We should have a new podcast up later this afternoon.
Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 0, at Reno (ARI) 2 (7)
Round Rock: 7 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
SP Cody Bradford: 5.14 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 SO, 91 P / 56 S, 1.07 ERA
3B Justin Foscue: 1-3, BB, .269/.393/.462
1B Blaine Crim: 1-3, BB
2B Davis Wendzel: 2-3, .200/.333/.338
Cody Bradford allowed multiple runs for the first time in 2023. Bradford has an 11% BB/HBP rate, better than the league average but not up to his usual standard. He also began last year with slightly impaired control. A major difference in 2023 is homers. Bradford allowed eight in last year’s first six starts, but over the same period this season, he’s surrendered just one, plus only two other extra-base bases.
AAA: Round Rock 7, at Reno (ARI) 3 (7)
Round Rock: 7 hits, 6 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 6 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 19-9, 1.5 GB
SP Nick Krauth: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 57 P / 34 S, 0.00 ERA
DH Blaine Crim: 1-3, 3B, BB, .300/.404/.463
C Sam Huff: 2-4, 2 HR (4), .269/.326/.449
Nick Krauth acquitted himself in his AAA debut. He hadn’t spent much time in AA, and he might hop back and forth as needed. Both of Sam Huff’s homers were 20-degree lasers hit well over 100 MPH.
AA: Frisco 0, at Midland (OAK) 7
Frisco: 2 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts
Record: 12-11, tied for first
SP TK Roby: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 84 P / 49 S, 7.04 ERA
RP Juan Mejia: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
DH Luisangel Acuna: 1-4, BB, 3 SB (13), .320/.372/.437
A romp for the home side. Ryan Cusick, picked 21st overall in 2021 and part of the Matt Olson trade, one-hit the Riders for six innings.
Hi-A: Hickory 4, Jersey Shore (PHI) 0
Hickory: 11 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 11-10, 5 GB
SP Larson Kindreich: 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 58 P / 36 S, 2.57 ERA
RP Seth Clark: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
RP Andy Rodriguez: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 1.74 ERA
RP Michael Brewer: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA
CF Daniel Mateo: 2-4, 2B, BB, .274/.295/.452
SS Max Acosta: 3-4, 2 2B, .353/.421/.515
Four Crawdads combined for a six-hit Education Day shutout. Undrafted Seth Clark made his high-A debut. The 23-year-old allowed ten runners and struck out nine in eight innings for Down East. It’s early, but Larson Kindreich’s control has been a revelation. He’s walked four of 51 batters (7%), a rate less than half of 2022.
Lo-A: High Desert 15, at Lancaster (WAS) 9
High Desert: 12 hits, 7 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 10 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 12-10, 1.5 GB
SP Leandro Lopez: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 5 BB, 2 SO, 73 P / 36 S, 4.50 ERA
RP Florencio Serrano: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 3.18 ERA
RP Alberto Mota, fka Jeferson Espinal: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0.00 ERA
RF Jojo Blackmon: 2-4, 2B, 2 BB, SB (5), .204/.350/.429
DH Tucker Mitchell: 1-4, 2B, BB, HBP, SB (2), .378/.491/.511
C Ian Moller: 2-4, HR (2), BB, .241/.339/.426
On a warm Antelope Valley evening with the wind gusting to center at 24 MPH, Ian Moller hit a three-run homer and RBI single in the same inning.
Okay, this game did not take place in California or involve now-defunct High Desert or Lancaster, but with 24 runs scored, I thought I’d have a little fun with the recap. Moller truly provided those highlights of Down East’s nine-run 3rd.
Anthony Gutierrez and Gleider Figuero singled twice, and Yosy Galan and Cam Cauley reached safely twice.
A late highlight was backup OF Jeferson Espinal being entrusted to hold a six-run lead in the 9th. Now in his 5th pro season, Espinal had never pitched professionally, so I was a little dumbfounded to see a steady 94 MPH fastball. I was especially dumbfounded to see Espinal shake off the catcher after his fifth straight fastball and then deliver an 80 MPH curve with solid depth.
As it turns out, I was watching the 2023 debut of Alberto Mota, a genuine pitcher wearing the same #14 as Espinal (and if in fact Espinal wasn’t active, Mota might have been wearing Espinal’s actual jersey.) Fredericksburg’s announcer correctly identified Mota, but I had the sound down at first, and both the screen graphic and MiLB.com listed Espinal as the pitcher. The 20-year-old Mota fanned 43 and walked 18 in 31.1 innings between rookie league and Down East last year.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Dugger
AA: Garcia
Hi-A: Bratt
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Jonathan Hernandez allowed four runs and fanned nine in seven innings for Down East. His 37 strikeouts for the season led the organization and his league.