TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Midland RockHounds 3
San Antonio Missions 2
WP – Neal 3-0 / 0.58
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Zach Neal
(8 IP / 6 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 5 K / Win)
RHP Zach Neal turned in another strong start for the RockHounds, allowing just 2 unearned runs while striking out 5 over 8 innings of work to earn his 3rd win on Thursday, while RHP Tucker Healy tossed a scoreless 9th to notch his 2nd save. Shortstop Dusty Coleman singled, doubled and drove in the Hounds’ first run, while catcher Beau Taylor walked and doubled, and outfielder Billy Burns had a pair of singles and drove in a run for the RockHounds.
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PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Omaha Strom Chasers 6
Sacramento River Cats 2
LP – Leon 6-2 / 5.35
Farmhand Of The Game:
Outfielder Nick Buss
(3 for 4 / Double)
RHP Arnold Leon had a rocky outing for the River Cats on Thursday thanks to two 2-run homers, one in the 2nd and one in the 3rd, that put the Cats in a hole early. Leon ended up allowing 4 runs over 6 innings of work to take his 2nd loss for Sacramento. Outfielder Nick Buss had 3 hits, including a double, and scored both the River Cats runs on the night, while shortstop Jake Elmore and second baseman Jose Martinez both singled and walked for Sacramento.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Stockton Ports 0
San Jose Giants 3
LP – Murphy 0-1 / 2.70
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Sean Murphy
(5 IP / 5 H / 2 ER / 3 BB / 6 K)
RHP Sean Murphy turned in a solid start for Stockton, allowing 2 runs and striking out 6 over 5 innings of work, but he still ended up taking the loss on Thursday. RHP Michael Ynoa gave up 1 run on 3 hits and struck out 3 in 2 innings of relief, while LHP Omar Duran got the final 3 outs for the Ports. Stockton managed just 5 hits in the game. Third baseman Daniel Robertson had a pair of singles, while designated hitter Renato Nunez doubled for the Ports’ only extra-base hit of the night, and shortstop Addison Russell went 0 for 3 with a strikeout in his 4th game back in action. Russell has now gone 2 for 12 with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts in his first 4 games back for Stockton.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Beloit Snappers 2
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 8
LP – Finnegan 5-4 / 2.85
Farmhand Of The Game:
Designated Hitter B.J. Boyd
(2 for 4 / Double)
RHP Kyle Finnegan had a rare rough start for the Snappers, allowing 5 runs in just 3 innings of work to take his 4th loss on Thursday. Outfielder B.J. Boyd singled and doubled, while first baseman B.A. Vollmuth drew a pair of walks, and outfielder Tyler Marincov and second baseman Chih-Fang Pan both drove in a run for Beloit.
In Other News…
After being beaned in the head in Wednesday night’s game and lying motionless for some time, Midland outfielder Josh Whitaker was taken off the field in an ambulance to a local hospital, where he was evaluated and treated for a laceration. Fortunately, he was conscious and responsive at the hospital and, by the end of the night, he was on twitter thanking everyone for their concern and claiming that he was feeling a lot better. Whitaker sat out Thursday’s game but was not placed on the disabled list and his status is currently considered to be “day-to-day.”
It was reported by multiple sources on Thursday that the A’s have come to terms with 5 of their top 10 draft picks: #1 3B Matt Chapman, #2 RHP Daniel Gossett, #4 RHP Jordan Schwartz, #9 LHP Mike Fagan and #10 RHP Corey Miller. We reported yesterday that eight others have also come to terms: #11 RHP Joel Seddon, #16 3B Jose Brizuela, #24 RHP Dawson Brown, #26 RHP Rob Huber, #27 OF J.P. Sportman, #28 RHP Corey Walter, #29 LHP Cody Stull and #34 1B John Nogowski. The Oregonian also reported on Thursday that the A’s #6 pick, high school shortstop Trace Loehr, has decided to forgo college after coming to terms with the A’s on a $600,000 signing bonus and will be reporting to the Arizona League A’s this weekend. Meanwhile, A’s general manger Billy Beane told 95.7 FM’s Damon Bruce on Thursday that the team’s top pick, third baseman Matt Chapman, could start the season with either the Vermont Lake Monsters or the Beloit Snappers. The Lake Monsters will play their first game of the season on Friday at 4:05pm PT / 7:05pm ET. You can find the team’s complete roster here.
Friday’s Games:
Iowa @ Sacramento – 7:05pm PT
Midland @ San Antonio – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT
Stockton @ San Jose – 7:00pm PT
Kane County @ Beloit – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
Vermont @ Lowell – 4:05pm PT / 7:05pm ET
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