It's very nice at this point in the season to still have two affiliates playing playoff games. Both teams have advanced to their respective league's championship series.
High A: Lancaster 7, Modesto 4
The Nuts fell at home in Game 1 of the best of 5 California League championship series. Kennil Gomez lasted only 2.1 innings for the Nuts, allowing 4 runs on 8 hits to put his team down early 4-1. The Nuts rallied with 2 runs in the bottom of the 3rd on a Delta Cleary triple, but Cleary was thrown out at home trying to score on a flyout to end the threat. Unfortunately, that was as close as Modesto got as Lancaster extended their advantage in later innings.
Joey Wong went 2-4 with a double, PuRP 12 Rafael Ortega was 1-3 with 2 steals, and both Cleary and Timothy Smalling knocked in 2 runs apiece for Modesto.
It was Modesto's first home playoff loss, and it means that they will have to get their first road playoff win if they want to earn the championship. Juan Gonzalez will take the mound tonight to try and even the series at one.
Low A: Asheville 9, Greensboro 0
With this shut-out win in game 3 of the South Atlantic League championship series to move up 2-1, the Tourists are now within one win of taking the SAL title. PuRP 7 Tyler Anderson was excellent, hurling 7 shutout innings for the Tourists. Anderson permitted only 4 hits and struck out 3, cruising along with a 12:1 GB/FB ratio. Oh baby.
There were plenty of fireworks on the offensive side as well, with Asheville collecting 15 hits on the night including 4 homers that scored all of their runs on the night. Jared Simon was 4-5 with a 2 run shot, Ryan Casteel was 3-5 with another 2 run bomb, Taylor Featherston had 2 hits including a 3 run jack, and PuRP 3 Trevor Story added 2 hits and a 2 run homer. It was a great night all-around to be a Tourist.
Game 4 is tonight, with Chris Jenson (I believe) on the mound trying to close out the championship series for the Tourists.