Eguy Rosario. (Photo: Joe Alexander)
Round Rock Express 3, Chihuahuas 2 (Suspended, T-5)
Key Stats: 2B Tucupita Marcano 0-for-1, BB, SB (3), R; SS Matthew Batten 2-for-2, SB (3), 2 RBI; RHP Jesse Scholtens 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas trailed Round Rock after four innings before rain brought the game to a halt. The contest will be resumed Monday, then the clubs will play a seven-inning nightcap for the regularly scheduled game. Matthew Batten collected RBI singles in the first and third innings to drive in El Paso’s only runs. The 26-year-old infielder has hit in four straight and seven of eight, pushing his average up more than 50 points to .268. … Jesse Scholtens was coming out to start the fifth inning before the rain came. The righty got off to a strong start in May, but sports a 5.96 ERA this month.
CJ Abrams. (Photo: Joe Alexander)
Frisco RoughRiders 4, Missions 3
Key Stats: 2B CJ Abrams 1-for-2, 2 BB, CS (2); SS Eguy Rosario 3-for-4, 2 HR (6), 3 RBI; LHP Osvaldo Hernandez 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 5 K, 3 BB; RHP Henry Henry 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: Eguy Rosario, playing shortstop for the fourth time this year, clubbed a pair of homers to drive in all three of the Missions’ runs, but the rest of the lineup managed just three more hits as San Antonio dropped their seventh straight contest. Rosario, whose OPS for May was a dreadful .585, has fueled the Missions offense with a .310/.406/.575 this month. If the 21-year-old can keep it up for the next few days, this is shaping up to be the best of his career. While Rosario has always had solid marks playing all around the infield, he’s struggled defensively on the left side of the infield this season, committing four errors in 10 games at shortstop and third. … Osvaldo Hernandez took the loss, giving up three earned runs over five innings. Sunday was a microcosm of the season for the 23-year-old lefty. While he has struck out just over one batter per inning this year, he’s also issued 17 walks in 41.2 innings and when opponents have made contact, it’s been loud. Three of the four hits he gave up Sunday went for extra bases. … Righty Henry Henry closed out the game with 1.2 scoreless innings, bringing his ERA down to 3.18 for the year. The long-limbed 6-foot-4 hurler had one hiccup in an outing against Northwest Arkansas, but has otherwise only allowed only one earned run over the last 15.2 innings, though his strikeout-to-walk ratio over that stretch is just 9:8.
TinCaps 3, South Bend Cubs 2 (F/9; Resumed from 6/26)
Key Stats: Agustin Ruiz 3-for-5, 2B, HR (10), 3 RBI; SS Kelvin Melean 1-for-3, 2 BB; LHP Ethan Elliot 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1 BB; LHP Ramon Perez 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB; RHP Jose Geraldo 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB, S (3)
South Bend Cubs 11, TinCaps 4
Key Stats: 2B Kelvin Melean 2-for-4, 2B, R; SS Justin Lopez 2-for-2, BB, 2 RBI; RHP Matt Waldron 2.2 IP, 5 H, 9 R (3 ER), 2 K, 7 BB, HB
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps relied on five relievers to get through seven innings of the game resumed from Saturday night with a victory, but were blown out in the nightcap as Matt Waldron struggled mightily with command. Ramon Perez worked two frames, striking out three in his second outing since a promotion from Lo-A. The 21-year-old lefty has struck out 38 in 28.2 frames across two the two levels this season, helping him avoid paying a steep price for 21 walks so far. The Cuban hurler has allowed just a .224 opponents’ average this year. … Righty Jose Geraldo picked up his third save in as many chances since his own promotion from Elsinore. Opponents have just two hits in the 22-year-old’s first four innings at High-A. Originally signed two weeks before his 19th birthday, the Dominican right-hander had logged just 23.1 innings in the US prior to this season. … Waldron opened the scheduled game Sunday afternoon, but didn’t have feel for either his knuckleball or more traditional offerings. The righty came into the night having issued only six free passes in his first nine starts, but allowed seven men to reach on balls Sunday. The University of Nebraska product has been working the knuckleball into action more frequently in recent starts. He struggled to locate it Sunday, giving Cubs hitters the chance to lay off. Waldron had gone at least 4.2 innings in each of his starts. … Agustin Ruiz provided all the offense needed in the first game. After collecting an RBI double to get the TinCaps on the board Saturday evening, he blasted a two-run homer well over the right field fence to clinch the victory Sunday. After one more hit in the second contest, the 21-year-old outfielder is hitting .240/.341/.493 on the year. … Kelvin Melean reached base five times in the semi-twinbill, drawing a pair of walks and mixing in two singles and a double. The utility man has reached safely in nine straight games.
Brandon Valenzuela (Photo: Antonio Gonzalez)
Modesto Nuts 5, Storm 1
Key Stats: DH Brandon Valenzuela 1-for-3, 2B (8), BB; RHP Ruben Galindo 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: Lake Elsinore managed just three hits as they dropped their second straight contest. They plated their only run of the game on a two-out double by Brandon Valenzuela in the first inning that drove in Euribiel Angeles. Valenzuela drove in five in the series and is now third on the club with 30 RBIs. The cold bats saddled Ruben Galindo with the loss in his first professional start. The Colombian, signed for $10,000 as an 18-year-old in 2019, but missed the 2019 campaign with an injury. After five outings from the bullpen, Galindo gave up three runs as he three 66 pitches across four innings Sunday.
