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Omaha 9 Memphis 4
Notables:
- Dean Anna (SS): 3-4, R, 2 2B
- Ty Kelly (3B): 0-4, 2 K
- Stephen Piscotty (RF): 0-3, BB, 2 K, CS
- Xavier Scruggs (LF): 2-4, 2 R, 2B, 3B, RBI, K
- Greg Garcia (2B): 2-3, 3 RBI, BB, K, SB
- Tim Cooney (SP): 6.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, BB, 3 K, 2 HR
- Nick Greenwood (RP): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, K, HR
- Boone Whiting (RP): 2 IP, H, 2 BB, K
A rough night for Tim Cooney, surrendering a pair of homers and six earned runs. I haven't had a chance to watch this game just yet, but plan to so I can see whether this was another issue of not having good secondary stuff that led to the lefties bad outing.
Dean Anna continues to make the case to be called up as soon as the club decides Pete Kozma isn't worth the squeeze anymore. He's hitting .393/.433/.464 in his first 28 plate appearances with Memphis.
Xavier Scruggs got the start in LF last night in an attempt to get him some reps in the outfield, testing his ability to handle a corner outfield position without being Chris Duncan levels of bad. Doing this successfully would bump up his value considerably as a right handed bench bat. Hitting .323/.393/.960 (.960!!) in his first 28 PA's isn't going to hurt his cause either.
Corpus Christi 8 Springfield 0
Notables:
- Charlie Tilson (CF): 1-4, 3B, K
- Aledmys Diaz (SS): 1-4, E
- Jacob Wilson (2B): 1-3, BB, K
- Breyvic Valera (LF): 0-3, BB
- Mike Mayers (SP): 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, HR
If Mark Appel could pitch the entire rest of his career against this Springfield squad, perhaps everyone would forget he was the "guy selected before Kris Bryant". In ten innings this year he's allowed just six baserunners and struck out 8. Telvin Nash would also like to spend the rest of his career hitting against this Springfield pitching staff as well I'm sure.
That's two straight starts in which Mike Mayers has struggled, both against the Hooks'. Back-to-back triples to the 8th and 9th hitters in the lineup in the third inning started the fireworks and Telvin Nash was responsible for the finale with a 3 run homer in the 5th, chasing Mayers from the game.
That's a 1-6 start for Springfield: Currently slashing .203/.266/.288 as a team and the pitching hasn't been any better, with a 6.10 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP in 62 innings thus far.
Palm Beach 6 Lakeland 0
Notables:
- C.J. McElroy (CF): 2-4, R, RBI, BB, SB
- Mason Katz (2B): 1-5
- Bruce Caldwell (DH): 1-4, 2 R, 3B, BB
- Luke Voit (1B): 2-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB
- Rowan Wick (RF): 2-5, RBI, K, CS
- Carson Kelly (C): 2-4, R, BB, K
- Rob Kaminsky (SP): 2 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K
- Kevin Herget (RP): 5 IP, 6 K
- Kyle Barraclough (RP): 2 IP, H, K
Don't worry, don't worry, nothing happened to Rob Kaminsky. A two hour and fifty-one minute rain delay after the second inning ended his night and Kevin Herget pitched great in five innings of relief.
Palm Beach led 2-0 for most of the contest before getting 4 runs in the last two frames to push the final score to 6-0.
Peoria 3 Cedar Rapids 1
Notables:
- Magneuris Sierra (CF): 2-5, R, 2 K, CS
- Oscar Mercado (SS): 1-5, R, 3B
- Collin Radack (RF): 2-4
- Darren Seferina (2B): 1-2, 2 BB, K
- Austin Gomber (SP): 7 IP, 6 H, ER, 8 K
- Nick Lomascolo (RP): 1 IP, 2 K
- Robby Rowland (RP): 1 IP, H, 2 K
I missed the first five innings of the game due to Verizon store in Ames, Iowa having some of the worst customer service I've experienced in my life (and keep in mind I used to work for a cable company).
I'd just barely gotten seated (front row on the visitor's side of home plate, which allowed me to get some great video that I'm currently editing and uploading to YouTube for a scouting post I plan to have up next week) when Sierra singled up the middle, followed by Mercado smoking a triple into the left center field gap. Then Danny Diekroeger drove him home with a single to right. I was lucky enough to be able to catch most of this on video, while also trying to eat a hot dog and drink a $2 beer -- so the camera work is a bit shaky.
Gomber was impressive last night against a Cedar Rapids lineup currently leading the Midwest League in runs scored and batting average. I saw him pitch the 6th and 7th innings, facing the heart of the order (3-4-5) in the 6th (in a half inning that lasted about 2 minutes total, or one David Ortiz between pitches routine) and the bottom of the order in the 7th. Pounding the bottom of the strike zone with his fastball to get ahead mixing in a good curveball once he was, Gomber kept the Kernel hitters off balance with good command of both fastball and curve. I wasn't impressed by his changeup in person, but I need to review the video I shot a bit more and make sure my eyes weren't lying to me.
This was my first opportunity to see Nick Lomascolo, and he reminds me a bit of a left handed version of Dixon Llorens. Throwing with a 3/4 arm action with a good low-90's fastball and a sweeping breaking ball that he seems to have good command of. The breaking ball got three swinging strikes in the inning he pitched, including two from top 100 prospect Nick Gordon (the #5 overall pick in the 2014 draft) that made him look absolutely silly flailing at it. Lomascolo is definitely a guy to keep an eye on as a LOOGY: With that arm action and breaking ball, he's going to be awfully tough on left handed hitters.
MiLB Friday Probables:
Memphis (Petrick) @ Round Rock (Wandy Rodriguez)
Springfield (Lee) @ Corpus Christi (Westwood)
Charlotte (Kirsh) @ Palm Beach (TBD)
Peoria (Poncedeleon) @ Cedar Rapids (Gonzalves)***
***I will be attending this game if anyone in the Cedar Rapids area wants to meet up.