Friday, April 20th: White’s Big Bat Helps Hounds Win while Ports Win in a Walk-Off and Beck & Boyd Both Belt 1st HRs of the Year

A’s Prospect Of The Day: Midland RockHounds Shortstop Eli White (3 for 4 / Triple / Double / 2 RBIs)
A’s Prospect Of The Day: Midland RockHounds Shortstop Eli White (3 for 4 / Triple / Double / 2 RBIs)

 
TEXAS LEAGUE (Double-A)
San Antonio Missions   2
Midland RockHounds   3
WP: Gorman 1-0 / 1.04
Prospect Of The Game:
Shortstop Eli White
(3 for 4 / Triple / Double / 2 RBIs)
Shortstop Eli White helped Midland mount a late-game comeback to prevail over San Antonio on Friday. With two men on and the RockHounds down by a run in the bottom of the 8th inning, White, who was the A’s 11th-round draft pick in 2016, laced a triple to left field to drive home both runs and give the RockHounds the lead. White scored later in the inning on a fielding error and also singled and doubled earlier in the game to raise his batting average on the season to .315. 24-year-old Cuban RHP Norge Ruiz turned in his second straight solid start for the RockHounds, allowing just 1 run while striking out 5 over 5 1/3 frames, but he left the game with his team down by a run on Friday. RHP John Gorman tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win, while RHP Jake Sanchez got the final three outs in the 9th to notch his 2nd save for the Hounds.
Click here for more on Nashville, Stockton & Beloit…

 

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE (Triple-A)
Nashville Sounds  1
Iowa Cubs             7
LP: Jokisch 0-3 / 5.63
HR: Boyd (1)

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Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder B.J. Boyd
(1 for 4 / Home Run)

 

The Sounds had their five-game winning streak snapped on Friday. Starter Eric Jokisch, who was signed by the A’s as a minor league free agent in the offseason, was charged with 5 runs, 2 earned, over 5 frames to suffer his 3rd straight loss for the Sounds. Nashville notched just three hits in the game. Shortstop Jorge Mateo and center fielder Dustin Fowler both singled, while left fielder B.J. Boyd belted his 1st home run of the season to account for the Sounds’ only run in the loss. In other news, Nashville pitchers Chris Bassitt and Josh Lucas were promoted by the A’s and LHP Daniel Coulombe was sent to the Sounds on Friday.

 

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE (High-A)
Visalia Rawhide  2
Stockton Ports    3
WP: Biegalski 1-0 / 3.00

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Prospect Of The Game:
Pitcher Matt Milburn
(6 2/3 IP / 7 H / 1 ER / 1 BB / 4 K)

 

Stockton won in a walk-off in 10 innings on Friday to hold on to sole possession of first place in the California League North Division. RHP Matt Milburn turned in a strong start for Stockton, allowing just 1 run over 6 2/3 innings of work, but he left the game with his team down by a run on Friday. RHP Miguel Romero gave up another run in the top of the 9th to put the Ports down by a pair. But first baseman Luke Persico doubled in 2 runs to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th. Shortstop Kevin Merrell then singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th to help Stockton win in a walk-off. RHP Boomer Biegalski picked up the victory after tossing a scoreless frame in the top of the 10th for the Ports. Meanwhile, catcher Jason Goldstein was added to Stockton’s roster from extended spring training on Friday after third baseman William Toffey was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. Toffey underwent an MRI on the injured shoulder earlier in the week and is being sent to the A’s minor league complex in Arizona for rehab and he’ll be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks.

 

MIDWEST LEAGUE (Class-A)
Beloit Snappers          5
Clinton LumberKings  9
LP: Danielak 0-2 / 9.00
HR: Beck (1)

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Prospect Of The Game:
Outfielder Austin Beck
(2 for 5 / Home Run / 3 RBI)

 

The big story of the day was that the weather finally relented and the Snappers were able to get in their first game in a week on Friday. Unfortunately, Beloit’s defense committed five errors and the Snappers went down to defeat. RHP Dakota Chalmers made his first start of the season and allowed 1 unearned run but exited with one out in the 3rd inning after throwing 48 pitches. RHP Michael Danielak was charged with 7 runs, just 2 earned, in 1 1/3 innings of relief to suffer the loss for the Snappers. Last year’s top draft pick for the A’s, center fielder Austin Beck, singled, slugged his 1st home run of the season and drove in 3 runs. First baseman Hunter Hargrove finally got into his first game for the Snappers after being added to the roster last weekend and collected 3 hits, including a double, while shortstop Nick Allen singled, doubled and stole a base, and designated hitter Logan Farrar doubled in a run for Beloit.

 

Saturday’s Games:
Nashville @ Omaha: 5:05pm PT / 7:05pm CT
San Antonio @ Midland: 5:00pm PT / 7:00pm CT
Visalia @ Stockton: 7:10pm PT
Beloit @ Clinton: 4:30pm PT / 6:30pm CT

 

Eli White
Eli White

 

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