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The affiliates were 4-2 on a night rife with playoff implications.
AAA: Sacramento 3, Colorado Springs 2
Troy Tulowitzki went 1-3 as the DH in this game, but it wasn't enough to stop the Sky Sox (73-67, 4 GB) from decreasing their elimination number to one. Any loss (or win by the first place team) will eliminate them from postseason contention.
PuRP 9 Tim Wheeler went 2-4 with a triple and Hernan Irribarren added a two hit night, but the Sky Sox weren't able to muster enough offense. Guillermo Moscoso only went 3 innings despite allowing only one run, while Edgmer Escalona took the loss with two unearned runs in relief.
The story in this game was Josh Outman, who finished one batter short of a no hitter, allowing a soft single to Cardinals top prospect Oscar Taveras to center with 2 outs in the 9th that also brought in a run (he walked 5 in the game). Outman struck out 9, throwing 114 pitches on the night (only 65 for strikes) and getting a 8:2 GB/FB ratio.
Meanwhile, the Drillers (32-34 2nd half, 6 GB) finally got the sticks going in this easy victory. Chris Petit led the charge, going 3-5 with 2 solo homers (5), while Kiel Roling added a homer (11), Angelys Nina had 3 hits, PuRP 1 Nolan Arenado went 2-3 with 2 RBI, and Michael Mitchell supplied 2 more hits.
High A: Stockton 9, Modesto 3
PuRP 12 Rafael Ortega and Joey Wong both had multi-hit nights for the Nuts (38-28, 1st) and PuRP 10 Kyle Parker hit his 23rd homer, but it's hard to win when the pitching staff allows 18 hits. Fun fact though -- Parker's line in August is .280/.381/.664 with 10 homers and 17 XBH overall.
Despite the loss, Modesto has clinched a spot in the playoffs. They will also win the division if they beat the San Jose Giants in any one of the 4 games that conclude the season.
Low A: Asheville 6, Savannah 2 Asheville's top prospects all contributed to this victory, as PuRP 3 Trevor Story went 2-4 with a triple, PuRP 13 Will Swanner swatted a homer (16), and PuRP 7 Tyler Anderson cruised to his 12th victory by throwing 6.1 innings of 2 run ball on 5 hits with 5 Ks. The Tourists (39-27 2nd half, 3 GB) have already won the 1st half title, but they have an outside chance at the 2nd half crown though they are 3 back with 4 to go.Short Season: Tri City 16, Salem-Keizer 10
In the pitching slanted Northwest League, this is about as much offense as you're ever going to see. The Dust Devils (13-23 2nd half, 10 GB) committed 7 (!!!!) errors in this game but still won comfortably, smacking 18 hits (PuRP 16 Rosell Herrera was the only member of the lineup not to get one).
Matt Argyropoulos got the only homer, a 3 run homer (2) in the first inning to get things rolling. Tom Murphy went 4-6 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI, Francisco Sosa and Richard Pirkle each had 3 knocks, while Yafistel Roja, Derek Jones, and Alec Mehrten all had 2 hits. The less said about the pitching and fielding the better.
Rookie: Grand Junction 4, Orem 2 (F-11)
The GJ Rockies (18-13 2nd half, 1 GB) won this crucial extra innings contest on a 2 run single in the 11th by Wilfredo Rodriguez.. Rodriguez had 4 of GJ's 13 hits in the game and 3 of the 4 RBIs. Julian Yan, Ashley Graeter, and Max White (!!!) each had 2 hit nights. Eddie Butler had a good start, lasting 6 innings and allowing 1 run on 4 hits and 3 walks, punching out 3.
The GJ Rockies have 7 games left on the schedule, including the series finale tonight against their main competition for a playoff berth and a two game set to end the season against their rival for the division title.