Zach Root Gets Great news with promotion on a mixed night

Some promotions today:

·      LHSP Zach Root to Tulsa

·      CF Jaron Elkins to Great Lakes

·      RHP Joel Cruz to Ontario

·      C Abel Lorenzo to Ontario

Las Vegas Aviators (A’s) 8 – OKC Comets 6 

RHSP Christian Romero was further evidence that the Dodgers just do not have SP at OKC.  He got through 4.1 innings, allowing 5 runs on 6 hits, 4 BB, and 5 K.  The RP has also been questionable.

OKC scored a run in the 1st.  DH Zach Ehrhard hit a 1-out double (20).  LF Ryan Ward walked, and 1B James Tibbs III singled home Ehrhard. 

Tied at 1, with one out in the 2nd, SS Noah Miller singled and C Chuckie Robinson hit a 2-run HR (4).  After a 2nd out in the inning, Ehrhard walked, stole 2nd, and scored on a single by Ward. 

In the 4th, leading 4-2, with one out JTIII doubled (23) and scored on 3B Ryan Fitzgerald’s single. 

Las Vegas tied it up with 3 off Romero in the 5th, with some help from RHRP Chayce McDermott who gave up a 2-run single for the tie. 

OKC took the lead in the 7th on a pair of 2-out BB to Robinson and Ehrhard, and a RBI single by Ward. 

Las Vegas went ahead on 3 walks, two by RHRP José Rodríguez and 1 by RHRP Nick Robertson, pickoff attempt error, WP, a fielder’s choice throwing error, and an infield single. 

LHRP Ronan Kopp walked 2 and gave up a run-scoring single in the 9th for a Las Vegas insurance run.  

·      Zach Ehrhard – 2-3, 3 BB, 2 runs, 2 doubles (20)

·      Ryan Ward – 2-5, 1 BB, 2 RBI

·      James Tibbs III – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (23)

·      Chuckie Robinson – 1-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 2 RBI, HR (4)

·      Doubles – Alek Thomas (9) 

Box Score 

Tulsa Drillers 11 - NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 8 

RHSP Patrick Copen is showing signs of getting out of his funk.  He got through 5.0 IP, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, 2 BB, and 5 K.  The one run was a solo HR to the lead off hitter in the 3rd inning. 

By the 5th inning, every Tulsa batter had at least one hit.  The Drillers put up 3 after the first 3 batters.  LF Josue De Paula drew a BB and moved to 3rd on a double (13) by CF Mike Sirota.  Both runners scored ahead of 1B Jake Gelof and his 18th HR. 

In the 2nd, C Frank Rodriguez walked and scored on 2B Jose Izarra’s first HR of the year. 

In the 4th inning, 3B Taylor Young led off with a double (6) and scored ahead of Rodriguez’s 6th HR.  Later in the inning, with 2 outs, Sirota hit his 8th HR.  After 4 innings, the Drillers led 8-1, and all runs via a HR. 

Tulsa added a run in the 5th inning when Young doubled (7) and scored on a 2-out single by JDP. 

But then the bullpen took over.  In the next two innings three Tulsa relievers combined to allow 7 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks.  In the 6th, RHRP Christian Ruebeck got the first two outs, then a BB, HBP, and RBI single and LHRP Evan Shaw was summoned to get the final out. 

In the 7th with Shaw returning to the mound, the Naturals scored 6.  He gave up a leadoff double, and a 1-out BB.  After two singles, Shaw was replaced by LHRP Christian Suarez.  Suarez struck out the 1st batter he faced.  That was followed by a 2 run double.  That was followed by a run-scoring triple, and that batter scored on a WP. 

In the bottom of the 7th, Tulsa got two back.  Young led off with a single and scored on Rodriguez’s double (6).  After two Ks, the pitcher unleased a WP to move Rodriguez to 3rd, and another WP to score Rodriguez. 

