The Constable is unable to write the PreStros this morning as he is attending a dog show in California tomorrow. Wish him luck, he has been saying that he has a strong entry this year. Travel safe, Constable and Dog, and best of luck.
Summary
* Reasonable day for the affiliates going 5-3, with the cumulative record sitting at 164-140.
* Oklahoma City won a football game at Reno.
* Corpus scored some more runs (!), and pitched really well to record a solid win.
* Lancaster won a very, very tight one, their eighth in a row at Lake Elsinore.
* Quad Cities went 1-1 in a doubleheader after yesterday's rainout.
* Tri-City lost on a walk-off to Lowell.
* Greeneville remains winless, with a loss to Elizabethton.
* The GCL Astros remain loss-less, with a win over the GCL Braves.
Oklahoma City (42-34)
Lots of runs early on in this one, with Oklahoma City scoring 7 in the first two, and Reno scoring five in the first three. From the beginning of the fifth inning onward, only three half-frames were recorded as donuts, with the eventual result being an Oklahoma win, 12-8.
Bump: Toe-ing the bump was Mike Foltynewicz, who, with a strong game, could put pressure on the Front Office for a call up. However, as I mentioned in this article, pitching at Reno incurs significant altitude-related disadvantages, and perhaps Bad-MF was the victim of that today. Regardless, he left the game with a 9-6 lead, so one could say that he did his job adequately. His final line: 5.2IP, 7H, 6R/5ER, 5BB, 3K, HR. Jorge De Leon relieved, and gave up 2 runs (1 earned) in 1.2 innings, but Jason Stoffel really shut the game down with a 1.2IP, H, K line.
Plate: In all, 17 hits and five walks, plus one RoE meant a total of 23 base runners, 12 of whom crossed home plate, thereby scoring a point for their team. Continued hot form for Kiké Hernandez (4-5, BB, 3B, HR, 2RBI, 5R) and Marc Krauss (3-5, BB, 2x2B, 3RBI, 3R) who were hitting at 2 and 3 in the order. Domingo Santana (at 4) also had a strong night (2-4, 2BB, 2B, 2RBI, R), and Preston Tucker (at 5) was on base twice (1-4, BB, RBI). Joe Sclafani went 3-5, 3B, RBI, R in the nine-hole. L.J. Hoes drove in two with his only base hit (1-4, R, 2RBI).
Man of the Match: Can we hold Kiké Hernandez down much longer?? Probably, yes, but this does not negate a top night. His last 10: .395/.438/.558, 4BB versus 4K. Note is made that Hernandez started at third base again tonight, meaning Matt Dominguez will definitely be traded before game time tomorrow. You read it first here.
Corpus Christi (35-39)
Corpus watched Frisco (41-31) take the lead early when Corpus gave up a run on a solo Joey Gallo home run in the top of the second. However, Corpus scored a pair in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, and that is how it stayed. Corpus wins, 4-1, outhitting Frisco 12-7.
Bump: Tandem starting be damned!! When it works well, it looks like genius. Corpus used two pitchers in this game, and they both dominated. Brady Rodgers got the start, and was plenty good, with a 5IP, 4H, R/ER, BB, 4K, HR performance. As mentioned previously... Joey Gallo. However, David Rollins took over, and held even the incredible Joey Gallo down. His nasty line: 4IP, 3H, 6K. Corpus' hurlers combined for a 10:1 K:BB ratio, and an 8:4 groundout:flyout ratio.
Plate: Twelve hits, all singles, and two walks. The recently maligned top-of-the-order bounced back well: Delino DeShields 2-4, R; Ruben Sosa (2-3, BB, RBI, R) and Jonathan Meyer (3-4, R RBI) who batted one-two-three respectively. Carlos Perdomo was on base twice (1-3, BB, RBI), as was Telvin Nash (2-4, R)
Man of the Match: The Tandem pitchers were just awesome, holding a good Frisco squad down. So, Brady Rodgers and David Rollins, take a bow.
Lancaster (46-26)
Lancaster won a tight one over the Lake Elsinore Storm (40-32). The JetHawks were 42-0 when leading after eight, and they managed to close the Storm down in the ninth, despite a hard-hit flyout and a walk. Lancaster wins their eighth in a row at Lake Elsinore by a score of 3-2, apparently taking over from Bakersfield for the best record in the league.
Bump: Josh Hader was plenty solid in his start: 6IP, 3H, R/ER, 2BB, 3K. The run that was given up in the first inning on a two-out double after a hit-by-pitch. Hader was relieved by Zach Morton, who give up a further run in his three innings (3IP, H, R/ER, 2BB, 2K)
Plate: Carlos Correa hit a home-run (1-4, 2R, RBI) in the first, immediately after Anthony Kemp (2-5, CS) was caught stealing third. Rio Ruiz continued his hot form (2-3, BB), and Dan Gulbransen also batted well, recording a 1-3, BB, RBI line.
Man of the Match: We love quality starts, so Josh Hader gets a MoTM. We also love home runs, so Carlos Correa also gets a shout-out in the form of a MoTM as well.
