Sunday Pebble Report: Wilfredo Rodriguez is heating up in August

Triple-A Colorado Springs - L 3-5 (61-64)

It was a tough game for the Sky Sox, who saw their three-run lead vanish in the ninth inning. Up 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Steve Hensley allowed a home run, a double, and a walk before he was replaced by closer Logan Kensing. The right-hander has 14 saves to his name this season, but was unable to nail down the win as he loaded the bases on a walk and then served up a grand slam to the Mariners' Triple-A veteran Carlos Peguero. It was Kensing's third blown save of the year.

The Sky Sox scored three runs in the fifth when Xavier Nady reached base on a single, followed by Kent Matthes' walk, and Drew Garcia's base hit. Nady came around to score after Jose Gonzalez reached on an error. Then Tim Wheeler (HM PuRP) drove in two runs with a single to right field. Things got interesting after that as the Sky Sox ran into a double play when Tim Wheeler and Jose Gonzalez were both caught in a double steal to end the inning.

Double-A Tulsa - L 5-6 (61-62)

The Drillers jumped out to a quick lead thanks to a double by Tom Murphy (#11 PuRP) with Angelys Nina on base. Third baseman Jayson Langfels followed with another double, plating the two runners. Murphy finished with two doubles on the night, raising his average to .257 in his Double-A stint. Kyle Parker (#5 PuRP) had a triple in five tries, along with two strikeouts, and now carries a .281 average on the year.

Dan Winkler (#14 PuRP) had an excellent outing and perhaps received the Eddie Butler treatment as he was lifted after just five innings and 62 pitches thrown. The right-hander allowed just one earned run on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The outing lowered Winkler's ERA to 2.87 in his Double-A career. Relievers Dan Houston and Juan Gonzalez lost control of the game, allowing five runs in 3⅔ innings of relief, including the winning single by Rangers No. 8 prospect Rougned Odor.

High-A Modesto - W 3-1 (64-61)

Terrific start by Ben Alsup, who allowed just one unearned run in eight innings pitched while striking out eight Cincinnati Reds High-A prospects. The right-hander has had an up and down season, but discovered  recent success, allowing zero earned runs in two of his last three starts. Scott Oberg recorded his 29th save with a clean inning in the ninth.

The Nuts scored their first run of the night in the fifth inning when Harold Riggins drove in Trevor Story (#4 PuRP), who had reached on a double to lead off the inning. Modesto then took the lead for good in the eighth with RBI singles from David Kandilas and the recently promoted Matt Wessinger. Riggins had a 2-for-3 night, while shortstop Trevor Story notched his 30th double of the season. Story's 30 doubles is second in the Rockies organization behind Asheville's Rosell Herrera.

Low-A Asheville - L 0-4 (58-64)

The Tourists were shutout by the Nationals' Low-A affiliate on Saturday. Things looked promising in the first inning as Asheville put two men on with Matt Argyropoulos' double and Francisco Sosa's single. The offense sputtered the rest of the way as 16 straight were retired by Hagerstown starter Brett Mooneyham. The switch-hitting Rosell Herrera (#8 PuRP) led off the seventh with a single up the middle, but was erased on a delayed steal off a pitch in the dirt. Herrera is hitting .353 with the 1-for-3 performance and is leading the South Atlantic League in average -- 33 points higher than the next best batter.

Matt Fleming, the Rockies' 27th pick in the 2012 draft, made the start for the Tourists and had a solid outing, allowing just one earned run in four innings off of six hits and three strikeouts. Flemer carries a 3.88 ERA on the season.

Short-Season Tri-City - W 11-0 (27-34)

Starter Konner Wade (2013, 7th round) pitched well on Saturday, holding the Cubs' short-season affiliate to just three hits in five shutout innings. Wade kept the balls in the infield with a 9-3 groundball-to-flyball rate, striking out two and walking one in the process. The pitcher out of the University of Arizona saw his ERA drop to 4.69 on the season.

Every Dust Devil recorded a hit as the team pounded out 16, including four for extra bases. Catcher Wilfredo Rodriguez (#19 PuRP) led the team with a 3-for-5 effort, including three RBI and two runs scored. The Puerto Rico native is heating up with a .412 average in the month of August.

Rookie Grand Junction - L 2-3 (25-30)

The Rockies dropped a close one to the Brewers' Rookie-level affiliate on Saturday, moving Grand Junction's record to 2-8 in their last 10 games. The Rockies provided plenty of offense early with two hits by Raimel Tapia, raising his average to .371 on the year. Third baseman Ryan McMahon (2013, 2nd Round) was on base three times with a hit and two walks. Showing his versatility, Miguel Dilone played left field, his seventh position of the season, and went 1-for-3 with a triple and run scored. Dilone is on fire recently, with a .435 average in the month of August.

Starter Blake Shouse (2013, 5th Round) gave up two home runs early and was pulled after 2⅔ innings with three earned runs off of three hits and two strikeouts. Shouse carries a heavy 10.24 ERA on the season. Former starter Helmis Rodriguez worked three innings of shutout relief, allowing one hit, one walk, and a strikeout to lower his ERA to 5.11 on the year.

DSL Rockies - L 1-6 (31-34)

Left fielder Omar Carrizales continued his solid 2013 campaign with a 2-for-4 night, a triple, and run scored. The left-handed 18-year-old is now hitting .291 on the year with 11 extra base hits. Third baseman Luis Castro reached base twice with a walk and single, while first baseman Hamlet Marte drove in the lone run (though he was hitless in three at-bats).

Carlos Polanco made his 12th start of the season, allowing just two earned runs and striking out three in five innings. Defense let down the Rockies pitchers as they committed three errors and allowed four unearned runs by the Mets to score.