Chihuahuas 6, Las Vegas Aviators 5
Key Stats: 2B Matthew Batten 3-for-5, 2 R; 1B Taylor Kohlwey 3-for-5, 2B; RF Trayce Thompson 2-for-4, HR (8), 2B, IBB; LHP Aaron Leasher 4.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 6 K, 1 BB, 2 HBP; RHP Wen-Hua Sung 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 K, 2 BB, WP; LHP Ian Krol (S, 2) 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K
Prospect Watch: Outfielder Trayce Thompson continued his scorching start to the year, clubbing his eighth home run of the year in the seventh inning to cap the Chihuahuas’ scoring and help the club to a series split on the road. Thompson, who’d already collected a double earlier in the game, turned around a 91 mph fastball for his fourth homer in the series at offense-friendly Las Vegas Ballpark, moving into a tie for the league lead. He sports a .327/.400/.865 line with a solid 15:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first season with the organization. … Matt Batten and Taylor Kohlwey added three hits each, as Kohlwey mixed in a double. While his .283 average and .400 slugging percentage are very close to his career line, thanks to 12 walks in 72 plate appearances, the 27-year-old from Wisconsin is reaching base as a career-best .403 clip. … Aaron Leasher was uncharacteristically wild on Sunday, throwing just 44 of his 71 pitches for strikes without getting through the fifth inning. The lefty worked up to 94 with his fastball, but his slider was his most effective pitch on the day. Vegas hitters managed to put just 2 of the 22 breaking balls in play.
Jorge Ona connected on his third homer of the year for San Antonio. (Photo: John Moore)
Missions 7, Amarillo Sod Poodles 4
Key Stats: Esteury Ruiz 2-for-4, R, HBP; DH Tirso Ornelas 2-for-5, 2 RBI; RF Jorge Ona 1-for-5, HR (3); SS Chris Givin 3-for-5, 2B; 3B Connor Hollis 1-for-4, HR (1); RHP Gabe Mosser 4 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 BB; RHP Moises Lugo 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K, 1 BB
Prospect Watch: Chris Givin led a 13-hit attack for the Missions with a pair of singles and a double, as the club won their second straight to finish their series in the Panhandle. … Outfielder Jorge Ona connected on his third homer of the year but finished the series just 3-for-20 with six strikeouts in four games. … Esteury Ruiz continued to set the table from the top of the Missions lineup, reaching base three more times Sunday. The 23-year-old outfielder is second in the Texas League with a .556 on-base percentage while batting .407. … Infielder Connor Hollis, who signed a minor league deal a day after Tampa Bay released him late in spring training, connected on his first homer in the system. The 27-year-old, who got to Double-A in the Rays organization last year, has played all around the infield for the Missions. … Righty Moises Lugo picked up the win with two scoreless innings of relief. The 23-year-old righty has had a pair of rough outings early, spiking his ERA up to 9.45. He’s fought his command so far, issuing seven walks in 6.2 innings. During his late-season run with the Missions last year, he allowed eight free passes in 15 innings.
TinCaps 13, Lansing Lugnuts 5
Key Stats: Robert Hassell III 2-for-4, 2B, 2 BB; CF Corey Rosier 2-for-4, BB, SB (6); DH Brandon Valenzuela 2-for-6, 2B, 3 RBI; RF Angel Solarte 3-for-4, BB, SB (2); SS Ripken Reyes 2-for-3, BB; LHP Danny Denz 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 1BB; RHP Seth Mayberry 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB
Danny Denz started Sunday’s game for Fort Wayne. (Photo: Jeff Nycz).
Prospect Watch: Seven different TinCaps hitters collected multiple hits as the club finished off a convincing 5-1 series win on the road. Robert Hassell III reached base four more times with a pair of singles and two walks, pushing his OBP to .455. The 20-year-old center fielder has reached base safely in each of his 15 games this year and has struck out just nine times in 66 trips to the plate. … Joshua Mears was hit on the hand by a pitch in the first inning and left the game in obvious discomfort. There was no immediate update on his status after the game, and likely won’t be on the club’s day off. Corey Rosier came off the bench to fill in for the big man and collected two hits and a walk while scoring four times. It was just Rosier’s second multi-hit game of the year, but he continues to reach base at a torrid .424 rate thanks to 16 walks in 66 plate appearances. … Angel Solarte got untracked with three hits and a stolen base Sunday. With the headliners in the outfield, the 21-year-old flies a bit under the radar with Fort Wayne, but he’s a solid prospect in his own right. The Venezuela native got off to a slow start, but has now hit in three straight games.
Storm 6, Fresno Grizzlies 1 (Game 1)
Key Stats: CF James Wood 3-for-4, SB (2), CS (1); SS Jackson Merrill 1-for-2, BB, Sac; DH Lucas Dunn 2-for-3, BB, CS (1); RHP Victor Lizarraga 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 K 0 BB
Storm 6, Fresno Grizzlies 2 (Game 2 F/8)
James Wood had four hits on Sunday. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza).
Key Stats: DH James Wood 1-for-4, 2B; 3B Marcos Castanon 2-for-3, HBP; C Jared Alvarez-Lopez 1-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI; 2 BB; 1B Lucas Dunn 1-for-3, 2B, BB; LHP Jesus Gonzalez 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 K, 1 BB
Prospect Watch: The Storm rode stellar pitching to a sweep of the double-header and a series win over the Rockies’ Low-A affiliate. In the opener, South Bay native Victor Lizarraga worked a season-high 5.2 innings of one run ball, striking out six along the way. After three starts, the 18-year-old sports a 2.03 ERA with a 13:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 13.1 innings. … In Game 2, lefty Jesus Gonzalez was even more impressive, allowing just three singles over five innings. The 20-year-old from Venezuela has walked five and struck out only three in his 13 innings of work this year, but gets a ton of ground balls and is holding opponents to a .208 average. … James Wood continues to show no ill effects of the wrist soreness that kept him out of action. The lefty had three hits and a stolen base in the opener and added a double in the nightcap. Through six games, the 19-year-old from Maryland now sports a cool .435/.536/.913 line.
