Box Scores
AAA: Round Rock 3, at El Paso (SDP) 14
Round Rock: 6 hits, 7 walks, 6 strikeouts
Opponent: 14 hits, 5 walks, 4 strikeouts
Record: 18-31, 11 GB
SP Josh Stephan: 4.1 IP, 9 H (3 HR), 11 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 2 SO, 78 P / 48 S, 6.00 ERA
RP Thomas Ireland: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2.76 ERA
CF Gilberto Celestino: 2-5, HR (1), .231/.315/.208
DH Nick Pratto: 2-3, HR (4), BB, .222/.281/.420
“So, Scott, you’re always mentioning quick pulls, how could Stephan or anyone possibly be permitted to stay in long enough to allow 11 runs?” What gets pitchers pulled is excessive pitch counts, especially in a single inning. Otherwise, the score doesn’t matter much, and the plan is for the pitcher to have a full day (5-6 innings, +-85 pitches in Stephan’s case). El Paso batted around in a five-run 5th, but Stephan threw only 22 pitches. Stephan faced six batters in the 5th, and five scored, but that sequence required only 16 pitches and just eight minutes between the first and last pitches.
Last night is also an extreme example of what can happen to Stephan in such a setting. He’s a command pitcher. His fastball velocity isn’t bad (low 90s), just a touch light by current standards. His arsenal doesn’t have a ton a motion, and the El Paso air reduces that further. The results on 31 swings: 20 in play, 11 fouls, zero misses. 
AA: Frisco 6, San Antonio (SDP) 7
Frisco: 10 hits, 6 walks, 12 strikeouts
Opponent: 15 hits, 4 walks, 12 strikeouts
Record: 21-21, 2.5 GB
SP Winston Santos: 5 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 SO, 74 P / 48 S, 9.13 ERA
CF Dylan Dreiling: 2-5, 2B, .309/.413/.488
2B Cody Freeman: 0-3
3B John Taylor: 1-2, HR (6), 3 BB, .313/.455/.531
LF Keith Jones II: 3-5, 2B, SB (5), .280/.376/.492
1B Max Wagner: 2-3, 2B, BB, .250/.340/.568
Santos is missing bats (including 13 whiffs last night), but oh, the non-misses. Opponents are hitting .574 and slugging .926 on contact. Wilian Bormie wasn’t his usual scintillating self. Entering with a one-run lead but two on and none out in the 8th, he allowed three hits to plate both inherited runners plus one of his own. 
Hi-A: wet
Two today.
Lo-A: Hickory 5, Charleston (TAM) 3
Hickory: 3 hits, 8 walks, 4 strikeouts
Opponent: 6 hits, 5 walks, 7 strikeouts
Record: 23-18, 0.5 GB
SP Kamdyn Perry: 4.1 IP, 6 H (1 HR), 2 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 70 P / 47 S, 2.82 ERA
RP Michael Trausch: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1.23 ERA
CF Hector Osorio: 1-2, 2 BB, SB (8), .303/.433/.572
LF Paulino Santana: 1-2, 2B, BB, HBP, .272/.412/.411
Hickory scored three in the 1st on two walks, a hit batter, a sac fly and four steals (two each by Yolfran Castillo and Marcos Torres). Opposing starter Aidan Cremarosa actually took a no-hitter in to the 5th, but timely hitting then and in the 7th would create two more runs.
Today’s Starters
AAA: TBD
AA: Lopez
Hi-A: Agreda/TBD
Lo-A: Russell
Five Years Ago Yesterday
I threw out some names from Round Rock as potential replacements for injured reliever Hunter Wood. I said Demarcus Evans made the most sense but that Wes Benjamin was well-rested. I was skeptical of Joe Palumbo and Brock Burke at the time. Off the 40, I offered Joe Barlow, Luis Ortiz, Drew Anderson and Jimmy Herget as possibilities.
Texas would bring up both Evans and Benjamin to replace wood and the also-injured Kyle Gibson. Evans had a terrific handful of outings but was back in AAA following a couple of wipeouts. This being 2021, Barlow, Anderson and Herget would eventually come up as well, and Barlow would collect 11 saves.
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