:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46220628/usa-today-8189609.0.jpg)
Saturday - 4/25
Modesto 4, Lancaster 5 - MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Jordan Patterson
Nuts Fall 5-4 Against the Jethawks | Modesto Nuts News
The Nuts had tied the game each time the Jethawks had taken a lead. Michael Benjamin, Jr. tied the game at one with a RBI single in the third. After giving up a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, the Nuts tied it again on Dillon Thomas' two-run blast in the fourth. In the fifth, Raimel Tapia plated a tying run with a RBI groundout.
PuRPs Ryan McMahon and Raimel Tapia combined to go 0-8, both players are cooling down after scorching starts. Jordan Patterson is doing the opposite, getting the stick going after a slow start, coming up with two hits including an RBI double.
Antonio Senzatela struggled for the first time this season allowing four earned runs on six hits in only 3.1 innings pitched. He did strike out five which is encouraging since he has never been known as a strike out pitcher but he did give up three home runs ... which is not encouraging.
Asheville 3, Greenville 4 - MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Sean Dwyer
Drive Hang On To Beat Tourists 4-3 | Asheville Tourists News
Trailing 4-0, the Tourists finally made some noise in the sixth. Asheville loaded the bases but Randy Reyes struck out to end the inning. In the seventh, Sean Dwyer singled home Forrest Wall from second to put the Tourists on the board. Asheville loaded the bases again in the eighth. With one out, Daza grounded into a fielder's choice that included a throwing error; plating two runs. Dwyer delivered again in the ninth with a one-out double.
Two batters later, Wes Rogers was intentionally walked in favor of Emerson Jimenez. The Tourists shortstop came through with a single into right loading the bases. Weeks then flew out ending the comeback attempt and the game.
Sean Dwyer (1B) went 3-4 with a double a run scored and an RBI but it wasn't enough to put Asheville over the top late. Both Drew Weeks and Emerson Jimenez had multi-hit days. Wes Rogers continued to impress in the early going with a hit and a walk.
Carlos Polanco got the start and went five solid innings, giving up just two earned runs. James Lomangino picked up three innings in relief allowing three hits, striking out three, he didn't allow a runner to cross home plate.
SUNDAY - 4/26
Modesto 10, Lancaster 3 - MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Correlle Prime
A Grand Win Splits the Series for the Nuts | Modesto Nuts News
Correlle Prime delivered a grand slam in the fifth to bust the game open and give the Modesto Nuts the 10-3 win against the Lancaster Jethawks on Sunday afternoon at The Hanger. Konner Wade was the scheduled starter, but a late scratch forced the bullpen to take over and five arms combined to hold the Jethawks (10-8) to just three runs on seven hits.
Modesto put a big fat ten spot on the board, getting a combined seven RBI from Dillon Thomas and PuRP Correlle Prime, who smashed a grand slam for his only hit of the game. Thomas recorded two doubles and was joined in the multi-hit column by Wilson Soriano (who led off with Raimel Tapia getting a rest) and Wilfredo Rodriguez. Jordan Patterson had an RBI double, drew a walk, and scored two runs.
Thing got very interesting on the pitching side as the bullpen was tasked with picking up the entire game after Konner Wade was scratched late. Even more impressive, Matt Pierpont, Matt Carisiti, and Carlos Estevez each came into the game with a bases loaded jam and worked out of if.
Estevez was credited with the win, throwing 2.2 innings of relief, striking out for and walking nobody. It was Estevez's second win of the season out of the pen. He also has two saves, and 14 strikeouts to only two walks so far this season.
New Britain 8, Richmond 6 - MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Trevor Story
A wild one in New Britain saw the Rock Cats win 8-6 over the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Each team used six different pitchers.
PuRP Trevor Story picked up two hits including his second home run of the year and four RBI to power the Rock Cats offense. Through 17 games, Story is sporting a slash-line of .373/.472/.610 which is good for a 1.082 OPS.
Also, according to someone who was there, it isn't just Story's bat doing the talking this season:
@DrewCreasman Trevor Story with a bomb, 4 RBI, and two out of this world plays at SS. Will Swanner..legitimately the poorest game I've seen.
— Michael James (@mjames89) April 26, 2015
Not to be outdone, fellow PuRP Tommy Murphy tallied two more hits, including a double, and drew a walk bringing his OPS to 1.108. He has 36 total bases in 16 games.
Murphy is clearly enjoying being healthy and if he continues this for another month or two should not be overlooked for a potential impact on the big league club this season.
Austin House recorded his fifth save of the year.
Asheville 2, Greenville 3 - MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Ty Buttrey (Greenville SP)
Miller, Drive Walk Off On Tourists Again | Asheville Tourists News
Ty Buttrey started for the Drive and held Asheville without a hit for five innings. Asheville's Sam Howard was almost equally as dominant as he held the Drive scoreless for the first five frames. The Tourists did have a golden opportunity in the top of the third by putting runners at first and third with no outs. Back-to-back strikeouts followed by a fly out ended that threat.
The Drive took a 1-0 lead in the sixth courtesy of a friendly bounce. With Miller at second, Mauricio Dubon hit a ground ball back up the middle and the ball hit second base. It deflected off the bag and went into left field allowing Miller to score the game's first run. Asheville answered with two runs in the top of the seventh. Drew Weeks led off the inning with a double; the Tourists first hit of the game. Two batters later, Forrest Wall tripled in Weeks and then came home on Dom Nunez's sacrifice fly to left.
Wall was the only Trourist with a multi-hit day, his triple was a hard line drive that almost left the yard but was hit too low.
The game would go 14 innings before Derek Miller collected the walk-off single for the Drive.
Albuquerque 4, Las Vegas 10 MiLB.com Box
Player of the Game: Darrell Ceciliani (Las Vegas CF)
Isotopes Offense Gets Late Start In Loss To Las Vegas | Albuquerque Isotopes News
Colorado Rockies right-handed pitcher David Hale made a Major League rehab start with the Isotopes on Sunday and stumbled out of the gates, allowing four runs in the first inning. After giving up a leadoff double, Hale plunked a batter and surrendered three-straight singles. The 51s scored three more runs in the second to take control of the game.
Shortstop Cristhian Adames kept his recent hot hitting going, posting a 1-for-4 day at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. He now has 20 hits during his last 14 games, including a team-leading seven multi-hit games. He also has 11 runs scored, three doubles, three homers, nine RBI, six walks and only three strikeouts. Adames is batting .385 (20-for-52) since April 12. Adames has three home runs in his last five games, which ties a single-season second-best for the 23-year-old.
Simon Castro, a player I believe is severely underrated in terms of bullpen depth for the major league roster, pitched two innings, striking out four and allowing no base runners to lower his ERA to 2.08 which in the PCL is like a -12.
Ben Paulsen and Dustin Garneau each recorded a hit and an RBI, continuing their excellent early season production.