Chihuahuas 7 Salt Lake Bees 5
Key Statistics: LF Michael Gettys 2-for-4, 2 HR (8), BB, K, 3 RBI; SS Luis Urías 1-for-5, 2B, 2 K; RF Josh Naylor 1-for-4, 2B; DH Austin Allen 0-4, K; 2B Esteban Quiroz 1-for-4, RBI, 2 R, 2 K; CF Boog Powell 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R, K; SP Jerry Keel 4.1 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K; RP Gerardo Reyes (SV, 1) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, K
Prospect Watch: Michael Gettys hit homers in the first and second innings, helping the Chihuahuas get out to a quick 4-0 lead. One was a bit of a wall-scraper, but the other was an absolute bomb. It was Gettys’s first multi-homer game since June, 2017, when he was playing in the Cal League. His slugging percentage is now up to .555, which somehow doesn’t crack the top 30 in the current PCL offensive environment. His strikeout rate is still sitting at 35 percent, which is down from earlier in the year. … Jerry Keel pitched well the first two times through the order, allowing just one run on four hits, but ran into trouble on the third go-around. Down 4-1 in the fifth, the Bees plated a run on an error by Esteban Quiroz, before Matt Walsh followed with a three-run dinger. It’s worth noting that Walsh is a lefty, and Keel has had some pretty stark righty/lefty splits in the past. This year, however, lefties (.975 OPS) are hitting better against him than righties (.799 OPS). … After coughing up the lead in the top of the fifth, El Paso stormed back, tying it back up on an RBI single by Quiroz, who came around to score the go-ahead run on a single by catcher Chris Stewart. … Gerardo Reyes retired all six batters he faced in the eighth and ninth to record his first save for the Chihuahuas. The 25-year-old pounded the zone, throwing 17 of his 22 pitches for strikes, with his fastball sitting 92-94 MPH and hitting 95. … Josh Naylor hit his 11th double of the season, putting him into a tie for second in the Pacific Coast League.
Arkansas Travelers 7 Sod Poodles 4
Key Statistics: RF Edward Olivares 3-for-5, 2 K; SS Owen Miller 2-for-5, R; 3B Hudson Potts 2-for-5, R, RBI; DH Kyle Overstreet 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI; CF Rodrigo Orozco 0-for-5, K; SP Jesse Scholtens (L, 1-1) 5.1 IP, 6 R, 5 ER, 9 H, BB, 7 K
Prospect Watch: Our own John Conniff braved a two-hour rain delay in the Panhandle to bring you an update on the Soddies and would be personally offended if you didn’t read it here.
Lancaster Jethawks 6 Storm 3
Key Statistics: DH Esteury Ruiz 1-for-3, HR (2), 3 RBI; C Luis Campusano 1-for-4; 1B Taylor Kohlwey 3-for-4, RBI; 2B Olivier Basabe 1-for-4, 2B, R, 2 K; RF Tirso Ornelas 1-for-3, BB; LHSP Tom Cosgrove (L, 1-4) 5 IP, 6 R, 4 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 6 K
Prospect Watch: The bullpen duo of Nick Kuzia and Jean Cosme did a good job of putting zeroes on the board, combining to allow just three hits and striking out four in the final three innings. Starter Tom Cosgrove, however, worked under pressure all night, allowing 11 baserunners through the first five innings. The 22-year-old has struck out almost a batter an inning but has struggled to keep runners out of scoring position. Hitters are batting .331 against him on the year. … Luis Campusano hit .439/.510/.635 through the first 11 games of the season, but those numbers have dropped to .329/.410/.482 in a dozen games since he returned from the IL. … Jeisson Rosario was the Storm’s leadoff hitter on Opening Day and had a .368 OBP for Fort Wayne last year. He’s still walking at an impressive 16.7 ruck out percent clip, but his strikeout rate has soared to 30.2 percent this year after he held it to 21.5 percent last season and he’s making far less contact. The left-handed batter has just two hits in his last 42 plate appearances . … After going all of April without a home run, Esteury Ruiz now has two longballs in the first four days of May. This one was on an inside pitch that he turned on quickly and pulled down the left field line. Lancaster is an easy place to collect cheap home runs, but this wasn’t one of them.
Quad Cities River Bandits 10 TinCaps 3
Key Statistics: SS Xavier Edwards 1-for-3, K; 3B-SS Tucupita Marcano 2-for-4, K; LF Grant Little 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB, 2 R; C Juan Fernandez 3-for-4, 2B, R; 1B Lee Solomon 2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, BB, K, SB (9); SP Angel Acevedo (L, 0-4) 4.1 IP, 7 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Prospect Watch: After giving up just four earned runs in 15 innings through his first four outings, TinCaps starter Angel Acevedo has allowed 10 earned runs in two outings that lasted just 7.1 innings. His walk and strikeout rates haven’t changed very much from last year’s short-season results, but he had a rough start on Saturday. In addition to giving up a pair of solo homers in the second, he wasn’t helped by his defense as much as he would’ve liked, as Tucupita Marcano and Xavier Edwards each made errors at the top of an inning that came around to score. … Grant Little knocked his third double of the season, in addition to making a highlight reel diving catch in the outfield and making a putout at second. It was his first base hit since April 25th. … Marcano extended his hitting streak to six games. During that time, he’s raised his batting average from .228 to .301.
