04-14-2022 – MiLB Summary by Jeff Dominique

El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres) 7 – OKC Dodgers 5

After a 5-1 start, the AAA affiliate has now lost 3 in a row. After allowing one unearned run in 4.0 IP in his first start, Beau Burrows was rudely greeted by leadoff hitter Eguy Rosario slugged his first HR of the season.  The HR was followed by singles from Luis Campusano and Taylor Kohlwey.  After a ground out, Aderlin Rodriguez hit a 3-run bomb for his 2^nd of the year, and a 4-0 lead after 5 batters.  Burrows settled in for nothing else allowed in 4.2 IP; 74 pitches/41 strikes.

However the Dodgers were shut out in 5.0 innings on 3 hits.  The Dodgers scored an unearned run in the 6^th on a 2 out walk (Kevin Pillar), a catcher throwing error trying to pick off the runner, and a run-scoring single by Ryan Noda.

But the Dodgers got off the floor in the 8^th.  With one out, Miguel Vargas walked.  After Jake Lamb K’d for out number 2, Pillar was HBP, Ryan Noda walked, and Jason Martin walked to bring in the first run.  That brought up Tomás Telis who cleared the bases with a single and fielding error, and the Dodgers took a 5-4 lead.

Meanwhile, Sam Gaviglio worked a scoreless 6-7-8 inning.  He allowed a leadoff single and walk in the 9^th, struck out Nomar Mazara, and was relieved by Reyes Moronta.  On Moronta’s 3d pitch, Aderlin Rodriguez hit his 2^nd 3-run HR of the night, and the Chihuahuas had a walk off 7-5 win.

The Dodgers had a total of five hits on the night (all singles), three by Telis.

Box Score

Amarillo Sod Poodles (Arizona) 7 – Tulsa Drillers 4

The Drillers were the first team to draw blood, as they coerced a Michael Busch walk, a Andy Pages HBP, and a Justin Yurchak single, the Drillers had a 1-0 lead.

The lead was short-lived as Gus Varland had a very rough 3^rd inning.  The first four batters got on base and scored.  Walk, single, run scoring single, 2-run double, and Varland was done.  Tanner Dodson relieved Varland and issued a WP putting a runner on 3^rd with one out.  The fourth run scored on ground out, and the Sod Poodles had a 4-1 lead after 4.

Dodson pitched a scoreless 5^th and Zac Plunkett came on in relief in the 6^th.  After two quick outs, Plunkett allowed a single, he then surrendered a HR to Nick Dalesandro (1), and the lead increased to 6-1 after 6.

Tulsa started to fight back and got one back in the 8^th with a one out single by Mike Busch and a two out double by Justin Yurchak.  The in the 9^th, Ryan Ward led off with a HR (1), And then the Drillers had a look.  After one out, Kody Hoese singled.  After the second out, James Outman walked, Michael Busch singled in Hoese for the second run.  After a walk to Pages to load the bases, Justin Yurchak strode to the plate looking for a walk off XBH.  Instead he popped out to 3B in foul territory to end the comeback.

Tulsa had 8 hits on the night with Busch and Yurchak getting two apiece.  Tanner Dodson was the only Driller pitcher to not allow a run, but he did give up one hit and 2 walks in his 2.0 IP.

After a nice start to the season, Andy Pages has hit a rough patch going 1 for his last 11.  Pages is too good of a hitter to stay in this slump for an extended period.

Box Score

Great Lakes Loons 2 – Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals) 5

First game of the night has come to an end with the Loons losing to the Peoria Chiefs 5-2.  The Loons were first on the board in the second when Imanol Vargas was HBP, and came home to score on a Zac Ching double (1).

With Kyle Hurt on the mound, the Chiefs answered with a pair in their half of the 2^nd.  After a walk and single put runners on 1^st and 3^rd with no outs. Hurt threw a WP and one run scored and the runner moved up to 2^nd.  An infield single put runners on 1^st and 3^rd with one out.  The second run scored on a sac fly.  After 42 pitches (21 strikes), Hurt was gone after 1.2 IP.  Jordan Leasure came in to end the inning.

