- Not that the smartest of you ever would be, but don't be fooled by Kenta Suda's 3.02 ERA into thinking he's turned into a solid starter. Though he's found some better command of his pitches, he's still walking 12.3% of batters, running an improved but still relatively low 14.8% K rate, and has had good fortune with flyballs, with only 3% of them leaving the yard, thanks of course to Rookie ballers not being known for their power.
- Hmm... maybe something IS up with the Tri City Dust Devils. One day after getting mowed by Bobby LaFromboise and Robbie Dominguez, Richland/Pasco/Kennewick's finest got three hit by Kenn Kasparek and 3 relievers. Granted, Kasparek's been erratic but challenging for NWL hitters, and Marquis Pettis is also erratic but can have his good games... but Short A ballers should be able to get something off Doug Salinas and Javier Martinez over 3 innings.
Meanwhile, Dust Devils pitching helped Nate Tenbrink, who already leads the Aquasox in walks, draw 4 walks in this game. Sadly, he's channeling Reggie Willits, as he's been punchless on balls in play: 203/322/326 with an 11% LD rate and a .242 BABIP to match.
On top of that, Tyson Gillies, fairly good at drawing walks himself, also drew 4 walks! The Aquasox as a team drew an astonishing 15 walks yesterday. FIFTEEN. Gillies, meanwhile, looks like he's making progress with a 273/391/382 line, but he's been incredibly lucky, as he's running a 7% LD rate but has a .354 BABIP. You don't get off Snohomish County with a walk, guys.
- Last night, Justin Souza became the 16th different starting pitcher the High Desert Mavs have used this season... and Souza was one of the few that paid off, as he pitched into the 6th and allowed only 2 runs. That said, there were still a couple too many flyballs for comfort, but he only allowed one line drive, did not walk anyone and did score a lot of grounders, huge given how many Mavs starters have beaten themselves with poor control and an inability to stay low in the zone and induce crooked contact. Souza has been a solid reliever at both A ball and High A, so if there's any upside to the guy as a starter, I say go for it, Mavs. You certainly could use some solidarity in the rotation.
Groundballs: 8
Flyballs: 7
Line Drives: 1
Pop Ups: 2
Walks: 0
Strikeouts: 3
Unfortunately, the bullpen blew the lead, but we'll leave it at that.
- Episode Two of the Gaby Hernandez in West Tenn Show featured too many flyballs, too many free passes, some poor fortune on groundballs with runners on, and too many runs.
Groundballs: 6 (plus 1 bunt)
Flyballs: 11
Line Drives: 2
Walks: 3 (plus 2 hit batters)
Strikeouts: 2
- I'll be honest: I was expecting Ryan Feierabend to get lit up in Tucson last night, but he showed up and pitched a solid game, working into the 7th and allowing only 6 hits and 3 runs despite no strikeouts. He did get bailed out in the 3rd when he surrendered a leadoff double to Wilkin Castillo, but an 8-4-5 relay gunned down a greedy Castillo at 3rd. Feier got a lot of pop ups, indicating the Sidewinders got a little too far underneath his pitches. Feier got into the 6th before he tired and a barrage of flyballs produced a couple of runs, leading manager Daren Brown to yank him.
Groundballs: 7 (plus 2 bunts)
Flyballs: 10
Line Drives: 0
Pop Ups: 5
Walks: 1
Strikeouts: 0
Here are the rest of the stats:
Dominican: The DSLMs had Friday off.
Rk-AZL: Athletics 5, Mariners 4
AZLMs: 6-5... AZLAs: 4-7
(League: 264/348/377... 4.41 ERA)
Kenta Suda: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER (HR), 3 walks, 2 K, 2 wild pitches (7 GS +2, 3.02 ERA, 41.2 IP, 2 HR, 26/31 BB/K)
Colin Buckborough: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 walks, hit batter (11 app, 5.47 ERA, 24.2 IP, 1 HR, 19/20 BB/K)
