Relief Pitching Not Sparkling in MiLB
Sorry, too many games, so I could not finish my other post. OKC Comets 5 – Sacramento River Cats (Giants) 4 – 10 innings OKC came back twice to secure a walkoff victory in 10 innings over the River Cats. OKC’s RHSP Christian Romero completed 5.0 innings, but fell behind 3-0 after one + innings. Romero gave up a solo HR in the 1st. In the 2nd, Romero allowed a…
Sorry, too many games, so I could not finish my other post.
OKC Comets 5 – Sacramento River Cats (Giants) 4 – 10 innings
OKC came back twice to secure a walkoff victory in 10 innings over the River Cats.
OKC’s RHSP Christian Romero completed 5.0 innings, but fell behind 3-0 after one + innings. Romero gave up a solo HR in the 1st. In the 2nd, Romero allowed a leadoff single and a 2-run HR. After that HR, Romero allowed a single and BB over the 2nd – 5th innings.
In the 5th, CF Hyeseong Kim had a bunt single. He then moved to 2nd on a sac bunt by 3B Taylor Young. I did not see the play, but I do not understand why Kim did not try to steal 2B. Maybe Young was trying to bunt for a base hit. Kim moved to 3rd on a F8 and scored on RF Zach Ehrhard’s single. We are getting used to Ehrhard coming through in the clutch.
Four OKC relievers followed Romero and pitched 1.0 scoreless inning each.
- RHRP Jose Rodriguez
- RHRP Evan Phillips
- LHRP Jake Eder
- RHRP Keynan Middleton
In the OKC 9th inning, LF Jack Suwinski drew a BB, C Griffin Lockwood-Powell and Kim singled to load the bases with nobody out. Young hit a 2-run game tying single, but the Comets could not push the winning run in.
RHRP Jerming Rosario entered in the 10th. A sac bunt pushed the placed runner to 3rd with one out where he scored on a sac fly.
Down again to their last inning, 1B Ryan Fitzgerald was the placed runner. First batter, DH James Tibbs III hit a game winning 2-run walkoff HR, his 20th of the year.
Kim was the only OKC batter with more than one hit, with 2 singles, and Tibbs III was the only OKC batter with an XBH.
NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 6 – Tulsa Drillers 5
The game started an hour late. The Drillers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the 2nd. 3B Jake Gelof started with a BB. RF Kole Myers tripled (1) home Gelof and a 1-0 lead. 2B Sean McLain brought home Myers on a SF. After a ground out, C Hayden Gilliland singled and scored on DH Josue De Paula’s 13th HR.
Over the first 3.0 IP, RHSP Peter Heubeck did not allow a run on 2 hits, 1 BB, and 5 K. Heubeck was trying to stretch it to 4 innings for the first time since returning from IL. He walked the first 2 batters in the 4th and LHRP Evan Shaw was brought in. He threw a WP and then a run scoring single. After a strikeout, the runner stole 2nd and the Naturals had runners on 2nd and 3rd. With 2 out, a 2-run single brought NWA to within 1.
RHRP Lucas Wepf entered in the 6th. He allowed a single and triple tying the game.
In the 7th, 2B Sean McLain drew a BB, and 1B Joe Vetrano singled. C Hayden Gilliland doubled (1) to score McLain. A couple of batters later, Vetrano was thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice.
RHRP Kelvin Ramirez entered. In his 2nd inning, the first batter reached second on a fielding error. The runner scored on a WP. And the game was again tied.
RHRP Nick Robertson relieved Ramirez in the 9th and retired the side in order, 2 by K.
It took extra innings again, but CF Mike Sirota reached safely in his 56th consecutive game with a BB in the 10th.
Robertson allowed a single to score the placed runner in the 10th for a walkoff win.
- Hayden Gilliland – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (1)
- Kole Myers – 1-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, triple (1)
- Josue De Paula – 1-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (13)
Even with the loss, Tulsa won the 1st half championship in the Texas League.
Great Lakes Loons 5 – Lake County Captains (Cleveland) 4 – 8 innings
The game started out fantastically. RHSP Aidan Foeller pitched 4.2 perfect innings with 6 K. After allowing a single, he was lifted for LHRP Jacob Frost. Frost allowed a single in 1.1 IP through the 6th. In the 7th, he allowed a BB, threw a WP, had a K, and then a RBI single.
RHRP Dilan Figueredo then nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory . With a runner on 1st, Figueredo walked the first batter and the next hit a game tying 3-run HR.
RF Eduardo Quintero hit a two out double (15) in the bottom of the 7th, but did not score.
Figueredo pitched a scoreless 8th.
Bottom of the 8th, DH Jose Meza was the placed runner who moved to 3rd on a ground out. On a ground ball to 1B Jose Meza beat the throw home for the walkoff win.
The Loons were shut out for four innings, but put up 4 in the 5th. LF Samuel Munoz and 3B Jose D. Hernandez both singled. Both runners moved up on 2B Jose Izarra’s sac bunt, with Izarra reaching 1st. CF Charles Davalan brought home Munoz with a Sac Fly. RF Eduardo Quintero hit a 2 run double. Quintero stole 3B and scored on the catcher’s throwing error. Those four runs held up until the 7th inning.
