Snake Stars:
3 Stars: Jackson 1B Kevin Cron 3 for 5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, R
2 Stars: Kane County RHP Sam Lewis 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 6 K, GS 71, W (1-1)
1 Star: Jackson RHP Joel Payamps 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, GS 63, W (2-1)
0 Stars: Reno LHP Daniel Gibson 1 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K
Reno Aces 5, Salt Lake Bees 13: Same score, different order as it was the Aces who got trumped 13-5 after a 13-5 win last night. Braden Shipley struggled on the mound, allowing 5 runs in 4 innings. I don’t want to give up on him as a prospect, but it seems the wheels are falling off for him lately. Daniel Gibson poured gasoline on the fire, allowing 4 runs in the 5th after the offense was able to shrink the deficit 5-4. The Aces were able to score 5 runs off Doug Fister (or as Jim likes to call him, Doug Pfister), but the bullpen had a garbage game aside from a pair of scoreless innings from relief prospect Jimmie Sherfy.
Jackson Generals 6, Birmingham Barons 1: The Dbacks might not have any elite pitching prospects, but they sure made the White Sox’s top pitching prospect look like a chump. The Generals plated 6 runs off Michael Kopech, walking more times (4) than striking out (3). Kevin Cron went 3 for 5 with a double-double and 3 RBI. Dawel Lugo added an RBI single and a pair of walks, for today’s other #YCPB moment. Joel Payamps allowed just a solo HR over 7 innings, but that was after the game was essentially over. Jared Miller and Yuhei Nakaushiro added scoreless innings to end the game.
Visalia Rawhide 4, San Jose Giants 3: The Rawhide got a solid start from Ryan Atkinson, who struck out 8 and allowed 3 runs over 6 innings. Grant Heyman went 1 for 3 with a 2-run homer and a walk at the plate for the primary source of run support. The game was tied at 3 until a walk to leadoff man Matt McPhearson, followed by a steal of 2nd and a RBI double by Sergio Alcantara gave the Rawhide the lead in the top of the 8th. The bullpen was fantastic with scoreless innings from Trevor Simms, Keegan Long, and Cameron Gann. Simms got the win after a scoreless 7th and Gann recorded his first save of the year.
Kane County Cougars 4, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 1: Sam Lewis delivered a quality start, even though he doesn’t get accredited with that feat, with 5 innings of 1-hit ball. The offense did enough to make him a winner, with Marcus Wilson involved in the middle of things, per usual. Wilson reached based 3 times (single, double, walk) in 4 plate appearances and scored twice. Manny Jefferson delivered the killer blow in the 6th with a 2-run double to push the lead to 4-1. The bullpen did it’s job with 2 2⁄3 scoreless from Wei-Chieh Huang and 1 1⁄3 scoreless from Tommy Eveld and his 0.33 ERA. for his 14th save in 14 tries.
Hillsboro Hops 3, Everett Aqua Sox 5: Unfortunately, the Hops didn’t want to try to win the game until the 8th inning. Mitchell Aker pitched 6 innings of 4-run ball, but 2 of the runs were unearned thanks to timely errors. The offense didn’t start scoring runs until the 8th inning, by then they were already down 5-0. Domingo Leyba’s rehab continues to go well as he added an RBI single in 4 ABs.