Diamondbacks Minor League Recap 4/15/16: Visalia Walks off Again

The Visalia Rawhide trailed in the middle innings, but got a pinch-hit homerun that tied the game in the 9th then walking off in the 11th. The Baybears once again got rained out, making that three games already this year. Under the radar prospect Carlos Hernandez took the mound for the Kane County Cougars and did not disappoint today.

Snake Stars
3 Stars: Visalia Bullpen 6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 11 K
2 Stars: Domingo Leyba (Visalia) 2 for 4, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R
1 Star: Carlos Hernandez (Kane County) 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 4 BB, 5 K
0 Stars: Edgar Garcia (Reno) 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 6 R (6 ER)

AAA: Reno 3, El Paso 10: The Aces took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by Peter O'Brien and a 2-run double by Kyle Jensen. From that point on, it was ugly for the Aces pitching staff. Starter Edgar Garcia struggled all night, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits in 4 1/3 innings. Adam Loewen was able to keep the game close for a bit with 1 2/3 IP hitless innings, but the Aces bats were unable to solve Daniel McCutchen and the Chihuahuas bullpen. Seth Simmons allowed 4 runs in the 8th inning to put the game out of reach. Peter O'Brien tallied two hits and scored a run. Zach Borenstein went 1 for 3 with a double.

Mobile vs. Biloxi: Both Games Postponed, Rain

A+: Visalia 5, Bakersfield 4 (11): The Rawhide scored the first run of the game on a Tyler Baker solo HR, just to watch starter Brad Keller scuffle in the 4th inning. Keller gave up 5 of the 6 hits he allowed in that inning, which led to 4 runs for the Blaze. Seemed like a case where Keller got up with his stuff for an inning and he paid the price for it. Even though the overall pitching line wasn't good, Keller generated a 8 to 2 groundout to flyout ratio which meant his ground ball pitches were working. The bullpen came in and kept the Blaze off the scoreboard to set up the comeback. Nick Baker went 3 scoreless, followed by a scoreless 9th by Austin Wright, then finishing with 2 innings from Zac Curtis. The Rawhide chipped away with a run in the 4th, 8th, 9th, and 11th innings. Henry Castillo hit the game-tying HR in the bottom of the 9th to send the game into extras. In the bottom of the 11th, Dawel Lugo drove in Domingo Leyba with a sacrifice fly for the walkoff. Leyba, Cody Regis, and Tyler Baker recorded multi-hit games.

A: Kane County 4, Quad Cities 1: Carlos Hernandez took the mound and was able to keep the opposing team off the board thanks to some lawfully chaotic pitching. Hernandez walked four hitters, but only allowing only one hit will do the trick. The Cougars jumped ahead with a 3-run third. Trevor Matsui hit an RBI double, followed up by a 2-run triple by almost permanent Midwest League resident Joe Muñoz. The Rawhide tacked on an insurance run in the 6th to push the lead to 4-1. The bullpen went the rest of the way with Jared Miller working 2 innings with 3 strikeouts and a walk and Keegan Long working a 1-2-3 9th for his 2nd save.