Rockies prospect report, 8/29: Will Swanner, Taylor Featherston homers lead to Modesto victory

Triple-A Colorado Springs

Game 1 - W 4-3

Armando Galarraga endured a rough first inning, giving up three runs off a pair of doubles. The former Detroit Tiger bounced back and shut out the Mets Triple-A affiliate for his remaining five plus innings before being pulled in the seventh. The right hander finished with a line of three earned runs allowed on seven hits in 6.2 innings and three strikeouts. Mike McClendon vultured the win, going the rest of the way and being the pitcher of record during the comeback effort.

The Sky Sox scored early thanks to a Xavier Nady home run, part of a 3-for-3 night for the left fielder. It was Nady's 15th homer of the season in a Colorado Springs uniform. Kent Matthes was the hero of the game, driving in Reid Brignac in the bottom of the eighth for the walk-off win. Minor league doubleheaders are only scheduled to go seven innings, so the eighth would be considered extra innings. Matthes had a pair of hits, including his 11th Triple-A home run of the season. The Alabama alum has a combined 20 home runs on the year between his time in Tulsa and Colorado Springs.

Game 2 - L 8-12 (66-72)

It was a tough outing for starter Cory Riordan, who gave up 12 earned runs in just 3.2 innings pitched. Las Vegas produced 14 hits, including two home runs and a pair of walks against the right hander. Mitchell Boggs and Logan Kensing worked 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Riordan.

The Sky Sox made a valiant effort, including a four run seventh in an attempt to come back, but were ultimately short. Tim Wheeler doubled as part of a two-hit night, raising his season average to .264. Josh Rutledge had four RBI off a pair of doubles in his 3-for-4 night. In Ryan Wheelers first game back since being optioned from the major league club, the California native hit his 11th homer of the season.

Double-A Tulsa - L 4-6 (64-69)

Wednesday's game saw the return of Kiel Roling who hadn't played due to a forearm strain. Roling proved he was healthy as he blasted his 24th home run of the season and finished with two hits and a walk. Starting at first base for his 17th time this year, Kyle Parker had a solid game going 3-for-5 with a RBI and two strikeouts. The effort raised Parker's average to .287 on the season. Third baseman Jayson Langfels hit his 13th homer with a solo shot in the sixth.

Starter Tim Gustafson gave up five earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched, he walked four and struck out two. Tagged with the loss, Gustafson's record fell to 6-12 on the year.

High-A Modesto - W 11-6 (72-63)

The Nuts were down 6-4 when they produced a seven run outburst in the seventh to win the game. Modesto hitters produced seven hits in the inning, including doubles by Ryan Casteel and Brian Humphries. It was Casteel's 30th double of the year. Will Swanner and Taylor Featherston each homered in the game, it was the 12th of the season for the pair. Featherston keeps reaching for that .300 mark and his two-hit night brought him that much closer as his average now sits at .293 for the season.

Starter Ben Alsup endured a rough outing, giving up five runs on nine hits and two walks in 5.2 innings pitched. The right hander left the game with a lead however, after striking out five in five innings. Kraig Sitton earned the blown save after coming into the game in the sixth and allowing an inherited runner to score. Sitton allowed another runner to score in the top of the seventh, but was the pitcher of record when the Nuts produced seven runs and as such earned the win.

Low-A Asheville - L 1-7 (61-71)

The Tourists were nearly shutout by one of the Pirates best pitching prospects on Wednesday. Pittsburgh's Luis Heredia came in to the season ranked as the No. 78 prospect by Baseball America and held Asheville to just five hits in five scoreless innings. Left fielder Francisco Sosa put Asheville on the board with his 19th homer of the year in the eighth inning. Shortstop Rosell Herrera was held to just one hit in five trips, although he didn't strike out at all in the game.

Starter Jayson Aquino saw his record fall to 0-8 after giving up four earned runs in five innings pitched. The left hander allowed seven hits and three walks, while striking out just one batter. Aquino's ERA rose to 4.58 on the year after the outing.

Short-Season Tri-City - W 4-3 in 14 innings (32-39)

The Dust Devils found themselves playing deep into extra innings after giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth against the Blue Jays affiliate. Trent Daniel earned the blown save when he served up a two-run home run to Dawel Lugo in the ninth. Starter Konner Wade had been previously solid, allowing just one run off of four hits in 6.2 innings pitched. Sam Moll earned the hold after striking out two in 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.

Shortstop Patrick Valaika went 2-for-7 including a pair of doubles on the night. Second baseman Patrick Hutcheson went 3-for-6 with a double. Hutcheson scored the winning run in the top of the 14th when he reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second before coming home on a throwing error by Vancouver's third baseman Justin Atkinson.

Rookie Grand Junction - L 5-6 (28-37)

The Rockies showed they came to play, scoring four runs in the first inning. Correlle Prime and Ryan McMahon drove in the first two runs of the game, scoring Cesar Galvez and Jordan Patterson. McMahon's hit was part of a 2-for-3 night, highlighted by his 16th double of the season. The switch-hitting Cesar Galvez went 4-for-5 in the game and is batting .340 on the year.

Starter Blake Shouse had his best outing of the season, shutting down the Chukars offense and allowing just one hit in five scoreless innings. The right hander out of Georgia has allowed just three hits and one earned run in his last nine innings pitched. Carlos Yan earned the loss after walking a batter in the ninth and seeing the batter advance to second on a passed ball. Yan then fielded a bunt and overthrew Cesar Galvez who was covering from second. The ball rolled into right field allowing the runner to score from second base.