The Loons knotted the score with one in the 4^th.  Zac Ching singled with one out and moved to 3^rd on a Kekai Rios double.  Jonny DeLuca put the bat on the ball and hit a soft grounder to 3B that scored Ching with the tying run.

The teams traded zeros until the bottom half of the 7^th.  With Jose Hernandez pitching his second inning, he allowed a leadoff double by Noah Mendlinger.  After a strike out, Masyn Winn tripled him home.  Aaron Antonini singled home Wynn.  After a passed ball, Antonini scored on a single.  Three runs across and after 7 innings, the Chiefs had a 5-2 lead.

The Loons could not answer, and suffered the 5-2 loss.  The Loons had six hits on the night with Ismael Alcantara and Zac Ching having two hits apiece.  LHRP, Julian Smith, was the most effective pitcher on the night.  He allowed 2 baserunners via BB and recorded 4 Ks in 2.0 IP.  Cole Duensing had a 1-2-3 9th with a K.

Who would have thought it?  The two 40 man roster players on the A+ Loons have had a very rough start.  Over their first 6 games, Eddys Leonard is 0-15 and Jorbit Vivas is 2-16.  One of the areas development people and scouts want to see is how players respond to slumps.  These two are talented hitters, and should come out of it soon enough.

Box Score

Inland Empire 66ers (LAA) 4 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5

21-year-old RHP, Kendall Williams, who was acquired from Toronto in the Ross Stripling trade, was the starting pitcher.  After a scoreless first two innings, Kendall allowed a pair of singles, a force out put runners on 1^st and 3^rd with 2 outs.  Unfortunately, Kendall unleashed a WP and a run scored, giving the 66ers a 1-0 lead.

Down 1-0 in the 5^th, Williams allowed a leadoff single to Vojtech Mensik who stole 2^nd.  After a strikeout and ground out, Mensik was on 3^rd with 2 outs.  He got what he wanted, a ground ball to get out of the inning.  However, Yanel Luis Diaz misplayed the grounder for an error, and the run scored. After 68 pitches/49 strikes Williams was sent to the showers. Octavio Becera came on in relief to get the final out of the 5^th inning.

Diego got things started in the home half of the 5^th with the first of three straight walks (Alex De Jesus and Damon Keith) to load the bases.  Yunior Garcia stroked a one out single to score both Cartaya and De Jesus to tie the game at 2-2.  After a strikeout, Julio Carrion singled to score Keith giving the Quakes their first lead.  Finally Kenneth Betancourt singled to score Garcia, and the Quakes went into the 6^th with a 4-2 lead.

Unfortunately, Inland Empire did not go away.  Ronan Kopp relieved Becera in the 7^th.  He got the 1^st out of the inning, but hit Starlin Gill with a pitch.  Kopp had a WP and recorded a K for the 2^nd out.  After a passed ball by Cartaya, Kopp unleashed his second WP of the inning, and the 66ers cut the lead to 1.

Carlos De Los Santos relieved Kopp in the 8^th with one out and 2 inherited runners.  De Los Santos got out of the inning stranding both inherited runners.  But the 9^th was a different story.  He allowed a leadoff single to Werner Blakely who then stole 2^nd.  After a ground out, Blakely moved to 3^rd, and scored on an Arol Vera single to tie the score.

In the bottom of the 9^th, Julio Carrion had a one out double, but got thrown out when trying to go to third on a ground ball.

In the 10^th, Ben Harris had the ghost runner on 2^nd, but left him there with 3 K’s on 11 pitches.

In the Quakes half of the 10^th, speedster Jake Vogel was the ghost runner, and Diego Cartaya due up.  Diego was promptly intentionally walked.  Alex De Jesus struck out for the first out.  No matter.  Burgeoning star Damon Keith came to the plate, and on a 1-1 pitch lined a single to left and Vogel raced home with the walk off win.

The Quakes had eight hits on the night. Damon Keith reached base all five PA with  three hits and two walks.  Julio Carrion had 2 hits.  How long before the 21-year-old OF, Damon Keith, gets the promotion to Great Lakes.  In 22 ABs, Damon is hitting .591/.719/1.000/1.719.

With the win, the Quakes move to 4-2.

Box Score

The @Dodgers got a 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 one in Damon Keith. #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/4bC1Vd5A4a

— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) July 13, 2021