AAA: Round Rock 6, @ Salt Lake (LAA) 9
Round Rock: 9 hits, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 13 hits, 4 walks, 6 strikeouts
Record: 22-23, 5 GB, 59-60 overall
SP Chase Anderson: 4 IP, 7 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 4 SO, 67 P / 38 S, 7.04 ERA
RP Reid Birlingmair: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 7.00 ERA
1B Justin Foscue: 1-4, HR (6), BB, .277/.438/.445
DH Blaine Crim: 3-5, 2B, HR (13), .268/.368/.428
RF Sandro Fabian: 2-4, 2B, HR (16), BB, .275/.351/.463
Justin Foscue led off the game with a homer and squared another pitch for a sharp 393-ft. out. That second shot might have cleared a hesitating center fielder’s glove at the Dell Diamond, but with Salt Lake’s larger configuration and deeper-playing OFs, it’s an annoyingly routine out. Since returning to Round Rock, Foscue has batted .323/.469/.532 with seven extra-base hits and more walks (16) than strikeouts (10). He played first last night but has spent 13 of 17 recent games at second. I’m more inclined to think of him as a first baseman, but if he hits enough, my inclinations could be persuadable.
Blaine Crim’s 9th-inning homer carried the outfield berm.
AA: Frisco 2, San Antonio (SDP) 6
Frisco: 8 hits, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts
Opponent: 10 hits, 5 walks, 10 strikeouts
Record: 24-22, 3 GB, 68-47 overall
SP Ben Anderson: 5.2 IP, 9 H (1 HR), 5 R, 2 BB, 3 SO, 92 P / 64 S, 4.01 ERA
1B Abi Ortiz: 1-2, 2 BB, .226/.307/.365
C Cooper Johnson: 2-4, HR (10), .238/.345/.466
Texas promoted righty Kohl Drake to AA Frisco. Drake leads the organization with 131 strikeouts in 87 innings. That figure is also 12th in all of minor league ball, and everyone above him has pitched between seven and 51 additional innings. Drake isn’t quite new to the AA, having pitched once there in an April emergency start and, to be honest, looking like someone who needed to head back to Down East. Since then, he’s been outstanding, and I have no reason to expect a quick return to A ball. Drake was a 22-year-old JuCo pick in 2022’s 11th round but regarded enough to earn a modestly above-slot deal. After a bumpy 2023, he’s risen quickly and is at the age-appropriate level for essentially the first time, although age standards can be viewed more loosely with pitchers.
The announced rotation for Frisco is Kumar Rocker Wednesday, TBA Thursday (actually Jake deGrom, per the beats, and this also seems where Mitch Bratt would fit), Winston Santos Friday (listed, but preceded by Max Scherzer), and Emiliano Teodo Saturday. Frisco hasn’t announced a Sunday starter, but Drake pitched for Hickory last Sunday. If you’re in the area and haven’t visited Frisco this season, now would be the time.
Hi-A: Hickory 1, Bowling Green (TAM) 3
Hickory: 5 hits, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 25-24, 7.5 GB, 53-62 overall
SP Aidan Curry: 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 SO, 78 P / 44 S, 6.97 ERA
DH Malcolm Moore: 1-3, HR (1), .156/.270/.313
Malcolm Moore lifted a fly to right-center for his first professional homer.
Lo-A: Down East 0, Delmarva (BAL) 6
Down East: 5 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts
Opponent: 8 hits, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts
Record: 22-22, 5.5 GB, 57-52 overall
SP Thomas Ireland: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 SO, 78 P / 51 S, 2.45 ERA
RP Luke Savage: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 4.46 ERA
SS Echedry Vargas: 2-4, 4 SB (24), .283/.332/.474
10 baserunners, five steals, zero runs.
Today’s Starters
AAA: Leiter
AA: Rocker
Hi-A: Bonzagni
Lo-A: TBA
Five Years Ago Yesterday
Josh Jung was 3-6 with a double in Hickory’s 9-8 win over Columbia. Daniel Robert allowed his first professional homer in his inaugural low-A outing after 14 homer-free appearances in short-season Spokane. Columbia reliever Allan Winans and catcher Hayden Senger were ejected in the 9th when they took umbrage at a call on a grounder that resulted in a hit and tying run rather than the final out.