Jeisson Rosario can go get it as well as anyone in the system. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Friday was a busy night for MadFriars, as we have on-site coverage from THREE affiliates. Marcus is in Lake Elsinore, John Conniff is in San Antonio, and David Jay is in Spokane, checking out the Dust Devils. Let’s dive in.
Chihuahuas 7, Salt Lake Bees 3
Key Statistics: LF Forrestt Allday, 3-for-3, 2 R, 3B, BB; 2B Luis Urias, 1-for-1, R, 2B, 3 BB; 1B Allen Craig, 2-for-5, R, HR (10), 5 RBI; LHP Jerry Keel (W, 1-0) 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Robert Stock, 2 IP, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: El Paso is 14-3 over their last 17 games and their win over Salt Lake expanded their division lead to three games. … Jerry Keel picked up the victory in his first Triple-A outing, giving up three runs over six solid innings. … Outfielder Forrestt Allday had three hits out of the leadoff spot and drew a walk as well. Allday, 27, has been red-hot in July, hitting .524/.615/1.000, with one strikeout in 23 plate appearances. The former Red Sox draft pick has never showed any power, but has a career .387 on-base percentage in the minor leagues. … Second baseman Luis Urias celebrated his selection to the Futures Game by doubling and drawing three walks. The top prospect has heated up in July, hitting .409/.552/.545 for the month to raise his OPS to .798. … Veteran first baseman Allen Craig hit a grand slam, his tenth homer of the year. While the former All-Star doesn’t have a path to the big leagues currently, he has been productive with El Paso this season, hitting .297/.366/.509.
NW Arkansas 3, Missions 2
Key Statistics: LF Josh Naylor, 2-for-3, 2 BB, RBI; C Austin Allen, 2-for-4, R, HR (16), RBI; 1B Kyle Overstreet, 2-for-4, 2 2B; LHP Logan Allen (L, 8-4) 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K; RHP Eric Yardley, 2 IP, H, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: John Conniff was on hand in San Antonio as the Missions lost a tough one. Read his report here.
Storm 9, Visalia Rawhide 7
Key Statistics: 2B Kelvin Melean, 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI; LF Buddy Reed, 2-for-3, R, 3B, HR (12), RBI; DH Luis Torrens, 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI; C Marcus Greene Jr., 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI; RHP Reggie Lawson, 5 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K; LHP Cody Tyler (W, 1-0) 2 IP, H, K.
Prospect Watch: Marcus Pond was in Lake Elsinore on a ridiculously hot night. Read his game story here.
Bowling Green Hot Rods 6, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: CF Jeisson Rosario, 3-for-5, 2B; LF Robbie Podorsky, 1-for-2, RBI, 3 BB; 1B Nick Feight, 2-for-4; RHP Mason Thompson (L, 6-5) 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 K; LHP Fred Schlichtholz, 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, K.
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps saw their four-game winning streak end at home. … CF Jeisson Rosario had three hits, including a double out of the leadoff spot Friday night. Rosario has only one homer this year, but he has started to find the gaps. He has three doubles in July, after having just five through June. The 18-year-old has great vision at the plate and still has a little room to fill out. … Robbie Podorsky has been the TinCaps’ most valuable player in the second half and the outfielder reached base four times Friday. At 23, Podorsky is one of the older players on the TinCaps roster and he has done nothing but hit and get on-base. in 37 games with Fort Wayne, Podorksy has a wRC+ of 153. … RHP Mason Thompson had a bit of an uneven outing but did manage to tally seven punchouts, without allowing a walk. Thompson has flashed tantalizing stuff but doesn’t exactly have the numbers to show it. In 15 innings since the All-Star break, Thompson has walked three batters while striking out 23.
Dust Devils 7, Spokane Indians 2
Key Statistics: 2B Luke Becker, 2-for-3, RBI, 2 BB; SS Owen Miller, 2-for-5; C Blake Hunt, 2-for-5, R, 2B, RBI; 2B Olivier Basabe, 3-for-5, R, 2B, RBI; RHP Sam Keating (W, 2-2) 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Diomar Lopez, 1.2 IP, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: Tri-City’s offense snapped out of their recent slump and broke a four-game losing streak behind a strong start from Sam Keating. The Padres’ fourth-rounder out of high school in Florida last summer, Keating went into the sixth inning for the first time as a professional, giving up only two hits along the way. The righty struggled a bit with command, walking three, hitting two and uncorking a wild pitch, but has held opponents to a .231 average through his first 17 innings of the year. … Owen Miller was one of four Dust Devils hitters to collect multiple hits on the night. The 21-year-old product of Illinois State has hit in 10 straight and all but three games since the Padres drafted him in third round. He’s hitting .341/.385/.471 with only 12 strikeouts in 88 trips to the plate. … Jordan Guerrero worked another scoreless inning Friday, striking out one. The big righty hasn’t allowed an earned run in seven outings back in the Northwest League.
AZL Brewers 7, AZL Padres-1 3
Key Statistics: 1B Lee Solomon, 2-for-4, R, RBI; 2B Jarryd Dale, 2-for-4, 2B; RF Greg Lambert, 2-for-4, 2B; RHP Edwuin Bencomo, 4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Dalton Erb, (L, 0-1) 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER; RHP Reiss Knehr, IP, H, R, 3 K.
AZL Angels 5, AZL Padres-2 1
Key Statistics: 2B Luis Roman, 2-for-4, R, BB; CF Hunter Jarmon, 3-for-4; RHP Jean Cosme, 2 IP, 2 H, 0R, 3 K; LHP Gabriel Morales, 4 IP, H, 0R, 2 BB, 4 K; RHP Chandler Newman (L, 0-1) 0 IP, 3 ER, 2 BB, HBP
Prospect Watch: It was a rare poor offensive night in the desert as both AZL clubs combined for four runs. … CF Hunter Jarmon tied a career high with three hits. The former Oregon State football star hasn’t hit much but he is a premium athlete who hasn’t gotten a lot of reps in his professional career. … Righty J.C. Cosme put up a pair of scoreless frames for the AZL-2 squad in his second rehab outing. Cosme seems likely to get a few more starts in the desert as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery. … RHP Chandler Newman struggled mightily again, walking two batters and hitting another, without recording an out. The 11th-rounder in 2017 has big velocity but has struggled to find the plate throughout his career. In 2.1 innings this year, he has walked a staggering 13 batters and hit two more. Still, his plus velocity is tantalizing. … Lefty Gabriel Morales continues to impress in his stateside debut. The 19-year-old Venezuelan tossed four scoreless innings Friday and has struck out 10 in 7.2 innings over three outings as he works up to speed for the year.
