Thursday, July 31st: Hounds Win with the Help of another Kent Matthes Grand Slam while Deck McGuire Pitches Cats to Victory and Billy Burns Is Sent to Sacramento

A’s Farmhand Of The Day: Midland RockHounds Outfielder Kent Matthes (Grand Slam)
A’s Farmhand Of The Day: Midland RockHounds Outfielder Kent Matthes (Grand Slam)

 

TEXAS LEAGUE  (Double-A)

Corpus Christi Hooks      1

Midland RockHounds  6

WP – Long 10-6 / 3.16

HR – Matthes (11)

Farmhand Of The Game:

Outfielder Kent Matthes

(Grand Slam)

Midland outfielder Kent Matthes hit his third grand slam in the last two weeks, which was also his sixth home run in the last six days, to help the Hounds win on Thursday. Outfielder D’Arby Myers and first baseman Blake Forsythe each drove in a run for the RockHounds. Starter Nate Long was solid, allowing just 1 unearned run while striking out 10 over 7 innings to earn his 10th win. Meanwhile, outfielder Kenny Wilson was outrighted to Midland, while former RockHounds outfielder Billy Burns was optioned to Sacramento.

Click here for more on Sacramento, Stockton, Beloit, Vermont & AZL A’s…

 

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE  (Triple-A)

Albuquerque Isotopes        0

Sacramento River Cats  5

WP – McGuire 1-0 / 0.00

HR – Freiman (15)

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Farmhand Of The Game:

Pitcher Deck McGuire

(6 IP / 5 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 2 K / Win)

 

Former 1st-round draft pick for Toronto, RHP Deck McGuire, was impressive in his first start for Sacramento, tossing 6 scoreless innings to earn his 1st win on Thursday. First baseman Nate Freiman homered, doubled and drove in 3, while outfielder Nick Buss had 3 hits and drove in a run for the River Cats. In other news, Sacramento starter Tommy Milone was traded to Minnesota for outfielder Sam Fuld, while outfielder Billy Burns was optioned to Sacramento and Cats infielder Jake Elmore was designated for assignment.

 

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE  (High-A)

Stockton Ports   5

San Jose Giants   3

WP – Sanburn 3-1 / 2.83

HR- Crocker (9)

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Farmhand Of The Game:

Catcher Beau Taylor

(3 for 4 / Double / RBI)

 

Catcher Beau Taylor collected 3 hits, including a double, and drove in the winning run for Stockton, while center fielder Bobby Crocker homered in the 3rd to put the Ports on the board, and right fielder Jaycob Brugman singled, doubled and drove in a run in the win. Starter Tim Alderson allowed 3 runs over 6 1/3 innings of work, while RHP Nolan Sanburn struck out 4 in 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, and RHP Austin House pitched a perfect 9th for his 15th save. Meanwhile, RHP Bobby Wahl was reassigned to Stockton from Beloit.

 

MIDWEST LEAGUE  (Class-A)

Peoria Chiefs          4

Beloit Snappers  11

WP – Wagman 1-0 / 1.29

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Farmhand Of The Game:

Pitcher Joey Wagman

(7 IP / 3 H / 1 ER / 0 BB / 7 K / Win)

 

The A’s signed 23-year-old RHP Joey Wagman, who had been pitching in the independent Frontier League, and put him to work in Beloit on Thursday with impressive results. Wagman allowed 1 run on just 3 hits while walking none and striking out 7 to earn his 1st win. Second baseman Melvin Mercedes tripled and drove in 4 runs, while shortstop Branden Cogswell singled, tripled and drove in 3, and first baseman Ryan Mathews had 3 hits and a walk and drove in a pair for the Snappers.

 

NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE  (Class-A Short-Season)

Batavia Muckdogs               3

Vermont Lake Monsters  0

LP – Miller 0-3 / 5.87

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Farmhand Of The Game:

Pitcher Corey Walter

(1 1/3 IP / 0 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 2 K)

 

10th-round draft pick Corey Miller allowed 2 runs on 6 hits over 4 1/3 innings of work to take his 3rd loss, while 28th-round pick Corey Walter struck out 2 in 1 1/3 perfect innings of relief to turn in the team’s best pitching performance of the day. Meanwhile, Vermont hitters managed just 5 hits in the loss.

 

ARIZONA LEAGUE  (Rookie Short-Season)

AZL A’s          3

AZL D’backs  1

WP – Zambrano 4-2 / 5.62

Farmhand Of The Game:

Pitcher Jesus Zambrano

(6 IP / 2 H / 1 ER / 0 BB / 3 K / Win)

17-year-old RHP Jesus Zambrano allowed 1 run on just 2 hits over 6 innings of work to earn his 4th win, while RHP Tyler Willman pitched 2 perfect innings in relief, and RHP Ben Bracewell tossed a scoreless 9th for his 1st save. Outfielder Robert Martinez had a pair of doubles and drove in a run, while designated hitter Andy Paz singled and doubled, and outfielder Rodolfo Penalo drove in a run for the A’s.

 

Friday’s Games:

Albuquerque @ Sacramento – 7:05pm PT

Corpus Christi @ Midland – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT

Stockton @ San Jose – 7:00pm PT

Cedar Rapids @ Beloit – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT

Batavia @ Vermont – 4:05pm PT / 7:05pm ET

AZL Cubs @ AZL A’s – 7:00pm PT

 

 

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