Minor League Recap: Games of May 19, 2014

AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks: 6-2 loss to New Orleans (MIA)

-> Robbie Grossman: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI
-> Jon Singleton: 1-for-2, RBI, 2 BB
-> Andy Simunic: 1-for-3, BB, R
-> Max Stassi: 1-for-4
-> Enrique Hernandez: 1-for-4
-> Ronald Torreyes: 0-for-3, BB, R
-> Domingo Santana: 0-for-3, BB

SP Brett Oberholtzer: 5.0 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 9 H, 0 BB, 3 K (loss)
RP Rhiner Cruz: 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K
RP Kevin Chapman: 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K

No way to sugarcoat it; Obie just got smacked around. He gave up three runs in the third inning, and a run each in the second, fourth and fifth. You have to wonder if he was working on a specific pitch or something, to get lit up to that degree when he's previously had success in the Majors and at AAA. We may never know.

The worse news is Singleton though. Well, that's a little harsh considering he reached base three times. But what I mean is that this was his fifth straight game with a strikeout, and he has eight strikeouts during those five. Clearly Tim and Subber's presence jinxed him. Gosh, guys. Gosh.

Grossman is looking better; he's hitting .278/.381/.500 in his last ten games, with six walks and six strikeouts. He's 1-for-5 in steals during that stretch though, yikes. He's hit just two homers in 30 games now, which is a pace for about 11 in 162 games. Not too encouraging. Looks like he might be making some improvements, but needs a little more time in the oven.

Santana strikeout watch: just six in his last nine games.

Total season lines for tonight's two relievers...
Kevin Chapman: 13 IP, 1.38 ERA, 5.54 BB/9, 12.46 K/9
Rhiner Cruz: 18 IP, 2.00 ERA, 2.50 BB/9, 9.00 K/9

AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 7-0 win over Midland (OAK)

-> Delino DeShields: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
-> Nolan Fontana: 3-for-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI
-> Jiovanni Mier: 1-for-2, BB, 2 R
-> Leonardo Heras: 1-for-4, R
-> Matthew Duffy: 1-for-4, RBI
-> Joe Sclafani: 0-for-3, BB, R
-> Andrew Aplin: 0-for-4, RBI

SP Luis Cruz: 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 9 K (win)
RP Jordan Jankowski: 2.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K

Here you go, now we have some big highlights. Much like the Astros did in the game against the Angels in the Majors, the Hooks scored early and often, plating all seven runs by the time the fourth inning was over.

It was Cruz control for the pitchers after that. The little 5'9" lefty bounced back in a big way after two straight clunkers (nine ER in 4.1 innings during his last two starts). His season numbers now stand at 3.19 for the ERA, with a 3.40 BB/9 and 8.08 K/9. His ERA is 1.42 outside of those two bad outings.

DeShields had been scuffling since his hot, triumphant return, with just three hits and three walks in six games prior to this one. He's hitting just .257 on the season, but the walks have his OBP at a solid .353 despite it. He has, unfortunately, struck out 13 times in his last ten games, and nine in his last five.

Fontana's big May breakout is back on track now, with six hits in his last three games. He's hitting .375/.524/.500 with more walks (15) than strikeouts (13) in 15 games.

From May 10 through May 15, Duffy collected 13 hits in five games, including a homer, but he went hitless in three games afterwards to break the streak. He's also been doing much better this month; .329/.390/.466 with 11 strikeouts in 18 May games.

A+ Lancaster JetHawks: 8-6 loss to Rancho Cucamonga (LAD)

-> Rio Ruiz: 2-for-4, BB, RBI, R
-> Roberto Pena: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, R, 2 BB
-> Carlos Perdomo: 1-for-3, SB, 2 BB, 2 R
-> Danry Vasquez: 1-for-5, R
-> Bobby Borchering: 1-for-5, RBI
-> Teoscar Hernandez: 0-for-3, SB, R, 2 BB
-> Anthony Kemp: 0-for-3, BB, SB
-> Daniel Gulbransen: 0-for-4, BB, RBI
-> Jordan Scott: 0-for-5, RBI

SP Zach Morton: 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 0 BB, 1 K
RP Richard Rodriguez: 2.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K
RP Mitchell Lambson: 2.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K (blown save, loss)

6-4 lead for the JetHawks heading into the bottom of the seventh...do the math. Looks like the bad mojo trickled down from the Majors or something.

At least Ruiz gave us something to look at. He's hitting .297/.422/.405 over his last ten games. The OBP sticks out there; eight walks and just six strikeouts during that span have beefed it up. Power is obviously still a work in progress, and likely will be for another 12-24 months. On the season, he's slashing .299/.379/.425 with 22 walks and 38 strikeouts in 42 games.

Kemp has gone hitless for two straight games and it feels like a slump, right? That was walk number 24 on the season, and he's now 16-for-21 (76.2%) in base stealing.

And Correa had the night off, FYI.

A- Quad Cities River Bandits: 5-4 loss to Burlington (LAA)

-> Tyler White: 2-for-4
-> James Ramsay: 2-for-5, BB, 2B, SB, RBI
-> Jon Kemmer: 2-for-5, 2B, R
-> Conrad Gregor: 1-for-4, BB, 2B, R
-> Thomas Lindauer: 1-for-4
-> Brett Phillips: 1-for-5, R, 2 RBI
-> Jack Mayfield: 1-for-5
-> Ronnie Mitchell: 0-for-5, R
-> Brett Booth: 1-for-1, 2B (pinch-hitter)
-> Chan Moon: 0-for-1, SB (pinch-runner, stayed in at 2B)

SP Edison Frias: 5.0 IP, 3 R (1 ER), 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K
RP Evan Grills: 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K
RP Chris Cotton: 2.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 K (loss)
RP Andrew Walter: 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 K

Oh man, it hurts just looking at the box score. Burlington scored two in the top of the second, QC answered with two in the bottom half. Burlington scored one in the top of the third, and QC answered with one in the bottom half. 3-3 tie held until the 12th inning, when Burlington scored two in the top of the inning...and QC managed just one to fall short by a run. The tying run was at second when Ramsay whiffed to end the game. Ouch.

Hard to blame Ramsay though, he certainly did his part in this game. He needed this too; after a hot start to the season, he's really fallen off, and is hitting just .228/.348/.333 in May.

Brett Phillips is hitting .282/.333/.410 during his last ten games, and has failed to reach base via hit or walk in just one of them.

I'll cop to not knowing a thing about Frias. Anyone have anything on him they know and want to share? His walk rate has been pretty nice (2.25 BB/9) so far, despite his results not being great.

Tomorrow's Scheduled Starters

AAA: Jake Buchanan vs. Brian Flynn
AA: Off Night (Shirley goes on Wednesday)
A+: TBD (Westwood and Sanudo...maybe) vs. James Allen
A-: Adrian Houser vs. TBD