Someone please tell me if I am crazy. I opened up the first box score of the evening and thought "hey, new box scores! These are purdy!" However, upon venturing back to old MLUs to find out when exactly the change took place, I discovered that they've been in use for at least the last four weeks. So, either all the MILB box scores have been retrofitted, or I'm a ball short of a full count. WHICH IS IT???!?!
Las Vegas 2 at Sacramento 3
After going down 2-0, Vegas crawled back (I'm not sure crawled is really an apt word with such a small deficit... maybe they just walked back) to tie the game, but Merkin Valdez couldn't hold the tie and Sacramento walked off in the ninth inning. Zach Jackson didn't pitch well allowing nine base-runners in five innings, though he managed to let only two of those runners cross the plate. The offense was anemic - only two 51s had hits. Jarrett Hoffpauir singled, doubled and walked.
Harrisburg 7 at New Hampshire 8
The 4,573 in attendance in New Hampshire were given a treat on Monday night with a thrilling 8-7 victory against Harrisburg. While the Cats have already wrapped up a playoff spot, taking some drama out of the few remaining games, this was a game against a team who could very well be a playoff opponent of New Hampshire, so the atmosphere must have been at least mildly electric. A little static in the air, maybe.
Randy Boone was the F-Cats' starter, and despite giving up six runs, was actually quite good: he pitched seven innings with a 6:0 K:BB ratio and 11 ground balls to only 3 of the fly variety. Unfortunately, Harrisburg bunched their hits, particularly in the fifth inning in which they scored five, leading one to believe Boone didn't have the greatest outing, which as I've already pointed out, wasn't the case. Boy, was that ever a wordy way of saying Randy Boone wasn't as bad as the box score might indicate.
Adeiny Hechavarria had a great night at the plate, enumerating four hits including his third home run as a Fisher Cat. He drove in three of NH's eight runs. Hech is batting .283/.318/.381 since his promotion to AA, in case you're wondering, which is a pretty solid line for a guy in his first season in North American ball. Clearly it's difficult to set reasonable expectations for Adeiny since very few players take the same path as him; we can't compare him to other first year players, nor can we compare him to other 21-year-olds. Your task for the comments: find a player who would be a reasonable comparison, who came from a latin country at about the same age, and show us how Hech stacks up.
Boy, is this ever a long recap. Anyway, Eric Thames also had a great night, singling and homering while compelling three base-runners in the general direction of home plate. Matt Liuzza doubled and walked twice, and Dan Farquhar allowed one run in two innings of relief.
Dunedin - scheduled day off
Dayton 9 at Lansing 7
Boy, did Lansing ever think they had this one wrapped up. Leading 7-2 in the ninth inning, Scott Gracey stayed in after a scoreless eighth, and, well, the ninth didn't go so well. Between him and Casey Beck, the Lansing bullpen surrendered a seven-spot to Dayton. If I were writing this from the other side, the headline would be "By the Gracey of God". I'm sure that's what Batter's Box Reds Version has plastered all over their front page right now.
You must have figured out that Lansing's starter was pretty good, if the Dragons had only scored two runs by the time the ninth inning rolled around. That was Matt Fields, who pitched seven innings of two-run ball, allowing nine hits and a walk while striking out one. Offensively, K.C. Hobson doubled and singled twice to drive in three, while each of Jon Del Campo, Jake Marisnick and Michael Crouse singled twice. Brad Glenn singled and walked twice.
Auburn 2 at Mahoning Valley 4
Auburn was mahoning for some runs against the Scrappers on Monday night, but the runs just wouldn't come. Aaron Sanchez got the start and allowed two hits and two walks in his three innings, striking out four. Like Randy Boone before (or above) him, Sanchez deserved better - four base-runners really aren't that many in three innings, and two of the runs were inherited runners allowed to score by the bullpen.
Gustavo Pierre was the only 'Nut to collect more than one base-reaching event - he singled and walked. He also committed his 26th error and was caught stealing.
GCL Jays - season over
DSL Jays - season over
Three Stars!
3. K.C. Hobson - 3 hits, 3 RBIs
2. Matt Fields - 7 IP, 2 ER
1. Adeiny Hechavarria, 4-5, HR, 3 RBIs
Hitters and Pitchers of the Week are up at milb.com. No Jays' minor leaguers were honoured for a second straight week.
Elsewhere in the minors, Royals prospect Mike Moustakas had a huge night, homering thrice and driving in 11 runs. No matter what you think of RBIs.... eleven!!! That would tie the American League record had he accomplished this feat in the major leagues. The ML (and NL) record for a single game is 12.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20100830231517290