While four of the seven US affiliates were rained out on a very wet Sunday on the East Coast, I spent the first day of my All-Star break in beautiful California sunshine.  At the end of the day, I played in my friends’ softball game which we won big.  Unlike Jose Reyes, I didn’t go deep. 

            Thursday night, the GCL box hadn’t been reported when I wrote sometime around Midnight west coast time.  I missed writing about Philip Humber’s return to the hill, eleven months and three days after his Tommy John procedure.  He gave up three runs on seven hits in four inning of work against the GCL Nationals.  Humber struck out seven and walked one.  It’s a huge first step for the 2004 first-rounder.  He threw 67 pitches and Marty Noble reports that his fb was 91-94. 

            The attached pictures come from Michael McGann of www.Nybaseballcentral.com.  You’ll see Jacob Ruckle looking worried in the first and centerfielder Jesus Gamero swinging and missing in the second.

 

 

Stars of the Day:

AAA:Rain

AA: Rain

A+: Michael Devaney/ Jesus Flores & Enrique Cruz

A: Come again

SSA: Jason Jacobs

R (APP): some other day
R (GCL): Off

 

Norfolk (AAA - International League)

Norfolk, @ Charlotte

            Postponed due to rain.  No makeup date yet. 

 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

Binghamton @ Harrisburg

            Postponed due to rain.  They’ll play two seven inning games Monday.  Mike Pelfrey (3-1, 2.48) throws against the Senator’s Kip Boughnight (3-5, 4.78) in game 1 with Miguel Pinago (1-5, 4.35) taking on Oscar Alvarez (3-4, 4.37) in game two.

 

 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

St. Lucie 8, @ Brevard County 1

            St. Lucie took a 2-0 lead in the third inning and then scored six times in the sixth inning.  The Manatees lone run in the bottom of the sixth came off reliever Edgar Alfonzo.  Michael Devaney (7-3, 1.52) shut out Brevard through the first five innings on six hits and three walks.  He fanned four.

            Jesus Flores (.273/340/.519) hit a two run bomb in the sixth and finished 2-4.  Enrique Cruz (.302/.370/.418) added a 2-5 night with a pair of doubles and 3 runs driven home.  Flores upped his June line to a scary .343/.413/.612 with 6 doubles and 4 HR in 18 games.  He’s improved every month from .197/.260/.394 with 8 doubles and 2 HR in April to (.280/.346/.548) with 7 doubles and 6 HR in May, leading into his torrid June.  It looks like the 21-year old Venezuelan could handle AA to me.

 

Hagerstown (A – South Atlantic League)

Hagerstown @ Lakewood

            Postponed due to rain.  They’ll play two on July 1st. 

 

Brooklyn (SSA – New York Penn League)

Aberdeen 7, Brooklyn 1

            The Iron Birds scored five times in the first inning off Jacob Ruckle who gave up seven runs on 13 in five innings Sunday

            Catcher Jason Jacobs made his first appearance for the Cyclones and was 2-3 with two doubles and a run scored. 

 

Kingsport Mets (R – Appalachian League)

Kingsport Johnson City

            PPD

 

GCL Mets (R – Gulf Coast League

Off.  GCL Marlins come to town tomorrow.