Minor League Report: Monday 6/22

Going to try and post these often....these are from the Indians:

COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (AAA)

Yesterday: Game 1 – Columbus dropped the first half of the twin bill, 4-3, to Syracuse…The Clippers took a 2-0 lead with a 2B TONY GRAFFANINO 2-run single in the fifth but gave up four unearned runs in the bottom half…Columbus got to within one as RF ROB MACKOWIAK drove in a run with a grounder in the sixth…RHP KIRK SAARLOOS went five, giving up four unearned runs on 10 hits. Game 2 – Unable to stop Syracuse, Columbus dropped the nightcap, 7-1…SS NIUMAN ROMERO took advantage of a second inning error by driving in a run…Columbus allowed seven unanswered runs after the second inning…LHP CHUCK LOFGREN allowed two runs on two hits through four innings.

News & Notes: OF JORDAN BROWN has hit safely in seven of his last eight, going 11-for-31 (.355) with 3 2B, HR, 3 RBI…In 19 June games, OF/INF MATT LaPORTA is 22-for-72 with 3 2B, 3HR and 11RBI…In the 19 games, he’s reached base safely in 17 of them…RHP VINNIE CHULK has had six straight scoreless outings (5.1IP) and in 12 of 13 games, he hasn’t allowed an ER (14.0IP, 13H, 3R/1ER, 3BB, 11K)…RHP MASA KOBAYASHI hasn’t allowed a R in each of his last five games (5.0IP) and has yielded just three in 10G (11.0IP, 14H, 3R/ER)…RHP KIRK SAARLOOS has dropped five straight decisions with a 7.22ERA (23.2IP, 41H, 27R/19ER)…Saarloos hasn’t gotten much help from the bats with Columbus scoring just five runs when he is in the game and being outscored 32-9 in his losses.

Tonight at Syracuse, 7:05 pm RHP Jack Cassel (5-5, 5.75) vs. RHP Garrett Mock (1-1, 5.73)

Probable Rotation: LHP Zach Jackson @ ROC, RHP Ken Ray @ ROC, RHP Kirk Saarloos @ ROC

AKRON AEROS (AA)

Yesterday: Akron completed the four-game sweep of the Portland Sea Dogs yesterday with a 4-0 shutout…3B JARED GOEDERT drove in Akron’s first two runs, RBI doubles in the second and fourth inning…DH MATT McBRIDE drove in a pair of insurance runs in the seventh when he hit a two-run single with the bases loaded…RHP CARLTON SMITH got the win (4-0), throwing two shutout innings in relief of rehabbing LHP SCOTT LEWIS…Lewis gave up just one hit in 4.0IP (64 pitches) and walked two with four strikeouts…The shutout was the Aeros 9th blanking on the year.

News & Notes: INF JARED GOEDERT is hitting .450 (9-20) with 4 2B and 4RBI in his last five games, including three straight multi-hit games…INF BEAU MILLS is hitting .316 (24-76) in 20 June games with 6 2B, 3B, 2HR and 14RBI…Over his last 12 games, INF MATT McBRIDE is 14-for-42 with 5 2B, 2HR and 10RBI…RHP VINNIE PESTANO’s 19 saves are the most in the Eastern League…Over his last 14G (14.1IP, 11H, 4R/ER, 6BB, 15K), he’s 1-1 with 10 saves and 11 app. have been scoreless…RHP CARLTON SMITH’s last five appearances (11.2IP) have been scoreless (6H, 4BB, 9K)…RHP ERIK STILLER has thrown scoreless outings in 8 of his last 9 (15.0IP, 5H, 1R/ER, 11K).

Tonight – OFF DAY. Akron has a scheduled off day and will begin a three-game set vs. Trenton (36-32) tomorrow at 7:05 pm with LHP Aaron Laffey (0-0, --) scheduled to be on the mound.

Probable Rotation: LHP Ryan Edell vs. TRE, RHP Hector Rondon vs. TRE, RHP Josh Tomlin vs. BIN

KINSTON INDIANS (High-A)

Yesterday: The K-Tribe finished the first half of the season on a good note beating the Hillcats, 9-4… The offense showed promise for the second-half as Kinston scored a season-high seven runs by sending a season high 11 batters to the plate in the fifth inning… 1B OLE SHELDON had a big day at the plate going 4-5 with 2B, 2RBI and 2RS… LHP RUSSELL YOUNG yielded 6.2IP allowing two runs on five hits while ringing five… CA ALEX CASTILLO (2-4, RS, 2RBI) and DH ROMAN PENA (2-4, RBI) also helped out offensively with a multi-hit performance.

