Diamondbacks Minor-league Round-up, 6/23: Blair bounces back

Snake Stars
3 stars: Bo Takahashi, Missoula - 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, W (2-0)
2 stars: Aaron Blair, Reno - 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO, W (1-1)
1 star: Zach Nehrir, Hillsboro - 4-for-5, two DBL, two R, SB
0 stars: Luis Veras, Hillsboro - 0-for-5, two K

Triple-A Reno 4 @ Tacoma 3. By all accounts, Aaron Blair was much sharper tonight, allowing one run and just two hits over 6.2 innings of work, in front of D-backs GM Dave Stewart. He struck out six and walked four, although two of the latter came right at the end of a surprisingly lengthy (118-pitch) outing. The Aces managed only four hits, but got the big one, RF Peter O'Brien smacking his 15th homer with the bases loaded in the sixth. 1B Jamie Romak and LF Mike Freeman each had a hit and a walk, and after J.C. Ramirez let the Rainiers come back to within one in the eighth, Kaleb Fleck notched a four-out save and the Aces won their fifth straight.

Double-A Mobile, High-A Visalia, A-ball Kane County- off. It didn't go well for the BayBears in the Southern League All-Star Game, as the South was hammered 9-0, managing only four hits. None of those went to 2B starter Gerson Montilla or PH Zach Borenstein. Similarly, the Rawhide were off due to the Carolina vs. California All-Star Game. That went a bit better for our players. Zack Godley got the start, allowed a run in 0.2 innings, and John Omahen got the W for working a perfect third inning with a K, as California won 9-2. In the Mid-West League ASG, Kane Counrty's Marty Herum went 0-for-2 and Colin Bray 0-for-3, but Markus Solback retired both batters he faced.

A-short Hillsboro 5, Salem-Kaizer 4. The Hops were down to their final out, scoring the tying run when 1B Nate Robertson reached on catcher interference with the bases loaded. A walk to 3B Fernery Ozuna gave Hillsboro the walk-off win, and evened their record at 3-3. LF Zach Nehrir had two doubles in a four-hit night, and also stole a base; CF Dane McFarland also had a pair of doubles, walking twice and also swiping a bag, while SS Sergio Alcantara was also in the two-doubles club. Tyler Bolton scattered nine hits and two walks over 4.1 inning, fanning three; Mike Cetta tossed two hitless innings of relief.

Rookie Missoula 3 @ Billings 1. Bo Takahashi was excellent for the Osprey, twirling seven shutout innings with six strikeouts and no walks, allowing only four hits. The Mustangs were held hitless in eight at-bats with RISP, and the visitors offense did just enough. 2B Isan Diaz put Missoula on the board with his first home-run, a solo shot in the fourth, and the Osprey added two more next time up, on RBI hits by LF Joey Armstrong and 1B Luke Lowery. 3B Tylet Humphreys doubled, walked and stole a base, scoring a run. Dan Savas worked a scoreless ninth for his third save.

AZL D-backs 4, Cubs 8. Starter Luis Madero was roughed up for six runs over four innings, on seven hits and a walk, with just the one K. Kirby Bellow was the best of the relievers, striking out two of the four hitters he faced. LF Logan Soole had a double and a single, but SS Melvin Mezquita had a rough night in the field, committing a trio of errors.