher friendly as it has been in the past. At any rate, Tri-City got the most out of its' nine hits to edge the Ems. Particularly key was a four run eighth inning rally capped by a bases loaded walk to Brian Rike followed by Darin Holcomb's bases clearing double. I've been down on this seasons' draft at times, but the performances of these two plus Cory Riordan and Casey Weathers do give us something to work with.
Casper: Jordan Pacheco, David Christensen and Jeff Cunningham all homered for the Rockies, and Brandon Miller bounced back from a couple of rough outings with a pretty decent start, but an eighth inning meltdown by Jonathan Molina led to a seven to four loss.