Around the Farm: May 15

M. Packer

Around the Farm takes a quick look at some of yesterday's performances by Indians prospects throughout the system. The positions listed below are where the player was playing in yesterday's game.

Matt Packer-SP, Akron: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K

Victory! Look who's finally in the win column. Packer had been search for a win all year and while the Aeros defense looked to have put that win in jeopardy, Packer certainly did everything in his power to get that win. While he had lost five games, Matt Packer has certainly not deserved all of them. This time though he went seven strong, giving up just a run and he received proper run support for his first win of the season. It also continues a string of four straight starts going at least 6 innings and marks a season high in strikeouts with eight.

Cory Burns-Closer, Akron: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K

He walked a pair, but Burns back on track with a pair of strikeouts and back-to-back saves. It finishes off what was a bounce-back week for the Aeros closer. He's pitched four scoreless innings this week with three saves and is now the leader once again in the Eastern League. He also has 27 strikeouts now in 15 innings pitched.

• Ezequiel Carrera-CF, Columbus: 2-4, R, SB: Carrera ended a six-game stolen base drought and with the two hits is now carrying an even .400 on-base percentage.
• Jason Kipnis-2B, Columbus: 1-3, R, RBI: The hit-streak for Kipnis is up to eight games and he added his sixth RBI during the streak as well. Kipnis has the average up to .281 and more impressively, the OBP to .369.
• Wes Hodges-1B, Columbus: 2-4, RBI, K: Hodges may not be quite done yet. In his last eight games, in which he has a hit streak of his own, Hodges has four straight multi-hit games and eight RBI. He's still struck out 12 times compared to two walks, but it is at least good to see the bat come back.
• Zach McAllister-SP, Columbus: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 6 K: For the first time this season, Zach McAllister didn't win the game. He remains undefeated and put forth another winning effort, but McAllister had won all six previous starts up until Sunday. It was business as usual, other than four walks.
• Zach Putnam-SP, Columbus: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 1 K: Putnam was pretty much unflappable in April. In May, not so much. He gave up just two runs in 14+ innings in April and halfway through May in seven innings, he's given up seven runs. Putnam took his first loss of the season Sunday.
• Jordan Henry-CF, Akron: 2-5, R, RBI, SB: Henry's 15th steal of the season puts him in a tie for second in the Eastern League. More importantly the Henry hit streak is up to nine games. 
• Tim Fedroff-LF, Akron: 1-3, R, RBI, BB: Henry and Fedroff must be dueling at the top of the lineup as Fedroff's hit streak is up to nine games as well. Fedroff has been on fire during the streak and knocked in his eight run within the streak.
• John Drennen-RF, Akron: 1-3, 2 RBI: It truly was a game that was won by the outfield as Drennen caps off our run of Aeros outfielders with a two-RBI game. Drennen has produced a little more runs lately with three RBI in as many games.
• Tyler Cannon-2B, Kinston: 1-4, 3 K, CS: Rough night for Cannon who struck out three times. The one time he did get on base, he got caught stealing at second.
• Jason Smit-1B, Kinston: 2-4, R, 3B, K: Having just two hits coming into the game with Kinston, Smit doubled his total and hit his second triple of the season between Lake County and Kinston.
• Justin Toole-2B, Kinston: 1-3, RBI: Toole was the one good thing over the weekend for Kinston against Frederick. He knocked in the lone run of the game.
• Toru Murata-SP, Kinston: 3 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), BB, K: In his second career start, Murata went three innings and gave up four runs, three of them earned. Murata had made two relief appearances in between this start and his last at the end of April where he went four scoreless and struck out seven. 
• Jose Flores-RP, Kinston: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, BB, K: Flores had turned around his season the past few outings, but as it is with relievers, ERAs will take awhile to come back down and another rough outing, such as this one Sunday, will once again put you back in the hole. Flores has given up as many runs as innings pitched (15) this season, but does have 21 strikeouts.

Follow Tony and the Indians Prospect Insider on Twitter @TonyIPI. Also, his latest book the 2011 Cleveland Indians Top 100 Prospects & More is available for purchase for $20.95 to customers in the US (shipping and handling extra).

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