Omaha Storm Chasers 6 – Chihuahuas 5
Key Stats: RHP Walker Lockett 6 IP, 7 K, 2 ER, BB, 4 H; 3B Luis Urias 0-3, 2 BB, 2 K; 2B Carlos Asuaje 0-4, K, E; SS Javey Guerra 0-4, 3 K; CF Austin Bousfield 2-4, 2 R; C Brett Nicholas 0-3, R, BB, K; 1B Allen Craig 1-3, R, RBI, BB, 2 K
Prospect Watch: After his Major League debut last week, Walker Lockett rejoined the Chihuahuas and put up his most complete start of the season, striking out seven and walking just one hitter. It marks just the second time this season that he’s struck out more than five without walking multiple players. …Luis Urias, who struggled to the tune of a .239 average in the month of May, continued his struggles at the plate, going 0-3 with a pair of strikeouts. This drops his June batting average to a miserable .143 over six games. Nevertheless, Urias has managed to walk at a high clip despite some elevated strikeout numbers by his standards. … Colten Brewer and Kaz Makita both struggled out of the bullpen. Makita took the loss, giving up two runs in the bottom of the ninth after the Chihuahuas had rallied to take the lead in the top half of the inning. He hadn’t allowed a hit in his first three Triple-A outings.
Midland RockHounds 8 – Missions 2
Key Stats: SP Jerry Keel 6 IP, 3 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 7 H; SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, 0 K; LF Josh Naylor 0-4, K; C Austin Allen 1-4, E, CF Michael Gettys 0-2, BB, CS; DH Matthew Batten 1-2, R, BB, K
Prospect Watch: In the top of the seventh with one man on base, Fernando Tatis Jr. swung at a 3-0 fastball, crushing it for a home run to left center field. The homer was Tatis’ eleventh of the season and eighth since May 1, putting him on pace to eclipse last season’s home run total of 22. Tatis posted no strikeouts for the fourth time in five games. … With just four hits on the day as a team, the Missions didn’t make much noise the rest of the games, putting on only one baserunner, Ty France with a single in the ninth, over the final three frames. … Austin Allen has a modest six game hitting streak going following his lone hit of the night, a soft fly ball to right field. He’s now slashing a stellar .329/.382/.594 on the year.
Inland Empire 66ers 6 – Storm 5
Key Stats: SP Pedro Avila 7 IP, 6 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 8 H; LF Buddy Reed 0-3, 2 K, 2 BB, SB; 2B Eguy Rosario 1-5, 2 RBI, 3 K; CF Edward Olivares 1-4, R, 3B, SB; 3B Hudson Potts 1-4, BB; 1B Brad Zunica 2-4, 3B
Prospect Watch: With another stolen base Thursday, Buddy Reed brought his season tally to 27, already 15 more than he swiped all of last season. While he brought a 68% percent career success rate into the season, the 23-year-old outfielder has converted 84% of his attempts this year. With 74 hits, Reed has already matched his season total at Fort Wayne last season. …For the second straight year, Pedro Avila has run into trouble at Lake Elsinore. After four straight solid starts, the 21-year-old allowed six earned runs on eight hits Thursday. After he posted a 4.98 ERA in 10 outings for the Storm last year, he was demoted to Fort Wayne, where he dominated with 117 strikeouts in 85.2 innings with a 3.05 ERA. He hasn’t been able to carry that forward to his second stint at High-A. While he’s pitching deeper into games and shaved most of a run off his ERA for Elsinore this time around, his strikeout rate is down and his walk rate is up as he works to pitch off his fastball more consistently so that his downer curve can play up.
South Bend Cubs 6 – TinCaps 1
Key Stats: SP Tom Cosgrove 6 IP, 6 K, BB, 3 ER, 5 H; LF Robbie Podorsky 1-4, RBI, CF Jeisson Rosario 2-4, K; 3B Esteury Ruiz 1-4, K; RF Tirso Ornelas 0-3, 2 K, HBP; 2B Justin Lopez 0-4, 2 K; SS Gabriel Arias 0-4, R, K
Prospect Watch: After being no-hit yesterday, the TinCaps squelched that streak quickly as Jeisson Rosario hit a hard grounder just out of the first baseman’s reach for a first inning single. It was the first of two hits for Rosario, who has three multi-hit games in the last five but has only walked once in the last ten. His slash line on the year has dropped to .275/.398/.333. While power is never going to be his calling card, the 18-year-old should flash more as he continues to acclimate to the game and adds some muscle to his whippy strength. … Entering Wednesday’s no-hitter, Tirso Ornelas had hit in eight straight games. He’s now taken an 0-for-3 in two straight and struck out three times. … Esteury Ruiz, the MVP of the Arizona League last season, has been sputtering through five games in June, with only three hits in 22 at bats. His line away from Parkview Field is a miserable .217/.291/.368, while his numbers at home are a much more respectable .286/.375/.451. Given his success last season, it is easy to forget that Esteury Ruiz is still young for the level at only 19.
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