CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Stockton Ports 5
Modesto Nuts 4
WP – House 3-4 / 3.46
HR – Healy (16)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Designated Hitter Ryon Healy
(Home Run / Double / GWRBI)
With the game tied in the top of the 11th, designated hitter Ryon Healy led off the inning by belting his 16th home run to provide the Ports with the winning run and give Stockton its fifth straight win on Saturday. Shortstop Daniel Robertson singled in a pair of runs with two outs in the top of the 9th to tie things up and send the game to extra innings. First baseman Matt Olson singled, doubled and scored, while second baseman Chad Pinder singled in a run and stole his 12th base. Catcher Beau Taylor had a pair of hits and scored a run, and center fielder Boog Powell went 0 for 4 but walked twice, once with the bases loaded, in his first game back in action since returning from his 50-game suspension. Starter Chris Lamb allowed 3 runs in 5 innings of work, while RHP Michael Ynoa pitched 2 perfect innings in relief, and RHP Austin House tossed a scoreless 10th and 11th to pick up his 3rd win for the Ports. To make room for Powell’s return to the roster, outfielder Zeke DeVoss was reassigned to the River Cats.
Click here for more on Sacramento, Midland, Beloit & Vermont…
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Reno Aces 4
Sacramento River Cats 5
WP – Rodriguez 3-0 / 1.97
Farmhand Of The Game:
First Baseman Daric Barton
(2 for 3 / Double / 3 RBIs)
First baseman Daric Barton’s been playing lately like he’s pushing for a September call-up. Barton singled, doubled, walked, drove in 3 runs and scored twice on Saturday, and he’s now hitting .500 over his last three games, going 5 for 10 with 5 walks, 2 home runs and 7 RBIs. A’s shortstop Jed Lowrie went 1 for 4 and scored a run in his first rehab game with the River Cats, but he also made a key error that helped open the door to Reno’s 3-run 1st inning. Starter Zach Neal allowed 4 runs, just 1 earned, over 7 innings of work, while RHP Fernando Rodriguez struck out the side in the 8th to pick up the win, and RHP Jeremy McBryde got the final three outs for his 17th save. The victory puts Sacramento into a first-place tie with rival Reno. And with a better record in head-to-head competition, if the River Cats can win just one of their final two games of the season against Reno, Sacramento will be the division winner and advance to the Pacific Coast League playoffs. In other news, catcher Luis Martinez returned from the temporarily inactive list and outfielder Zeke DeVoss was reassigned from Stockton to Sacramento.
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Midland RockHounds 6
Frisco RoughRiders 5
WP – Duran 1-0 / 3.29
HR – Nakajima (6)
Farmhand Of The Game:
First Baseman Hiro Nakajima
(Home Run / 2 RBIs)
Hiro Nakajima, making his fourth start at first base for the Hounds, homered in the 2nd inning and drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the 9th for Midland on Saturday. Outfielder Kenny Wilson singled, doubled and drove in 2 runs, while third baseman Max Muncy had 2 hits and drove in a pair. Starter Shawn Haviland allowed 4 runs in 4 2/3 innings of work, while LHP Omar Duran picked up the win after giving up 1 run in 2 innings of relief, and RHP Ryan Dull pitched a perfect 9th to post his 6th save for the RockHounds.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 2
Beloit Snappers 6
WP – Wagman 2-2 / 5.13
HR – Soto (6), Freiman (1)
Farmhand Of The Game:
First Baseman Nate Freiman
(3 for 5 / Home Run / Double / 2 RBIs)
First baseman Nate Freiman did his best to impress in his first game for the Snappers on Saturday. Freiman singled, doubled and hit a 2-run homer, while designated hitter Michael Soto also slugged a 2-run shot, and second baseman Melvin Mercedes had 2 hits and drove in a pair. Starter Joey Wagman allowed just 1 run while walking none and striking out 6 over 5 2/3 innings to earn his 2nd win for the Snappers. Meanwhile, second baseman Chih Fang Pan and RHPs Junior Mendez and Tyler Vail were all placed on the disabled list on Saturday.
NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE (Class-A Short-Season)
Vermont Lake Monsters 5
Staten Island Yankees 3
WP – Vattuone 3-1 / 3.48
Farmhand Of The Game:
Outfielder Max Kuhn
(2 for 5 / 3 RBIs)
Outfielder Max Kuhn had 2 hits and drove in 3 runs, including the winning run in the top of the 11th for the Lake Monsters on Saturday. First baseman John Nogowski singled, doubled and drove in 2, while third baseman Jose Brizuela had a pair of hits and scored twice. Starter Dillon Overton allowed 2 runs and struck out 6 over 3 innings of work, while RHP Corey Miller followed up with 3 shutout innings in relief. RHP Dominique Vattuone tossed a scoreless 10th to pick up the win, while RHP Koby Gauna got the final three outs in the 11th to earn his 12th save for the Lake Monsters.
Sunday’s Games:
Reno @ Sacramento – 5:05pm PT
Midland @ Frisco – 4:05pm PT / 6:05pm CT
Stockton @ Modesto – 6:05pm PT
Wisconsin @ Beloit – Noon PT / 2:00pm CT
Tri-City @ Vermont – 2:05pm PT / 5:05pm ET
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm. You can also get our weekly A’s minor league newsletter e-mailed to you free by signing up here.