Diamondbacks Minor League Round-Up, 8/16

John is tied up (no, not in the basement of SnakePit Towers), so I'm pinch-hitting for him. Your usual detailed analysis will resume tomorrow. :)

3 stars: Daniel Palka (Missoula) - 2-for-3, HR, 2B, BB, 2 RBI
2 stars: Anthony Basora (DSL D-backs): 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
1 star: Colin Bray (Missoula) - 3-for-5, BB., RBI
Zero stars: Antony Meo (Visalia) - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 ER

Triple-A - Reno 2 @ Fresno 5: Zeke Spruill made his first start for the Aces since being optioned down to AAA, and took the loss. He struggled with his control, walking four batters in five innings and hitting another; he was charged with three earned runs on five hits with four K's. RF Alfredo Marte was the only Reno batter to reach base more than once, with a hit a and a walk, as the Aces were held to five hits.

Double-A - Mobile 2 @ Huntsville 4: David Holmberg has a solid outing for the BayBears, striking out seven over five innings and being charged with two runs on four hits and a walk. He left with a no-decision, the game being tied at two, but the Mobile bullpen gave up runs in the six and the eighth, and the offense was held to one hit after the middle of the fourth. Here's a name from the past: Micah Owings started for Huntsville... in left-field!

High-A - Visalia 6, Stockton 14: Horrible day for the Rawhide pitchers, particularly relievers Anthony Meo, Seth Simmons and Diogenes Rosario. They combined to face 18 batters and retire just five, allowing 10 runs over 1.2 innings on seven hits and six walks as the Ports blew open the game in the sixth and seventh. Visalia got HR from SS Sean Jamieson and 2B Gerson Montilla, while 1B Joash Brodin had a pair of hits.

A-ball - South Bend 4 @ Lake County 3: The Silver Hawks left it late, but a four-run eighth overturned a 3-0 deficit: there were two bases-loaded walks and the go-ahead run scored on a throwing error. RF Socrates Brito had a hit and a single for South Bend. Robert Cox got the start and a no-decision, allowing three runs (one unearned) and scattering eight hits over six innings. He walked none and struck out six. Jimmie Sherfy fanned the side in the ninth.

Low-A - Hillsboro 1 @ Spokane 5: The Hops were doomed in the first two innings, the Indians scoring five runs, including three unearned ones off Austin Platt. Platt then settled down working seven frames with no further damage, but the Hillsboro offense struggled, being held to four hits. DH Tyler Linton had two of those, driving in the only Hops run during the fifth.

Rookie - Missoula 7, Grand Junction 6: The Osprey blew 2-0 and 6-3 leads, but 3B Jake Miller's sacrifice fly in the eighth gave them a third and Silvino Bracho worked a scoreless ninth for his seventh save, lowering his ERA to 1.33. 1B Daniel Palka homered and doubled for Missoula, driving in two runs, and CF Colin Bray had three hits, including a double, and LF Justin Williams a pair of singles.

DSL - D-backs 0, Giants 2: 2B Richi Sanchez had two of the DominicanBacks four hits, raising his average to .329. Anthony Basora was the unlucky loser, working seven innings and allowing only one run, on five hits and no walks, with three strikeouts. That was only his second loss in 12 starts, Basora having an ERA of 2.75 over that time, with three runs given up in his last 27 innings of work.

AZL - D-backs 0, Rangers 4: 3B Jacob Cordero had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-4, but blotted his copybook with two of the AZL D-backs three errors. SS Sergio Alcantara also had two hits, batting lead-off. Brad Keller had been almost unstoppable, but took the loss, giving up three runs in five innings, to drop his record to 7-2. His ERA remains an impressive 2.16, and he has struck out 53 over 50 innings.