AAA: Round Rock 0, El Paso (SDP) 10
Round Rock: 4 hits, 2 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 9 hits, 3 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 1-3, 38-40 overall
SP Adrian Sampson: 5.2 IP, 8 H (1 HR), 9 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 SO, 85 P / 54 S, 5.19 ERA
RP Josh Sborz: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO, 12.46 ERA
1B Blaine Crim: 2-4, .217/.320/.357
Since the beginning of the Reno series almost seven weeks ago, Round Rock has averaged 3.9 runs per game. The park-adjusted league average is 5.7. That the Express are only six games under .500 in that span (17-23) is testament to some fine pitching.
I mistakenly thought Cole Winn had never pitched on consecutive days until the two outings preceding his IL placement. A helpful reader pointed out he’d pitched on both May 7th and 8th.
AA: Frisco 8, Corpus Christi (HOU) 6
Frisco: 12 hits, 1 walk, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 2 walks, 13 strikeouts
Record: 3-1, 47-26 overall
SP Winston Santos: 2.2 IP, 7 H (3 HR), 5 R, 0 BB, 5 SO, 65 P / 45 S, 16.88 ERA
RP Skylar Hales: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2.10 ERA
RF Alejandro Osuna: 2-5, 2B
3B Cody Freeman: 2-4, HR (4), .272/.326/.464
LF Aaron Zavala: 2-3, BB, .208/.326/.299
1B Abi Ortiz: 2-4, 2B, .188/.254/.319
SS Franyer Chavez: 2-4, HR (9), .241/.341/.351
I saw Winston Santos’s AA-debut batter (K on a 98 MPH fastball) and a scoreless 2nd with two more strikeouts. Corpus scored five on three homers while I was distracted. Santos had allowed only three long balls all season in a homer-friendly home park. Welcome to the Texas League. Santos displayed fine control and fanned a third of his opponents. Skylar Hales, who made the trip from Hickory with Santos, tossed a scoreless inning.
I should have been more patient about Alejandro Osuna. I wondered aloud about his staying put in Hickory on Thursday. Two days later, he’s in Frisco, leading off the 1st with a double to the wall.
Hi-A: Hickory 0, @ Greenville (BOS) 2
Hickory: 3 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 2-5, 30-43 overall
SP Joseph Montalvo: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 SO, 74 P / 40 S, 2.57 ERA
RP Jackson Kelley: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 SO, 2.77 ERA
Joseph Montalvo struck out a season-low one, and half of his opposing swings put a ball in play, but he escaped unharmed. The sides traded zeros, with Hickory fending off more worrisome situations, until the 8th when Greenville plated two against Luis Ramirez.
Kelley is another promotion candidate. Not a hard thrower like former teammate Skylar Hales, his side-arm action nevertheless misses plenty of bats (31% K rate). The 24-year-old joined Hickory last May.
Lo-A: Down East 8, @ Delmarva (BAL) 0
Down East: 11 hits, 3 walks, 14 strikeouts
Opponent: 2 hits, 3 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 3-4, 38-34 overall
SP Paul Bonzagni: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 SO, 70 P / 43 S, 3.68 ERA
RP Josh Trentadue: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 SO, 4.54 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 3-5, HR (7), SB (10), .269/.330/.435
C Julian Brock: 1-3, 3B, 2 BB, .217/.286/.307
CF Marcos Torres: 2-4, HR (3), .189/.291/.319
Down East no-hit the Shorebirds through the second out of the 8th. Paul Bonzagni hasn’t been a huge strikeout guy this season but tied a career-best six. Weirdly, his swinging strike rate ranks within the top half in the system. Where he’s truly excelled is a system-best 58% grounder rate.
Echedry Vargas was a favorite of mine in March, and lately he’s making me look like I know what I’m talking about. Carry on, Echedry.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Leiter
AA: Acker
Hi-A: TBA
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Hickory’s Jonathan Ornelas broke up a no-hitter with a 9th-inning one-out double.