Quad Cities (36-35)
Quad Cities had a Friday Night Doubleheader against the Peoria Chiefs. In game one, Quad Cities led 2-0 going into the top of the seventh, and held on as Peoria scored one. QC wins, 2-1.
Bump - Game 1: Edison Frias got the start, and did exactly want you want a Game 1 hurler to do in a double header. His line: 6IP, 5H, 0R/ER, 2BB, 4K. He was relieved by Frederick Tiburcio, who game up his first run of the season: IP, 2H, R/ER. K. Single, force out (runner to first) double, strikeout, groundout is how that inning went.
Plate - Game 1: Chan Moon had himself a night (at least during the first half of the night) - 2-2, BB, HR, 2R, RBI. The only other hit was by Brett Booth (1-3, RBI), who drove in Chan Moon. James Ramsay, Brett Phillips, Chase McDonald and Jose Fernandez all walked.
Man of the Game 1 Match: Edison Frias and Chan Moon can share the honour.
In game 2, Quad Cities loses a very tight one by a score of 1-0 to Peoria (now 38-33).
Bump - Game 2: Evan Grills was the hard-luck loser, throwing a 7-inning complete game, giving up 7 hits, 1 run (unearned), 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. He kept the ball on the ground with an 11-1 groundout to flyout ratio. The unearned run was via a fielding error that turned a leadoff single into a double.
Plate - Game 2: Quad Cities' best chance to score was in the bottom of the sixth, when they had men on first and second, one out. Brett Phillips had 40% of the hits, and 100% of the extra-base hits (2-5, 2B). Chan Moon also had a hit (1-3), completing a pretty good day. No River Bandits walked.
Man of the Game 2 Match: Evan Grills did everything one could reasonably ask in the second half of a doubleheader, but was sadly stung with the loss. However, I understand that pitchers crave the MoTM, and care not for the win, so he will be happy.
Tri-City (4-4)
Tri-City loses on a walk off to Lowell (5-3). Tri City scored first in the top of the first, then entered the top of the seventh down 6-2. However, they scored 5 in the top of the seventh, to take a 7-6 lead. But they were unable to hold on, as Lowell scored one in the bottom of the seventh, and one in the ninth.
Bump: Luis Ordosgoitti gets that start: 4IP, 4H, 3R/ER, 2BB, 2K, HR. Derick Velazquez (7th round) wore the loss (0.1IP, 3H, R/ER, K). Raul Rivera, Ryan Thompson and Blaine Sims all allowed runs in either one or two innings work.
Plate: Marc Wik led off with a home run (3-5, HR, 2R, RBI, SB), J.D. Davis was on base twice (1-4, BB, 2B, RBI), as was Nick Tanielu (1-4, BB, 2R). Ariel Ovando was on base three times (1-4, 2BB, 2B, 2RBI). Ravel Santana (1-3, BB) and Mott Hyde (2-3, R) were both solid at the bottom of the order.
The five run inning?? Single, single, groundout - advancing the runners, 2-run fielding error, double, walk, RBI single, RBI groundout, pop out.
Man of the Match: Marc Wik, for his solid night after a rough start to the season.
Greeneville (0-2)
Greeneville took an early lead over Elizabethton (2-0) with a two run bottom of the first. Elizabethton got one back in each of the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, and three in the top of the eighth. Greeneville scored two in the bottom of the eighth before their first two runners reached on walks in the bottom of the ninth. However, three consecutive K's doomed Greeneville to their second loss in a row to start the season by a score of 6-4.
Bump: Devonte German got the start (4IP, 5H, R/ER, 2BB, 2K), and gave way to Reymin Guduan (4IP, 2H, 5R/2ER, 6BB, 4K). Joshua James struck out the side in a perfect ninth (1IP, 3K).
Plate: Sean McMullen (30th round) was the standout offensive performer tonight - 3-5, 2R, RBI. Jacob Nottingham (1-3, 2B, BB) had the only extra-base hit. Jason Martin, leading off, was on base three times (1-3, 2BB, SB).
Man of the Match: Sean McMullen and Jason Martin get the MoTM for Greeneville tonight.
GCL Astros (1-0)
The GCL Juggernaut keeps rolling!! Or, more accurately, has just started rolling. A solid win over the GCL Braves. The GCL Braves scored three in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead, but the Astros replied with five runs over the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings, which allowed the GCL Astros to score all the runs they would need. Astros win, 8-4.
Bump: Ruben Alaniz got the start: 4IP, 6H, 3R/0ER, 4K. He gave way to Harold Arauz who was effectively wild: (4IP, H, 3BB, 5K). Jaun Delis pitched the last, giving up one run.
Plate: Kristian Trompiz had the big knock - 2-3, BB, 2B, HR, 3RBI, 4R - but also made the Astros error that resulted in three unearned runs. Dexture McCall (31st round) also had a good night: 2-4, 3B, 2RBI. Edwin Medina (33rd round) did well leading off (2-4, BB, R).
Man of the Match: Kristian Trompiz wins his first professional award - a MoTMy from Astros County!! Be proud, my man, be very proud.
Lets all leave best wishes for the Constable in the comments section below...
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
