photo: Adolis Garcia (Scott Rovak/USA TODAY Sports)
St. Louis’ minors went 3-6 on Thursday. Player of the Day Adolis Garcia’s three-bomb effort led Memphis to victory while Jacob Schlesener’s and Tommy Parsons’ starts were key to wins by State College and Johnson City. Palm Beach fell despite a strong effort by Jake Walsh while Paul Balestrieri’s solid performance was not enough to lift Peoria.
Results from the games played Thursday, July 26th.
Player of the Day Adolis Garcia had a three-home run night as the Redbirds unloaded on the Bees, 12-3, in the rubber game of the series. Memphis (66-38) leads Round Rock (TEX) by 15 games in the American Southern Division.
The game was competitive in the early-to-mid going with the visitors holding a 5-3 advantage after five. But seven tallies in the next three frames blew the contest wide open. Garcia was responsible for eight of those runs, starting with a three-run first-inning bomb. The right fielder topped that with a grand slam in the sixth and finished with a solo shot. Garcia’s final line was 3-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored and eight RBI.
The three homers and eight driven in both tied Memphis team records, with the latter much rarer (only once before by Tagg Bozied in 2007). As recently as earlier this week, Tyler O’Neill went deep three times.
Not to be missed in Garcia’s outstanding performance were fine efforts by Oscar Mercado and Alex Mejia. Both players posted identical marks by going 2-for-5 with a two-run home run that was one of their two runs scored. Rangel Ravelo and Luke Voit had two hits apiece as well.
Chris Ellis (W, 3-2) battled control problems, walking six in five innings but limiting the damage to three runs on five hits. Andrew Morales and Landon Beck each tossed two frames, with Beck striking out three.
Friday’s game: at Las Vegas (50-54) (NYM), 8:05 pm MT, Jake Woodford (1-2, 3.80)
Northwest Arkansas 7 at Springfield 4
The S-Cards fell to the Naturals, 7-4, in the home series opener, snapping their five-game winning streak. Third-place Springfield (14-20) is 7 ½ games behind Tulsa (LAD) in the North Division standings.
Starter Mike O’Reilly (L, 3-5) fell two outs shy of six complete innings, yielding six runs, four earned, on eight hits and four walks. Ramon Santos went the next 2 2/3, allowing a score on three hits and two walks. Two of the three outs recorded by Eric Carter were on strikeouts.
Seven of Springfield’s nine starters had at least one of eight team hits and four players touched home. Andrew Knizner was one of those four, as the catcher singled twice in four at bats. Johan Mieses and Andy Young both went yard, Young with Knizner (error) aboard.
Friday’s game: vs. fourth-place Northwest Arkansas (11-22) (KC), 7:10 pm CT, Anthony Shew (5-5, 4.10)
The Beach Birds were grounded by the Yankees, 6-4, in the road series opener. Palm Beach (15-18) remains in third, three games behind Charlotte (TB).
Jake Walsh tossed six strong frames, giving up two runs on seven hits and two free passes with five K’s. John Kilichowski recorded four outs but yielded two runs on two hits and a walk. His final run scored with Estarlin Arias (BS, 1) (L, 1-1) on the mound. Arias was charged with two runs on two hits and two free passes in just 2/3 of an inning.
Ryan McCarvel and Irving Lopez each had two of their squad’s six hits, both players singling twice in four at bats with an RBI. Kramer Robertson went 1-for-3 with a walk, double and one knocked in but was picked off first and caught stealing.
Friday’s game: at Tampa (17-16) (NYY), 6:30 pm ET, TBA
Three late tallies resulted in the Chiefs’ 3-1 loss to the Timber Rattlers, evening the home series at one game each with one to play. Third-place Peoria (19-12) trails Cedar Rapids (MIN) by four games in the West Division.
Paul Balestrieri continued an evening of strong starts in St. Louis’ minors by fanning eight over six innings. Balestrieri allowed five hits and a base-on-balls while yielding a run in his final inning of work that tied the game at one all.
C.J. Saylor (L, 0-1) permitted a run in each of his two innings on the mound, with one of his three hits a solo bomb. Robbie Gordon gave up a hit in the ninth.
Elehuris Montero and Zach Kirtley accounted for Peoria’s only run. Montero worked a base-on-balls to begin the fourth, stole second and scored on a single by Kirtley. Peoria had just six hits in all with lead-off batter J.R. Davis having two in four at bats.
Note: Brian Walton provided his commentary and photos from this game for TCN members.
Friday’s game: vs. sixth-place Wisconsin (15-17) (MIL), 7:00 pm CT, Alvaro Seijas (3-6, 4.83)
State College 6 at Connecticut 0
Jacob Schlesener struck out seven in five innings as the Spikes declawed the Tigers, 6-0, salvaging the third and final game of the road series. State College (15-23) moves into a fourth-place tie with Williamsport (PHI) with the win, 9 ½ games in back of Mahoning Valley (CLE).
A trio of Spikes’ pitchers combined on a two-hitter beginning with Schlesener (W, 1-3), who allowed just three base runners during his five innings on the bump. The lefty permitted a hit and walk while hitting one batter. Eli Kraus gave up a hit in the sixth before handing the ball to Franyel Casadilla, who fanned three and walked two over the last three innings for his first save.
