With IHSB off "having a life" or some such diversion - sheesh, what's all that about? - you're back in my tender cares for the next week or so of minor-league reports. These will probably be a bit briefer than usual, since we've got six minor-league franchises to cover, now that Yakima is under way, along with the DSL. I've still also got to post the GDT for tomorrow, since I'm driving with Mrs. SnakePit up to Anthem, and am not sure exactly when we'll be back from that. No rest for the hoarse, tired and overfull of food...
Snakelet of the Day:
Mauricio Soto (DSL): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Mauricio Soto (DSL): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K
Triple-A: Reno 4 @ Las Vegas 5. The Aces had a 4-2 lead in the middle of the fifth, with two RBI coming off the bat of C Konrad Schmidt, who doubled twice. However, the 51's clawed their way back even with single tallies in the fifth and sixth, then won it as Jason Urquidez failed to retire a batter in the ninth. He allowed a lead-off single, uncorked two wild pitchers and then another hit. DH Wily Mo Pena and SS Tony Abreu each had a hit and a walk, but the Aces fanned 14 times. Zach Kroenke got the start, but lasted only 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and a walk. Kam Mickolio pitched two scoreless frames.
Double-A: Mobile 4, Montgomery 3. The BayBears got a good start from Kyler Newby, who scattered three hits over his 6.2 innings, with only one Biscuit crossing the plate [hohoho - I always wanted to write that!]. He walked none and struck out three. Ryan Cook and Mike DeMark made things interesting in the ninth, combining to allow two hits and three walks, but DeMark got the last out with the bases loaded and the tying run at third to save the win. C Ed Easley drove in three runs on two hits, including his second-homer and RF Marc Krauss had two doubles. Your Daily Goldschmidt: 0-for-3 with a walk. He's hitless in his past four games.
High-A: Visalia 6, Bakersfield 11. The Rawhide and starter Diogenes Rosairo let the Blaze post a six-spot in the second. Though they fought back to tie things after three, four more Bakerfield runs in the fifth proved too much. Rosario was tagged with nine runs, all earned, in 4.1 innings on eight hits and two walks. DH Jon Mark Owings went 3-for-5 with a double, while RF Adam Eaton, 3B Bobby Borchering and CF Keon Broxton each had a hit and a walk. C Mark Reed drove in three runs.
A-ball: South Bend 5, Bowling Green 1. The Silver Hawks enjoyed six strong innings from Patrick Schuster, who gave up one run on three hits and a walk, striking out four. He dropped his ERA to 3.00 for the year, boosting his record to 6-3. 1B Yazy Arbelo hit his seventeenth HR, a three-run shot in the sixth that gave South Bend the lead for good. 3B Matt Helm and CF Ender Inciarte each hit a double and drew a walk. Jeremy Erben was perfect in relief for the seventh and eighth, and Blake Cooper matched him in the ninth.
Low-A: Yakima 6 @ Vancouver 5. The Bears came back to tie things up after falling 3-1 behind the Canadians, and again from a 5-3 deficit, to force extra innings. In the 12th, SS Garrett Weber got his first professional hit, driving in Vancouver native DH David Narodowski with what turned out to be the winning run. Narodowski was 3-for-5, 1B Jimmy Comerota also had three hits and drove in three, and 3B Tyler Bream got two hits and a walk. The exquisitely name Kable Hogben got the win, striking out five over three scoreless innings of one-hit relief.
DSL: DSL Diamondbacks 8, DSL Rockies 0. Our Dominican side scored six in the fourth on their way to an easy victory over the Rockies affiliate. C Yosbel Gutierrez had a double and a single, while 3B Yefrey Ramirez picked up a double and two walks. Mauricio Soto continued his excellent start to the season, working seven shutout innings, with only two singles, no walks and seven K's. He is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in four starts, and a 25:5 K:BB ratio in 24 innings. At 22, he is the oldest player on the roster, however.