The Loons need to win the 2nd game to have any chance for the 1st half championship.
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, 2 doubles (15)
- Samuel Munoz – 2-3, 1 run
Lake County Captains (Cleveland) 3 – Great Lakes Loons 2
RHSP Christian Zazueta pitched the game of his professional life. He pitched a perfect 5.0 innings, striking out 7. He only threw 58 pitches so why he was pulled, I have no idea.
In the 3rd, LF Charles Davalan doubled and stole 3rd. SS Emil Morales singled to score Davalan.
The game remained 1-0 until the 6th. CF Eduardo Quintero singled, stole 2nd and 3rd (29th SB), and scored on 1B Jose Meza’s single.
After the brilliant start by Zazueta, RHRP Isaac Ayon gave it away. 3 walks and a 2-run scoring double. Thanks to a Quintero to 2B Jose Izarra relay to C Victor Rodrigues cut down the go-ahead run at the plate, the game was only tied.
Ayon allowed a walkoff HR and the chances of a 1st half championship disappeared. As it turns out, Dayton won their last 5 games and won the first half championship division, a game over Lake County and 2 games over Great Lakes. But that was not known at the time.
Morales was 2-4 with an RBI. 3B Cameron Decker’s and Davalan’s doubles were the only XBH.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 11 – Ontario Tower Buzzers 2
I think it is evident that the pitching was not all that in this one. The one exception was RHRP Brock Stewart. Stewart allowed 1 hit, and registered 1 K.
Offense? 3 singles, 2 by DH Easton Shelton.
In the 8th, 2B Javier Herrera and RF Mairo Martinus both reached with BB. After WP, both runners were in scoring position. One of Shelton’s singles plated both runners.
Not much else to report, except Ontario had more errors (5) than hits (3).
ACL Giants 9 – ACL Dodgers 5
Not much to positively write about for the pitching.
3 of the starting 8 were on rehab assignments: 2B Logan Wagner, CF Matt Gorski, DH Sam Mongelli.
- 2B Logan Wagner – 3-4, double (2)
- C Eduardo Rojas – 3-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, HR (1)
- LF Jose Gonzalez – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (6)
- CF Matt Gorski – 1-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (3)
DSL LAD Mega 17 – DSL Padres Brown 10
Mega LHSP Miguel Herrera started and completed 3.0 scoreless innings. LHRP Victor Tovar pitched the next two scoreless innings. Three other relievers allowed 10 runs over the next 4 innings, 8 hits and 6 BB.
- LF Helvin Mendoza – 3-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI
- CF Erny Orellana – 3-4, 1 BB, 4 runs, 4 RBI, double (2), triple (2)
- RF Hendry Arvelo – 1-2, 3 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (3)
DSL Padres Gold 10 – DSL LAD Bautista 9 – 7 Innings
DSL Padres Gold jumped out to an 8-0 lead and did not look back. Four LAD Bautista pitchers allowed the 10 runs over 6.0 innings. RHRP Angel Rodriguez pitched the 7th inning and was the only Bautista pitcher to hold DSL Padres Gold scoreless.
- CF Rubel Arias – 2-3, 2 runs, 4 RBI, SF, HR (2)
- C Ricardo Pulles – 2-3, 2 runs
- RF Fran-Jean Haseth – 1-4, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR (3)
- DH Haram Hernandez – 1-3, 2 runs, double (4)
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Discussion (65)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Santiago Espinal has cleared waivers and elected free agency, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Dodgers designated the veteran infielder for assignment on Tuesday when Tommy Edman returned from injury.
The major explanation for why Ward came up over Tibbs is that Ward is on the 40-Man Roster and Tibbs is not. If they had called up Tibbs instead of Ward, they would have had to DFA Ward, and I don’t think they are ready to do that. Tibbs has been dealing with a minor forearm strain that affects his throwing but not his batting, thus the DH play. He is actively on a throwing program to rebuild his arm strength so he can return to the outfield or first base. If Ward does not pan out, he may very well be DFA’d, and JT3 called up… if he stays hot! His defense is a “work in progress.” That’s a kind way of saying, “defense is not his thing.”
I too believe in Sirota, but I can’t see them starting his “clock” this year… unless disaster strikes. I never say never, but I might say “never” on Root this year. I can’t see any way we see him in LA this season.
Kike is also progressing and can play CF as can Call.
Great stuff, Jeff. Gracias.
Funny, but I find it encouraging that Shelton hit two singles instead of his usual HR….Two singles are two times he didn’t strike out!….
I wonder why Tibbs is DHing. Previously, it was reported he had some sort of wrist injury that kept him from playing in the field, but didn’t prevent him from hitting. Odd. That was, as I recall it, a partial explanation for why Ward got summoned to LA and not the red-hot Tibbs…
If, heaven forbid, Pages goes down with a serious injury, the Dodgers would need a centerfielder. I’d like to see Sirota get thrown into the deep end, considering the hype. The “safe” move would be to promote Suwinski or Alek Thomas or maybe Ehrhard. But Sirota allegedly has the “it” factor….
Bood to see Brock Stewart progressing. If the Dodgers need extra arms or relief help down the stretch, I’m guessing that Zach Root might get the call.