PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Iowa Cubs 4
Nashville Sounds 2
LP – Blackburn 4-6 / 2.86
Prospect Of The Game:
Pitcher Paul Blackburn
(5 2/3 IP / 3 H / 0 ER / 4 BB / 3 K)
On a night when all the A’s affliates went down to defeat, for a while, it looked like Sounds starter Paul Blackburn might lead Nashville to victory. The 23-year-old threw 5 scoreless frames before a throwing error by shortstop Franklin Barreto helped open the door to a 3-run inning in the 6th. And when all was said and done, Blackburn was charged with 3 unearned runs over 5 2/3 innings to suffer the loss for the Sounds. Despite the loss, Blackburn has allowed just 1 earned run over his last 18 2/3 innings for Nashville. Barreto had a pair of singles and, after enduring a 1-for-23 slump, Barreto has now gone 8 for 24 with 4 multi-hit games in his last 5 contests. Third baseman Jermaine Curtis doubled and walked in his Nashville debut. With the promotion of Matt Chapman, who went 0 for 3 with a pair of walks in his big league debut on Thursday night, Curtis was reassigned from the RockHounds to the Sounds on Thursday.
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TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
Corpus Christi Hooks 11
Midland RockHounds 3
LP – Holmes 5-6 / 5.45
Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder Brett Vertigan
(2 for 5 / Double / 2 RBIs)
After turning in his best performance of the season in his last outing, RHP Grant Holmes had a rough night for the RockHounds on Thursday. The 21-year-old allowed 9 runs, 7 earned, on 12 hits in just 4 innings of work to suffer his 6th loss for the Hounds. Center fielder Brett Vertigan singled, doubled and drove in a pair of runs, while left fielder B.J. Boyd collected 3 hits, including a double, and catcher Beau Taylor singled twice and scored a run in the loss. Meanwhile, Midland third baseman Jermaine Curtis was reassigned to the Sounds to replace Matt Chapman on the Nashville roster, and LHP Ivan Andueza was sent back to extended spring training, presumably to make room for the arrival of top pitching prospect A.J. Puk, who is reportedly set to make his next start for the RockHounds. And in other news, outfielders B.J. Boyd and Tyler Marincov, first baseman Viosergy Rosa, second baseman Max Schrock and pitchers Lou Trivino and Kyle Finnegan was all selected to participate in the Texas League All-Star Game in Frisco on June 27.
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Stockton Ports 2
Lake Elsinore Storm 9
LP – Duno 5-3 / 5.43
HR – Murphy (8), E.White (1)
Prospect Of The Game:
Catcher Sean Murphy
(1 for 3 / Home Run)
With Thursday’s loss to Lake Elsinore, Stockton fell a game behind first-place Modesto in the California League North Division race with just three games left to play. Starter Angel Duno allowed 3 runs over 5 1/3 innings of work to suffer his 3rd loss for Stockton. Catcher Sean Murphy and shortstop Eli White both slugged solo shots to provide all the Ports’ runs in the loss. Meanwhile, LHP Dalton Sawyer, who had been one of Beloit’s best pitchers, was promoted to the Ports and is set to make his make his first start for Stockton on Friday, while Ports pitcher A.J. Puk is reportedly set to join the RockHounds.
MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Beloit Snappers 3
Clinton LumberKings 4
LP – Zambrano 0-2 / 6.41
Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder Luis Barrera
(2 for 4 / Double / Walk / 2 Runs)
The Snappers suffered their seventh defeat in their last eight games in an 11-inning walk-off loss on Thursday. Starter Matt Milburn allowed 3 runs over 5 innings of work, while an errant pickoff throw by RHP Jesus Zambrano put a runner on third before Zambrano then surrendered a single to bring home the winning run as Clinton won in a walk-off to sweep the three-game series from the Snappers. Right fielder Luis Barrera singled, doubled, walked and scored twice, while second baseman Trace Loehr singled and drove in a pair of runs, and left fielder Lue Persico went 0 for 2 before leaving the game after a rough encounter with the outfield wall while pursuing an inside-the-park home run in the 5th inning. And after recently losing starter Brendan Butler to Stockton, another one of Beloit’s best starters, LHP Dalton Sawyer, was promoted to the Ports on Thursday.
Friday’s Games:
Iowa @ Nashville – 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT
Corpus Christi @ Midland (Game #1) – 2:30pm PT / 4:30pm CT
Corpus Christi @ Midland (Game #2)
Stockton @ Lake Elsinore – 7:00pm PT
Quad Cities @ Beloit – 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
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