Minor League Highlights for Friday, May 30
Tacoma 4, Fresno 3. LHP Troy Cate, up from Inland Empire to make a spot start in place of the injured Ken Cloude, pitched very well in his AAA debut (5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) and was rewarded with a victory. Offensively, two players who have struggled mightily this season — DH Kenny Kelly and 1B Craig Kuzmic — each had three hits to pace a 13-hit Rainiers attack. Both Kelly and Kuzmic were a triple away from hitting for the cycle. LF Jalal Leach added his 4th homer of the year, and RHP Aaron Taylor (1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) picked up his 12th save while lowering his ERA to 2.36 on the season.
San Antonio 8, Arkansas 4. This one was a pitcher’s duel early, but wound up a slugfest. Arkansas got to RHP Rett Johnson (6 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) two runs in the top of the 1st, but he settled down after that. Meanwhile, the Missions were held scoreless until the bottom of the 7th, when they scored a pair of runs to tie. They added a lone run in the 8th to take a 3-2 lead, but gave that lead right back in the top of the 9th to trail 4-3. Then things got REALLY interesting. After scoring a run in their half of the 9th to tie things up, 3B Justin Leone stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and sent everyone home happy with a walk-off grand slam. It was Leone’s only hit of the game, and his 10th homer of the year.
Rancho Cucamonga 5, Inland Empire 4. LHP Ryan Ketcher pitched well (7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K) and left the game with a 4-3 lead, but LHP Jared Thomas (1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) allowed a pair of runs in the 8th and took the loss. Offensively, 1B John Castellano and SS Eddie Menchaca each had a pair of hits and 2B Ismael Castro hit his 3rd homer of the year.
Wisconsin‘s game with West Michigan was rained out Friday, and will be made up with a doubleheader on Sunday.