AAA: Round Rock 20, Sugar Land (HOU) 9
Round Rock: 18 hits, 9 walks, 5 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 7 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 32-25, 9 GB
SP Robert Dugger: 4 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 BB, 2 SO, 81 P / 51 S, 5.22 ERA
RP Fernery Ozuna: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 5.96 ERA
RP Daniel Robert: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.35 ERA
LF Bubba Thompson: 1-4, 2 BB
3B Justin Foscue: 1-2, HR (8), 2 BB, HBP, .286/.417/.516
C Sam Huff: 2-5, 2B, BB, .270/.347/.466
1B Blaine Crim: 4-5, 2B, 2 3B, .263/.365/.433
SS Davis Wendzel: 4-5, HR (11), BB, .266/.389/.544
What on earth? A day after scoring 16 including an 11-run 1st, Round Rock pinned another double-digit inning on the Space Cowboys (a 10-run 5th) en route to 20.
Round Rock’s official recap answered my immediate question: 36 runs across two games are only the second most in franchise history, one behind a two-game set at Las Vegas in 2019. Given the park factors, the two nights at homer are more impressive.
Davis Wendzel has 22 homers in 91 AAA games since returning from the last of several injuries in August 2022.
One nice result of the larger rosters created in 2021 is that position players on the mound are once again a novelty. Late in the previous decade, they’d become irritatingly frequent, with hitters sometimes taking the mound late in close games because the organization had used everyone intended for that game and didn’t want to throw the upcoming schedule out of whack. Training ground though it is, minor league ball is supposed to be a competitive sport. Now, even in a blowout, there’s usually another reliever or two who could use some work. All 413 pitches thrown by Sugar Land the past two night came from folks who throw for a living.
AA: Frisco 8, San Antonio (SDG) 7
Frisco: 9 hits, 8 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Record: 22-28, 4.5 GB
SP Ryan Garcia: 3 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 6 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 65 P / 45 S, 7.79 ERA
RP John Matthews: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 7.54 ERA
RP Eudrys Manon: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 5.00 ERA
RP Antoine Kelly: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.70 ERA
SS Luisangel Acuna: 2-5, SB (21), .295/.366/.415
DH Aaron Zavala: 2-3, 2 BB, .250/.394/.308
3B Chris Seise: 2-4, 2B, .203/.287/.305
C Liam Hicks: 1-3, 2B, BB, .244/.404/.444
Another comeback win, this time in the 4th from 6-2 down. Frisco’s bullpen has not been an organizational strength this season, but on Sunday five relievers held the Missions to three hits and an unearned run across six innings. Kyle Funkhouser threw 14 pitches Saturday and 15 last night, giving the impression that he’s fully rehabbed.
Hi-A: Hickory 3, at Greenville (BOS) 9
Hickory: 6 hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 18-29, 9 GB
SP Mitch Bratt: 2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 38 P / 20 S, 3.57 ERA
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 2-4, HR (3), .268/.331/.380
CF Daniel Mateo: 2-4, .265/.286/.404
Mitch Bratt walked two for only the second time this season. Daniel Mateo can run and catch and has some decent pop for a young CF, but he’s drawn six walks (and no HBPs) all season.
Lo-A: Down East 3, Columbia (KAN) 4
Down East: 12 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 28-19, 0.5 GB
SP Dylan McCarty: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 SO, 63 P / 36 S, 1.19 ERA
RP Wyatt Sparks: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.93 ERA
RF Tommy Specht: 2-3, 2 BB, .450/.560/.550
3B Gleider Figuereo: 3-4, HR (4), .214/.313/.336
Gleider Figuereo is a better hitter than his line. Tommy Specht probably isn’t that good, no offense to him and his family.
Five Years Ago Yesterday
The entire system was off.