:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50218285/usa-today-9188186.0.jpg)
AAA Fresno Grizzlies: 1-0 win over the Las Vegas 51s
Grizzlies starter Cesar Valdez pitched a gem in this one, limiting Las Vegas to two hits over seven innings and striking out seven. Jordan Jankowski and James Hoyt each pitched a scoreless inning to close it out, with Hoyt striking out two batters. Hoyt now has 27 saves on the season, opposing batters are hitting a measly .147 against him, and he's struckout 81 batters in 48 innings.
The Fresno offense was quiet on the night but they did manage to scratch out the one run needed for victory. Max Stassi walked in the sixth inning, and singles from Tony Kemp and Tyler White brought him home. Jon Singleton had a walk and a double on the night, and Teoscar Hernandez had a hit and stole a base.
AA Corpus Christi Hooks: 6-2 loss to the San Antonio Missions
The Hooks scored two late runs in this game to send it to extra innings, but the Missions won it on a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the tenth.
The offensive star for Corpus was recently promoted outfielder Ramon Laureano, who went 2-3 with a double and his first Double A home run. J.D. Davis was 2-5 with a double. Derek Fisher had a walk and a run scored as well as his 22nd stolen base of the season. Fisher is now five home runs away from a 20/20 season.
Hooks starter Trent Thornton pitched well, allowing two runs over six innings on four hits and a walk while striking out five.
High A Lancaster JetHawks: 12-4 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm
The JetHawks pounded out 15 hits in their drubbing of the Storm. Center fielder Johnny Sewald and first baseman Bryan Muniz had three hit nights, with Sewald adding a home run and a walk out of the leadoff spot. Catcher Trent Woodward was 2-4 with a home run and four RBI.
JetHawks starter Brock Dykxhoorn earned the win with a 5 2/3 inning two hit outing. He allowed all four Lake Elsinore runs, but only one was earned. Scott Weathersby and Kevin Comer each had scoreless appearances out of the bullpen.
SS Tri-City ValleyCats: 6-5 win over the Vermont Lake Monsters
I grew up in Vermont, and at the time they had a Double A franchise affiliated with the Reds. I saw Barry Larkin, Joe Oliver and other members of the 1990 World Series winners. Then they became a Seattle affiliate and I saw Ken Griffey Jr. and Omar Vizquel. Now they're a short season rookie affiliate of the A's. It seems like that's slipping just a bit...
Enough digression. The ValleyCats fell behind 5-0 early in this one, but two runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings led to victory. Shortstop Rodrigo Ayarza and first baseman Taylor Jones each homered for the ValleyCats. That's six home runs on the year for Jones, the Astros 2016 draftee from Gonzaga. Second round pick Ronnie Dawson reached base three times on the night via walks and added a stolen base and run scored.
Carlos Sierra turned in the best pitching performance for Tri-City, going three innings and only allowing a walk while striking out three. Nick Hernandez got his fourth save of the season and struckout two.
RK Greeneville Astros: 7-4 loss to the Princeton Rays
Greeneville allowed four runs in the first and couldn't quite recover. The Astros 5th pick in this year's draft Abraham Toro-Hernandez turned in a nice night at the plate, going 2-3 with a walk, double and RBI. Shortstop prospect Miguelangel Sierra had a walk and scored two runs.
Astros starter Patrick Sandoval had the rough first inning but did stay in the game and recovered enough to strike out six batters in four innings of work.