PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Fresno Grizzlies 2
Sacramento River Cats 3
WP – Humber 3-4 / 3.74
HR – Parrino (6)
Farmhand Of The Game:
First Baseman Daric Barton
(2 for 7 / Double / RBI)
First baseman Daric Barton’s double in the bottom of the 15th inning drove in the winning run and allowed the River Cats to notch their 11th walk-off win on Wednesday night in Sacramento. Outfielder Shane Peterson singled in the tying run ahead of Barton, while shortstop Andy Parrino’s 6th home run tied the game in the 4th inning before both teams battled through 10 scoreless innings. Starter Matt Buschmann allowed just 1 run over 7 innings of work, while RHPs Fernando Rodriguez, Evan Scribner and Jeremy McBryde combined to throw 5 scoreless innings in relief. RHP Philip Humber tossed 3 innings, giving up a run in top of the 15th, but he picked up his 3rd win when the Cats came back to put up a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to clinch another walk-off win at Raley Field.
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TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Midland RockHounds 5
NW Arkansas Naturals 6
LP – Flores 0-1 / 13.50
HR – Crumbliss (4)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Shortstop Addison Russell
(3 for 5 / 2 RBIs / Stolen Base)
Top prospect Addison Russell had his best night yet since his return to the RockHounds, collecting 3 hits, stealing a base and driving in a pair of runs, including the tying run in the top of the 9th. Midland managed just four other hits in the game. Two came courtesy of outfielder Conner Crumbliss, who singled, homered, walked and scored 3 times. Starter Shawn Haviland allowed 2 runs on just 2 hits while walking 3 and striking out 8 in 6 1/3 innings. RHPs Deryk Hooker and Jose Flores just joined the RockHounds bullpen from Sacramento and both played a role in Wednesday’s loss. Hooker gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in just 2/3 of an inning, while Flores allowed 2 runs in 1 1/3 innings to take the loss, and RHP Marcus Walden was charged with a blown save after giving up the game-winning hit in the 9th. In other news, infielder Miles Head is no longer with Midland, but he has yet to be reassigned elsewhere within the A’s organization.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Lancaster JetHawks 10
Stockton Ports 0
LP – Castillo 0-2 / 13.50
Farmhand Of The Game:
Second Baseman Wade Kirkland
(2 for 3 / Double)
RHP Yeiper Castillo suffered through his third straight rough outing for Stockton, allowing 5 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks over 4 innings to take his 2nd loss on Wednesday. RHP Jonathan Joseph surrendered 3 runs in just 2/3 of an inning, while RHP Andres Avila gave up 2 runs over 2 1/3 innings in his first appearance since being promoted to the Ports, and RHP Josh Bowman tossed 2 scoreless innings of relief. Stockton managed just 4 hits in the game. Second baseman Wade Kirkland singled and doubled, while shortstop Daniel Robertson notched his 18th double, and designated hitter Renato Nunez singled in the loss.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Quad Cities River Bandits 8
Beloit Snappers 1
LP – Adkins 0-2 / 6.23
Farmhand Of The Game:
First Baseman B.A. Vollmuth
(2 for 2 / Double)
RHP Hunter Adkins had his second straight shaky start for the Snappers, allowing 8 runs, 4 earned, on 6 hits, including 3 home runs, to take his 2nd loss on Wednesday. First baseman B.A. Vollmuth singled and doubled, while second baseman Chih Fang Pan posted a pair of hits. Outfielder B.J. Boyd singled in the Snappers’ only run, while 1st-round draft pick Matt Chapman went 0 for 2 in the loss. The game was completed after just 5 innings due to rain.
NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE (Class-A Short-Season)
Tri-City ValleyCats 6
Vermont Lake Monsters 7
WP – Gossett 1-0 / 4.50
HR – Higley (5), Masik (1)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Outfielder Justin Higley
(3 for 4 / Home Run / 2 RBIs / Stolen Base)
Vermont won a tight one on Wednesday night with key contributions from many fresh arrivals, but it was outfielder Justin Higley who had the biggest night at the plate. Higley collected 3 hits, including his 5th home run, stole a base and drove in a pair of runs in the win, and he’s now second in the New York-Penn League in RBIs and tied for second in home runs. Outfielder Scott Masik hit his 1st home run, a 2-run shot, in the 6th to put the Lake Monsters up for good. The A’s 13th-round draft pick, infielder Max Kuhn, and the team’s 34th-round pick, first baseman John Nogowski, made their first appearances for Vermont and both had good nights at the plate. Kuhn, starting at third base, doubled, walked, drove in a run and scored 3 times, while Nogowski had 2 hits, a walk and drove in a pair of runs for the Lake Monsters. Starter Cristhian Perez allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, over 5 innings of work, while 2nd-round pick RHP Daniel Gossett gave up 1 run in 2 innings of relief to pick up his 1st pro win for Vermont.
ARIZONA LEAGUE (Rookie Short-Season)
AZL Brewers 4
AZL A’s 2
LP – Navas 0-2 / 5.94
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Corey Walter
(2 IP / 0 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 4 K)
Starter Carlos Navas allowed 4 runs on 10 hits over 6 innings to take his 2nd loss on Wednesday. 26th-round draft pick RHP Rob Huber out of Duke tossed 1 scoreless inning in relief, while 28th-round pick RHP Corey Walter out of West Virginia was impressive, striking out 4 in 2 perfect innings of work. Walter has now allowed no earned runs while striking out 7 in his first 6 2/3 innings in the Arizona League. 18-year-old shortstop Edwin Diaz singled and doubled to raise his batting average to .385, while outfielder Jonesy Zarraga tripled, and catcher Iolana Akau and third baseman Jean Carlo Rodriguez each drove in a run in the loss.
Thursday’s Games:
Fresno @ Sacramento – 7:05pm PT
Midland @ NW Arkansas – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT
Lancaster @ Stockton – 7:05pm PT
Quad Cities @ Beloit – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
AZL A’s @ AZL Indians – 7:00pm PT
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