Luis Urias gets out of the box after a hit. (Photo: Grant Wickes)
Fresno Grizzlies 7, Chihuahuas 2
Key Stats: 2B Luis Urias 3-for-3, 2B, BB; DH Allen Craig 2-for-4, 2B; RHP Walker Lockett 6.2IP, 5H, 4ER, 3K, 1BB; RHP Miguel Diaz 2IP, 6H, 3ER, 3K, 3BB, WP, Balk
Prospect Watch: The Grizzlies jumped Walker Lockett for three runs in the top of the first and the Chihuahuas never led. Lockett rallied back nicely, giving up just one more run as he worked into the seventh inning yet again. The 24-year-old righty has given up four or more runs in five of his last seven outings to push his ERA up to 5.16 on the year. While he is inducing more strikeouts than ever before, his walk rate is up as well and opponents are hitting .292 against him. … Luis Urias reached base in all four trips to the plate, collecting a pair of singles, a double and a walk. The 20-year-old subject of plenty of attention from fans of the big league club has uncharacteristically struggled through May, hitting just .239 but continues to sport an on-base percentage north of .400. … Miguel Diaz‘s first appearance after his promotion was a forgettable one. The 23-year-old righty gave up six hits, walked three, and balked in a run in his two innings of work. While the club has had him working as a starter at Double-A, he entered the game mid-inning on Sunday.
Missions 8, Midland RockHounds 5
Key Stats: C Webster Rivas 3-for-4, 3B, HR (1), 3RBI; 2B Pete Van Gansen 2-for-3, HR (2), BB; LF Josh Naylor 2-for-5, 2B; SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-for-5, 2K, SB (5); LHP Logan Allen 6IP, 7H, 3ER, 12K, 2BB
Prospect Watch: Logan Allen, making his last start before his 21st birthday, got off to a rough start before locking in on another strong outing. The lefty gave up a pair of singles and a ground-rule double to surrender two runs in the bottom of the first. He allowed just one more run over the next five innings and struck out a career-high 12 batters in six frames. He now leads the Texas League in innings pitched, averaging just over six innings per start. The 2015 eighth-rounder has struck out a dozen more batters than any other pitcher on the circuit. … Trevor Frank, who was activated from the disabled list after missing the first six weeks of the season with a knee injury, yielded one run in his first inning of work. The righty from El Cajon was a minor league Rule 5 pick prior to last season. … Webster Rivas, signed as a minor league free agent in 2016, came up a double short of the cycle on Sunday afternoon. In very limited action as the backup catcher, the 27-year-old is hitting .348/.375/.500 on the year.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 6, Storm 2
Key Stats: 3B Hudson Potts 1-for-3, 3B, HBP; SS Matt Batten 2-for-2, BB, SB (1); RHP Reggie Lawson 4.2IP, 5H, 3ER, 6K, 4BB, 2WP
Prospect Watch: Reggie Lawson had his shortest outing of the year, giving way with two on and two out in the fifth inning. The 20-year-old righty walked four and threw a pair of wild pitches in looking a bit more like the 2017 version of himself. After allowing only three free passes through his first four outings, he’s issued at least that many in three of his last four starts. He is, nonetheless, second in the Cal League with a 2.38 ERA and opponents are hitting just .213 against him. … The offense was held to only six hits and Hudson Potts, who tripled in the fourth and was hit by a pitch, had the only extra-base hit. While Potts’s average has dropped off this month, he’s drawing walks at a double-digit pace in May and has a robust .273 isolated power mark. … Matthew Batten was the only other Storm hitter to reach base multiple times. The Padres’ 32nd-round pick last year, Batten opened the year in extended spring training but is 10-for-26 since joining the Storm earlier this month.
TinCaps 3, South Bend Cubs 1
Key Stats: 2B Esteury Ruiz 3-for-4, 2B, BB, SB (11), CS (4), E (5); LHP Tom Cosgrove 5.2IP, 5H, 1ER, 5K, 0BB
Prospect Watch: Pushed into service because MacKenzie Gore is once again dealing with blisters on his pitching hand, Tom Cosgrove allowed just one run over 5.2 innings of work. The lefty from Staten Island, New York, didn’t walk anyone for the first time in his eight appearances this year. … Esteury Ruiz is finding his stride this month. The 19-year-old had three hits and a walk on Saturday, pushing his OPS for May up to .983. The key target in last summer’s trade with Kansas City, the Dominican second baseman continues to strike out at a higher clip than we saw last year but is on pace for over 50 extra-base hits and 30-plus stolen bases. He had three of the TinCaps’ five hits on the day.
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