The Diamondbacks Minor League affiliates combined for a 2-2 record. Reno and Visalia would pick up the wins. Pitching prospects Matt Tabor, Bryce Jarvis, and Justin Martinez took the mound.
Best Pitching Performance: Reno LHP Tyler Gilbert – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K, W (2-1)
Best Hitting Performance: Visalia SS Ronnie Simon – 3 for 3, HR (5), 2 BB, 3 RBI, 2 R
AAA: Reno Aces 14, Albuquerque Isotopes (COL) 4
The Aces continue to roll teams, as they took care of the one NL West organization who has been more incompetent than the D-backs the last 2 years. Tyler Gilbert blanked Albuquerque for 5 innings, somehow managing to give up 1 hit and struck out 5. Reno’s offense was slow early on, but they really turned it on late, scoring 13 times in their final 3 trips to the plate. Josh VanMeter opened up the scoring with a solo homer in the first, ultimately finishing with 2 on the night.
Reno would start to pull away in the 6th, when they scored 4 runs off Logan Cozart. Andrew Young doubled to lead off the frame before scoring on an RBI single by Drew Ellis. A 2-out walk extended the inning, where a triple by Henry Ramos and a double by Juniel Querecuto would allow Reno to score 3 more runs. VanMeter would hit his second homer of the game for Reno’s run in the 7th.
In the 8th, Seth Beer would double to lead off the inning and move up to 3rd on a wild pitch. When Matt Lipka attempted to steal 2nd, an errant throw resulted in Beer crossing the plate. Another walk and an infield single would load the bases for Andrew Young, who went oppo for a grand slam. Daulton Varsho decided hitting home runs looked fun and followed that up with one of his own. While home runs are typically rally killers, the fun had just begun. An Ellis single, Beer walk, and Lipka single would once again load the bases. A pair of singles would plate the final two runs for Reno on the night.
While the scoring was large, the Aces took advantage of the opportunities they had late, going 8 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Every position player in the starting lineup recorded a hit and a run scored or driven in, turning 22 baserunners into 14 runs. The pitching was stingy until the game was out of reach, as the Isotopes plated 4 runs long after the game was decided.
LF Andrew Young: 2 for 5, 2B, GS (6), 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 K
C Daulton Varsho: 1 for 4, solo HR (7), BB, RBI, R, 1 K
1B Seth Beer: 1 for 4, 2B, BB, 2 R
AA: Amarillo Sod Poodles 4, Midland RockHounds (OAK) 13
Despite the lopsided score, you can’t blame the starter as Matt Tabor looked solid. Overall he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits (2 homers), walked 1, and struck out 10 in 6 innings. Unfortunately a disaster outing by Matt Brill followed Tabor as Midland scored 10 times off Brill and Breckin Williams to push the game out of reach. Despite a strong showing at the plate by Stone Garrett, who finished a triple short of the cycle and drove in 3 of Amarillo’s 4 runs and scoring 2, the rest of the lineup struggled to put any offense together.
CF Jake McCarthy: 1 for 3, 3B, BB, 2 R, 1 K
RF Dominic Fletcher: 1 for 4, 2 K
RHP Matt Tabor: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 10 K
High A: Hillsboro Hops 9, Eugene Emeralds (SFG) 10
This game looked good for 5 innings, but a 6th inning meltdown prevented them from capitalizing on a 5-run second. 7 of the first 8 hitters reached on 1 walk, one field error, and 5 hits. Bryce Jarvis looked good through 5 innings, allowing just 1 run on 2 hits and 1 walk and 4 strikeouts up to that point. Unfortunately the 6th inning did not go so well for him. A double, single, and a walk loaded the bases with no one out before Jarvis was lifted for Nick Snyder. Snyder, who had been dependable up to this point, had an unusual meltdown as he failed to retire any of the 4 hitters he faced and would allow Eugene to tie the game.
Needing to use a 3rd pitcher, Mailon Arroyo was asked to get the job done and it looked like he might get out of it with minimal damage, but a 2-out walk preceded a 3-run homer. Hillsboro would claw their way back into the game, scratching across runs in the 7th and 8th inning to make it 10-8. The 9th inning looked promising as Blaze Alexander walked followed by Andy Yerzy singled to right to put runners on the corners with no outs. Alexander would score on a groundout to 3B and a walk would put the go-ahead run on base, but a strikeout would end the game.
SS Blaze Alexander: 1 for 2, 3 BB, 2 R
3B Tristin English: 0 for 5, 3 K, R
RHP Bryce Jarvis: 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
Low A: Visalia Rawhide 11, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) 4
Visalia quickly took control of this game, scoring 8 times in the first. The first five hitters would reach on a HBP, walk, E6, walk, and an infield hit to take a 2-0 lead. Another walk combined with an infield hit made it 4-0. Second time through the order was less forgiving as Jorge Barrosa singled to drive in 2 with a third run scoring on an error by the center fielder. Ronny Simon would single home Barrosa to make it 8-0.
That was plenty of run support for Justin Martinez, who pitched well through the first two innings. The third inning would rpove not to be as kind, as he gave up 3 straight doubles before leaving the game due to injury. The injury sucks as Martinez was starting to find his groove in his last couple of starts. Jhonny Valdez would come and was greeted with a 2-run homer, but that was all Visalia would give up in the game. Valdez would pitch through the 4th before giving way to Junior Mieses, who went the rest of the way and gave up only 2 hits, 2 walks, and struck out 6 in relief.
3B A.J. Vukovich: 0 for 5, ROE, R, 2 K
LF Jeferson Espinal: 1 for 5, RBI, R, 1 K
RHP Justin Martinez: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K
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