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Rockies prospect Sam Howard throws complete game shutout for Yard Goats

Prospect news and game results from the Rockies minor league affiliates from Tuesday, May 16, 2017.

Rockies prospect Sam Howard started the first game of a double header for Double-A Hartford yesterday and carved up the Portland Sea Dogs. Howard went the full seven innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while throwing just 83 pitches. One may be inclined to hem and haw about it being just seven innings, but it still counts as complete game shutout. In fact, it may be even more impressive, considering the fact that it saved the bullpen for Game 2, which the Yard Goats lost 8-1.

Sam Howard excelled last year in 11 starts in the California League, putting up a 2.47 ERA and a 73:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 6523 innings. This earned him a promotion to Double-A where, after some initial scuffles, he did well. He cut down his walks but also struggled to generate strikeouts, posting a 3.99 ERA with a 67:28 K:BB ratio in 9013 innings.

His first start this year came at Triple-A Albuquerque, though it was pretty short (223 innings, 37 pitches) due to him missing some time in spring training. He got sent down to Hartford for a start on April 22 and has slowing been getting stretched out since then. In his last three starts he has thrown 20 innings, allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits and three walks with 19 strikeouts. His 1.61 ERA is second on the team (reminder that Yency Almonte is still tearing up Double-A) while his 0.68 WHIP is the best mark for the Yard Goats. If Howard is able to keep this up, the Albuquerque rotation is set to get crowded soon.

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We have another matinee today, as the ‘Topes take on the Redbirds in Memphis at 10:05 am MT. If you’re following along on MiLB Gameday feel free to use this as your comment thread.

Top 30 PuRPs

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Triple-A: Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Memphis Redbirds 3

Isotopes Victorious in Morning Matinee in Memphis | Albuquerque Isotopes News

Jeff Hoffman (no. 2 PuRP): 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R/ER, 4 BB, 3 HBP, 4 K

Matt Carasiti (HM PuRP): 1 IP, BB, 2 K, Save

Cristhian Adames: 2-for-5, R, 3B

Dominic Brown: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI

Daniel Castro: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI

Shane Carle: 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R/ER

Carlos Estevez: 1 IP, H

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Double-A: Hartford Yard Goats 3, Portland SeaDogs 0 (Gm 1)

Yard Goats split doubleheader in Portland | Hartford Yard Goats News

Ryan McMahon (no. 7 PuRP): 1-for-3

Dom Nuñez (no. 14 PuRP): 0-for-2

Sam Howard (no. 20 PuRP): 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Drew Weeks: 1-for-2, 2 R, 2B

Dillon Thomas: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI

Correlle Prime: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI

Hartford Yard Goats 1, Portland SeaDogs 8 (Gm 2)

Ryan McMahon (no. 7 PuRP): 1-for-3

Josh Fuentes: 1-for-3, RBI

Luis Niebla: 413 IP, 6 H, 4 R/ER, 2 BB, 3 K

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High-A: Lancaster JetHawks 9, Modesto Nuts 5

JetHawks crack Nuts to win seventh straight | Lancaster JetHawks News

Brendan Rodgers (no. 1 PuRP): 0-for-5, 4 K

Garrett Hampson (no. 22 PuRP): 3-for-5, 2 R, 3B

Brian Mundell (HM PuRP): 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI

Sam Hilliard: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB

Wes Rogers: 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 SB

Jesus Tinoco: 413 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

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Low-A: Asheville Tourists 3, Hagerstown Suns 6

Welker's Big Day Not Enough for Tourists | Asheville Tourists News

Colton Welker (no. 19 PuRP): 3-for-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI

Jose Gomez (no. 30 PuRP): 1-for-4, R, 2B

Vince Fernandez: 1-for-4

Willie Abreu: 1-for-3, RBI

Erick Julio: 523 IP, 5 H, 5 R/ER, 2 BB, 5 K

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Wednesday Probables

Triple-A Albuquerque: Thad Weber (0-1, 5.40 ERA) @ Memphis (STL), 10:05 am MT

Double-A Hartford: Ryan Castellani (no. 9 PuRP, 1-4, 6.00 ERA) @ Portland (BOS), 4:00 pm MT

High-A Lancaster: Craig Schlitter (5-0, 1.88 ERA) @ Modesto (SEA), 8:05 pm MT

Low-A Asheville: Antonio Santos (1-3, 3.50 ERA) @ Greenville (BOS), 3:30 pm MT (Gm 1)

TBD @ Greenville (BOS) (Gm 2)