A great day in the big-leagues obviously is more important than any W-L records in the minors ever will be, so the sweep of the Twins makes today the cause of much jubilation and happiness. Granted, it would have been nice if the D-backs affiliates could have followed suit, but only South Bend managed to pull off a win today, topping Great Lakes in a 10-7 slugfest.
Snakelet of the Day:
Marc Krauss (Double-A Mobile): 2-2, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB
Triple-A: Reno 1, Albuquerque 3. Barry Enright had his best start as an Ace, throwing seven strong innings in which he surrendered a pair of runs on five hits - including a homer - and a walk while striking out five. The 4:8 GO:FO ratio remains worrisome, but it's nice to see Barry keeping the walk counts low. Even if he can't limit the balls in the air and out of the park, I think he can be successful by refusing to give out free passes. The offense, however, was stagnant, as Albuquerque's John Ely threw a complete game, surrendering only a solo home run to Cody Ransom. The homer was Ransom's 11th of the season.
Double-A: Mobile 2, Tennessee 4. Krauss had a much-needed fantastic day today, reaching base four times and knocking in the team's only two runs of the game in support of starter Charles Brewer. Brewer was also solid, giving up just one earned run in 5.1 innings of work, striking out four, walking one, and leaving the game with a shutout intact. Unfortunately, reliever Brian Cook surrendered a three-run homer in the sixth (scoring Brewer's inherited runner), and the BayBears couldn't climb back. Ryan Wheeler had two hits, including a double, and Taylor Harbin drew a pair of walks. Your Daily Goldschmidt: Goldie was the only other BayBear to reach base twice, on a single and a walk.
Hi-A: Visalia 4, High Desert 9. It almost looked like Eric Smith had figured his season-long woes out, getting through five innings and allowing just a single run. Then the sixth inning happened, in which Smith would be tagged for six runs while recording just a single out. Smith finished the night with 5.1 innings pitched, surrendering 7 hits, a walk, and a homer, with just two strikeouts. Needless to say, the Rawhide didn't recover from that deficit. No idea what to make of Smith right now. On the offensive end, Adam Eaton, Chris Owings, and Raoul Torrez each collected doubles for the Rawhide, while Mark Reed had two hits and a solo home run.
Low-A: South Bend 10, Great Lakes 7. The farm system's only win of the night wound up closer that one would expect after the top of the third inning, when the SilverHawks build up a 6-2 lead over Great Lakes. The Loons would constantly chip away at the SilverHawks' lead, though, scoring their seven runs across six different innings of the game. David Holmberg struck out six in four innings of work, but gave up four runs (three earned) on a homer, a walk, and eight hits. Roberto Ortiz had a smashing Low-A debut, whacking two doubles (to go with two strikeouts) and driving in three runs. Yazy Arbelo collected two hits and a walk, while Roberto Rodriguez had a double, a walk, and a HBP. Zach Walters and Matt Helm each reached base twice and stole a base.