AAA Colorado Springs: W 4-3 (11 innings)
Scott Beerer fell a triple short of a cycle, going 3 for 5 with two runs scored and two more batted in. His home run his first at the AAA level. Jesus Merchan accomplished something a bit difficult, gathering 3 hits in 3 at bats without even playing for the first half of the game. With the game tied in the 11th inning, Merchan singled in Beerer to put the Sky Sox ahead. Ryan Rohlinger was the only other player with multiple hits.
Starter Clay Mortensen allowed three earned runs over five and a third innings to the Oklahoma City Redhawks, which is comparatively a pretty good start for Mortensen with the Sky Sox this year. The bullpen, in the form of Sean White, Keith Weiser, Blake Johnson and Jim Miller pitched the rest of the game cleanly. Johnson got the win, his fifth of the year, while Miller picked up his 21st save.
Every Driller in the starting lineup got exactly one hit with two exceptions. Roster filler Jeffrey Squier was 0-4, while Wilin Rosario hit his 17th home run as part of a three hit game. Despite the variety of hits, several Drillers struggled against Frisco RoughRiders pitching. Mike Zuanich, Bronson Sardinha and Michael Mitchell all struck out three times each.
Christian Friedrich did not allow a run over his six innings pitched. He did walk four, but also struck out seven and allowed just one hit. Adam Jorgenson allowed the first two runs in relief, only one earned. Joe Torres pitched two innings of clean relief. Stephen Dodson pitched the 11th inning smoothly, but allowed two hits and a wild pitch in the 12th, eventually leading to his second loss.
A+ Modesto: W 5-3The Lancaster JetHawks out hit the Nuts 8-5, but the Nuts were more creative when it came to actually plating runs. Delta Cleary Jr. had two hits, including a double as well as a walk. Josh Rutledge tripled in a run. Despite not getting a hit, Nolan Arenado got credited for two runs batted in, a sacrifice fly and a run scoring groundout.
Edwar Cabrera was more hittable than usual, allowing seven over five and a third innings pitched, but the pitcher continues to support his impressive strikeout numbers, adding another eight to the MiLB leading tally. He is now 4-0 since being promoted to Modesto. Leuris Gomez and Michael Marbry (13th save) finished the game smoothly.
Joey Wong batted in both Asheville runs on a double. Cristhian Adames knocked two singles and walked. Mark Tracy was responsible for the only other Asheville hit, but also struck out three times.
Starter Josh Slaats allowed all three of the Savannah Sand Gnats' runs in his six and two thirds innings pitched. He alloweed seven hits and walked two while striking out just one, leading to his second loss of the season.
The top four spots in the lineup were responsible for almost all of the offense (six of the seven Tri-City baseruners in the game), though it was seventh hole hitter Taylor Featherston that scored the only run, off the bat of Brian Humphries.
Only one of the five runs allowed in the fourth inning by starter Ricardo Ferrer was earned, thanks to a passed ball by catcher Richard Pirkle that allowed a strikeout victim to reach first base, which would lead to a subsequent meltdown by Ferrer after no-hitting the Boise Hawks through the first three innings. In relief, Rhett Ballard allowed another unearned run, this time thanks to a Tyler Massey fielding error at first base.
In the only blowout of the day, Casper stomped all over the Great Falls Voyagers. Six Ghosts had multihit games, including three hit affairs from upper round 2011 draftees Trevor Story and Harold Riggins. Both players homered in the game (3rd for Story, 5th for Riggins), while Story also tripled twice, the first two of his pro career. Fellow 2011 draftee Samuel Mende hit his 12th homer in the game as part of a two hit game. Rosell Herrera, Dillon Thomas and Michael Ramirez also had two hits each. Every Ghost in the starting lineup got at least one hit, and the lineup produced nine extra base hits.
Daniel Winkler was awarded his fourth win of the year for a seven inning effort in which he allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out eight opponents.
Jose Briceno, Yonathan Daza and Jairo Rosario each doubled in the game, but offensive production was otherwise minimal. Rosario was the only player in the lineup to have more than one hit. Sloppy defense didn't help; infielder Miguel Dilone has committed 18 errors this year. Rosario had a passed ball and a throwing error on the same play during the game.
Starter Helmis Rodriguez only lasted two and a third innings before getting pulled, but was responsible for just one unearned run. Reliever Javier Palacios allowed the other four runs for the DSL Twins over just one and a third innings in the game. In a rare case where the pitcher with the most time in the game is the final one, Rahames Valerio threw four and a third innings to finish the game.