(3-4, T3rd–PCL American South)
Game Notes:
Oklahoma started out the year a franchise-best 5-0, but the Express win in convincing fashion for the second night in a row in the Redhawks own ballpark.
The Express offense really cranked it up for their best performance of the year in the 10-6 win. They logged a total of 15 hits, although 12 were singles.
CF Mike Rodriguez had a 4-5 night with a triple, RBI and 2 runs scored.
2B Brooks Conrad had 3 hits as his average rose above .300 for the 1st time this season.
SS Jesse Garcia had the only other multi-hit game (pair of singles).
Chris Sampson ( 5 IP 5 H 2 R 1 ER 0 W 5 K) makes it two consecutive superb starts at the AAA level.
Lefty Steve Kent nearly gave the game away in the bottom of the 9th. After falling behind the Express by a nearly insurmountable 10-2 count going into that final frame, the Redhawks rallied for 4 runs and had another runner on base when the final out was recorded.
(3-3, T2nd–Texas League South)
Game Notes:
Round Rock native John Danks was spanked by the Hooks in the 4-0 CC win. Danks, one of the Rangers’ top pitching prospects, was knocked around for 7 hits (including 2 longballs) and all 4 runs in 4.2 IP.
One of the Astros’ top pitching prospects, Juan Gutierrez, continues to sparkle in his jump to AA. He goes the longest of any Houston minor league starting pitcher thus far (8 innings) while giving up just 4 hits. Guti was still going strong at the end, recording all 3 outs in the 8th innning via K’s sandwiched around a walk. The 22 year-old Venezuelan righty ended up throwing 99 pitches.
RF Hunter Pence picks up his 3rd homer already this season with a towering 450-foot solo shot to left field in the 3rd inning. He also doubled and drew a walk. He had a SB (#2), but then somehow also managed to get picked off third base.
C J.R. House extends the hit streak to 6 games with the 2-4 night.
Ben Zobrist DH’d and hit leadoff and took the 0fer.
1B Josh Bonifay hit his 1st longball of the year.
Other News and Notes:
(1) OF Josh Anderson took a seat on Wednesday. He turned an ankle in Tuesday’s game in the 3rd inning, though he played the rest of the way in that ballgame. (2) According to Greg Rajan of the CC Caller, this was the first time in Gutierrez’s professional career that he’s ever gone more than 7 innings.
Quoting:
On his injury:
“I felt it was OK enough to stay in,” (Josh) Anderson said. “I don’t think it’s going to be (a long absence). The strength is getting back and I think it’s just a tweak.”
(3-3, 3rd–Carolina League Southern)
Game Notes:
Game time was 11:00 A.M. Maybe the Salem bats were still sleepin’ in.
As many of you know by now, Salem was no-hit in the 3-0 Frederick win. Mucho props to Keys’ starter Radhames Liz. The first eight outs recorded by the 22-year old Dominican against Avs’ hitters were whiffs and he sent a total of 13 Salem hitters directly back to the dugout on the day (12 swinging, just one looking). Of the 15 outs he recorded in his 5 innings of work, only one of those represented a ball that was put in play. A truly, truly dominating performance.
Avs’ starter Jimmy Barthmaier’s performance (4 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 3 W 4 K) looks almost pedestrian in comparison. The lone run charged to the Roswell, Ga native was on a delayed double steal. SS Wade Robinson returned the throw at second base back to C Jeff Mackor who applied the tag to the runner breaking from third. The tag was there but the mystery ump called him safe for the game’s first score.
Rory Shortell gave up 2 runs on 5 hits and a walk in his 3 innings.
Other News and Notes:
(1) If the bats hit the snooze alarm yesterday, they may not be too perky today either. It’s a so-called “third shift” game with the start of the contest scheduled for 9:30 A.M. This is so all the folks who work the night shift can attend a game. (2) Liz is the 12th-ranked prospect in the Orioles system. Though sometimes shaky with his command, he rang up 137 K’s in just 94 innings last season. (3) Dustin (son of Robin) Yount plays 1B for the Keys.
(6-1, 1st–SAL Northern)
Game Notes:
Lexington returns to their winning ways with the 8-3 shellacking of Hickory.
The Legends had just 8 hits in the game. A couple of Crawdad errors resulted in 4 unearned runs in the 4th inning.
C J.R. Towles had a great day. He singled, homered (#1) and drove in 2 runs. He also reached on a couple of plunks (both of which occurred before he hit the home run) and swiped a base.
RF Eli Iorg also had a couple of hits and a couple of RBIs.
CF Josh Flores singled, was plunked and had the swipe (#2).
3B Koby Clemens had a 2-run single to give him a club-leading (tied with Mitch Einertson) 5 RBIs.
Starter Levi Romero notched a win by yielding 2 runs on 7 hits over 5 innings.
Texas Southern-ex Brandon Stricklen hurled 2 scoreless to keep his ERA full of goose eggs.
Iorg and Flores both threw out baserunners in the game.
And speaking of throwing out baserunners, Towles nabbed the only would-be basestealer in the game for the Hickory side.
Other News and Notes:
(1) Einertson, just 2-15 over the last 4 games, rode the pine on Wednesday.
Quoting:
Regarding the two outfield assists:
“Flores did a good job of hitting the cutoff man to give us a chance to catch that guy,” Manager Jack Lind said. “Then Iorg. The first couple days we worked on that — balls in the corner in left and right, because of the short fence. We knew there were going to be some chances to throw guys out at second base even if the ball goes off that way, if it’s hit hard enough.”