Man, a lot of people are really getting into the Dominican Summer League. There's a full-on game recap of the DSL Diamondbacks' game against the DSL Padres on the front page of the 'Pit - this is great! What's that? The Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres? What's that again? This isn't funny, clever, or witty in the slightest and I should stop writing these Farm Round-Up intros at 12:21 a.m.? Fair enough...
Snakelet of the Day:
Paul Goldschmidt (Double-A): 1-2, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 3 BB
Triple-A: Reno 10, Las Vegas 5. (62-41) After an all-around awful performance on Monday, the Aces showed up in a big way on Tuesday, demonstrating that their offense might be down without the AAAA-All-Stars, but it certainly isn't out. Juan Miranda whacked a first-inning grand slam, and Robby Hammock added a three-run shot in the third to give Reno a lead they wouldn't give up. Cole Gillespie and Mark Hallberg added doubles to the offensive effort, and even lefty Zach Kroenke couldn't squander away this lead. Don't get me wrong, Kroenke was horrible once again, posting a 1:5 K:BB ratio in five innings of work and allowing five earned runs, but Reno's bullpen tandem of Randy Hamrick, Jordan Norberto, and Kam Mickolio shut the door.
For Hamrick, this was his third straight scoreless appearance for Reno since being called up from Yakima because the Aces needed an extra reliever, posting a 3:1 K:BB ratio in 4.2 innings - even in such a small sample, how he's pulling this off is beyond me considering his 5.74 ERA as a starter for the Bears. Norberto struck out three in 1.2 innings of shutdown relief to lower his ERA to 4.25, and the still-24-year-old reliever shouldn't be counted out - although the progress in control appears minimal, he's striking out well over a batter per inning and has time to iron out the kinks. Meanwhile, Mickolio's ERA now sits at an impressive 3.94 mark with the Triple-A club this year.
Double-A: Mobile 14, Mississippi 6. (61-40) This game was a no-doubter early, as Mobile was up 11-2 by the middle of the third inning. The Big Four were plenty busy: leadoff man Adam Eaton went 2-5 with one of his signature hit-by-pitches, A.J. Pollock doubled and walked in his six plate appearances, and Ryan Wheeler went 2-6 with a double. Best of all, however, was the Double-A baseball monster that is Paul Goldschmidt. Paul went 1-2 with a two-run first-inning homer off of Braves' right-handed elite pitching prospect Randall Delgado - who was out of the game after giving up 10 runs, six earned, in just 2.2 innings due to six hits, four walks, and a HBP - and three walks. The guy is going to be just fine.
Speaking of going to be just fine, lefty Tyler Skaggs got the start for the BayBears and turned in his best Double-A outing, throwing six innings and allowing just a single unearned run, striking out six and walking one with a 7:2 GO:AO ratio. Not a bad outing at the Double-A level for someone who just had his 20th birthday two weeks ago. A trio of relievers - Kyler Newby, Yonata Ortega, and Jose Ellis - each allowed an earned run in their single innings of work, with Ortega also allowing a pair of unearned runs for good measure.
Hi-A: Off-day for the Rawhide, who resume action Wednesday.
Low-A: The Silver Hawks also had a day off on Tuesday.
Short-Season-A: Yakima 3, Tri-City 6. (13-26) Kerry Jenkins, Carter Bell, and Steven Rodriguez had two-hit games, with Jenkins adding a double, while Marc Bourgeois singled and walked to lead the offense. However, the bats arrived too late, as a great starting pitching effort from Tri-City's Tyler Gagnon and a so-so effort from Yakima starter Alex Capaul put the Bears in an early hole. Capaul didn't walk or strike out a single batter in six innings, but gave up three runs on seven hits before being chased, and relieve Adam Osteen gave up three runs while recording just two outs, putting the game well out of reach.
Advanced-Rookie: Missoula 4, Idaho Falls 3. (23-12) Starter Dexter Price was roughed up a little, serving up a three-run homer in the fifth inning, his last inning of work. Price struck out just one, but didn't walk anybody and only allowed those three runs. Reliever Raymond Hernandez came on and dominated in relief, striking out four in three perfect innings. Think there's some pitching skill in that family? Even with the impressive performance on the mound, Missoula went into the bottom of the ninth down 3-1, but strung together four singles and a RBOE to stage a comeback and walk it off. Eric Groff doubled for the Osprey, while Ty Linton flashed his combination of power and speed by whacking a triple.
Low-Rookie: Another off-day in the system.
DSL: D-backs 6, Padres 3. (19-30) Another much-anticipated essentially-neglected game in the DSL saw 19-year-old right-hander Juan Valdez turn in a solid outing, striking out nine allowing two runs in five innings on six hits and three walks. The outing raised Valdez's ERA for the DSL D-backs to 2.90 on the year in 49.2 innings, with a mighty-impressive 51:17 K:BB ratio. The slight 6'1", 160-pound (according to his MiLB page) likely has plenty of room for projection, and is even young enough to add a few inches onto his frame, though I have little else to go by with Valdez in terms of scouting reports.
The awesomely-named Jose Jose struck out one in his two scoreless innings of relief, and I'm beginning to wonder why Jose's 1.73 ERA and 31:13 K:BB ratio in 26 innings have yet to at least earn him a chance to get some state-side exposure. Having recently turned 21-years-old, the power-armed lefty is never going to be young for his league, but that doesn't change his substantial upside. Samuel Valdez collected a double and three walks to lead the DSL bats, while Jesse Liriano tripled and Wilmer Santana had two singles and a walk.