Minor League Affiliate Recap 5/10/2021: Carroll-ing all the way

Wes has got his finals today - I remember what those were like, so good luck! - and so I'm helping out today. Not a problem as it means I get to appreciate Corbin Carroll, who at the rate he's going, will not be long for Hillsboro... Just two affiliates in action yesterday, though one of them did play a double-header.

• Best pitcher: Luis Frias (High-A Hillsboro): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO
• Best hitter: Corbin Carroll (High-A Hillsboro) in double-header: two R, 4-for-5, DBL, HR, three RBI, two BB

AAA Reno Aces 9, Salt Lake Bees 10 (10 innings)

The Aces' unbeaten run ended, but it did not go gently. Behind by six in the ninth, and still trailing by four when down to their final out, Reno fought back to force extras, but couldn't complete the amazing revival for a victory. They had trailed 8-2 after eight. Starter Zach Lee walked four in three innings, giving up two runs, one earned, but a three-run eighth off reliever Cameron Gann seemed to have put this one out of each.

But a Jamie Ritchie RBI double and a Salt Lake error got Reno within slam distance. They did it, though took two homers, a three-run shot by Josh Reddick followed by a game-tying solo homer from Domingo Leyba, when down to his final strike. Yoan Lopez struck out the Bees in the bottom of the ninth, around a walk, so into extras this went. Reno could only score their inherited runner, and Salt Lake took just one pitch to win it, Joe Mantiply allowing a two-run homer to spoil the ending. Ritchie, Nick Heath and Stuart Fairchild each had two hits and a walk for the Aces.

High-A Hillsboro Hops 6, Eugene Emeralds 2 (Game 1)

A five-run fourth proved more than enough offense for the Hops, as they took the opener of the 7-inning double-header. Hillsboro had fallen behind, Eugene scoring off starter Conor Grammes in each of the first two innings. But Hunter Haworth was extremely solid in relief, taking the game the rest of way with his four shutout innings, scattering four hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

Hillsboro got on the board in the third, courtesy of a Eugene error. But they exploded the next time up, sending eight men to the plate. Corbin Carroll had a two-run single, and there were also RBI for Nick Dalesandro, Blaze Alexander and Dominic Canzone. Carroll had three hits and a walk, with Dalesando and Cam Coursey each picking up a pair of hits.

Hillsboro Hops 2, Eugene Emeralds 0 (Game 2)

The night-cap was a considerably tighter affair, the sides combining for only seven hits and two walks; it was completed in seven minutes under two hours. The Hops had four hits, but two of those came in the fourth where they scored both of their runs. Tra Holmes led off with a double, scoring later on a double-play. Carroll then hit his second homer on the year, to give Hillsboro a 2-0 lead and complete the game’s scoring. He walked as well, and has a line of .435/.552/.913 for a 1.465 OPS in seven games.

Also looking like he may need to get his Hillsboro rental deposit back is starting pitcher Luis Frias. He threw six shutout innings, needing a Weaver-esque 74 pitches. Even more impressive, there were nine strikeouts in there. He allowed two hits and a walk; Frias now has 15 K’s over 11 innings of work, and a 0.82 ERA. Nick Snyder worked the seventh, and a one-out double brought the tying run to the plate, before he struck out the next two for his second save, as the Hops evened their record at 4-4.