Saturday, July 8th: Blanco Pitches VT to 5th Straight Victory while Montas Is Solid in Sounds’ Loss

A’s Prospect Of The Day: Vermont Lake Monsters Pitcher Argenis Blanco (6 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 8 K / Win)
A’s Prospect Of The Day: Vermont Lake Monsters Pitcher Argenis Blanco (6 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 8 K)

 

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

Hudson Valley Renegades  0

Vermont Lake Monsters    7

WP – Blanco 1-2 / 3.54

HR – Churlin (1)

Prospect Of The Game:

Pitcher Argenis Blanco

(6 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 8 K / Win)

The Lake Monsters won their fifth straight game with their third straight shutout on Saturday. 21-year-old Venezuelan RHP Argenis Blanco allowed just 3 hits and struck out 8 over 6 scoreless innings to earn the victory for Vermont. This year’s 23rd-round draft pick for the A’s, RHP Malik Jones, who was just promoted from the Arizona League, tossed 2 scoreless innings in his first appearance for the Lake Monsters, and 19th-round RHP Michael Danielak pitched a perfect 9th to complete the 4-hit shutout on Saturday. Right fielder Anthony Churlin hit a 3-run homer, while catcher Iolana Akau singled, doubled and drove in a run for Vermont in the victory.

Click here for more on Nashville, Midland, Stockton, Beloit & AZL A’s…

 

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE  (Triple-A)

Memphis Redbirds   3

Nashville Sounds   2

LP – J.Smith 2-1 / 4.43

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Prospect Of The Game:

Pitcher Frankie Montas

(4 IP / 1 H / 0 ER / 2 BB / 5 K)

 

Sounds starter Frankie Montas was solid on Saturday, allowing just 1 hit and striking out 5 over 4 shutout innings while throwing 60 pitches, and he left with the game a scoreless tie. Catcher Beau Taylor drew a pair of walks and singled in a run, and center fielder Jaff Decker singled twice and drove in a run for the Sounds. LHP Felix Doubront gave up 1 run in 2 1/3 innings of relief, and RHP Josh Smith surrendered 2 runs in the top of the 9th to take the loss. Meanwhile, Nashville RHP Chris Smith was promoted by Oakland to make his first major league start for the A’s on Saturday, while catcher Ryan Lavarnway was designated for assignment, shortstop Franklin Barreto was sent back to the Sounds, and LHP Dalton Sawyer was reassigned to Stockton.

 

TEXAS LEAGUE  (Double-A)

Midland RockHounds  2

Tulsa Drillers                13

LP – Holmes 5-9 / 5.20

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Prospect Of The Game:

First Baseman Viosergy Rosa

(2 for 4 / Double)

 

RHP Grant Holmes had a rough start for the RockHounds, surrendering 4 home runs and 8 runs over 5 innings of work to suffer his 9th loss on Saturday. First baseman Viosergy Rosa had 2 hits, including a double, while center fielder J.P. Sportman singled twice and drove in a run as the RockHounds lost for the third time in their last four games on Saturday.

 

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE  (High-A)

Stockton Ports         3

Lancaster JetHawks  7

LP – Duno 6-6 / 5.67

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Prospect Of The Game:

Catcher Jose Chavez

(2 for 3 / 2 Doubles / RBI)

 

Starter Angel Duno allowed 6 runs, 3 earned, over 4 innings of work to suffer his 6th loss as Stockton snapped its three-game winning streak on Saturday. Catcher Jose Chavez doubled twice and drove in a run, while first baseman Sandber Pimentel had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Ports. Meanwhile, LHP Dalton Sawyer was reassigned to Stockton from the Sounds on Saturday.

 

MIDWEST LEAGUE  (Class-A)

Kane County Cougars  2

Beloit Snappers          1

LP – Milburn 5-6 / 4.36

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Prospect Of The Game:

Shortstop Edwin Diaz

(3 for 5 / Triple / RBI)

 

The Snappers fell for the fifth straight time on Saturday, and the team has failed to put more than a single run on the board in any of those recent losses. Starter Matthew Milburn allowed 2 runs and struck out 6 over 5 innings of work but still ended up suffering the loss, while RHP Heath Bowers threw 3 scoreless innings in relief on Saturday. Shortstop Edwin Diaz had 3 hits, including a triple, and drove in the sole run for the Snappers in the loss.

 

ARIZONA LEAGUE  (Rookie Short-Season)

AZL White Sox  3

AZL A’s             9

WP – J.Martinez 1-0 / 6.75

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Prospect Of The Game:

First Baseman Hunter Hargrove

(3 for 4 / 2 Doubles / 2 RBIs)

 

This year’s 25th-round draft pick for the A’s, first baseman Hunter Hargrove, had a big night at the plate for the A’s, collecting 3 hits including a pair of doubles and driving in 2 runs, while 3rd-round shortstop Nick Allen singled, tripled, walked and scored twice, and 1st-round center fielder Austin Beck tripled with the bases loaded to drive in 3 runs on Saturday. 19-year-old Dominican RHP Jose Mora made the start and gave up 2 runs in 2 1/3 innings of work, while 21-year-old Panamanian LHP Jorge Martinez allowed 1 unearned run in 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win. 28th-round LHP Pat Krall tossed 2 1/3 scoreless farmes, and 32nd-round RHP Caleb Evans got the final six outs to help the A’s close out the win on Saturday.

 

Sunday’s Games:

Memphis @ Nashville – 4:35pm PT / 6:35pm CT

Midland @ Tulsa – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT

Stockton @ Lancaster – 5:05pm PT

Kane County @ Beloit – Noon PT / 2:00pm CT

Hudson Valley @ Vermont – 2:05pm PT / 5:05pm ET

AZL Cubs @ AZL A’s – 7:00pm PT

 

Argenis Blanco
Argenis Blanco

 

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