Diamondbacks Minor League Recap: Clarke struggles again

The Diamondbacks minor league affiliates combined for a 1-2 record, with the Jackson Generals picking up a comeback win with 3 runs in the 8th inning. The Aces struggled to pitch and the Rawhide struggled to score in their respective losses.

Snake Stars:

3 Stars: Jackson LF Jamie Westbrook 4 for 4, 2B, HR (1), 2 RBI, 2 R

2 Stars: Visalia RHP Bo Takahashi 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

1 Star: Jackson RF Jason Morozowski 2 for 3, BB, R

0 Stars: Reno RHP Taylor Clarke 4 ²⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 5 R (5 ER), 4 BB, 1 K, GS 28, L (1-1)

Reno Aces 6, Fresno Grizzlies 7: Taylor Clarke had a 2nd forgettable start in a row as he got hammered for 5 runs in 4 ²⁄₃ innings with walks and big innings coming back to haunt him again. Clarke was unhappy with the strike zone in the game, ultimately getting ejected on the way out of the game in the 5th by the home plate umpire. The Aces (4-8) struggled to score early on, but got the bats rolling in the 9th with a trio of homers to put them within 1 run with 2 outs left. Unfortunately, the power surge ended there. Cesar Puello, Cody Decker, and Marcus Littlewood were the three players that flexed in the 9th inning.

Jackson Generals 5, Birmingham Barons 4: The Generals (8-2) used a 3-run 8th inning to complete a come-from-behind win after starting down 4-0 in the 6th. Alex Young got lit up for 4 runs in 5 innings, allowing 8 hits, walking 2, and striking out 4. The bullpen was better with 2 scoreless from Gabe Speier and a scoreless 8th from Michael Dimock. Jamie Westbrook pounded out a 2-run homer in the 6th to put the Generals on the board to start the comeback bid. Westbrook led off the 8th with a single before a Flores triple drove him home and a wild pitch allowing Flores to score the tying run. A trio of 2-out singles put the winning run across the plate. Colin Poche closed things out but had a below average game, allowing 1 baserunner on a walk and only recording 1 strikeout in a scoreless 9th.

Visalia Rawhide 2, San Jose Giants 4 (F/10): The Rawhide (6-6) had a golden opportunity to win this game, but couldn’t hit when it mattered most. Bo Takahashi allowed just 1 single over 5 scoreless innings, but received no run support from a prospect studded lineup. The Rawhide faced lefty Andrew Suarez, yes the same one that the Dbacks beat last week in SF, who allowed 1 run in 6 2/3. The Rawhide had an opportunity to win the game in regulation with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 7th, but a pair of strikeouts ended the threat without even as much as a whimper. The game remained tied at 1 going into extra innings, and the new rule regarding extra innings is stupid. The Giants scored 3 unearned runs off Josh Taylor and the Rawhide once again were able to get a run across and loaded the bases with 2 outs in the bottom half of the inning and didn’t do anything with it.