MacKenzie Gore delivers for the TinCaps. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Monday was a light night, as the top three levels in the system all had the night off. There was plenty of action in the lower half of the system, with the AZL teams playing three games.
Chihuahuas: El Paso had Monday night off.
Missions: The Missions had Monday off as well.
Storm: The Storm also had Monday night off.
Lansing Lugnuts 5, TinCaps 4
Key Statistics: RF-LF Jack Suwinski, 2-for-4, R, 3B; C Jalen Washington, 2-for-4, RBI; CF Aldemar Burgos, 1-for-3, R, HR (1), RBI; LHP MacKenzie Gore, 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; LHP Danny Sexton, 3 IP, BB, K.
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps had an early 4-1 lead in this one but ultimately lost on the road in Lansing. … CF Aldemar Burgos connected on his first homer as a TinCap, a moon-shot to deep left in the second inning. The 21-year-old outfielder had his first sustained professional success this season in Tri-City but has struggled as a TinCap. The former 8th-rounder is hitting just .155/.222/.224 in 62 plate appearances with Fort Wayne. … LHP MacKenzie Gore started and showed flashes, but struggled with command throughout. Gore was touching 98 mph with his fastball and didn’t throw many off-speed pitches. He also uncorked four wild pitches in 3.2 innings and gave up a pair of homers that were crushed. While Gore’s ERA is underwhelming at 4.45, he still has shown fantastic stuff and has had no problem missing bats. It’s easy to forget that he is just 19. … LHP Danny Sexton, a former undrafted free agent out of Wright State, threw three scoreless innings, walking just one. Sexton started in the year in the AZL, made one appearance in San Antonio and has looked good in a limited run with the TinCaps. He has not allowed a run in 6.1 innings with Fort Wayne in 2018.
Dust Devils 10, Vancouver Canadians 2
Key Statistics: SS Xavier Edwards, 1-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB; CF Grant Little, 2-for-5, R; 1B Justin Paulsen, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, 2 RBI; RF Tre Carter, 1-for-2, BB, 3 RBI; RHP Adrian Martinez (W, 3-4) 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 10 K; RHP Cole Bellinger (S, 1) 3 IP, 3 BB, 2 K.
Prospect Watch: The Dust Devils got the win, scoring two runs via a wild pitch and another on a balk. They only had eight hits. … CF Grant Little had a pair of singles and scored a run Monday night. Little has back-to-back multi-hit games and is hitting .289 over his last ten games. This year’s second competitive balance pick hasn’t shown a ton of power but he has shown a good eye at the plate and speed on the base paths. … RHP Adrian Martinez notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in the Dust Devils victory. Martinez scattered seven hits over six innings, allowing a pair of earned runs, Martinez, 21, started the year in the Fort Wayne bullpen and was bumped down to Tri-City after struggling mightily in Low-A. Martinez has been solid in his last two outings, allowing just the two earned runs over 11 innings.
AZL Dodgers 11, AZL Padres-1 6
Key Statistics: CF Jawuan Harris, 3-for-5, 2 2B; 2B Lee Solomon, 2-for-4, R; RF Agustin Ruiz, 2-for-4, 2 R; LF Jaquez Williams, 2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB; C Gilberto Vizcarra, 1-for-4, R, HR (2), 4 RBI; RHP Jeferson Garcia, 3 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 BB, 3 K; RHP Dalton Erb (L, 1-3) 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 K; RHP Tom Colletti, IP, 2 H, K.
AZL Indians-1 2, AZL Padres-2 0 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: 3B Elvis Sabala, 3-for-3; LF Mason House, 1-for-2, BB; RHP Jean Cosme (L, 1-2) 3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 K; LHP Gabriel Morales, 4 IP, H, 2 BB, 4 K.
AZL Indians-1 1, AZL Padres-2 0 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: 3B Elvis Sabala, 1-for-2, BB; LHP Trent Shelton, 4 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 5 K; RHP Mason Fox, 2 IP, H, 3 K.
Prospect Watch: Three games in the AZL and they were all losses for the organization. The AZL Padres-2 played a doubleheader to make up a previously postponed game. … CF Jawuan Harris tied a career-high with three hits, including two doubles Monday night. Harris, who played baseball and football at Rutgers University, was a seventh-round pick in June’s draft. While he hasn’t shown a ton with the bat, he is a tremendous athlete with good speed. While he’s stolen 14 bases in the AZL, he was picked off twice Monday and was thrown out attempting a stolen base. … RHP Jean Cosme went three innings and took the loss, as he allowed a pair of earned runs in three innings. Cosme is still working his way back from Tommy John and time seems to be running out for him to get to an affiliate this season. He seems like a good bet to get some innings when instructs ramp up in September. … Second baseman Lee Solomon had two hits Monday, as the 25th-rounder out of Lipscomb continues to hit. Solomon has seven multi-hit games in his last ten. Solomon’s .981 OPS leads the Arizona League and he is fourth with a .326 batting average.
