Modesto finally clinched their playoff spot with a win and a Stockton loss, while Tri-City has ridden a five game win streak into first place in their division despite their overall 30-34 record.
Colorado Springs: The Sky Sox lost their fifth in a row, falling to Salt Lake, five to three. Highlights from this game included Jeff Baker's three hit night in a rehab assignment, and two doubles by Seth Smith.
Tulsa: The Drillers' game was postponed by rain.
Modesto: Xavier Cedeno had one of the best performances of his minor league career against High Desert, pitching a no-hitter into the fifth inning while striking out ten. He wound up allowing three hits (all ground-ball singles) and three walks in six innings of work and registering a stellar seven to one GB/FB ratio on his outs in play. Getting some consistency from X will be something to watch for next year in Tulsa. He's always had the arsenal for success, it's just a matter of getting him to use it. Cedeno had this to day from MiLB's game wrap:
EY Jr had a double and a homerun with four RBI to pace the Nuts' offense. Nelson Robledo doubled and scored twice. The ModBee has more on the celebration for making the playoffs.
Asheville: Michael McKenry homered in his third straight game and Josh Sullivan pitched well for five innings, but it wasn't enough for the T's to overtake Augusta in a four to three loss. McKenry only had nine hits in his last forty-one AB's, but eight of those hits have been for extra bases (5 HR's, 3 2B's). Hector Gomez and Michael Paulk each had two hits for the Tourists in the four to three loss.
Tri-City: Bruce Billings pitched six innings and allowed just two singles and three walks and zero runs. Although closer Riquy Pena nearly let the performance slip away, a clutch two out single by Brian Rike in the bottom of the ninth scored Michael Mitchell to preserve the win. Mitchell had singled and stolen second to start the rally. It was nice atonement for Rike, as he had struck out three times already in the game.
Casper: Jhoulys Chacin continued his remarkable run in the second half of Casper's short season, but Orem scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth (following an Austin Rauch throwing error) to eke out a one to nothing victory in this pitcher's duel. Chacin pitched six innings and allowed three hits and two walks.