News & Notes: OF RYAN BLAIR is currently on a five-game hitting streak batting .471 (8-17) with 3 2B, 3RBI, 3RS… INF LONNIE CHISENHALL is batting .286 (72-252) with 13HR (T-3rd/CL), 15 2B, 3B, 52RBI (2ndt/CL), 41RS… He is 2nd/CL in hits… INF CORD PHELPS is 2nd in the league with a .396OBP… LHP ERIC BERGER is 3rd in the league with a 2.11ERA and T-5th/CL with 64 strikeouts in 72.2IP… RHP PAOLO ESPINO has allowed 18ER in 45.1IP and possess a 3.57ERA with opponents batting .225 against him… RHP GARRISON CAMPFIELD is 2ndt/CL with 26 appearances and yielded 34.2IP with 41 strikeouts… The K-Tribe leads the league in reaching base on walks with 276 and 2nd with 528 strikeouts by the pitching squad.

Next Game: June 25 vs. Salem, 7:00 pm. LHP Ryan Morris (3-7, 5.60) will start the 2nd half on Thursday.

Probable Rotation: RHP Paolo Espino vs. SAL, LHP Russell Young vs. SAL, RHP Eric Berger vs. MYR, RHP Bryce Stowell vs. MYR

LAKE COUNTY CAPTAINS (A)

Yesterday: The Captains went 1-1 losing the first game (Completion of suspended game on 6/20), 5-4 and came back with an offensive explosion in the 2nd game to defeat the BlueClaws, 14-5… DH NATE RECKNAGEL finished the first half on a good note with a HR and a season-high 5RBI going 2-4… SS MATTHEW WILLARD went 3-6 with a RS and a RBI… RHP TREY HALEY had trouble with his command walking a season-high seven batters and threw 3.1IP allowing 2R/ER.

News & Notes: INF CHRIS NASH has batted in a run in four straight games batting .333 (6-18) with 3 2B, 4RBI and 3RS… In June, INF ABNER ABREU is hitting .339 (21-62) with 8 2B, HR, 5RBI and 11RS.OF DONNIE WEBB leads the league with 9 3B and T-2nd/SAL with 23 SB… RHP MATTHEW LANGWELL has not allowed an ER in the last seven appearances (10.2IP) while striking out 14… RHP ALEXANDER PEREZ has yielded 71.2IP while striking out a team-high 72 batters and has a 2.89ERA… Opponents are batting .205 against him… LHP T.J. HOUSE possesses a 2.74ERA striking out 58 batters in 69.0IP and has yielded 21ER…In the last five outings he yielded 29.0IP allowing 4ER while striking out 28 batters… LHP CHRIS JONES has appeared in three games this season yielding 13.0IP allowing 2ER on eight hits while striking out 11.

Next Game: June 25 vs. Hagerstown, 7:00 pm. LHP Chris Jones (1-1, 1.38) will start of the 2nd half on Thursday.

Probable Rotation: LHP T.J. House vs. HAG, RHP Danny Salazar vs. HAG, RHP Trey Haley vs. HAG, RHP Alexander Perez vs. HAG

MAHONING VALLEY SCRAPPERS (Short-A)

Yesterday: The Scrappers completed a three-game sweep on the Jammers in a pitching dual, 1-0, behind a two-hit, 4.0IP outing from the 10th round draft pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, RHP Brett Brach and the bullpen followed with a 5.0 inning shutout pitching with 8th round draft pick, RHP CORY BURNS earning his first career win… 2B LURVIN BASABLE (1-4, RS) scored in the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly by the 4th round draft pick, 3B KYLE BELLOWS.

News & Notes: OF JOHN ALLMAN has started red-hot batting .545 (6-11) with 2 2B, 4RBI and 2RS… OF BO GREENWELL is hitting .500 (7-14) with 2 2B, 3RBI and 4RS… 19th Pick LHP NICK KIRK struck out seven in his first professional career yielding 3.1IP allowing a run.

Today vs. State College, 7:05 pm. RHP Preston Guilmet (0-0, --), 9th round pick, will make his professional debut.

Probable Rotation: RHP Marty Popham vs. SC, LHP Ryan Anthony vs. SC, RHP Clayton Cook @ WIL, RHP Brett Brach @ WIL

AZL INDIANS (Rookie)

Yesterday: The Indians dropped their season opener to the Rangers, 10-2… OF TRENT BAKER batted in the first run of the season for the Indians as he went 1-4 with a RBI… OF DARLING READ (2-3, 2B, 2RS) and DH MOISES MONTERO (2-4, RBI) each had a multi-hit game… RHP FRANCISCO VALERA came in from the pen and threw 2.1 shutout innings allowing a single hit while ringing two… 48th pick LHP VIDAL NUNO struck out four batters in 2.0IP allowing an ER.

Today vs. AZL Padres, 7:05pm. RHP Alexander Morales (0-0, --) will make his season debut and return after undergoing left knee ACL reconstruction (4/16/08).

Probable Rotation: LHP Francisco Jimenez @ Royals, LHP Kirk Wetmore vs. Mariners, OFF DAY, LHP Daniel Jimenez vs. Dodgers, RHP Jose Campos @ Mariners

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