AAA: Round Rock 9, @ Albuquerque (COL) 10
Round Rock: 11 hits, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 14-15, 5.5 GB
SP Jack Leiter: 5 IP, 3 H (2 HR), 2 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 78 P / 46 S, 2.84 ERA
SS Jose Barrero: 2-5, 3B, HR (1)
RF Trevor Hauver: 1-5, HR (2), .225/.337/.352
In what could be a prelude to his next MLB start, Jack Leiter handled the conditions of Albuquerque well, allowing five runners in five innings despite (for him) relatively few strikeouts. Leiter missed 14 bats, 10 with the fastball. He surrendered two solo homers that would have left any park: 106.5 and 110 MPH off the bat at 24 degrees. But we’ve established that Leiter will give up his share of hard flies, so the operative word is “solo.” Leiter’s cutter, change, and curve weren’t of much consequence. He threw a combined 20, 17 of which were ignored for balls, mostly inside to lefties. Another was foul, and two were hit into play for outs.
Otherwise, Albuquerque (the city) finally played to expectations after two low-scoring contests. The Express plated five in the 9th to tie the game at nine, but the ‘Topes scored the winner on a double off Grant Wolfram, who’d also surrendered four runs in the 8th. Like last year, the gap in Wolfram’s effectiveness at Frisco vs. Round Rock has been extreme.
Texas moved reliever Marc Church (shoulder) to the 60-day IL.
Texas released reliever Chasen Shreve, who I assume had an out. Shreve hadn’t thrown a pitch harder thn 91.3 MPH but had a 2.61 ERA and nine strikeouts in 10 innings, aided by a flaky-low .130 opposing average on contact.
AA: Frisco 5, @ Corpus Christi (HOU) 1
Frisco: 5 hits, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 15-9, 1 G up
SP Nick Krauth: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 SO, 89 P / 55 S, 6.53 ERA
RP Seth Clark: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO, 2.25 ERA
RP Andy Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 2.57 ERA
2B Max Acosta: 2-4, BB, SB (6), .247/.323/.318
SS Keyber Rodriguez: 1-3, HR (1), BB
Frisco took advantage of a wild Carlos Betancourt with three runs on only two singles in the 8th. Keyber Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run on a walk, adding to his 2nd-inning homer.
Liam Hicks (0-4, BB) dropped to .230/.330/.318. Per usual, he’s not striking out much, and he’s elevating, but all those flies and landing in gloves. He’s hitting only .276 on contact compared to the league rate of .335.
Frisco walked five last night but has shown much better control over the past week, recently ceding the league “lead” in combined walks and HBPs to rival Corpus Christi. Astros affiliates have trended “stuff now, control later” for several years, so I’m sure the Hooks don’t mind.
Hi-A: Hickory 4, @ Rome (ATL) 8
Hickory: 10 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 11 hits, 9 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 9-14, 3.5 GB
SP Leandro Lopez: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 32 P / 13 S, 6.75 ERA
CF Alejandro Osuna: 2-4, BB, SB (1)
The reverse of Frisco, as Rome scored four on two singles in the 5th against Hickory. Two scored on Luis Ramirez on those hits and two walks, and Josh Gessner brought in two more on a wild pitch and balk. Earlier, Leandro Lopez couldn’t escape the 1st, issuing a bases-loaded walk to his final batter.
Lo-A: Down East 5, @ Fredericksburg (WAS) 8
Down East: 14 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
Record: 11-12, 6.5 GB
SP Kohl Drake: 1.2 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 6 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 1 SO, 44 P / 30 S, 6.30 ERA
RP Kai Wynyard: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 3.00 ERA
RP Paul Bonzagni: 4 IP, 3 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 2.45 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 3-5, .214/.258/.393
3B Gleider Figuereo: 2-4, 2B, BB, .215/.354/.443
CF Marcos Torres: 2-4, 2B, BB, .133/.232/.200
Kohl Drake didn’t have any control issues but ran into to many forceful bats. He’d only allowed two runs in two previous low-A starts while striking out 13.
Arizona Complex League
The season commences tomorrow, well over a month earlier than ever before. Today’s MiLB transaction wire is clogged with players officially transitioning from Dominican Summer League rosters (which don’t count against the 165-man limit) to the complex rosters (which do). As of lunchtime Friday, the Rangers haven’t joined the fun.
Mexico
Some former Rangers in the Mexican League, which seems to be a much more popular destination these days:
Neftali Feliz, Keone Kela, Roman Mendez, Spencer Patton, CD Pelham, Jake Thompson,
Engel Beltre, Jose Cardona, Andretty Cordero, Leonys Martin, Nomar Mazara, Luis Sardinas, Christian Villanueva
Today’s Starters
AAA: Sampson
AA: Acker
Hi-A: Montalvo
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
OF Craig Gentry retired. 1B Curtis Terry hit his 13th double, best in the minors.