AAA: Round Rock 10, at Las Vegas (OAK) 7
Round Rock: 10 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts
Record: 3-3, 2 GB, 47-33 overall
SP Robert Dugger: 6.2 IP, 7 H (2 HR), 4 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 101 P / 66 S, 4.74 ERA
CF JP Martinez: 1-3, HR (8), 2 BB, .340/.467/.596
1B Dustin Harris: 1-3, BB, .286/.432/.571
3B Dio Arias: 3-4, 2B, 3B, HR (3), .274/.354/.417
AAA newcomer Dustin Harris has some of the oddest batted-ball data I’ve seen. In 26 balls in play, Harris has yet to exceed 100 MPH. But at the same time, his median velo is an above-average 92, and he’s hit only one ball under 80. He’s consistently hitting in a very tight velo range. He’s also hit only one ball at greater than 41 degrees (anything 45 and up is almost always a popout or flyout). He has triple the usual proportion of balls in what I call the “unlucky” zone: 88-94 MPH off the bat in a range of 19 to 40 degrees. A basic description would be a ball hit fairly hard at a nice angle but usually into an awaiting outfielder’s glove. We’ll see how that progresses. Consistently hitting in that angle range is terrific. The difference between guys who hit 88-97 MPH at those angles versus a few ticks harder is measured in millions of dollars.
Diosbel Arias fell a single short of a cycle.
AA: Frisco 11, at San Antonio (SDG) 3
Frisco: 12 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 3-3, 2 GB, 34-40 overall
SP Dane Acker: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 3 R, 1 BB, 5 SO, 73 P / 48 S, 6.75 ERA
RP Theo McDowell: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 5.51 ERA
RP Aidan Anderson: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.87 ERA
CF Evan Carter: 3-4, HR (7), BB, .316/.427/.471
LF Aaron Zavala: 1-3, 2B, BB, .209/.359/.313
2B Jax Biggers: 1-5, HR (4), .201/.327/.302
In his AA debut, Dane Acker was greeted with back-to-back triples by the rude San Antonio hosts. Acker later allowed a dubious inside-the-park homer. Juan Fernandez’s towering fly to left center landed between Aaron Zavala and Evan Carter, bounced high off the wall, and wasn’t retrieved cleanly, allowing Fernandez to race home. The outfielders argued to no avail that the ball actually rebounded off a scoreboard above the line.
The outfielders are correct. Here’s a screengrab at the moment of impact:
I don’t blame the umps. Whether playing out there or observing from a distance, left field is a blinding nightmare in the early evening. In any case, Acker allowed three extra-base hits but was in control otherwise.
Acker did not make the trip from Hickory alone.
In 12 games at San Antonio, Evan Carter batted .458/.551/.771. San Antonio is the league’s most pitcher-friendly park and can be especially vexing to lefty batters when the wind blows in from right-center.
Hi-A: off
Hickory played Monday through Sunday last week, unlike Texas’s other teams and most of the Sally league. Neither Hickory nor last week’s opponent Greensboro had lengthy trips to their next destination, so I’m not sure why they couldn’t play on the 3rd. Hickory commences six in Winston-Salem tonight.
Lo-A: Down East 3, Carolina (MIL) 0
Down East: 6 hits, 9 walks, 3 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts
Record: 6-3, tied for first, 43-27 overall
SP Dylan MacLean: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 64 P / 42 S, 2.72 ERA
RP DJ McCarty: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.70 ERA
SS Cam Cauley: 0-2, 2 BB, HBP, SB (20), .244/.335/.407
LF Jojo Blackmon: 1-2, 2 BB, .161/.263/.300
The DM tandem squelched Carolina to produce Down East’s third shutout in the six-game series. Once again, the Woodies didn’t hit much but managed to put a few on the board by taking advantage of wild pitchers.
Today’s Starters
AAA: White
AA: TBD
Hi-A: TBD
Lo-A: TBD
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Spokane’s Hans Crouse retired nine straight to open the game, then allowed three runs on a homer, two singles, a walk, three wild pitches, and two stolen bases.