AAA - New Orleans Zephyrs 8, Colorado Springs Sky Sox 2
Starters Christian Friedrich and Brian Flynn were locked in a pitchers' duel through six innings at Security Service Field, with the only run of the game coming via a home run by New Orleans center fielder Jake Marisnick. However, things came unraveled for Friedrich in the top of the seventh, as he allowed all five Zephyrs he faced in the inning to reach base before being replaced by reliever Rob Scahill, who allowed both inherited runners to score before getting out of the inining with the Sky Sox trailing, 6-0.
Friedrich ended with a line of six runs (all earned) on seven hits with three walks and three strike outs.
The Sky Sox got their only two runs in the bottom of the seventh when Rafael Ynoa reached on a throwing error that allowed Ryan Wheeler and Drew Garcia to score.
AA - Springfield Cardinals 4, Tulsa Drillers 0
Drillers starter Dan Winkler (No. 12 PuRP) entered Thursday's game against Springfield having allowed just five runs in 42 innings (a 1.07 ERA) in his first seven starts of the season. In start number eight, he coughed up a trio of solo home runs in 6 2/3 innings of work in a 4-0 loss for the Drillers. Cardinals center fielder hit the first of the three long balls in the first inning, giving Springfield a 1-0 lead. The other two homers came from former Rockies farmhand Rafael Ortega in the fifth and first baseman Jonathan Rodriguez in the sixth.
Winkler allowed six hits, five for extra bases, in his 6 2/3 innings of work, with no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 102 pitches, 67 for strikes.
Meanwhile, Springfield starter Jonathan Cornelius pitched like the guy with the sub-2.00 ERA, allowing just a pair of singles to Delta Cleary Jr. and Brian Humphries in 6 1/3 innings, walking a pair and striking out six to earn his third win of the season.
High-A - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 6, Modesto Nuts 5 (10 innings)
Rancho Cucamonga left fielder Adam Law walked off on Modesto with a two-out single in the bottom of the tenth, sending the Nuts to their ninth loss in a row and a staggering 31st defeat on the season.
Nuts starter Ben Alsup gave up five runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings of work, walking none and striking out three. However, he was bailed out by a strong offensive performance from Modesto, highlighted by a 3-for-5 night from Trevor Story (No. 6 PuRP), who tied the game at five with his third home run of the season in the seventh, but could not give the Nuts the lead with two runners on in the ninth.
A - Asheville Tourists 10, Lexington Legends 6
The Tourists used a 16-hit outburst to take a 10-6 victory in a slugfest against Lexington. David Dahl (No. 3 PuRP) had a strong day, going 2-for-5 with a double, but the real offensive star for Asheville was designated hitter Ashley Graeter, who went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and his first two home runs of the season.
On the mound, Tourists starter Zach Jemiola had one of his better starts of the season, giving up three runs on seven hits in six innings with two walks and three strikeouts, helping stake Asheville to a 10-3 lead through seven innings before the Legends got three runs against the Tourists bullpen in the eighth and ninth.
Today's Probables:
AAA - Pedro Hernandez
AA - Jon Gray (No. 1 PuRP)
High-A - Devin Burke
A - Antonio Senzatela (No. 29 PuRP)