What else would I do with an off-day in July than go see a baseball game?  Monday, I drove up the 99 to see Fresno host Salt Lake at beautiful Fresno Stadium where it was 98 degrees at first pitch at 7:05 PM.  I was very impressed by Grizzlies Stadium, but now all they need is a few more people at the games. 

            It was a typical AAA game, with retreads alongside prospects, but at least Salt Lake, the Angels affiliate, had a lineup that featured Dallas McPherson, Erick Aybar, Reggie Willits, and Jeff Mathis while the Giants countered with a pair of fleet outfielders in Freddie Lewis and Clay Timpner and infielder Kevin Frandsen.  Neither starter, Steven Shell for the Bees nor Matt Kinney for the Grizzlies was impressive, and the Bees came from behind for a late win.  The best play of the night came courtesy of SS Erick Aybar turning a double play at second where, after gliding across the bag to make a the catch and elude the runner, he spun all the way around to regain his balance, and then fired on to first to beat the batter by a few steps.  It was strong and balletic. 

 

Stars of the Day:

AAA: Sandy Martinez & Lastings Milledge

AA:  Carlos Gomez & Jay Caligiuri

A+: Mike Carp & Corey Coles/Marcelo Perez & Carlos Muniz

A: Bobby Parnell/Will Vogl

SSA: Dustin Martin & Joe Holden

R (APP): Emmanuel Garcia
R (GCL): Zac Clements

 

Norfolk (AAA - International League)

@ Indianapolis 6, Norfolk 5

 

            The Indians got to Yusaku Iriki for six runs in just five innings to raise his ERA to 6.30. 

            Lastings Milledge was 2-5 at the top of the order while Sandy Martinez was 2-3 with a solo HR and 2 RBI, but was thrown out at home in the top of the eighth inning trying to score the tying run.  Michael Tucker added a solo HR of his own. 

 

Binghamton (AA - Eastern League)

@ Trenton 7, Binghamton 0

 

            The Thunder’s Philip Hughes and Binghamton’s four errors were too much for the B-Mets on Monday night.  Hughes allowed just three hits in his five innings while punching out nine.  Trenton put the game away with a five run sixth that made the score 7-0. 

            Jay Caligiuri was 2-4 with a couple of strikeouts and Carlos Gomez extended his hit streak to 10 games with a 2-4 night as well.  Gomez is now hitting .392/.418/.549 in his 14 July games.  He hasn’t drawn a single walk all month, and while that line’s nearly completely batting average driven, it’s still a wonderfully encouraging sign for the 20-year old whose average has increased in every month from .205 to .219 to .250 in April-June. 

            Rich Rundles was hit hard in the loss.

 

St. Lucie (A+ - Florida State League)

@ St. Lucie 6, Jupiter 3

 

            Mike Carp raised his season line to .277/.382/.406 with a 3-5 night that included a double.  St. Lucie pounded out 15 hits.  Corey Coles was 4-5 with a double while Jose Coronado was 2-5 from the top of the order as well.  Caleb Stewart doubled, tripled and drove home three runs in a 3-4 night. 

            Sal Aguilar was the beneficiary of all of that run support, earning his fifth win despite giving up nine hits in 5.2 IP.  Marcelo Perez and Carlos Muniz came in and shut it down after that. 

 

Hagerstown (A – South Atlantic League)

Hagerstown 5, @ Lake County 2

 

            Bobby Parnell ended the Suns losing streak at nine winnings by pitching five one-run innings with seven strikeouts for his fourth victory.  He improved to 4-6 3.92.

            Shortstop Jose Castro was 3-5 with a double while Will Vogl scored three times in a 2-4 night with a double and a walk from the leadoff position.

 

Brooklyn (SSA – New York Penn League)

Brooklyn 6, @ Vermont 4

 

            That’s seven in a row for the Cyclones who haven’t allowed more than four runs in a game since July 7th. Jacob Ruckle was charged with four runs, two earned, in his six innings. 

            At the plate, the top of the lineupe led the charge with leadoff man Dustin Martin providing  a 2-5 day with 2 RBI and Joe Holden, who’s rounding back into form, added a 2-5 night as well.  Timothy Grogan and Jeremy Hambrice added two-hit nights for the usually light-hitting Cyclones. 

 

Kingsport Mets (R – Appalachian League)

@ Pulaski 13, Kingsport 4

 

            Emmanuel Garcia was 3-5 with a double, but it was far from enough as the was the only Met with more than one hit. 

GCL Mets (R – Gulf Coast League)

GCL Mets 5, @ GCL Marlins

 

            The Mets scored five times in the top of the ninth inning to overcome a 1-0 Marlins lead.  Zac Clements, the catcher turned knuckler dealt six innings of three hit ball.