AAA Colorado Springs, INT 2, PCL 1 - (42-48, 3rd, 9.0 GB)
Matt Miller (2004, 13th round) scored the only run for the Pacific Coast League in the AAA All-Star Game. Miller singled in the second inning with two outs and eventually scored after a walk and single. Miller reached base in two of his four plate appearances. Matt Reynolds (2007, 20th round) faced one batter, 30yo switch-hitting infielder Chase Lambin, and struck him out on four pitches. In all, a very good showing from our AAA All-Stars.
AA Tulsa, Off Day - (13-4, 1st)
The Texas League was off yesterday, which hopefully won't kill the notable momentum the Drillers have had. (They have won 7 of 8). Keith Weiser (6-5, 3.80) (2006, 3rd round) takes the mound tonight against the Arkansas Travelers. I don't believe Russ mentioned this yesterday, but Tuesday, Christian Friedrich was named Texas League Pitcher of the Week.
High-A Modesto, W 14-11 - (10-10, 3rd, 2.0 GB)
Modesto must have been inspired by the Rockies-Cardinals series last week, because this game was flat out ridiculous. It started with Kenny Durst (2007, 15th round) getting brutalized for a 7-run second inning. Manager Jerry Weinstein asked him to bite the bullet and save the pen, and to his credit, he did. Despite giving up more home runs than he got strikeouts and being tagged for 12-hits, he pitched into the sixth and the Nuts came back from eight runs down and got him off the hook.
Mike Zuanich (2008, 28th round) brought the Nuts a quarter of the way back with a 2-run homer in the fifth. In the sixth, the Nuts cut the deficit in half as Scott Robinson (2006, 30th round) and Tim Wheeler (2009, 1st round) followed a David Christensen (2006, 2nd round) single with back-to-back doubles. Modesto then completed the comeback and then some in the seventh:
-Mike Zuanich HR. Score 6-8
-Joseph Scott walks.
-James Cesario single.
-Erik Wetzel single. Score: 8-8
-Ryan Peisel single. Score: 9-8.
-David Christensen single.
-Scott Robinson sac bunt. One out.
-Tim Wheeler strikes out. Two out.
-Jordan Pacheco single, Score 11-8.
-Mike Zuanich popout. Three out.
In all, it was a six run inning. Zuanich had only had one home run all year until last night.
Unfortunately, Casey Weathers' difficulty with the California League continued. He allowed two runs and got one out in his debut Sunday, and last night was worse. Protecting a three-run lead, Weathers walked three, allowed a single and induced a groundout. Three runners scored to tie the game 11-11.
Fortunately, Mike Zuanich got one more at bat, and it came in the ninth inning, with two outs and the bases walked loaded. Zuanich lined a single to right field, scoring three runs, giving the Nuts the crazy victory.
Low-A Asheville, W 4-2 - (12-8, 2nd, 2.0 GB)
Jared Clark (2009, 12th round) hit two tie-breaking home runs to power the Tourists' offense. The first came as a solo shot in the fifth inning. The second, his 15th of the season, drove in two and broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth. That home run marked the third consecutive game that Asheville rallied to score multiple runs in the ninth inning to win. Joey Wong (2009, 24th round) also clubbed his second home run of the season for the dinger-happy Tourists.
Chris Balcom-Miller (2009, 6th round) dominated for most of the evening. Through five innings, he allowed three singles, one walk and eight strikeouts. But the first three reached in the sixth (two groundball hits and a walk) to tie the game. He finished with 9 K's, good for his second most in his career. This is definitely the type of outing we like to see from CBM.
Short-A Tri-City, L 1-3 - (10-15, 4th, 3.5 GB)
In a night of offensive futility, the Dust Devils actually broke up the shutout before the no-hitter. Jeremiah Samm y(2009, undrafted FA) walked and stole two bases in the fifth, eventually scoring on a Chad Jacobsen (2008, 18th round) sac fly. The no-hitter was broken up in the sixth by (2009, 50th round), who managed to reach base on an infield single, fielded by the pitcher. A single in the ninth by Bryce Massanari (2009, 30th round) was the only other hit Tri City could manage. It should be noted the opposing pitcher was Keyvius Sampson, one of the better high school arms from 2009's draft.
Edwar Cabrera (2008, DR FA) struck out seven and walked nobody, but the Eugene was able to bunch singles together enough to mark him up for three runs. Still, in his last three starts, he has struck out 23 and walked one, so he might be worth keeping an eye on, even though he's old for a Latin pitcher in short season (he turns 23 in October, meaning he is older than Rex Brothers).
Rookie Casper, W 4-3 - (10-13, 4th. 2.5 GB)
Great Falls gave Casper six outs to work with in the fifth inning, as they twice committed errors on bunt attempts and once throwing the ball away on a pickoff attempt. Despite a double play, the Ghosts cashed in three runs on three singles. Yafistel Roja (2009, DR FA) got one of those singles and now has hits in all three games since joining the Ghosts. Rafael Ortega (2008, VZ FA) had three singles on the night and scored the winning run in the eighth on a Brett Tanos (2010, 10th round) single. Corey Dickerson (2010, 8th round) failed to get a hit for the first time in ten games and and just the second time in his career.
DSL Rockies, W 3-1 - (24-15, 2nd, 4.0 GB)
Franmy Pena (2010, DR FA) walked with the bases loaded in the ninth for the winning run (after a walk, error and fielder's choice) and drove in the tying run in the fifth with an infield single. Vianney Mayo (2007, VZ FA) struck out five and allowed only one base-runner in four scoreless innings of relief for the win. Working almost exclusively out of relief, Mayo has surrendered just three runs in 26.1 IP, sporting a healthy 3.43 K/BB and 0.65 WHIP. This is Mayo's third year on the Rockies' Dominican League team. He took 2009 off after struggling in both 2007 and 2008.