Wednesday Pebble Report: Rosell Herrera Continues to Hit, Fowler/Stewart Continue Struggling

AAA Colorado Springs -  L 4-6 (36-44, 3rd, 11.5 GB)

Dexter Fowler and Ian Stewart continue to struggle in AAA, combining for six hitless at-bats and four strikeouts, three of them coming from Colorado's erstwhile leadoff man. Batting average isn't a great measure, but one has to be worried that neither are producing hits. Only Ryan Rohlinger (2011, waiver claim) has a worse batting average in the regular lineup than the duo. Meanwhile, Mike Jacobs (2011, MiLB FA) and Mike Paulk (2005, 13th round) singled twice, #26 PuRP Cole Garner (2003, 26th round) doubled and Eliezer Alfonzo (2011, MiLB FA) homered again. Edgar Gonzalez (2011, MiLB FA) suffered the loss by allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings.

AA Tulsa - Off Day  (33-38, 3rd, 5.0 GB) 

The Drillers had the first of two off days scheduled yesterday, with the South vs. North All-Star game set to be played at 6:05 MDT tonight in San Antonio.  Pitchers Stephen Dodson (2008, 10th round) and #9 PuRP Christian Friedrich (2008, 1st round) will represent the North, #1 PuRP C Wilin Rosario (2008, DR) and #10 PuRP OF Tim Wheeler (2009, 1st round) will be in the starting lineup, with #19 PuRP 1B Ben Paulsen (2009, 3rd round), 3B Darin Holcomb (2007, 12th round) and OF Scott Beerer (2003, 2nd round) on the bench.   #2 PuRP Juan Nicasio (2006, DR) was selected for the team, but he will be busy preparing for his start Friday against the Royals.  The Drillers will start their next series at home on Thursday.

High-A Modesto -  Postponed  (2-3, 4th, 3.5 GB)

The Nuts' were rained out last night in Modesto.  They will make up the game as part of a day/night night/night doubleheader tonight, with the first game scheduled for 6:05 MDT.  Leuris Gomez (2009, DR) gets the start in the first game.  The Nuts weren't without news though yesterday, as third baseman Nolan Arenado was named California League Offensive Player of the Week for June 20-26.  He was 9-for-16 with 2 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB and 1 K.  He only played in four games during the week, all of them in Bakersfield.

Low-A Asheville - W 8-7  (5-1, 1st)

The Tourists continued their blistering start to the season's second half, winning their fourth consecutive game, their second straight in Greenville.  #16 PuRP Albert Campos (2008, VZ) got the win as the starting pitcher, going six innings, allowing a walk and five singles against four punchouts.  He was touched up for four runs, but all of them were unearned thanks to errors by Helder Velazquez (2006, 5th round), Mark Tracy (2010, 22nd round) and #25 PuRP Cristhian Adames (2008, DR).  The first two on that list atoned for their mistakes with home runs as the Tourists dismantled the Drive pitching staff with a balanced attack.

Short Season-A Tri-City -  L 2-3  (6-6, t-2nd, 2.0 GB)

The Dust Devils lost 3-2 to Boise for the second consecutive Tuesday.  Vianney Mayo (2007, VZ) threw 4.1 scoreless innings with the start, and the Boise Hawks promptly jumped on 25-year-old Ching-Lung Lo (2002, TW).  The Taiwanese pitcher allowed all three Boise runs in the fifth inning, with two walks and a home run mixed in.  Jeffrey Squier (2009, 14th round) had two hits in the game, including a home run in the fourth, but he struck out to end the game with the tying run on first base.  Catcher Ryan Casteel (2010, 17th round) and DH Leonardo Reyes (2006, VZ) each had two hit games.

Rookie Casper -  L 4-5  (2-7, 4th, 5.0 GB)

Hey, I was at this game.  The Ghosts really appeared to have a game plan against Brennan Martin, who had dominated in Ogden in his Pioneer League debut.  The lefty threw his curveball early and often, and Casper hitters didn't chase, kept back and pelted a few deuces for extra base hits.  David Kandilas (2009, Australia) (whose walkup song is The Land Down Under) started the theme with a leadoff opposite field triple.  Harold Riggins (2011, 7th round) fisted a double to right field and Francisco Sosa (2008, DR) drove him in with a clocked double to left.  Michael Wolford (2011, 26th round) entered the game in the ninth and allowed a two out two run triple for the blown save and the loss.

The player of the game was without a doubt Rosell Herrera (2009, DR).  The lanky shortstop waited on a curveball and spanked in over the left field wall for a two run home run, batting right handed, then beat out an infield hit from both sides of the plate.  He made a Tulo-esque play on a groundball up the middle, pirouetting and firing a strike to first base.  He sprints to left field before every defensive inning, walking back to his shortstop position and sprints back to the dugout, usually beating his teammates.  His walkup music might be inspired by Tulo as well, as the speakers blared some Latin Avril Lavigne/Taylor Swift type tune.  He is lanky, with his Dexter Fowler-like frame making his 6'3" listing extremely believable.  I should have video and more photos of him up tomorrow.  He is a legitimate prospect, easily head and shoulders above the rest of the players on Mike Lansing Field.

DSL Rockies  L 3-4 (14-12, 4th, 3.5 GB)

Hours before the big league Rockies hosted the White Sox, the two organizations' respective Dominican teams squared off.   Johendi Jiminian had his first (relatively) rough start in since his Dominican debut (he had allowed 2 ER over his 4 most recent starts total), but it really came down to one problem inning.  Two ground ball singles up the middle and a walk preceded a three run home run, as the White Sox scored all four of their runs off Jiminian in the second inning.  If you had any concerns about the 18-year-old's make-up, let them go.  Jiminian responded by retiring 16 straight batters before leaving in the seventh inning.  He induced 10 groundouts, with three of the four hits allowed coming on grounders.  Still quite strong from Mr. Jiminian, whose ERA now stands at 2.61.   The Rockies got a home run from 19-year-old catcher Franmy Pena, and 18-year-old outfielder Jesus Basilio produced a three hit game.