RHRP Carson Hobbs entered in the 8th.  He pitched two scoreless frames with a BB and 5 Ks for the save, his 1st. 

·      Mike Sirota – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double (13), HR (8)

·      Jake Gelof – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 1 run, 3 RBI, double (15), HR (18)

·      Taylor Young – 3-5, 3 RBI, 2 doubles (7)

·      Frank Rodriguez – 2-3, 1 BB, 3 runs, 1 RBI, HR (6)

·      Jose Izarra – 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (1)

Box Score 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (San Diego) 5 – Great Lakes Loons 2 

The numbers are not flattering, but RHSP Isaac Ayon did not pitch badly against Fort Wayne.  He did allow a pair of 2 run HRs, but in between he was very good.  In the 1st, a batter reached on an error, and the next batter homered.  

Ayon set the Tin Caps down in order in the 2nd, and pitched to a minimum in the 3rd, thanks to a GIDP after a BB.  In the 4th, he allowed a single, got two outs and then a 2-run HR.  In the 5th, he got the first two outs, with the next batter reaching 1st on an error.  Ayon got the final out. 

In the 5th, Ayon walked the first batter and the next batter reached on an error (3rd of the game for GL) with the lead runner getting to 3rd.  He got the next two batters on pop ups and was then lifted for LHRP Justin Chambers.  Chambers gave up a run scoring single to the first batter he faced.  The run was unearned and was charged to Ayon. 

RHRP Dilan Figueredo pitched a scoreless 8th and 9th. 

The Loons did not mount a lot of offense.  In the 6th, C Gio Cueto singled and CF Charles Davalan hit another HR (17).  The team had 7 singles and the 1 HR for their 8 hits.  

It sure would be nice to see what Davalan can do at AA. 

We are going to get to see what LHSP Zach Root can do at AA as he was promoted today. 

·      Charles Davalan – 2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (17)

·      Eduardo Quintero – 2-4 

Box Score 

Ontario Tower Buzzers 7 – Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 6 

Ontario got some excellent high leverage relief from RHRP Dailoui Abad over the last two scoreless innings.  That allowed Ontario to come back and get the walk off with 3 in the last two innings.  

Ontario scored a run in each of the first three innings, taking a 3-0 lead.  In the 1st, CF Mairo Martinus led off with a double (24), and with 2 outs, 1B Easton Shelton hit a run scoring double (24). 

In the 2nd 3B Oswaldo Osorio drew a 1-out BB, moved to 2nd on a PB, and scored on a single from C Francisco Espinoza.  

RHSP Joel Cruz pitched 4.2 scoreless innings.  With 2 out in the 5th, he gave up a single and run scoring double.  He left after 5.0 innings leading 3-1.  

In the 6th, LHRP Peter Bonilla relieved Cruz.  He walked the first three batters and then served up a grand slam HR. Bonilla hit the next batter and then got a strike em out - throw em out DP.  He walked 2 more before ending the inning. 

RHRP Josehp Marte gave up an unearned run in the 7th. 

Ontario started their comeback in the 7th when DH Kellon Lindsey tripled (3) and scored on a WP. 

They got closer in the 8th when three consecutive singles from SS Joendry Vargas, LF Brendan Tunink, and Osorio scored Vargas. 

In the 9th, 2B Javier Herrera singled.  Herrera scored on a double (25) from Martinus, his second of the game.  Lindsey walked, and both runners moved up on a WP.  RF Ching-Hsien Ko was IBB to load the bases.  Martinus would score the walkoff run on a WP. 

·      Mairoshendrick Martinus – 2-5, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 doubles (25)

·      Joendry Vargas – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (23)

·      Oswaldo Osorio – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI

·      Francisco Espinoza – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI

·      Javier Herrera – 2-4, 1 run

·      Doubles – Easton Shelton (24)

·      Triples – Kellon Lindsey (3) 

Jarron Elkins promoted to Great Lakes. 

Box Score