Minor League Highlights for Wednesday, April 30
Fresno 2, Tacoma 1. The Rainiers wasted RHP Jeff Heaverlo’s best (and longest) outing of the year (7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K), scoring their only run on a C Pat Borders sac fly in the 1st. Heaverlo left with a 1-0 lead, but RHP Aaron Looper (2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) coughed it up in the top of the 8th and took the loss. 2B Chad Meyers had two of Tacoma’s six hits and also stole a base, and CF Adrian Myers stole two bases and scored the club’s only run.
San Antonio was idle, as the entire Texas League had the day off. The Missions will take their 11-game winning streak to the field today in Wichita, with LHP Travis Blackley getting the start. Also joining the team today is top outfield prospect Chris Snelling, working his way back after last season’s ACL tear. OF Chuck Lopez was released to make room on the roster.
San Jose 8, Inland Empire 7 (10 innings, DH Game 1). Just what you want in the first game of a double dip — extra innings. The two teams were scheduled to play just seven innings, but it took ten to decide this one. LHP Justin Blood (1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) took the loss in relief when he gave up a run in the bottom of the 10th, and starter LHP Jared Thomas was both wild and ineffective in his starting role (2 1/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K). Offensively, the 66ers got three hits from 1B John Castellano and two hits each from LF Shin-soo Choo, CF Greg Jacobs and C Luis Oliveros.
Inland Empire 2, San Jose 1 (DH Game 2). The 66ers came back to take the second game in San Jose behind the strong pitching of RHP Cha Seung Baek (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K). Baek has pitched quite well this season after missing much of the last two years with injuries, and now has a 3.43 ERA and stellar 20:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21 innings. Speaking of stellar strikeout-to-walk ratios, LHP Ryan Ketchner worked the final two innings (0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) to pick up his first save. Ketcher has fanned an eye-popping 33 hitters in 21 1/3 innings — nearly 14 strikeouts per 9 innings — against just three walks. I’m tempted to say they should let him start, but he’s pitching so well out of the pen right now it’s hard to suggest a change.
Wisconsin‘s game against the Clinton LumberKings was cancelled due to heavy rains, putting the Timber Rattlers’ seven-game winning streak on hold for another day. The two teams announced that there would be no makeup game. RHP TA Fullmer gets the start today as Wisconsin takes on Dayton.