AA Tulsa, L 3-7 - (6-13, 4th, 6.0 GB)
The biggest concern with Wilin Rosario is plate discipline. If he could just cut that strikeout rate down to size, he would be hands down one of the best catching prospects in the league. At age 21, he's already at AA and has shown signs recently of figuring it out. In his last 18 PA's, he has walked twice and struck out only once. Even more, Rosario leads all Drillers in home runs with three and is 5-for-11 with three doubles his past three games.
Bruce Billings (1-2, 5.57) (2007, 30th round) had both a good and bad outing. The good: he struck out seven while walking just two, while the Arkansas Travelers (Angels) failed to get an extra base hit off of him. The bad: he had a worrisome 1-8 GB/FB ratio and was charged with 4 ER in 5.2 innings. Jeff Kindel (2006, 14th round) tripled, Dayton Buller (2009 MiLB FA), and Wilin Rosario (2006 DR FA) had a two hit game, including a two-run double. -
After completing a sweep of the San Antonio Missions April 20, the Drillers have dropped six of seven. Keith Weiser (1-1, 3.63) (2006, 3rd round) will try to stave off a four game sweep against the Travs tonight at 6:10 MDT.
High-A Modesto, W 7-1 (6th) - (12-6, 1st)
The Nuts didn't need a whole game to sweep the Bakersfield Blaze. Tim Wheeler led off the game, followed by singles from Jimmy Cesario (2008, 46th round) and Ben Paulsen (2009, 3rd round) and a double from Jordan Pacheco (2007, 9th round) to take an early 3-0 lead. David Christensen (2006, 2nd round) hit his first home run of the season in the top of the sixth, just before the game was called due to weather. Pacheco has a .405 wOBA this season for the Nuts.
Kenny Durst (2-0, 3.29) (2007, 15th round) was the ultimate example of effectively wild, allowing no earned runs and just four hits but walking five and striking out no one. He was awarded the victory despite pitching just 4.2 innings due to weather. Modesto moves on to San Jose to take the Giants for a four game weekend series, starting tonight at 8:05 MDT with Dan Houston (2-0, 4.70) (2008, 7th round) on the hill.
Low-A Asheville, L 3-5 - (8-12, 6th, 4.5 GB)
It's not often you see a team walk four times, get a double and steal four bases all in one inning...only to score one run. The Tourists blew a golden opportunity to blow the game open in the third (in part due to Eliezer Mesa getting picked off second base), yet still added two more in the fourth inning on a 2-run double from Jared Clark (2009, 12th round). Jonathan Vargas (2006, Venezuela) gave Asheville a good effort with five scoreless innings, but Leuris Gomez (2006, DR FA) and allowed four runs in two innings of relief to surrender the lead.
After Jose Gonzalez (Venezuela) tied the game with an RBI single in the eighth, the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles) scored the winning run on an error, single and groundout. Jared Clark had three hits (two of them doubles), Eliezer Mesa (2009, DR FA) had two, and each Tourist visited first base after a hit except Orlando Sandoval (2006, DR FA). Alan Deratt (0-0, 3.86) (2008, 17th round) takes the mound for Asheville tonight in a rematch against Delmarva.