
AAA: Round Rock 14, at El Paso (SDP) 4
Round Rock: 11 hits, 12 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 12 hits, 4 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 38-25, 1 G up, 82-55 overall
SP Kyle Cody: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 39 P / 24 S, 5.03 ERA
RP Alex Speas: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.24 ERA
1B Dustin Harris: 2-4, HR (7), 2 BB, .273/.389/.440
SS Davis Wendzel: 2-4, 2 BB, .234/.364/.467
DH Dio Arias: 1-3, 2 BB, HBP, .280/.356/.420
2B Jax Biggers: 2-5, BB, .364/.481/.364
C Matt Whatley: 1-4, HR (6), 2 BB, .207/.300/.336
The Express split the series and reclaimed sole possession of 1st with a trouncing of El Paso. Opposing starter Glenn Otto, lost by Texas on waivers, opened his San Diego career with one of his worst outings, watching two reach on errors and following with a wild pitch, three walks, and a grand slam surrendered to Matt Whatley, who caught Otto’s last appearance with the Express.
Fernery Ozuna (0.2 IP), Jake Latz (0.2), Matt Bush (1), and Alex Speas (1) held El Paso scoreless.
This week, the Express host Las Vegas (one game back) followed by a season-ending trip to Tacoma (three back). Round Rock needs to win nine of 12 to become Texas’s best-ever AAA squad.

AA: Frisco 11, NW Arkansas (KAN) 2
Frisco: 14 hits, 8 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
Record: 31-32, 62-69 overall, eliminated
SP Nick Krauth: 7.1 IP, 5 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 8 SO, 94 P / 66 S, 5.56 ERA
RP Robby Ahlstrom: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 4.24 ERA
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 1-4, HR (3), .236/.327/.386
LF Wyatt Langford: 2-4, 2B, BB, .300/.444/.450
DH Liam Hicks: 2-4, BB, .271/.402/.377
CF Kellen Strahm: 2-4, BB, .245/.356/.336
2B Devin Hurdle: 3-5, 2B, SB (1)
Frisco can’t win the division, or reach .500 for the season, or ruin the season for upcoming Amarillo (five games up with six to play), but they can… I don’t know what they can do. They had one of their best all-around games of the season last night, so that’s pretty good.
In a fantasy-oriented article, Baseball America had the following to say about Wyatt Langford: “Amongst hitters in Hi-A w/ barrel% above 20%, no one has a higher contact% than Langford & he does it while chasing less than all but 5% of Hi-A hitters. This is an elite data profile and there is a high likelihood that I would select him over Crews.”
Undrafted free agent Devin Hurdle, just promoted from Down East, had a swell debut.

Hi-A: Hickory 14, Winston-Salem (CHW) 6
Hickory: 9 hits, 9 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 6 walks, 14 strikeouts
Regular Season Over
First half: 27-34, 6.5 GB, 5th of 6 teams
Second half: 43-21, +5.5 G, division champion
Overall: 70-55, +1.5 G, best record in league
SP Winston Santos: 2 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 1 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 38 P / 25 S, 6.29 ERA
RP Juan Mejia: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 4.00 ERA
RP Yohanse Morel: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.49 ERA
1B Abi Ortiz: 0-2, 3 BB, .290/.363/.624
2B Max Acosta: 2-4, BB, .260/.312/.390
3B Cody Freeman: 1-4, HR (12), BB, .236/.304/.403
LF Yosy Galan: 2-4, 2B, .247/.296/.456
Hickory celebrated its second-half crown in fine fashion. Dash starter Norge Vera affirmed his terrible control by walking five of six batters, after which Yosy Galan doubled and Cooper Johnson homered to pin a 7 on the board.
I’ll have a playoff preview tomorrow.

Lo-A: Down East 0, Augusta (ATL) 8
Down East: 4 hits, 2 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts
Regular Season Over
First half: 37-24, +5 G, division champion
Second half: 29-37, 11 GB, 4th of 6 teams
Overall: 66-61, 6 GB, 2nd of 6 teams
SP Luis Ramirez: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 3 SO, 42 P / 25 S, 4.03 ERA
RP Paul Bonzagni: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO, 2.61 ERA
CF Wady Mendez: 1-2, BB
Let’s just leave this one alone.
As with Hickory, I’ll have a playoff preview tomorrow.
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Spokane lost Game 2 of the Northwest League finals 4-0. Eugene scored three in the 1st off Yerry Rodriguez (4.2 IP, 1 BB, 7 SO) and coasted. Julio P. Martinez was 2-4. Spokane’s season would end the next day. It was a doozy.