Yao Wen Chang: 1 IP, 2 K (11 app, 6.75 ERA, 13.1 IP, 1 HR, 16/11 BB/K)
Eddy Hernandez: 1 IP, walk (10 app, 7.07 ERA, 14 IP, 1 HR, 11/7 BB/K)
Cesar Fuentes: 1-4, R, RBI (276/336/388)
Alfredo Mateo: 2-4, 2 run HR (258/362/383)
Fred Bello: 2-3, R (324/400/382)
Rk+: Pulaski 6, Bluefield 3
PMs: 31-19... BLU: 23-26
(League: 263/334/392... 4.21 ERA)
Kyle Haas: 5 IP, 5 H, (3 R) 2 ER (HR), walk, 5 K (10 GS, 7.99 ERA, 32.2 IP, 4 HR, 24/33 BB/K)
Brent Gaphardt: 3 IP, 2 H, walk, 3 K (7 app, 1.20 ERA, 15 IP, 3/14 BB/K)
Blake Nation: 1 IP, 1 H, K (14 app, 2.84 ERA, 19 IP, 1 HR, 7/20 BB/K)
Kris Sanchez: 3-5, 2 doubles, R, 3 RBI, 2 K (337/427/614)
Juan Fuentes: 2-4, double, RBI, walk (372/445/500)
Guy Welsh: 2-4, RBI, walk, K (340/436/495)
Gabriel Noriega: 1-4, R, RBI, K (200/232/242)
A-: Everett 6, Tri-Cities 1
EVE: 22-29... 3C: 23-28
(League: 256/347/373... 4.24 ERA)
Kenn Kasparek: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, 4 K (6 GS, 3.80 ERA, 23.2 IP, 2 HR 13/27 BB/K)
Mark Pettis: 2 IP, 2 walks, 2 K, wild pitch, hit batter (14 app, 3.22 ERA, 22.1 IP, 17/20 BB/K)
Doug Salinas: 2 IP, walk, 4 K (16 app, 4.97 ERA, 38 IP, 2 HR, 21/38 BB/K)
Javier Martinez: 1 IP, K (15 app, 5.17 ERA, 15.2 IP, 1 HR, 14/13 BB/K)
Travis Howell: 1-4, 2 run HR, 2 R, walk, 2 K (308/424/427)
Luis Nuñez: 1-4, double, R, walk, K (311/327/397)
Nate Tenbrink: 0-1, R, 4 walks, K (203/322/326)
Tyson Gillies: 4 walks (273/391/382)
A: Clinton 3, Wisconsin 1
WIS: 14-33... CLI: 25-22
(League: 252/323/373... 3.70 ERA)
Juan Ramirez: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER (2 HR), walk, 6 K, hit batter (18 GS +3, 4.61 ERA, 99.2 IP, 8 HR, 30/91 BB/K)
Jose Jimenez: 1.1 IP, 2 K
Keith Meyer: 1 IP, 2 H, K (36 app, 4.97 ERA, 54.1 IP, 4 HR, 26/54 BB/K)
Jose Escalona: 1 IP, walk, 2 K, wild pitch (29 app, 5.03 ERA, 34 IP, 5 HR, 18/35 BB/K)
Joe Dunigan: 1-3, RBI, 2 K (228/286/402)
Joe White: 2-3, K (271/376/282)
rest of T-Rats lineup: 2-23, 2 walks, 9 K
A+: Inland Empire 5, High Desert 4
Mavs: 20-27... Empire: 24-23
(League: 274/342/413... 4.55 ERA)
Justin Souza: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 K (8 app, 1st start, 3.10 ERA, 20.1 IP, 1 HR, 6/21 BB/K)
Nick Hill: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER (HR), walk, K (27 app, 10 GS, 4.79 ERA, 82.2 IP, 10 HR, 28/63 BB/K)
Michael Wagner: 2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 K, wild pitch (44 app, 4.69 ERA, 55.2 IP, 2 HR, 17/47 BB/K)
Jamie McOwen: 2-5, triple, RBI, K (267/324/402)
Carlos Triunfel: 1-5, solo HR (287/337/418)
Ogui Diaz: 2-4 (252/277/333)
Geraldo Valentin: 1-4, double, R, RBI, K (239/270/352)
Gavin Dickey: 1-4, RBI (241/272/299)
AA: West Tenn 6, Huntsville 5
WTN: 20-27... HUN: 22-26
(League: 263/341/398... 4.17 ERA)
Gaby Hernandez: 6 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 walks, 2 K, wild pitch, 2 hit batters (6 GS, 5.40 ERA, 35 IP, 5 HR, 7/21 BB/K)
Marwin Vega: 2 IP, 2 H, walk, 3 K (41 app, 5.22 ERA, 58.2 IP, 3 HR, 42/40 BB/K)
Nelson Payano: 1 IP, 2 H (40 app, 4.09 ERA, 66 IP, 3 HR, 39/62 BB/K)
Brent Johnson: 1-4, triple, R, 2 RBI, walk, K (296/383/444)
Greg Halman: 2-5, R, RBI (286/324/488)
Noah Old Sox Hall: 1-3, double, walk, 2 K (243/376/320)
Marshall Hubbard: pinch double (303/416/525)
Mike Wilson: 0-1, R, 4 walks (283/389/560)
Johan Limonta: 2-4, 2 RBI, K (301/374/522)
Jeff Dominguez: 2-5, RBI, K (216/280/284)
AAA: Tacoma 4, Tucson 3
TAC: 64-55... TUC: 51-68
(League: 276/347/442... 4.83 ERA)
Ryan Feierabend: 6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, walk (12 GS, 2.11 ERA, 72.2 IP, 5 HR, 14/47 BB/K)
Jorge Sosa: 2.1 IP, walk, K (22 app, 3.14 ERA, 28.2 IP, 5 HR, 14/31 BB/K)
Matt Tuiasosopo: 2-4, solo HR, K (274/358/438)
Shawn Garrett: 2-4, RBI (298/326/442)
Luis Valbuena: 2-3, double, 2 RBI, walk, SB (256/348/355)