Snake Stars:
3 Stars: Jackson RHP Brad Keller 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, GS 67, W (4-5)
2 Stars: Visalia LHP Cody Reed 6 IP, 7 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, GS 48
1 Stars: Reno RHP Braden Shipley 6 2⁄3 IP, 7 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, GS 45
0 Stars: Visalia RHP Bud Jeter 1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, BS (3), W (2-3)
Reno Aces 4, Tacoma Rainiers 3: The game started off as a back and forth game. The Rainiers scored first with a Leonys Martin homer before the Aces scored a run in the bottom of the 3rd and 4th innings to take a 2-1 lead. That didn’t last long as the Rainiers tied it on another homer in the 5th. However, those two solo homers were all the damage against Braden Shipley, who pitched 6 2⁄3 innings despite a 1 to 2 K/BB. The score remained tied at 2 until the Rainiers plated a run in the 9th inning off Erik Davis. Thanks to sloppy defense, the Aces were able to get the walkoff win in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Jackson Generals 5, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 2: Brad Keller had a big start with 6 scoreless innings, striking out 3 and walking 1. The offense went wild on the bases, stealing 4 bases including a steal of home by Dawel Lugo. Colin Walsh had 3 hits from the leadoff spot, scored a run, and drove in a run. Things got a little hairy in the 7th when Gabe Speier allowed 2 runs while recording 2 outs and left with 2 men on base. Jared Miller got a ground out to escape the 7th, but that’s the closest the Shrimp ever got to making a game of it. Stewart Ijames added an insurance run with a homer in the 8th inning.
Visalia Rawhide 7, San Jose Giants 5: Cody Reed allowed just 2 solo homers over 6 innings of work, striking out 6. The Rawhide hitters gave him a quick lead with a run in the first and three in the second inning. 2-3-4 hitters combined for the first 5 RBI of the game. Ryan Burr struck out 2 in his Visalia debut in a scoreless 8th inning. Unfortunately Bud Jeter decided to steal the win away from Reed by allowing 3 runs in the top of the 9th to tie the game at 5. In the bottom of the 9th, Henry Castillo led off with a double and then the very next batter, Daniel Lockhart, blasted out a walk-off 2-run homer.
Kane County vs. Wisconsin rained out
Hillsboro Hops 6, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 8: No Pavin Smith in the lineup, but Daulton Varsho started the game at DH. Sloppy defense led to the Hops defeat as 2 errors led to 5 unearned runs. Mitchell Aker allowed 4 runs (3 earned) over 5 2⁄3 innings, although 2 of those runs scored after he left the game. The Hops made things interesting with a 6-run 7th inning, where 3 walks, 3 hits, and Volcano miscues combined to make the game close. Unfortunately, there wasn’t any sign of offense outside of that one inning. Daulton Varsho went 0 for 3 with a walk in his organizational debut and is the first player from the 2017 Draft class to log an AB/inning.
Missoula Osprey 4, Billings Mustangs 15: There is ugly and there’s how this game went for the Osprey, who got blown away from the get-go. The defense committed 5 errors, leading to 8 unearned runs scoring. Luis Lara had a double and a 2-run homer in the game, but the rest of the team couldn’t overcome their bad defense and pitching performance.