Tuesday Pebble Report: Jonathan Gray much better in 2nd pro start

Rookie Grand Junction: W 4-1 (15-10, 1st)

Rockies first-round draft pick Jonathan Gray was much better in his second professional start, allowing one run on a hit, a hit-by-pitch and a balk in 2 2/3 innings. Gray racked up four strikeouts and threw 34 of his 46 pitches for strikes while routinely hitting 99 miles per hour on the stadium gun.

Gray now has a 6.35 ERA with five strikeouts and no walks in 5 2/3 innings spanning a pair of starts.

Devin Burke pitched two scoreless innings and notched two punchouts. He was credited with the win and is now 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA.

Raimel Tapia went 3-for-3 and fell a home run shy of the cycle in a game that lasted just six innings due to lightning. Tapia drove in three of the Rockies' four runs, while Jose Briceno picked up the other RBI as part of his 2-for-3 day.

*****

High-A Modesto: W 12-7 (15-11 2nd half, t-1st)

The Nuts rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth inning to earn a quality win over a tough Lancaster team. Will Swanner homered and drove in four as part of his 2-for-5 effort in a game in which Modesto entered the sixth inning trailing, 7-1.

Taylor Featherston went 3-for-3 with a walk, three runs scored and three RBI. Jared Simon added three hits and drove in a pair of runs while Juan Crousset and Ryan Casteel contributed two hits apiece.

Ben Alsup surrendered seven runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits, including a pair of home runs, in his 4 2/3 innings of work. Fortunately for Modesto, four relievers combined for 4 1/3 innings of scoreless, hitless baseball.

Double-A Tulsa: L 3-2 (10-14 2nd half, 4th, 5 GB)

Sean Gallagher struck out nine and allowed just three hits and a walk in seven innings of work, but all three hits were solo home runs. Gallagher induced eight groundball outs compared to two flyouts. I'm sure Muzia can shed more light on his performance.

Leuris Gomez and recently-DFA'd Joe Gardner added an inning of scoreless relief, but Tulsa was unable to take advantage as nobody was able to get on base for Kiel Roling's 20th home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the ninth.

Tim Smalling and Joey Wong had two hits apiece for the Drillers, who had just seven knocks on the evening.

Low-A Asheville: W 10-7, W 3-1 (12-11 2nd half, 3rd, 2 GB)

Francisco Sosa homered twice, giving him 14 on the year, and Rosell Herrera hit his 15th home run to power the Tourists past West Virginia in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Sosa, Herrera, Dillon Thomas, Derek Jones and Max White had two hits apiece , combining for 10 of the Tourists' 12 hits.

Game 2 saw a solid pitching performance from starter T.J. Oakes and reliever Rayan Gonzalez. Oakes worked around four hits and three walks to allow just one run while striking out five in six innings. Gonzalez struck out a pair of batters in a scoreless frame to earn his ninth save.

Sosa finished off a strong day by going 2-for-3 with a run scored while Herrera singled, scored, drove in a run and walked twice in three plate appearances.

Short-Season A Tri-City: W 4-1 (15-16, 4th, 5 GB)

The Dust Devils improved to 8-2 over their last 10 games thanks to a terrific team pitching performance led by 2013 third-rounder Sam Moll. Moll allowed just one run on four hits and a walk in four innings. He struck out four batters and induced five groundouts. Shaun Stewart, Marc Magliaro, Jerad McCrummen and Eric Nedeljkovic combined for five scoreless innings of relief, with McCrummen being the only one of the four to allow a hit.

Michael Benjamin and Alec Mehrten had two hits apiece while both Kyle Von Tungeln and Chris O'Dowd doubled and drove in a run.

Rookie DSL Rockies: W 4-3 (20-17, t-3rd, 8 GB)

Luis Castro went 2-for-4 with a homer and scored two runs and Antonio Senzatela pitched six effective innings to lead the Rockies to victory.

Senzatela allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and struck out five. Jesus Torres and Gustavo Brazoban combined for three innings of scoreless relief.

Luis Brito Jr. added two hits, a walk and an RBI at the plate.