The Diamondbacks Minor League affiliates combined for a 2-2 record

Top Prospect Performances

Amarillo RHP Brandon Pfaadt: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K, 92 pitches (69 strikes)

AAA: Reno Aces 7, Oklahoma City Dodgers 12

Statcast

Late game pitching would doom Reno (34-30) in this game, as they would see a 3-2 lead evaporate and the Dodgers scoring in their final 4 trips to the plate. Defense was sloppy, as the Aces committed 4 errors in the game and they would squander the many run-scoring chances they had with a 3-15 clip with runners in scoring position. Reno would take a 3-0 lead in the first, with the first four hitters reaching base. Stone Garrett cashed in a couple walks, ripping a single to left to drive home Cooper Hummel. Seth Beer aded a sacrifice fly and a throwing error on Garrett’s attempted steal of 2nd would allow Dominic Fletcher to walk home from 3rd.

Early on, it looked like those three runs would hold as Tommy Henry would cough up only 2 runs in the 3rd, but otherwise held onto the lead through 5 innings. It looked like he would cruise through the 6th, but things fell apart after a wild pitch strikeout, a walk, and a hit would chase Henry with 2 outs and the bases loaded in a tie game. Blake Workman was unable to get the 3rd out, as he walked the first two batters he faced before getting the final out and putting Reno behind 5-3.

Taylor Widener would be called upon to get some outs in the 6th, but in typical fashion he was not up to the call as the Dodgers were able to plate 5 runs on him while only hitting into 1 out. Mack Lemieux would allow 1 of 2 inherited runners to score before getting out of the inning. Paul Fry and Kevin Ginkel would each allow a run in their respective innings, with the latter not allowing an earned run. Reno would put up three in the bottom of the 9th to put lipstick on this pig.

AA: Amarillo Sod Poodles 5, San Antonio Missions 3

Brandon Pfaadt delivered another quality start for Amarillo (30-31), as he put up another typical statline. Pfaadt went 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits, no walks, and 8 strikeouts. I think at this point Texas League hitters are going to pretty much beg the D-backs front office to put Pfaadt in the more challenging run environment in Reno, as Pfaadt has 84 strikeouts vs. 11 walks (27.0 K-BB%) in 64 ²⁄₃ innings over 12 starts.

A 4-run 7th inning would see that Pfaadt picked up the win after throwing his final pitch. Trailing 2-1 going into the inning, it took only three hitters for the Sod Poodles to get Pfaadt off the hook on doubles by Juan Centeno and Roby Enriquez. After a pair of walks loaded the bases with 2 outs, Leandro Cedeno crushed a double to clear them all and give Amarillo a 5-2 lead. Cam Booser would pitch 2 scoreless in relief with 3 strikeouts and Blake Rogers would get the save despite getting rudely greeted by a Domingo Leyba home run to start the 9th.

High A: Hillsboro Hops 12, Spokane Indians 3

Hillsboro’s (28-31) offense was running on all cylinders in this game, scoring in 7 of their 9 trips to the plate and recording a season-high 19 hits in the blowout win. Every batter in the lineup recorded a hit in this game and 8 of them crossed the dish at least once. Jamison Hill was a bit shaky in this outing, but managed to record a quality start with 6 innings and 3 runs allowed despite more walks than strikeouts in the start. The game was initially close, as the teams were deadlocked at 3-3 after the 3rd inning, but Hillsboro dominated the game the rest of the way.

Leadoff man Tim Tawa had a monster game, going 4-6 with a homer, 5 RBI, and ultimately fell a triple short of the cycle. Adrian Del Castillo, Caleb Roberts, and Danny Oriente would each record three-hit games with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Del Castillo’s three-hit game included three extra base hits with 2 doubles and a solo homer in the 1st. A.J. Vukovich’s 5th inning homer would break a 3-3 tie in the 5th then the rout was on. A 4-run 7th put the game out of reach with a trio of doubles, a pair of singles, and a walk in that frame.

Low A: Visalia Rawhide 2, Stockton Ports 3

Offense came a bit too late for Visalia (17-44), as a valiant effort would fall short in the 9th inning. Yilber Diaz turned into another short, but solid start with 4 scoreless innings to open up the game. The game remained scoreless until the 5th, when Kevin Richards launched a 2-run homer off Luis Tejada to give Stockton a 2-0 lead. Carlos Meza would allow a solo homer in the 7th to put the Rawhide down 3-0. However they would not lose without a fight, as Visalia scored in their final 2 trips to the plate. Alvin Guzman would show off the plus speed that got him a 7-figure signing bonus as an infield hit, a wild pitch, and a stolen base would put him in scoring position for Junior Franco. Franco singled to left to get Visalia on the board. A walk and a double steal would put the tying runs in scoring position, but nothing came of it.

The 9th inning would be interesting, as Visalia once again would get the potential tying run on base. Oscar Santos was hit by a pitch, advanced to 2nd on a flyout to right, then scored on a J.J. D’Orazio single. Guzman and Corniel were unable to get that tying run across.