Travis Snider's hot streak continues. Is he ready to be called back up? All this, and more, in today's Minor League Update
Colorado Springs 6 at Las Vegas 12
It was 9-3 Las Vegas by the end of the 4th, and the 51s lead was never in Jeopardy! after that. Brad Mills was simply okay, which for the PCL is pretty good. He went seven, and allowed 4 of the 6 Colorado Springs runs, on six hits and two walks. He also struck out six. Clint Everts gave up the other two runs, and Wil Ledezma got the last four outs. Meanwhile on offense it was the Travis Snider show. Lunchbox went 4 for 4 with 9 total bases - 3 doubles and a single, plus a walk. He also played centre field, which must have been quite an adventure. His slash line is now up to a respectable .330/.400/.478, in 200 PA. His performance has improved recently, but there are still warning signs - he has 19 doubles and only 2 home runs, he is hitting close to .400 on balls in play, and his isolated power is about the worst it's been in any stint other than the 2011 MLB campaign. So, I don't know if he has been miraculously fixed, but I would say "cautious" is the operative word in "cautious optimism" about Snider. Other batting stars: Eric Thames was a homer shy of the cycle, Kevin Howard had 3 singles, while Ramon Vazquez and David Cooper has 2 apiece. Adam Loewen has a solitary single but threw a guy out at the plate.
Henderson Alavarez was good in this one, but not good enough to make up for the slumbering Cats bats. Alvarez took the loss despite giving up 2 runs, (1 earned) on 5 hits and 2 walks, though he struck out none, getting all 20 of his outs in play (13 gb/7 fb). New Hampshire had as many hits as Akron - seven - but couldn't string anything together. Callix Crabbe had 2 singles and a double, while Adeiny Hechavarria singled twice but was caught stealing.
Clearwater scored 4 in the second and Dunedin matched that total in the sixth, so the game came down to trading one spots, with Dunedin coming out ahead 2-1 in that regard. John Talley and Brad McElroy did their part, both belting solo shots, with McElroy earning Player of the Game honours by also cashing two with a double. A rehabbing Johnny Mac singled in four trips; Brian Van Kirk, Kevin Ahrens and Ivan Contreras also singled. AJ Jiminez continued his fine season by also singling, twice. Ryan Shopshire got the start in this one, continuing his poor run in high A ball, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 3.1 innings without striking out a batter. Frank Gailey did yeoman's work in relief, recording one more out than Shopshire while allowing only 1 run on 3 hits, with 1 BB and 4 Ks. Wes Etheridge pitched a perfect 2 innings with 2 K's for the save, his 22nd.
All the scoring happened in the last 3 innings in this one, but South Bend did more of it. Sean Nolin righted the ship after a few shaky performances, pitching a scoreless 6 innings. More to the point, he allowed a solitary single and but one walk, while striking out 7. I assume he was lifted for pitch count related reasons - this matched his longest start of the year. The pen was not as good, however, as Marcus Walden got lit up for 4 runs in retiring 5 batters. The Luggies could muster on five singles - Kevin Nolan, Nolan again, Carlos Perez, Michael Crouse, and K.C. Hobson.
DSL Blue Jays 6 at DSL Angels 2
Cesar "Don't Call Me Aaron" Sanchez picked up his first win in the DSL, his 2 hits and 2 walks allowed leading to 1 run in 5 innings. He also struck out 4. Emilio Guerrero drove in 4 with a single and a double, and Maydawin de la Cruz also picked up 2 hits.
3 Stars!
3rd Star! Eric Thames - 3/4, BB, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI
2nd Star! Sean Nolin - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
1st Star! Travis Snider - 4/4, BB, 3 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI
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