NEW YORK-PENN LEAGUE (Class-A Short-Season)
Vermont Lake Monsters 7
Tri-City ValleyCats 2
WP – Bowers 1-1 / 0.00
HR – Mercedes (2)
Prospect Of The Game:
Pitcher Heath Bowers
(6 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 1 BB / 3 K / Win)
RHP Heath Bowers turned in his second straight strong start for the Lake Monsters, allowing just 3 hits over 6 shutout innings to earn his 1st win on Wednesday. And last year’s 24th-round draft pick for the A’s has now failed to allow an earned run in his first two starts of the season. RHP Dustin Driver gave up 2 runs, 1 earned, in 2 innings of relief, and RHP Jordan Schwartz struck out all three batters he faced in the 9th to notch his 1st career save. First baseman Miguel Mercedes smashed his 2nd home run, a 3-run shot in the 3rd, while right fielder Jhonny Rodriguez had 3 hits, including a double, and drove in a run in the 9th. A number of the A’s 2016 draft picks made their Vermont debuts on Wednesday. 3rd-round catcher Sean Murphy went 0 for 5 with 3 strikeouts, while 5th-round third baseman JaVon Shelby singled, doubled, walked, stole a base and scored twice. 11th-round shortstop Eli White singled in 2 at-bats, and 13th-round second baseman Nate Mondou, serving as the designated hitter for the night, went 0 for 4 and drove in a run on a groundout. The quartet were all added to the Lake Monsters roster on Wednesday, while infielder Javier Godard was sent to the Arizona League A’s… Vermont Lake Monsters Roster
Click here for more on Nashville, Midland & AZL A’s…
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Nashville Sounds 2
Iowa Cubs 3
LP – Jensen 0-2 / 5.25
HR – McBride (4)
Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder Matt McBride
(1 for 4 / Home Run)
Starter Chris Jensen allowed 3 runs over 6 innings of work to take his 2nd loss for the Sounds on Wednesday. RHPs Ryan Doolittle and Andrew Triggs each tossed 1 scoreless inning in relief. Left fielder Matt McBride smacked his 4th home run in the top of the 7th inning, while catcher Bruce Maxwell singled, doubled and drove in the Sounds’ first run in the 2nd inning, and first baseman Ryon Healy singled, doubled, walked and scored a run in the loss.
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Frisco RoughRiders 1
Midland RockHounds 2
WP – Avila 2-2 / 3.19
Prospect Of The Game:
Designated Hitter Viosergy Rosa
(2 for 3 / Walk / RBI)
After coming out of the bullpen, RHP Ben Bracewell had his second straight solid start for the RockHounds, allowing just 1 run over 5 innings of work on Wednesday. RHP Sam Bragg followed that up by pitching 3 perfect innings in relief, and RHP Andres Avila picked up the win after tossing a scoreless 9th and 10th inning for the Hounds. Designated hitter Viosergy Rosa singled, doubled, walked and drove in the tying run in the bottom of the 5th inning. And the game remained tied until Frisco’s bullpen walked 4 Midland batters in the bottom of the 10th. First baseman Josh Rodriguez drew the final free pass to earn the walk-off walk for the RockHounds. Meanwhile, catcher Carson Blair was activated from the disabled list and RHP Raul Alcantara was placed on the DL on Wednesday.
ARIZONA LEAGUE (Rookie Short-Season)
AZL Giants 5
AZL A’s 3
LP – Blanco 0-1 / 6.75
Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder Robert Bennie
(1 for 2 / Double / Walk / RBI)
20-year-old Venezuelan RHP Argenis Blanco allowed 3 runs in 4 innings of work to take the loss for the AZL A’s. 24th-round right fielder Robert Bennie, who’s also the brother of A’s farmhand Joe Bennie, walked and doubled in a run in his pro debut on Wednesday. 7th-round center fielder Tyler Ramirez, who served as the designated hitter for the night, 18th-round catcher Skyler Weber and 27th-round outfielder Cole Gruber all singled to collect their first professional hits for the A’s.
Thursday’s Games:
Nashville @ Iowa (Game #1) – 3:08pm PT / 5:08pm CT
Nashville @ Iowa (Game #2)
San Antonio @ Midland – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
San Jose @ Stockton – 7:10pm PT
Beloit @ Cedar Rapids – 4:35pm PT / 6:35pm CT
Vermont @ Tri-City – 4:00pm PT / 7:00pm ET
AZL A’s @ AZL Giants – 7:00pm PT
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