Sunday, April 23rd: Sawyer Leads Snappers to Shutout Victory while Boyd Helps Hounds Mount Comeback Win

A’s Prospect Of The Day: Beloit Snappers Pitcher Dalton Sawyer (5 IP / 0 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 8 K / Win)
A’s Prospect Of The Day: Beloit Snappers Pitcher Dalton Sawyer (5 IP / 0 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 8 K / Win)

 

MIDWEST LEAGUE  (Class-A)

Burlington Bees    0

Beloit Snappers  8

WP – Sawyer 2-1 / 1.08

HR – Diaz (4), Shelby (3), Persico (1), Marinez (1)

Prospect Of The Game:

Pitcher Dalton Sawyer

(5 IP / 0 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 8 K / Win)

Starter Dalton Sawyer delivered one of the most impressive performances of any A’s minor league hurler so far this season on the front end of a 3-hit shutout win for the Snappers. Last year’s 9th-round pick for the A’s threw 5 perfect frames, striking out 8 while facing the minimum 15 batters without allowing a base runner to earn his 2nd win on Sunday. And Sawyer has now failed to allow a run over his last 13 innings of work for the Snappers. He was followed on the mound by last year’s 10th-round pick, RHP Mitchell Jordan, who allowed 3 hits over 4 scoreless frames to secure the save. The Snappers scored all 8 of their runs on home runs on Sunday. Left fielder Luke Persico launched a 2-run homer in the 3rd, while third baseman Edwin Diaz drilled a 3-run drive in the 6th. Shortstop Eric Marinez slugged a solo shot in the 7th, and center fielder JaVon Shelby tagged a 2-run shot in the 8th to help the Snappers win their second straight on Sunday.

Click here for more on Nashville, Midland & Stockton…

 

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE  (Triple-A)

Nashville Sounds              5

Colorado Springs Sky Sox  6

LP – Neal 1-2 / 4.87

bm622194

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Catcher Bruce Maxwell

(Double / 2 RBIs)

 

Despite a big 9th-inning rally, the Sounds still came up short on Sunday. Starter Zach Neal allowed 5 runs over 6 innings of work and would go on to suffer his 2nd loss for the Sounds. RHP Aaron Kurcz surrendered another run in the 7th to put his team in a 6-run hole, but Nashville came back to notch 5 runs in the top of the 9th. Catcher Bruce Maxwell got the rally going by doubling in a pair of runs with two outs in the 9th. He then scored the third run of the inning on designated hitter Ryan Lavarnway’s RBI single. Left fielder Matt McBride then wrapped up the scoring by doubling in 2 more runs before shortstop Franklin Barreto lined out to end the game as the Sounds came up a run short on Sunday. In other news, the A’s acquired outfielder Ryan LaMarre from the Angels and assigned him to the Sounds, while RHP Corey Walter was reassigned to the RockHounds on Sunday.

 

TEXAS LEAGUE  (Double-A)

San Antonio Missions    6

Midland RockHounds  7

WP – Bragg 1-0 / 0.00

bb622196

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Outfielder B.J. Boyd

(1 for 4 / Walk / 2 RBIs / Stolen Base)

 

Midland managed to come back from a 6-run deficit to claim a surprising victory on Sunday. Starter Kyle Friedrichs surrendered 4 runs over the first 3 innings to put the Hounds in an early hole. RHP Ben Bracewell then allowed 2 more runs before exiting after 4 frames. Right fielder Tyler Marincov got things going for Midland when he doubled in a run with two outs in the 7th, and then 2 more runs came in to score in the inning thanks to a fielding error. With the RockHounds down by 3 runs in the 8th, left fielder Brett Vertigan drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, then center fielder B.J. Boyd singled in a pair of runs to tie the game. Then, on a swinging third strike to Marincov, Boyd attempted to steal second, and a throwing error by San Antonio catcher Stephen McGee allowed second baseman J.P. Sportman to cross the plate with the winning run for the RockHounds. RHP Sam Bragg picked up the win after tossing a scoreless 8th, but RHP Jake Sanchez had to leave the game with assistance after being nailed in the head with a liner in the 9th. After being examined at the hospital, Sanchez was diagnosed with a busted eardrum but was otherwise all right. RHP Kyle Finnegan came on to get the final two outs to post his 2nd save for Midland. Meanwhile, RHP Corey Walter was reassigned to the RockHounds on Sunday.

 

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE  (High-A)

San Jose Giants  12

Stockton Ports     8

LP – Puk 0-1 / 3.60

HR – Siddall (1), Ramirez (1)

bs615702

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Outfielder Brett Siddall

(3 for 4 / Home Run / Double / Walk / 2 RBIs)

 

Stockton blew a big lead to suffer the loss on Sunday. Starter Boomer Biegalski got off to a shaky start, allowing 3 runs before exiting after just 2 1/3 innings of work. But the Ports put 7 runs on the board over the first 3 innings. Left fielder Brett Siddall singled, doubled, walked and hit a 2-run homer in the 2nd, but he also made 2 errors in the game. Center fielder Tyler Ramirez also slugged a 2-run shot in the 2nd, while second baseman Branden Cogswell singled twice, doubled and drove in 3. LHP A.J. Puk suffered his first real rough outing of the season on Sunday. The A’s top draft pick last year surrendered 5 runs, despite striking out 7, over 3 innings of work to suffer his 1st loss for Stockton.

 

Monday’s Games:

Nashville @ Colorado Springs – 5:40pm PT / 7:40pm CT

Midland @ Corpus Christi – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT

Lancaster @ Stockton – 7:10pm PT

Clinton @ Beloit – 4:30pm PT / 6:30pm CT

 

Dalton Sawyer
Dalton Sawyer

 

Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm. You can also get our exclusive A’s minor league newsletter e-mailed to you free by signing up here.