Diamondbacks MiLB Round-up, 5/2: O'Brien, Godley get honored

O'Brien, 24, hit .383 (31-for-81) with 7 doubles, 7 home runs and 20 RBI in 21 games in April for the Aces. He led all Minor Leaguers in hits, and was ranked for homers (T-2nd), slugging percentage (T-3rd, .753), extra-base hits (T-4th, 15), OPS (6th, 1.172) and RBI (T-7th). O'Brien batted .500 (15-for-30) during an 8-game hitting streak from April 16-23, a stretch that included 5 home runs and 14 RBI. A native of Hialeah, Fla., he was acquired from the Yankees with cash considerations for infielder Martin Prado on July 31, 2014. He was selected by the Yankees in the second round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Miami.

Godley, 25, went 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA (3 ER in 24.0 IP) in 4 starts for the Rawhide in April. He did not yield a run in 3 of his 4 starts (19.0 IP), and held opposing batters to a .172 average (15-for-87). He was named the California League Pitcher of the Week for April 20-26. The Bamberg, S.C. native was acquired from the Cubs with right-handed pitcher Jeferson Mejia for catcher Miguel Montero on Dec. 9, 2014. Godley was selected by the Cubs in the 10th round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft from the University of Tennessee.

The full list of hitters and pitchers honored at each level is as follows:

• Triple-A Reno: Peter O'Brien; J.C. Ramirez
• Double-A Mobile: Raul Navarro; Seth Simmons
• High-A Visalia: Domingo Leyba & Stewart Ijames (tie); Zack Godley
• A-ball Kane County: Cody Regis; Zac Curtis
• Extended spring training: Luis Veras; Bo Takahashi

Snake Stars
3 stars: Aaron Blair, Mobile - 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
2 stars: Ethan Elias, Kane County - 4.2 relief IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, W (3-0)
1 star: Tom Belza, Mobile - 3-for-5, HR (3), DBL, R, RBI
0 stars: Jeferson Mejia, Kane County: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Triple-A Reno 0 @ Las Vegas 3. Aces manager Phil Nevin was ejected for the second time this season, for arguing with the home-plate umpire after PH Kevin Frandsen was rung up in the 7th. The Aces outhit the 51's by a 7-6 margin, but went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position/ 2B Danny Worth tripled and singled for them. Justin Marks gave up all three runs over six innings, wobbling his way through five hits and five walks with five strikeouts. O'Brien Watch: 1-for-4, with a double.

Double-A Mobile 3 @ Biloxi 1 (11). Aaron Blair produced easily his best start of the season so far, blanking the Shuckers for seven innings on only two hits and two walks, striking out six. But he still got a no decision, as the Biloxi pitching was almost as effective. Mobile took the lead in the seventh on an RBI single from SS Sean Jamieson, but Biloxi leveled things in the eighth off Edgar Garcia who allowed a hit and a walk in three relief innings. Back-to-back homers in the 11th by LF Tom Belza (#3) and 2B Brandon Drury (#1) gave the visitors the lead, and Adam Miller notched the save. Belza was a triple short of the cycle,

High-A Visalia 1, Bakersfield 3. One pesky out doomed the Rawhide, the Blaze doing all their damage after the bases were empty with two down in the fifth, Blayne Weller having allowed one hit to that point. But he didn't make it through five, being charged with three runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with a trio of K's. The Visalia bullpen worked 4.1 scoreless, but the offense was held to six hits and three walks, with 1B Kevin Cron's double the only one for extra bases. C Michael Perez and CF Breland Almadova each singled and walked.

A-ball Kane County 9, Beloit 7. The Cougars came back from six runs down, tying things up in one inning, as they batted around in a third which saw SS Ryan Gebhardt and C Stryker Trahan each have two-run singles. Starter Jefferson Mejia lasted only 4.1 innings, being charged with seven runs on seven hits and four walks, and reliever Ethan Elias went longer, pitching the rest of the way and striking out seven over 4.2 shutout innings. Trahan also added a double. After a wretched start (his average was .094 on April 19) Trahan, who turned 21 last month, has worked his way back up to the Uecker Line, with a triple-slash of .289/.325/.553 in his last 10 games.