Tirso Ornelas takes a pitch for the TinCaps (Photo: Midsouth ImagesJeff Nycz
With the exception of the Missions, all the affiliates collected a win, which included a dominant offensive barrage by the Storm. Heralded prospect MacKenzie Gore struggled on the mound, but that was not the case for other starters in the system, none of whom allowed more than two earned runs.
Chihuahuas 6, Reno Aces 3
Key Stats: RHP Walker Lockett 7 IP, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 7 H; 2B Luis Urias 2-4, RBI, BB, R, K; C Brett Nicholas 2-5, 3 RBI, K; 1B Allen Craig 3-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, K
Prospect Watch: After suffering through a 1-for-20 stretch with seven strikeouts over the last six games, Luis Urias collected a pair of singles and a walk. His on-base percentage is still at .411. …Similarly, Walker Lockett entered the game amidst a rough patch, allowing at least four earned runs in three consecutive games, but he was solid tonight, striking out five and scattering seven hits over seven innings of play. The big righty has an ERA nearly a run higher than his mark in the PCL last year, but that largely seems to be some bad luck. He’s striking out hitters well above his career rate, but has allowed a BABIP over .380. … Since arriving in a trade with the Rangers, catcher Brett Nicholas has provided a real boost to the Chihuahuas’ offense. The three driven in today’s game pushes his season total to 34 RBI, which is top five in the Pacific Coast League. The 29-year-old has spent the bulk of the last four years in the PCL.
Miguel Diaz had one of his better outings of the year on Monday night. Photo Credit: Grant Wickes.
Corpus Christi Hooks 2, Missions 1
Key Stats: RHP Miguel Diaz 4 IP, 6 K, BB, 2 ER, 2 H; RP Erik Johnson 3 IP, 3 K, 0 ER, SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 0-3, K; LF Josh Naylor 1-4, 2B; 1B Kyle Overstreet 1-4, HR, RBI, R, K; RF Michael Gettys 1-3, SB, 2 K
Prospect Watch: Despite a promising, six strikeout performance by Miguel Diaz, the Missions fell 2-1 to the Corpus Christi Hooks. The two runs given up by Diaz on a homer were the only blemishes on his scorecard as he hammered the zone (41 of his 52 pitches were for strikes) and frequently worked ahead in the count. Additionally, the four innings pitched matched a season-high for the 23-year-old. He’ll be pitching with a 60-pitch maximum through much of the year. … With his double in the fourth, Josh Naylor extended his on-base streak to 24 games. …The lone score for the Missions came on a solo shot by Kyle Overstreet in the final frame; the home run was his seventh of the season. …For just the third time in the last ten games, Fernando Tatis Jr. failed to notch a hit, ending a six-game on-base streak. Nevertheless, he boasts a robust .278/.422/.839 slash line over that ten game period.
Storm 9, Modesto Nuts 1
Key Stats: RHP Reggie Lawson 7 IP, 3 K, 3 BB, 1 ER, 3 H; CF Robbie Podorsky 1-5, 2 K, 3B; LF Buddy Reed 3-5, 2 SB, 3 RBI, R; RF Edward Olivares 1-5, 2 K; C Luis Torrens 3-5, R, RBI, 2 K; DH Jorge Ona 2-5, 3 R, HR, RBI, K, 2B; 1B Brad Zunica 1-4, BB, 2B, 2 K; 2B Eguy Rosario 2-5, 3 RBI, R, 2 K; SS Kelvin Melean 1-4, R, RBI, K; 3B Hudson Potts 0-4, BB, 2 K, R
Prospect Watch: In a dominant performance by the Storm, every hitter in the lineup except Hudson Potts collected a hit and all but two scored a run. Speedsters Eguy Rosario and Buddy Reed drove in three apiece with the latter also swiping two bases to bring his season total to 17. After stealing only 12 in 20 attempts all of last year, Reed has only been caught once so far in 2018. …Righty Reggie Lawson has been lights out this season and tonight was no different. The California native tossed seven innings of one-run ball, striking out three and inducing ten groundouts. For the season, his ERA sits at a stellar 1.95, second in the Cal League. He worked seven innings for just the second time in his career. … After fouling off the first pitch down the middle of the plate in the sixth, Jorge Ona caught it all on the subsequent pitch for his third home run of the season.
TinCaps 5, West Michigan Whitecaps 3
Key Stats: LHP MacKenzie Gore 3 IP, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 6 H; RHP Mason Thompson 4 IP, 6 K, 2 BB, 0 ER, 2 H; CF Jeisson Rosario 1-5, SB, 2 K, R; 3B Esteury Ruiz 2-4, 2 2B, R, RBI, BB, K; RF Tirso Ornelas 1-4, R, BB; C Luis Campusano 2-4, RBI, BB; DH Luis Almanzar 1-4, R, RBI, 2 K; 2B Justin Lopez 2-4
MadFriars’ Travis Barnett was live at Parkview Field to catch two key Padres pitching prospects (includes post-game video of MacKenzie Gore). You can hear from Mason Thompson here.
