In am attempt to give the Constable more time to encourage Brady Aiken to sign, I have been allocated the PreStros this morning, which is excellent for me (more pay!!), but bad for you.
New Feature! - Reader Count: 7
Summary
* Affiliates go 1-2 on the day, advancing the combined record to 156-131.
* Oklahoma and Reno only scored in one inning each for the whole game.
* Corpus made like the Miami Heat, mis-placing it's offensive game in San Antonio.
* Lancaster had it's All-Star Game today...
* ... as did Quad Cities.
* Tri-City lost a close one to Lowell.
Oklahoma City (40-33)
Oklahoma scored four in the second, and Reno (40-32) scored 2 in the seventh, and the rest were donuts. Oklahoma City, however, gave up 10 hits and committed two errors, so holding Reno to two runs was impressive. Oklahoma wins, 4-2.
Mound: Rudy Owens got to throw for, like, the first time in a fortnight. He went five, giving up five hits, and striking out five. He gave up one walk. No runs were scored, despite a rocky first inning. He had runners being on second and third with no outs. The next two batters were retired, then a runner reached on catcher's interference, but Owens escaped by getting a groundout.
Jorge De Leon relieved, and things got a little complicated at that point. He went 1.2IP, giving up 3H, 2R/ER. Kevin Chapman finished the sixth and stranded De Leon's runner (0.2IP, H, K). Jason Stoffel relieved Chapman, and stranded his runner (1.2IP, H, BB, K), earning the save in the process.
Plate: The big knock was from Carlos Perez, batting ninth. He went 1-4, HR, 3RBI, R. Enrique Hernandez went 0-3, 2BB and Gregorio Petit went 2-4, 2B, RBI to continue their collective hot form of late. Preston Tucker, whom I am pimping for a call up, went 0-3, BB.
Man of the Match: Carlos Perez mashed a three-run dinger - all the runs that the RedHawks would need. He also helped sharpen Owens' focus by allowing a batter to reach on catcher's interference to load the bases with two outs, which was a brilliant move that paid off handsomely. Hence, the MoTM award.
Corpus Christi (34-37)
More donuts / bagels / whatever from the Hooks from an offensive perspective, as they got shut out for the second night in a row, losing 3-0 to the San Antonio Missions (37-34). The Missions left it late, scoring all three of their runs in the bottom of the eighth and not needing to bat in the ninth.
Mound: Luis Cruz got the start for the Hooks, going 4.1IP, giving up 4 hits, 1 walk and striking out five. He still seems to be on a pitch limit, as he was removed mid-inning at 74 pitches. Jordan Jankowski relieved, and went 2.2 perfect innings, striking out one, needing only 27 pitches. Things went seriously south with the introduction of Travis Bellow (IP, 2H, 3R, 2ER, 2K, HR), who wore the loss.
Plate: More walks (4) than hits (3) for Corpus today. Nolan Fontana was the standout offensive performer (kind of like being the tallest dwarf on the Hooks lately), going 1-3, BB, and 2B for the only extra-base hit. Leo Heras (1-4) and Jonathan Meyer (1-3) also got hits. Jio Mier, Tyler Heineman and Telvin Nash all walked.
Man of the Match: Luis Cruz, the 5-9 lefty from Puerto Rico, had another seriously dominating outing. Cherry-picking here, but his last two combined outings are filthy: 7IP, 5H, 2BB, 11K. He was lit up three outings ago (5IP, 6R/ER), but his outing before that was also pretty ridiculous (6.1IP, H, 2BB, 9K). He seems like an intriguing prospect, and at the age of 23, is still 18 months younger than the average AA age. Watch this space (not literally, of course).
Lancaster (44-26)
Lancaster had their All Start Game today. Representing Lancaster in the California League team (who won 3-2 over the Carolina League) was Anthony Kemp (0-2), Teoscar Hernandez (1-2, R), non-starter Carlos Correa (0-2 - Corey Seager got the nod at SS), Roberto Pena (0-1), Kyle Westwood (1IP, no runs/hits/walks/strikeouts) and Josh Hader (1IP, H, R/ER, BB, 2K).
Quad Cities (35-34)
Quad Cities also had their All Star Game today. Representing the River Bandits were Chan Moon (0-2), Brett Phillips (1-3, RBI) and Tyler Brunnemann (1.0IP, 0H, 0BB, 0K). The Midwest League West Division All-Stars (the team which Quad Cities feeds in to) won by a score of 7-1.
Tri-City (2-3)
Tri-Cities went down to Lowell (2-3) in a low-scoring affair today. Tri-Cities outhit Lowell 7 hits to 4 and out-walked them 5 walks to 3, but also committed two errors. They eventually lost by a score of 2-1 - Lowell scored one in each of the second and fourth, Tri-Cities scored their run in the bottom of the sixth.
Mound: Francis Ramirez got the start, and threw 5IP, giving up 3 hits and one walk which resulted in 2 runs (1 earned). He struck out three. Sebastian Kessey (2IP), Ryan Thompson and Derick Velazquez combined for 4 innings of 1 hit, 2 walk ball, striking out 6.
Plate: Alex Hernandez - 40th round pick for the Astros this year, continued the torrid start to his professional career, going 2-3, BB. A.J. Reed went 1-3, BB, R. Nick Tanielu and and Mott Hyde hit doubles (1-3, BB, 2B and 1-2, 2B, RBI respectively).
The ValleyCats went 1-12 with RISP which, more than anything else, doomed them to the loss.
Man of the Match: Lets go with Alex Hernandez, whose triple slash currently sits at .500/.583/.600 in his young professional career. Jose Altuve, watch your back!
Thanks for reading, and please, your comments are much appreciated, so feel free to... er, comment.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
