Colorado Springs Sky Sox: L 7-5
It was a good game for struggling young Rockies. Dexter Fowler has his best game since joining the Sky Sox, going 2 for 3 with two extra base hits (a double and a triple), and most importantly, no strikeouts. Ian Stewart hit a key double to bring in a run in the first and notched another RBI in the eighth, with just one strikeout to his name. The real offensive star of the game was Mike Paulk, serving as the designated hitter in the game against the Salt Lake Bees. He went 4 for 4 with a triple and scored two of the Sky Sox five runs. Second baseman Alfredo Amezaga also knocked in two runs.
Starter Alan Johnson was his hittable self, allowing 11 hits over 6 innings pitched, and four walks didn't help matters. He allowed six earned runs. Sean White allowed a run in the seventh inning, while Edgmer Escalona pitched the eighth cleanly. Johnson received his fourth loss of the season.
The Drillers homered their way to victory over the Springfield Cardinals, who scored all five of their runs in the sixth inning. Center fielder Tim Wheeler hit his organization leading 19th home run, a three run shot to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning, while shortstop Thomas Field (10th) and catcher Lars Davis (4th) each hit solo shots earlier in the game. Second baseman James Cesario hit a double, the only Drillers extra base hit in the game that wasn't a home run.
Starter Cory Riordan hasn't been great this season, but his 1-7 loss record is really the result of some hard luck. Riordan wasn't able to add to that win column as the five run sixth inning put the Drillers into a deficit they wouldn't overcome until the end of the game. Riordan had pitched well up until that point, allowing just two singles, one of which was erased by a double play. The nightmare inning saw the Cardinals hit three straight doubles as well as scatter three singles. Joey Williamson threw the seventh and eight cleanly and earned his first win of the season (and since returning from retirement). Keith Weiser, who has been serving mostly in long relief this year, closed out the ninth inning for his second save of the season (his previous one had come in that odd three inning variety, one of which would also happen for the Dust Devils yesterday). The Drillers staff struck out only three opposing batters in the game.
The rest of the teams follow the jump.
Modesto Nuts: W 9-4Chad Bettis produced his best start in quite some time, going seven innings and allowing one earned run (a solo home run) on four hits and two walks. He struck out eight opponents. The San Jose Giants did most of their damage off of reliever Mike Marbry, who has for the most part been quite good this season, but allowed three runs in one inning pitched here. Will Harris threw the final inning cleanly.
Luckily for the pitchers, the Nuts offense showed up too. Four Nuts had two hits in the game. Third baseman Nolan Arenado knocked in three of the Modesto runs on his two hits, first baseman Kiel Roling produced two doubles, catcher Jose Gonzalez knocked two singles, and second baseman Angelys Nina tripled as one of two hits, though he struck out in all three of his other at bats. Right fielder David Christensen only had one hit, his first home run of the season, but he also walked and scored again. Only designated hitter Jared Clark did not get at least one hit out of the starting lineup.
Designated hitter Corey Dickerson hit is 14th home run of the season to lead the Tourists to a win over the Greenville Drive. Center fielder Rafael Ortega and second baseman Joey Wong each had two hits, Ortega's both doubles. Ortega and right fielder Kyle Parker were responsible for the other two RBI in the game.
This game saw Josh Slaats finally return to the Tourists rotation after a permanent spot opened up with the promotion of Edwar Cabrera to Modesto yesterday. Slaats pitched effectively, allowing one earned run on five hits and two walks over five innings pitched. He also struck out five. Josh Hungerman allowed the other Greenville run in his inning of work, but also struck out the side. Bruce Kern threw two clean innings, and closer Juan Perez finished off the game with his fourteenth save of the season. Slaats was awarded his second win this year.
The Dust Devils shut out the Yakima Bears while simultaneously pounding them offensively, topping it off with a five run seventh inning. First baseman Jordan Ribera hit his second home run of the season, a two run shot, as one of two hits on the day. Several others had multi-hit outings, including left fielder Tyler Massey, right fielder Jared Simon and third baseman Jayson Langfels (who also stole two bases), who each had three hits. Shortstop Timothy Smalling had two hits of his own. Second baseman David Hernandez continued his hot start to the season; though he only had one hit, he also walked and scored twice. Of the Dust Devils' 16 hits, only three were for extra bases: Ribera's homer and doubles from Simon and catcher Ryan Casteel.
Pitching was also excellent across the board. Starter Christian Bergman got his first win of the season after allowing just two hits and two walks over five innings pitched. Pitching convert Stephen Head continued his thus-far successful career reboot with a clean inning, and wrapping up the game was Rafael Suarez, who gathered his second save of the season (first with the Dust Devils; the other was with the Tourists) by throwing three innings to finish the blowout off.
In opposition to the other Rockies short season team, the Ghosts were shut out themselves by the opposing Ogden Raptors. They only managed four hits in the game, two of them singles from center fielder David Kandilas. Left fielder Robert De La Cruz hit the only extra base hit for the Ghosts, a double, with shortstop Rosell Herrera gathering the final Casper hit. Catcher Will Swanner, third baseman Matthew Argyropoulos and right fielder Julian Yan each struck out three times (Ogden starter Raydel Sanchez struck out 11 batters to just three hits and no walks). It was also a rough day in the field for first baseman Harold Riggins, who made three errors in the game.
Starter Jefri Hernandez wasn't particularly awful, allowing just four hits and no walks over his four and a third innings pitched, but the Raptors made him pay regardless, as four runs scored during this time (only two of them earned), leading to Hernandez' first loss of the season. Over the next inning, Ogden did the same thing to Kyle Roliard in relief, scoring three runs off of just two hits and a walk. On a positive note, Jeremiah Sammy threw the final two and two third cleanly.
DSL Rockies: W 2-0 (7 innings)
The DSL Rockies and Diamondbacks played a shortened game, allowing Rockies starter Angel Lezama to throw the entire game and secure his first win of the season. Lezama struck out seven batters and allowed just two hits and a walk.
The offense was led by third baseman Miguel Dilone, who went 3 for 3 on the day and batted in one of the runs. Shortstop Wilson Soriano had two hits and a run scored, while left fielder Jesis Bacilio bridged the gap, batting in Soriano and scoring from the Dilone hit. Three errors from the DSL Diamondbacks did not help their case.