PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox 1
Nashville Sounds 2
WP – Otero 1-0 / 1.23
HR – Smolinski (5)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Barry Zito
(7 IP / 4 H / 1 ER / 1 BB / 6 K)
LHP Barry Zito delivered an impressive start for the Sounds on Friday, allowing just 1 run while striking out 6 over 7 innings, but he left with the game a 1-1 tie. And over his last 2 starts, the veteran has allowed just 3 runs while striking out 10 in 14 innings of work. RHP Dan Otero followed Zito on the mound and pitched 2 perfect innings in relief to earn his 1st win on Friday. Outfielder Jake Smolinski homered in the 3rd inning to put Nashville on the board. And with the game tied in the bottom of the 8th, designated hitter Dayan Viciedo singled in the winning run for the Sounds.
Click here for more on Midland, Stockton, Beloit, Vermont & AZL A’s…
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Arkansas Travelers 2
Midland RockHounds 6
WP – Overton 1-0 / 1.80
HR – Nunez (11)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Pitcher Dillon Overton
(5 IP / 4 H / 1 ER / 1 BB / 4 K / Win)
LHP Dillon Overton was his same old self in his first start since joining the RockHounds from Stockton. 2013’s 2nd-round draft pick for the A’s allowed just 1 run while striking out 4 over 5 innings of work to earn the win in his debut for Midland on Friday. Designated hitter Renato Nunez had 2 hits, including a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning. It was Nunez’s 11th home run this season and he now trails just Matt Chapman among A’s minor leaguers in that category. Outfielder Josh Whitaker doubled in 2 runs to put the Hounds on the board in the bottom of the 1st, while first baseman Matt Olson, outfielder Chad Oberacker and catcher Nick Rickles, who was also making his Midland debut, had a pair of hits apiece for the Hounds.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
San Jose Giants 2
Stockton Ports 5
WP – Roberts 3-2 / 3.25
HR – Chapman (14), Barreto (7)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Third Baseman Matt Chapman
(Home Run / Double / 2 RBIs)
Last year’s 1st-round draft pick for the A’s, third baseman Matt Chapman, had another productive night at the plate for the Ports on Friday. The 22-year-old slugger hit his organization-leading 14th home run, his third homer in the last four days, to put the Ports on the board in the bottom of the 4th, and his double in Stockton’s 3-run 6th drove in the winning run on Friday. Shortstop Franklin Barreto had 3 hits, including his 7th home run to tie the game in the 5th, while outfielder Tyler Marincov and designated hitter Michael Soto both drove in runs in the 6th. Starter Raul Alcantara allowed 2 runs in 4 innings of work, while RHP Sam Roberts tossed 2 scoreless innings in relief to earn his 3rd win, and RHP Brendan McCurry for the final three outs in the 9th to notch his 16th save for Stockton.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 5
Beloit Snappers 6
WP – Navas 2-1 / 2.97
HR – Higley (4)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Outfielder Justin Higley
(Home Run / 2 RBIs)
Outfielder Justin Higley homered for the second time in the last three days, hitting a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 5th to tie the game for Beloit on Friday. Catcher Iolana Akau had 2 singles, one of which drove in a pair of runs to put Beloit on the board in the 5th. After Wisconsin took the lead in the top of the 7th, third baseman Argenis Raga doubled in the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, and Higley scored the winning run on third baseman Jose Brizuela’s groundout in the bottom of the 10th to give the Snappers the walk-off win on Friday. Starter Joey Wagman allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, over 5 innings of work, while LHP Jerad Grundy gave up 1 run in 2 innings of relief. LHP Jose Torres threw a pair of scoreless frames, and RHP Carlos Navas tossed a scoreless top of the 10th to earn his 2nd win for the Snappers.
NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE (Class-A Short-Season)
Vermont Lake Monsters 6
Tri-City ValleyCats 7
LP – Beasley 1-1 / 1.35
HR – Martin (1), White (1)
Farmhand Of The Game:
Shortstop Mikey White
(3 for 5 / Home Run / Double / 2 RBIs)
The top of the A’s 2015 draft class was right in the middle of all the action for Vermont on Friday. With the Lake Monsters down by two runs in the top of the 9th, 1st-round draft pick Richie Martin, serving as the designated hitter for the day, singled and then 2nd-round pick, shortstop Mikey White, slugged a 2-run homer to tie the game and send the contest to extra innings. White also singled, doubled and walked in the game, while Martin homered in the 5th inning as the A’s top two draft picks both collected their first pro home runs on Friday. 19th-round outfielder Seth Brown singled and doubled in 3 runs to put Vermont on the board in the 4th, while 10th-round outfielder Steven Pallares had a pair of hits and scored a run for the Lake Monsters. 5th-round LHP Kevin Duchene started the game and allowed 1 run over 3 innings of work, while Dustin Driver gave up 2 runs in 2 innings of relief. 21st-round LHP Andrew Tomasovich surrendered 3 runs in just 1 inning, and LHP Derek Beasley gave up 1 unearned in the bottom of the 11th with the help of a throwing error by Pallares to take the loss on Friday.
ARIZONA LEAGUE (Rookie Short-Season)
AZL Cubs 10
AZL A’s 4
LP – Kelliher 0-1 / 9.00
Farmhand Of The Game:
Third Baseman Miguel Mercedes
(Double / 2 RBIs)
Last year’s 8th-round draft pick for the A’s, RHP Branden Kelliher, had a rough start on Friday and was charged with 6 runs, 5 earned, on 7 hits in just 1 1/3 innings to take the loss for the AZL A’s. Third baseman Miguel Mercedes doubled in 2 runs to tie the game in the bottom of the 1st, while outfielder Luis Barrera and second baseman Eric Marinez each had a pair of hits and singled in a run in the loss.
Saturday’s Games:
Nashville @ Round Rock – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT
Arkansas @ Midland – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
Stockton @ Bakersfield – 7:45pm PT
Beloit @ Wisconsin – 4:35pm PT / 6:35pm CT
Vermont @ Connecticut – 4:05pm PT / 7:05pm ET
AZL A’s @ AZL Angels – 7:00pm PT
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