AAA Colorado Springs – W 3-2 & L 5-4, (71-63, 2nd, 3.0 GB)
The Sky Sox split a double header yesterday in a pair of one run games that each went an extra inning. (Both games went eight innings but when a double header is scheduled in the minor leagues, the games are supposed to end after seven.) In the first contest, #30 PuRP Rob Scahill pitched five innings, gave up two runs and struck out nine. Matt McBride led the offense with a 3-4 game including an 8th inning leadoff double that would later lead to the winning run. Coty Woods nailed down the save.
In the second affair, the Sky Sox looked to be in good position to sweep the day as they held a 4-2 lead in the 6th inning. However, Joey Williamson came in and allowed the only two hitters he faced to reach via a walk and a hit. Both runners would come around to score and tie the game on base hits off Mike Ekstrom and Colorado Springs would lose on a bases loaded walk off single two innings later.
AA Tulsa – L 8-2, (26-34 (Second Half), 3rd, 11.5 GB)
There was a lot to like in this loss. A sellout crowd showed up to see Troy Tulowitzki and Jason Giambi in their first rehab game as they target a September 1st return date when rosters expand. Both players went 1-3, although Tulo’s double was a ball lost in the lights that should have been caught. (No balls were hit in his direction defensively, so we don't know how he looks there yet.)
On the mound, #29 PuRP Parker Frazier went 7.0 innings and despite giving up nine hits, two home runs, three walks and only recording one strikeout, held the Travelers to three runs before Michael Marbry got shelled in the 8th. #1 PuRP Nolan Arenado continued his strong August with a 3-4 showing and pushed his OPS for the month to .971.
This game may also have a historical significance in Rockies history someday. It was the first time Troy Tulowitzki and Nolan Arenado played on the same side of the infield together in a game that counted. Hopefully this will become a familiar sight at Coors Field for most of the next decade.
High-A Modesto – W 2-0, (34-26 (Second Half), 1st)
>#10 PuRP Kyle Parker’s 21st home run of the season (a solo shot in the second inning) and a #12 PuRP Rafael Ortega RBI single in the 4th accounted for all the Modesto offense in this one. But that was all right with Christian Bergman, who rebounded from his worst start of the season last Sunday (2.2 IP, 10 ER (!!!), 9 hits, 3 BB’s, and zero K’s) with his best outing of the season last night (8.0 IP, zero ER, 2 hits, zero BB’s, and eight K’s). Isaiah Froneberger pitched the 9th and nailed down the shutout as he picked up his 7th save of the season.
Low-A Asheville – L 3-2 (10 Innings), (35-26 (Second Half), 2nd, 3.5 GB)
Things started off well for Asheville as #23 PuRP Sam Mende hit his 12th home run of the season in the second inning of this one to give the Tourists an early 2-0. But that would be the only two runs they would score all night despite multi hit games from both #3 PuRP Trevor Story and Jordan Ribera. Starter Alex Gillingham pitched well and got Ashville deep into the game with 7.2 innings of two run baseball, but left the game with the score tied at two. It would remain that way until the 10th when second baseman Taylor Featherston made a force attempt throwing error with bases loaded. The blunder handed Greenville its third straight win.
Tri-City – W 5-4, (12-19, (Second Half) 4th, 8.0 GB)
Shane Broyles continues to throw strikes. After Friday’s six inning three run effort, Broyles now has a 56 to 6 K/BB ratio to go along with his 3.14 ERA. He wouldn’t get the win though as the winning run didn’t cross the plate until the 7th. The rally included a Richard Pirkle single, a Patrick Hutcheson double and a Yafistel Roja sacrifice bunt that scored the winning run.
Grand Junction – W 3-2 (11 Innings), (14-11, (Second Half) 1st)
Another game that went extra innings , but before it did, #27 PuRP Jayson Aquino pitched 6.0 innings of one run baseball. It’s the fourth time in his five starts since coming stateside that Aquino has allowed one run or less. His ERA in his brief stint at Grand Junction now stands at 2.05.
Offensively, David Dahl was on base four times including two intentional walks. He continues to post consistently awesome numbers as his OPS by month now stands at 1.057 for June, 1.003 for July, and 1.007 for August. I’d say he’s got this level figured out. Dahl wasn’t the only Rockie to do damage in this game though as Matt Wessinger, Ashley Graeter and Jeremy McLeod all had multi hit games. But despite 12 hits, six walks, and help from three Helena errors, it took Grand Junction 11 innings to score the three runs they would need to win the game.
DSL Rockies – PPD, (42-28, 2nd, 1.0 GB)
Mother nature put the brakes on the DSL Rockies five game winning streak Friday as the outer bands of tropical storm Isaac (which made landfall on the western part of Hispaniola in Haiti last night), brought sheets rain and wind that forced a cancellation of the game.
Odd Fact of the Day: Four of Kyle Parker’s last six hits have been home runs.