Three Spikes each had two of the team’s eight hits: Delvin Perez, Brady Whalen and Brandon Benson. Perez and Whalen both went 2-for-5, Perez – the number two batter – driving in two and clean-up hitter Whalen doubling once with a run scored. Benson went 2-for-3 with a walk, double, run scored and two RBI out of the eight hole. Benson was one of three State College players to swipe a base, joined by Justin Toerner and Wadye Ynfante.
Friday’s game: at Lowell (21-18) (BOS), 6:35 pm CT, Jim Voyles (2-3, 3.41)
Tommy Parsons tossed six strong frames as the JC-Cards edged the Yankees, 2-1, in the decisive third game of the away series. Johnson City (16-18) is tied for third with Bristol (PIT), five games behind Elizabethton (MIN).
Making his fourth consecutive start after four appearances out of the bullpen, Parsons has improved each time out. On Thursday, the non-drafted free agent signee held Pulaski (16-20) to a single fifth-inning score on two of his five total hits and one walk permitted. Parsons struck out four. Michael Brettell and Parker Kelly handled pitching duties the rest of the way. Kelly earned his second save.
The Appy Birds hitters could not get untracked during the Yankees starter’s five-inning stint but finally broke through for two sixth-inning scores. Jonatan Machado opened with a single, racing home from first on Kevin Woodall’s ninth double. Carlos Soto’s two-out double drove in Woodall for the final margin.
Johnson City had 10 hits in all, with Woodall going 2-for-3 with a walk, double, run scored and RBI. Leandro Cedeno was the only other Appy Bird with a multi-hit effort, singling twice in four at bats. Defensively, right fielder Woodall was credited with an outfield assist at second.
Friday’s game: vs. Danville (18-17) (ATL), 7:00 pm ET, Cole Aker (1-0, 0.00)
GCL Nationals 8 at GCL Cardinals 3
Sloppy defense led to the Gulf Birds’ 8-3 loss at Jupiter to the Nationals on Thursday. The Cardinals (22-9) lead the East Division by 4 ½ games over the Mets.
The top of the seventh began with the contest tied at one all and a new Cardinals’ pitcher on the mound, Freddy Pacheco. Making just his third Gulf Coast League appearance after being promoted from the Dominican Summer League, Pacheco could not overcome a throwing error, passed ball and his own wild pitch. The native of Venezuela permitted six runs, all unearned, on two hits, four walks and a sac fly in just 2/3 of an inning. The big blow was a bases-clearing double that scored three runs and knocked Pacheco out of the game.
It wastes a superb effort by Chris Hunt, who over the initial six frames held the Nats to a single score on two hits. Chris Rivera pitched the final 2 1/3, yielding a run on two hits with three strikeouts.
The Nationals’ defense was even sloppier than was their hosts’, as three errors resulted in three unearned runs by the Gulf Birds. The home team managed six hits with rehabbing Scott Hurst responsible for most of the offense. The Peoria left fielder singled and doubled in two at bats with a base-on-balls and one driven in. Andrew Warner’s only hit in four at bats was a two-run double that plated William Jimenez and Josh Shaw, who both reached on throwing errors.
Friday’s game: vs. GCL Mets, 10:00 am ET, Wilfredo Pereira (2-3, 6.84)
DSL Cardinals Blue 0 at DSL Phillies Red 3
The DSL Cardinals Blue mustered just four hits in their 3-0 loss to the Phillies Red (19-27). The C-Blue (3-14) are in a first-place tie with the Twins.
Malcom Nunez was pretty much the entire offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles while batting third. His teammates worked six free passes but five of the six walks were by the fifth through ninth batters.
Hector Soto was saddled with his third loss against five wins despite a fine effort. The righty struck out six and did not issue a base-on-balls in six innings while giving up seven hits resulting in three runs, two earned. Victor Villanueva and Saniel Santana both went an inning, with Santana fanning two.
Friday’s game: at DSL Angels (14-30), 10:30 am ET, Julio Puello (4-0, 1.40)
DSL Phillies White 8 at DSL Cardinals Red 4
The DSL Cardinals Red could not overcome a big early deficit, falling to the second-place Phillies White (27-17), 8-4. The fourth-place C-Red (25-20) trail the Rangers2 by 4 ½ games in the San Pedro Division.
Jose Moreno (L, 2-3) retired just five batters, giving up seven runs, six earned, on seven hits and two free passes. Three of the four C-Red pitchers following Moreno to the mound were not scored upon, but the damage was done. Wilman Madera fanned four over 3 1/3 scoreless before Hector De Los Santos struck out three over two frames. Both pitchers yielded two hits and a walk. Nelson Prada and Sebastian Tabata each tossed an inning. Prada gave up a tally on two hits, but Tabata hurled a one-two-three ninth with two K’s.
The C-Red generated 10 hits with Joerlin De Los Santos and Franklin Soto both going 3-for-4 with a walk. De Los Santos crossed home once with one driven in.
Friday’s game: vs. fifth-place DSL Mets2 (22-24), 10:30 am ET, TBA
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