We covered the September call-ups to the big leagues in yesterday's round-up, but what is given less attention is that those upper-level promotions trigger a series of movements throughout the minors. As pieces are moved up to the big leagues, players are moved up throughout the lower levels of the system to fill the spots vacated at the upper levels. There were only four promotions, so here's a run-down of the names that moved throughout the minors yesterday:
To Triple-A Reno: RHP Kyler Newby (from Mobile), RHP Mike DeMark (from Mobile).
To Double-A Mobile: RHP Evan Marshall (from Visalia).
To Hi-A Visalia: LHP Eury De La Rosa (from South Bend).
Also, South Bend first baseman Yazy Arbelo was suspended in connection to the brawl he was involved in involving Indians pitching prospect Felix Sterling, though I don't know how long the suspension will last.
Snakelet of the Day:
A.J. Pollock (Double-A): 2-4, 2 2B, R, K, SB - 40 2B and 35:7 SB:CS in 2011.
Triple-A: Reno 1, Fresno 4. (75-65) Starting pitcher Gaby Hernandez had a rough day, coughing up a pair of home runs with a 3:2 K:BB ratio in six innings, leaving with all four of Fresno's runs charged against him. What was even more unsettling, though, was the performance of the Reno offense. With how hitter-friendly the PCL is, reaching base seven times in one game with not a single extra-base hit is an exceptionally discouraging performance, but that's exactly what the Aces bats did on Thursday. Angel Berroa led the way with a two-hit day (while playing left field???). With the promotions of Ryan Cook, Alberto Castillo, and Sam Demel, the Aces have shifted Tom Layne to a short relief role - he worked 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout - and brought up Mike DeMark - who worked a 1-2-3 ninth - from Double-A Mobile.
Double-A: Mobile 6, Huntsville 7. (82-54) Infielder Jake Elmore homered for Mobile, while A.J. Pollock added two doubles and a stolen base to give him 40 two-base hits and 35 successful steals on the year. Ed Easley also chipped in with a double and a walk, continuing what has been a bit of a rebound season for him. Unfortunately, despite the offense doing its job, the BayBears were put in an early hole they couldn't escape from due to a poor outing from starter Patrick Corbin. Corbin gave up seven runs in just four innings on the mound, striking out three and walking two while serving up a pair of home runs among nine hits. With Corbin's poor outing following a rough start from Trevor Bauer, perhaps the BayBears rotation partied a bit too hard after clinching their division title... :-)
Hi-A: Visalia 4, Lancaster 6. (62-74) The Rawhide offense was powered by David Nick's 34th double (random news: Nick and lefty Tyler Skaggs were named to the Cal League All-Star Team!) of the season and a late two-run home run from Matt Davidson - his 19th of the season - to bring the Rawhide within a pair of runs of the JetHawks, but that rally fell short. Starting pitcher Derek Eitel had another rough outing, his third straight with an ERA in the double-digits. Eitel worked just three innings, posting a 2:1 K:BB ratio while facing 17 batters, giving up seven hits and six runs, all earned. Dan Taylor worked three scoreless innings, while Eury De La Rosa made his Hi-A debut with a scoreless seventh inning, striking out one and walking one.
Low-A (11 innings): South Bend 6, Fort Wayne 7. (66-69) Second baseman Gerson Montilla led the offense with a three-hit game that included a double, three runs driven in, and two stolen bases (without being caught). The day upped Montilla's power line to 18 doubles, two triples, and seven home runs in just 62 games for South Bend this year. He doesn't walk as much as I'd like, but some BABIP regression and a move to a more hitter-friendly league could cause his numbers to explode next year. Niko Gallego and Roberto Ortiz each added doubles, while Gallego and Matt Helm each had two-hit days, but the TinCaps were able to come back against a shaky Silver Hawks bullpen after another excellent start from Mike Bolsinger.
For Bolsinger, it was business as usual, as the 2010 draft pick allowed just two runs (one earned) in six innings, posting a 7:1 K:BB ratio and a 7:1 GO:AO ratio. The start lowered Bolsinger's season ERA with the Silver Hawks to just 2.66, with a 2.69 ERA in 13 starts. It was the eighth straight start in which Bolsinger has walked one or fewer while working fewer than six innings in only one of those outings. In that span, Bolsinger has a 47:7 K:BB ratio in 51 innings of work, allowing just 14 earned runs.
Short-Season-A: Yakima 9, Eugene 7. (32-42) Yakima pitchers Adam Kudryk and Teo Gutierrez combined for a 7:1 K:BB ratio in 8.2 innings of work, but nevertheless gave up 7 runs (five earned), with four of them charged to Gutierrez in a mere 2.2 innings despite a 3:0 K:BB ratio. However, he offense picked up their starters (making up for early this year, perhaps), as Justin Hilt crushed a grand slam in the fifth inning and doubled, and Yakima's lineup produced five multi-hit performances. Two of those multi-hit efforts, from Carter Bell and Garrett Weber, also included doubles, while Tyson Van Winkle also doubled for the Bears.
Advanced-Rookie: Missoula 3, Great Falls 10. (39-30) The Osprey received home runs from Jon Griffin and Roidany Aguila, and a triple from Ty Linton, but just both home runs were solo shots and the Osprey managed just two other hits, getting out-hit by Great Falls 15-5. The pitching was underwhelming, too, as all three of the Osprey arms to work in this game gave up three or more earned runs, with two of those arms working just a pair of innings apiece.