Joey Cantillo is rolling in Fort Wayne. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Chihuahuas postponed
Thanks to the joys of Triple-A travel, team equipment didn’t make it to El Paso in time for last night’s game. The Chihuahuas and Tacoma will make up the game as part of a doubleheader Thursday.
Sod Poodles rained out
Heavy rain in Frisco forced a postponement. The clubs will play a doubleheader Thursday.
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Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5 Storm 1
Key Stats: RHP Dinelson Lamet 2.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K; RHP Will Headean 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, K; RHP Elliot Ashbeck 4 IP, 2 H, 5 K
Prospect Watch: The talk in the system was the return of Dinelson Lamet. Lamet started slowly, allowing a run on singles by two of the first three hitters he faced in an official game since the end of the 2017 season. He then struck out five of the next nine batters before leaving with two on and two out in the third (both inherited runners scored). The righty, working back from Tommy John surgery last April, worked his fastball up to the upper-90s as he began the next phase of his rehab. Provided everything goes well, Lamet should be on a 60-pitch limit in his next start, and is on pace for a return at the end of June. … Lefty Will Headean also made his first post-surgery appearance with an affiliate, following Lamet in relief. A 13th round pick out of Illinois State in 2015, he logged 220 strikeouts in 209 innings in a swing role across short-season and Single-A. At 25, the Indiana native will likely work back into a multi-inning relief role. Elliot Ashbeck worked four innings for the first time since way back in 2016, continuing a strong run in which he’s allowed just one run in 13.2 innings. Taken three rounds after Headean, the righty had struggled with control early in the season, but has issued just one walk over his current hot stretch, which has lowered his ERA on the year to 2.03.
TinCaps 1 West Michigan Whitecaps 0 (Game 1)
Key Stats: LHP Joey Cantillo (W, 2-2) 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K; SS Xavier Edwards 0-3, BB; LF Grant Little 1-3, 2B, BB; C Blake Hunt 1-3, RBI
West Michigan Whitecaps 10 TinCaps 1 (Game 2)
Key Stats: RHP Adrian Martinez 2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, K; 2B Xavier Edwards 2-4; 3B Kelvin Melean 1-3, 2B, RBI
Prospect Watch: Blake Hunt’s two-out RBI single in the sixth inning was just enough to give the TinCaps a victory in game one and claim a split of the doubleheader despite a quiet offensive day. A day after, RHP Gabe Mosser became the first TinCaps pitcher to reach 50 strikeouts, LHP Joey Cantillo reached the plateau as well. The Hawaiian now has 52 strikeouts in 38 innings for a 12.32 K/9 rate that’s good for second among all Midwest League pitchers who’ve thrown as many innings as he has. Cantillo has made five straight starts of at least five innings, allowing one run or less, and striking out at least five. Cantillo leads all TinCaps starters with a .184 BAA. … Xavier Edwards saw his week long hitting streak go away in Game 1 of the double header, but quickly recovered with a multi-hit game in the second game. Edwards has hit so well this year that despite reaching base three times in the doubleheader (2-for-7 with a walk), he lowered his on base percentage to .434.
