Thursday, April 5th: Sounds, Hounds & Snappers All Prevail on Opening Night

 

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE  (Triple-A)

Nashville Sounds            11

New Orleans Baby Cakes  0

WP – Naile 1-0 / 0.00

HR – Canha (1), Barreto (1)

Prospect Of The Game:

Pitcher James Naile

(5 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 5 K / Win)

The Sounds won big on opening night in New Orleans, shutting out their hosts, the Baby Cakes, on just 5 hits on Thursday night. Starter James Naile led the way in what proved to be a dominant season debut for the righty, allowing just 3 hits while walking none and striking out 5 over 5 scoreless innings to earn the win for the Sounds. Naile didn’t allow a hit until the 4th inning and struck out 5 straight batters at one point. LHP Jeremy Bleich, whom the A’s signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, took over for Naile in the 6th and pitched 2 perfect innings in relief, while RHPs Jake Sanchez and Kyle Finnegan each contributed a scoreless frame in the victory. Nashville’s offense notched 16 hits on the way to putting 11 runs on the board, and every member of the Sounds lineup had a hit. Second baseman Franklin Barreto and right fielder Mark Canha each homered and doubled, with Barreto collecting 3 RBIs on the night. Center fielder Dustin Fowler had 3 hits, stole a base and drove in a pair, while shortstop Jorge Mateo singled, doubled, walked and drove in 3 runs but also made 3 errors in the field. Third baseman Sheldon Neuse singled and drew a pair of walks, and first baseman Renato Nunez singled twice for the Sounds. Nunez, who’s still on the disabled list for the A’s, is beginning a rehab assignment with Nashville, which can last up to 30 days. RHP Ryan Dull, who’s on the disabled list as well, is also starting a rehab assignment with the Sounds. RHP Simon Castro is currently on the temporarily inactive list for Nashville but is expected to join the team soon. RHP Frankie Montas is set to make the start for the Sounds on Friday, but since he hasn’t yet been stretched out to start, RHP Chris Bassitt is expected to take over for Montas on the mound early in the game. RHP Raul Alcantara is set to perform the same role for LHP Brett Anderson when he makes his season debut on Monday. RHP Trevor Cahill is expected to make his first start of the season on Saturday, while LHP Eric Jokisch will toe the slab for the Sounds on Sunday.

Click here for more on Midland, Stockton & Beloit…

 

TEXAS LEAGUE  (Double-A)

Springfield Cardinals     5

Midland RockHounds  6

WP – Bragg 1-0 / 0.00

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Catcher Sean Murphy

(3 for 4 / Double / RBI)

 

The RockHounds notched a late-inning, come-from-behind victory on opening night in Midland on Thursday. Catcher Sean Murphy singled twice, doubled, drove in a run and scored the tying run in the 8th inning, while shortstop Eli White had 3 hits and drove in a run, and designated hitter Brett Siddall singled, doubled and drove in a run for the RockHounds. Third baseman Mikey White singled and drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th, and center fielder Skye Bolt‘s two-out double brought home the winning run in the 8th. Starter Joel Seddon allowed 2 runs over 4 innings of work, while LHP Cody Stull was charged with 3 runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief. RHP Sam Bragg tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win, and RHP J.B. Wendelken, making his return from Tommy John surgery, got the final three outs in the 9th to pick up his 1st save since 2016. RHP Corey Walter is set to make the start for the RockHounds on Friday, with RHP Ben Bracewell going on Saturday, RHP Norge Ruiz on Sunday, and RHP Kyle Friedrichs taking the mound for Midland on Monday.

 

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE  (High-A)

Lake Elsinore Storm  4

Stockton Ports         0

LP – Luzardo 0-1 / 1.93

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Pitcher Jesus Luzardo

(4 2/3 IP / 4 H / 1 ER / 1 BB / 6 K)

 

The Ports were shut out on just 2 hits on a drizzly night in Stockton to drop their opener on Thursday. One of the A’s top young pitching prospects, 20-year-old LHP Jesus Luzardo, made the start for Stockton and looked strong, allowing just 1 run while striking out 6 over 4 2/3 frames, but he still ended up suffering the loss. RHP Brendan Butler allowed 3 runs, 2 earned, in 1 1/3 innings of relief, but RHP Angel Duno was solid, finishing thigs off for the Ports by striking out 5 over 3 hitless innings. Third baseman Will Toffey, the A’s 4th-round draft pick last year, and designated hitter Eric Marinez both singled to provide the Ports’ only two hits in the loss. RHP Brian Howard is scheduled to make the start for Stockton on Friday, but the threat of rain could potentially postpone the 6-foot-9 righty’s California League debut.

You can read more about the Stockton Ports’ opening night by our Stockton correspondent Ethan Kassel here.

 

MIDWEST LEAGUE  (Class-A)

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers  3

Beloit Snappers                 4

WP – Zambrano 1-0 / 0.00

 

Prospect Of The Game:

Shortstop Nick Allen

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

 

On a chilly opening night in Beloit, the Snappers prevailed, pulling off an 11-inning walk-off win over Wisconsin on Thursday. Last year’s 3rd-round draft pick for the A’s, 19-year-old shortstop Nick Allen, singled in the tying run in the 3rd, doubled in the tying run in the 5th and walked and stole a base in the 10th, while right fielder Mickey McDonald singled, doubled and walked, and last year’s top draft pick for the A’s, 19-year-old center fielder Austin Beck, went 0 for 5 with a pair of strikeouts in his Midwest League debut. The new minor league extra-innings rule, which starts each half inning in extras with a runner on second, helped the Snappers prevail when pinch-runner Jack Meggs was able to scamper home to score the winning run when a throwing error followed catcher Skyler Weber‘s bunt in the bottom of the 11th inning. Starter Jean Ruiz allowed 2 runs while striking out 7 over 5 innings of work in Thursday’s season opener, and RHP Jesus Zambrano picked up the win after tossing a scoreless top of the 11th for the Snappers. RHP Wyatt Marks is set to take the mound for Beloit on Friday, with RHP Xavier Altamirano going on Saturday, RHP Michael Danielak on Sunday, and LHP Jared Poche set to make the start for the Snappers on Monday.

You can read more about the Beloit Snappers’ opening night by our Beloit correspondent Liz Rudolph here.

 

Friday’s Games:

Nashville @ New Orleans – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT

Springfield @ Midland – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT

Lake Elsinore @ Stockton – 7:10pm PT

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

 

 

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