A’s Farmhand Of The Day
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Visalia Rawhide 7
Stockton Ports 4
LP – Streich 1-1 / 3.60
HR – Pinder 2 (5)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Second Baseman Chad Pinder
(4 for 4 / 2 Home Runs / 3 RBIs)
Through the first week and a half of the minor league season, Stockton’s talented young lineup has been living up to its hype and the team currently leads the California League in hits, doubles, home runs and total bases. Over the last 3 games, the A’s third pick in last year’s draft, infielder Chad Pinder, has been the team’s hottest hitter, going 10 for 15 with 3 doubles and 4 home runs. After homering in Thursday’s and Friday’s games, Pinder followed that up by going 4 for 4 with 2 home runs in Saturday’s contest, and he currently leads the California League in home runs with 5 after the team’s first 10 games.
Unfortunately, the Ports came up short on Saturday. Starter Seth Streich allowed 3 runs on 7 hits over 5 innings to take the loss, while RHP Jonathan Joseph gave up 4 runs in 2 innings of relief, and LHP Omar Duran tossed 2 scoreless innings in his return from the disabled list. Duran took the roster spot of RHP Michael Ynoa, who was placed on the DL with a bicep strain.
After Saturday’s big game, regarding his current hot streak, Pinder told A’s Farm: “I’ve just been trying to stay within myself. [Hitting coach] Brian McArn and I have been doing a few drills to get my swing going in the right path. And I would honestly say that with our lineup, with all the talent, it helps me out getting pitches to hit. We have so many talented hitters, they can’t pitch around anyone really. So I’m very lucky to have such great talent around me on any given night.”
Click here for more on Sacramento, Midland & Beloit…
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Salt Lake Bees 4
Sacramento River Cats 5
WP – Lindblom 1-0 / 7.94
Farmhand Of The Game:
Shortstop Tyler Ladendorf
(3 for 3 / 3 RBIs / Walk / Stolen Base)
Shortstop Tyler Ladendorf, originally added to the River Cats roster when infielder Jake Elmore was put on the disabled list, went 3 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base and drove in 3 runs, including the go-ahead run for Sacramento on Saturday. First baseman Anthony Aliotti doubled and drove in 2 runs, while outfielder Michael Taylor doubled and scored twice. RHP Josh Lindblom fared much better in his second start for Sacramento, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings to earn his 1st win, while RHPs Paul Smyth and Fernando Nieve each tossed 1 scoreless inning in relief, with Nieve picking up his 2nd save on Saturday.
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Midland RockHounds 3
Arkansas Travelers 2
WP – Alcantara 2-0 / 0.61
HR – Marte (1)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Raul Alcantara
(6 2/3 IP / 5 H / 0 ER / 1 BB / 7 K / Win)
RHP Raul Alcantara had his second solid start for the RockHounds on Saturday, allowing just 1 unearned run while walking 1 and striking out 7 to earn his 2nd win. LHP Frank Gailey tossed 1 1/3 perfect innings in relief, while RHP Seth Frankoff allowed 1 unearned run, with the help of a fielding error by third baseman Miles Head, and struck out the side in the 9th to earn his 2nd save. First baseman Jefry Marte smacked his 1st home run, while outfielder D’Arby Myers collected 3 hits, and first baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Billy Burns both singled and walked twice for the RockHounds.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Beloit Snappers 1
West Michigan Whitecaps 8
LP – Covey 0-1 / 5.06
Farmhand Of The Game:
Outfielder Ryan Mathews
(2 for 4 / Double / RBI)
RHP Dylan Covey struggled a bit in his second start for the Snappers on Saturday, allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on 8 hits over 5 innings to take the loss, while RHP Trevor Bayless gave up 4 runs in just 2/3 of an inning, and RHP Andres Avila tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief. Outfielder Ryan Mathews singled, doubled and drove in Beloit’s only run of the game. Meanwhile, 18-year-old catcher Iolana Akau had to exit his first game for the Snappers after injuring his thumb while trying to block a ball in the dirt in the bottom of the 3rd inning.
Sunday’s Games:
Salt Lake @ Sacramento (Game #1) – 1:05pm PT
Salt Lake @ Sacramento (Game #2)
Midland @ NW Arkansas – 12:05pm PT / 2:05pm CT
Visalia @ Stockton – 2:09pm PT
Beloit @ West Michigan – 10:00am PT / Noon CT
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