Joe Saunders pitched a rehab start for the AZL D-backs and considering these are mostly 18-year old kids I can't say it went all that great. Not that the results really should matter pitching on some side field in 110 degree heat against a bunch of wide-eyed kids. But still, 4.1 innings, 3 hits and 5 walks? It's the walks that are under-whelming, but then again maybe the 18-year-old umpire doesn't know what a strike zone is. The important thing is he got his work in, he did strike out 7 and his defense contributed to 2 of the 5 runs allowed. So no big deal. And I'm sure Stryker Trahan had some fun catching a big league pitcher. The bigger issue is whose spot is he going to take in the rotation? Good question. That's why KT gets the big bucks. Let him decide. The real fun yesterday was the 20 runs scored by Mobile. Box scores are always fun to read when your team scores 20 runs.
Snake Stars
3 Stars: Mark Krauss, Mobile 4 for 4, 2 BB, 4 R, 2 HR (13), 6 RBI
2 Stars: Bradin Hagens, Visalia 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, W (2-2)
1 Star: J.R. Bradley, South Bend 8 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 ER
0 Stars: Barry Enright, Reno 1.2 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 7 ER
Game summaries after the jump.
Triple A: Reno 8 @ Col Springs 13. Barry Enright was pretty awful when he couldn't get out of the 2nd inning after giving up 7 runs to dig a deep hole. Bryan Henry gave up 4 more in the 3rd and the game was lost early on. Cole Gillespie continued his hot hitting with 3 more hits plus an RBI. Taylor Harbin had 2 hits including a double and 2 RBI. Adam Eaton and Jake Pollock added two singles each.
Double A: Mobile 20 @ Pensacola 3. After getting behind 2-0 with David Holmberg on the mound, the flood gates opened and the offense poured acorss 20 runs over the final five innings. Mark Krauss was the big bopper with a 3 for 4 night that included 2 homers and 6 RBI. Holmberg pitched well getting through 6 allowing just the 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5. Chris Owings had 3 hits with a triple and an RBI, and Kyle Green had 3 hits with 2 RBI. Bobby Borchering hit a grand slam in the 5th that first put Mobile on top, his only hit of the game to go along with 3 more strikeouts. Matt Davidson had 2 hits, a walk, a double and 2 RBI. Alfredo Marte has missed the last two games since DHing a couple of days ago.
High A: Visalia 6 @ Inland Empire 0. Bradin Hagens was very sharp with 6 superb innings of shutout ball allowing 3 hits and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts. Hagens has pitched mostly in relief this year with mixed results, but his last two outings were starts and he hasn't allowed an earned run in either of them. A balanced offense was led by DH Garrett Webber who had 3 hits and an RBI. Ryan LaPensee and Ender Inciarte each had a pair of hits with a double.
Low A: South Bend 3 Fort Wayne 1. J.R. Bradley pitched the longest outing of his professional career with an excellent 8-inning effort in which he yielded a single run on just 4 hits and 2 walks. He struck out 3. Two of the hits came in the top of the 9th on a single and a double before Jake Barrett came on to get the final 3 outs allowing just 1 of the runners to score on a sac fly. Bradley is clearly a pitch-to-contact pitcher as he doesn't miss a lot of bats with just 37 Ks in 83 innings. But he's starting to develop some consistency with 8 of his last 10 starts resulting in 2 ER or less.
High Rookie: Yakima 10 Boise 1. In a game shortened by rain, starter Cody Wheeler was impressive once again. He pitched 4.1 innings allowing just an unearned run in the first while striking out 7. In 24 innings he's sporting a miniscule 0.73 ERA. A 3-run blast by Mark Ginther in the 2nd was all that was needed by the offense, though they continued the onslaught with 7 more over the next couple of innings. Daniel Poma had 3 hits, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI to lead the effort.
Low Rookie: Missoula 2 @ Helena 6. Yoimer Camacho started and threw 3 effective innings, but Ross Gerdeman surrendered a 4-spot in the 6th in relief and the offense couldn't make up the difference. The top of the order did their job with Pedro Ruiz, Evan Marzilli and Jake Lamb combining to go 7 for 13, but the 4 and 5 hitters Rudy Flores and Socrates Brito went 0 for 8 with 6 Ks.
AZL Rookie: D-backs 5 Indians 8. Joe Saunders' rehab start wasn't all that great as he allowed 5 runs (3 earned) on 3 hits and 5 walks over 4.1 innings, though he did fan 7. Alex Glenn got them within 1 on a 2-run homer in the 7th, but 3 errors by shortstop and 2nd-round pick Jose Munoz led to 3 more unearned runs late to seal the team's fate. Munoz now has 10 errors in 11 games, is hitting .191 and striking out a 3rd of the time. Time for an adjustment by the $500,000 bonus baby, wink, wink.