Minor League Recaps

Sunday's Results

Johnson City Cardinals @ Greeneville Astros

-Postponed

Mahoning Valley Scrappers 4 Tri-City ValleyCats 5

Tri-City had the lead early and lost it in the third inning.  The ValleyCats stuck with it and took back the lead in the ninth and went on to win the game.  Starting pitcher Joe Bircher helped get the ValleyCats back in the game.  After allowing two big home runs that totaled 4 runs in the third and fourth innings, Bircher settled in for 2 and 2-thirds more work, keeping them scoreless and ended up with those 4 runs on 10 hits, 2 walks and 2 Ks.  Travis Ballew came on next to finish out the seventh and stayed for 1 and a third.  In his time at the helm, Ballew gave up 1 hit, struck out 3 and took the win, moving his record to 4-0.  Blake Ford picked up save number 12 after coming on for the last inning of work, keeping things scoreless and issuing 1 walk.  At the plate, Preston Tucker (2X4), Tyler Heineman (2X2) and Joe Sclafani (2X3) all had multi hit games and one RBI apiece.  Sclafani and Heineman also drew a walk each.  Tucker's RBI was the sac'-fly to score Jesse Wierzbicki and put Tri-City ahead in the seventh inning.

Lexington Legends 16 Hagerstown Suns 6

Lexington didn't have one really big inning in this game, they just scored often.  The Legends scored in 5 of the 9 innings Sunday and in none of those frames did they score less than 2 runs.  This game was also a record breaking game for Zach Johnson and Matt Duffy.  Johnson batted 1 for 4 and drove in 3 RBIs, moving his total to 100 RBIs and setting the new Legends' season record.  Duffy was struck by oncoming pitches 3 times in the game, moving his total to 33 and earning him the South Atlantic League record.  Duffy hit 1 for 3, scored 2 runs and had a pair of RBI.  Delino Deshields got in on the record-breaking action and swiped 3 bags, moving his total to 80 for the year.  Nolan Fontana didn't do much at the plate, but drew 3 more walks; that's 7 BBs in his last 3 games.  Brandon Meredith was smoking-hot at the plate Sunday, hitting 4 for 6 with a double, 3 RBIs and the only homer of the game-a 2-run shot to center field in the second.  Chris Devenski (7-5) took the win after going the first 5 on the mound.  Devenski was charged with 4 runs (3ER) on 7 hits, K-ed 5 and walked 3. 

High Desert Mavericks 4 Lancaster JetHawks 2

Lancaster scored twice in the fourth inning to strike first and take the lead Sunday, but wouldn't score again.  Colton Cain pitched the first 6 innings for Lancaster and had a decent outing, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits, walking a pair and striking out half a dozen.  Cain's 2 runs came on a 2-run homer in the seventh that tied the game. In fact, the next 3 pitchers for the JetHawks only gave up 5 hits combined over the rest of the game.  The last hit allowed however, was another 2-run homer that broke the tie in ninth inning.  That homer came off of Carlos Quevedo (2-3) who took the loss after going 1 and 2-thirds, and striking out one.  At the plate, George Springer (1X4) picked up his tenth triple of the year and is leading the JetHawks with a .322 BA.  Chris Epps (2X3) and Jonathan Meyer (2X4) both hit doubles and had an RBI.  Domingo Santana went 1 for 2 at the dish and drew the only walk of the night for Lancaster.    

Corpus Christi Hooks 6 Midland RockHounds 4 

The Hooks got on top in the third inning Sunday and never looked back.  On line with Corpus Christi's solid offense was Rob Rasmussen (3-2), who pitched 6 solid innings, allowing just 2 runs on 7 hits, walking 3 and striking out 8.  Jason Stoffell came on in the 9th and collected his 22nd save after walking a batter and striking out the last one he faced.  Jonathan Singleton got a couple hits in 4 ABs Sunday.  Singleton also picked up 2 RBIs, moving his total for the season to 62.  Jose Martinez went 2 for 5 at the plate with a double and batted in a run of his own, making his season total 75. 

Oklahoma City RedHawks 4 Salt Lake Bees 6

If 5 runs leave the park against you by way of 3 long balls and your team only gets 6 hits all game, it would probably be safe to assume you lost the game.  That's exactly what happened to the RedHawks on Sunday.  4 of Oklahoma City's hits were split evenly between Fernando Martinez and Brad Synder who both went 2 for 4 at the dish with 2 RBIs each.  Martinez's hits were both doubles and one of Snyder's was a solo homer, his 17th dinger of the season.  Martinez's 2 RBIs and the non-homer RBI of Snyder were good to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning.  Brian Sanches (1-0) had a tough debut for Oklahoma City though; he took the loss after coming on for the last out in the 6th and staying a full frame longer.  Sanches gave up the tie-breaking 2-run shot in the seventh inning and ended up with both of those runs on 3 hits and 2 K's for the game.  Garrett Mock also made his debut with Oklahoma City Sunday, pitching the last inning without giving up a hit and striking out 1. 

Player of the Game:  Lexington's Zach Johnson and Matt Duffy get dual nods today for their record breaking achievements on Sunday.  Records are made by the rarest of traits, no matter the sport, consistency.  The Astros' minor leagues deserve all the congratulations they can get, because they have been setting records all season.

Pitcher of the Game:  Rob Rasmussen takes the cake today.  He had a really nice outing on Sunday and any time you can top it off with 8 Ks, well, you might not even need icing on that cake.