AAA: Round Rock 6, El Paso (SDP) 3
Round Rock: 5 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts
Opponent: 5 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 29-24, 5.5 GB
SP Johnny Cueto: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 89 P / 57 S, 2.40 ERA
RP Yerry Rodriguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 4.00 ERA
2B Jonathan Ornelas: 2-4, 3B, .259/.301/.350
CF Dustin Harris: 1-3, 2B, BB, .262/.364/.395
Johnny Cueto held the opponent scoreless for the second time in three starts and pulled his opposing line down to .257/.274/.386, excellent for the PCL. Underlying data on contact and exit velo isn’t as promising, but he’s at least giving the idea he isn’t done and might be able to pitch for someone, if not necessarily Texas.
AA: Frisco 5, @ San Antonio (SDP) 2
Frisco: 9 hits, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts
Record: 31-17, 1.5 G up
SP Ben Anderson: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO, 82 P / 54 S, 4.82 ERA
RP Andy Rodriguez: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.96 ERA
RP Bryan Chi: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 6.23 ERA
C Liam Hicks: 2-3, BB, .248/.357/.307
3B Frainyer Chavez: 3-4, .221/.333/.305
Frisco took advantage of San Antonio wildness in a tied 5th. Daniel Mateo and Aaron Zavala were hit by pitches after a Frainyer Chavez single, and Liam Hicks then drew a bases-loaded walk. Additional runs scored on a Cody Freeman GIDP and Josh Hatcher double.
SS Max Acosta (0-4) is back from s a short IL visit.
Hi-A: Hickory 2, @ Winston-Salem (CHW) 5
Hickory: 11 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 7 hits, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts
Record: 19-29, 8 GB
SP Mitch Bratt: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 81 P / 52 S, 5.14 ERA
RP Skylar Hales: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO, 5.30 ERA
SS Cam Cauley: 3-5, SB (2), .179/.228/.263
3B Sebastian Walcott: 2-4, 2B, .201/.335/.326
CF Anthony Gutierrez: 2-4, 2B, .250/.288/.329
Cauley and Walcott in the summary for a second straight day. These are the days. Walcott actually lost his bat in the follow-through on his double, a soft liner just over the third baseman’s glove. He brought his batting average over .200 for the first time this season.
Mitch Bratt surrendered seven runs in his first start of the season but not more than two since (plus a one-inning, three-run relief appearance).
Lo-A: Down East 6, Fredericksburg (WAS) 3
Down East: 8 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Record: 26-21, 3.5 GB
SP Kohl Drake: 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 67 P / 46 S, 2.25 ERA
RP Paul Bonzagni: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 6 SO, 3.03 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 1-3, 2B, BB, .252/.315/.369
The Drake/Bonzagni tandem has appeared six times, combining for 47 innings, 18 runs (16 earned), 3.06 ERA, 10 walks, and 58 strikeouts. Elder by nearly two years, Drake has the better peripherals.
Echedry Vargas’s two-run double in the 5th was a grounder to right that deflected off the pitcher. I wish I had video. I mentioned Vargas’s errors yesterday and noticed Gleider Figuero has 13 at third base, also a high figure. That might lead a belief that Down East has the worst fielding in the league, but in fact they’re middle-of-the-pack in errors with 65. The distinction is a concentration at a few positions. The difference between Down East and league-worst Augusta:
Down East: 46 errors at second, third, and short, 19 at other positions.
Augusta: 45 errors at second, third, and short, 33 at other positions (including 17 at catcher!)
Today’s Starters
AAA: Barraclough
AA: Krauth
Hi-A: Montalvo
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Frisco received scoreless innings from Emmanuel Clase, Joe Barlow, and Demarcus Evans but scored only one run and lost both ends of a doubleheader and two-thirds of a three-game division lead. The Riders began the first half 17-9 but finished on a 16-27 skid and a tie for third after leading the division much of the way.