Eddie Butler and Johendi Jiminian both pitched well but took losses behind anemic offensive performances. Ryan McMahon continues to make a name for himself on a star-studded roster, smacking his fourth home run of the year.
Colorado Springs Sky Sox:
Postponed. Christian Friedrich makes the start tonight at 6:35 p.m. MT.
Tulsa Drillers 1, San Antonio Missions 2:
Eddie Butler took a tough loss in this one after pitching 6.2 innings, striking out five and allowing only two runs. Despite his 2.41 ERA this season, the Driller have yet to back him up enough for him to secure a win. Butler surrendered a home run to Rymer Liriano, which reports suggest may have been heavily wind-aided.
In 18.2 innings pitched so far this season, Butler has walked only three hitters allowed only thirteen hits and struck out seventeen.
Missions starter Matt Wisler, the No. 3 prospect in the San Diego Padres minor league system, kept the Drillers off balance all night, blanking them for five innings. Tyler Massy earned the only RBI on the day for Tulsa with a sacrifice fly. The Drillers were without catcher Tom Murphy in this game as he sat with a sore shoulder.
Modesto Nuts 2, Visalia Rawhide 4:
Ryan Gibbard worked five innings and struck out five for Modesto, giving up only one run but also walking five batters. Brandon Sinnery bettered Gibbard's performance, stifling the Nuts for seven innings and allowing only four hits and zero runs.
The Nuts scratched out two runs in the eighth when Rosell Herrera plated Chris O'Dowd on a single. Herrera later came around to score on a triple from Will Swanner.
That was pretty much the only offense for Modesto. Hererra picked up another single, becoming the only Nut with multiple hits. Trevor Story went 0-for-4.
Asheville Tourists 2, West Virginia Power 3:
While many prospect hounds are rightfully beaming over his teammates David Dahl and Raimel Tapia, Ryan McMahon has been the early MVP for Asheville ... at least at the plate.
He hit his league-leading fourth home run against the Power (are they really called the Power?) in the bottom of the fifth, bringing his slash line to a gaudy .297/.413/.676. He has an isolated power rating of .378 right now and only a .304 BABIP.
While it's fun to go crazy thinking about those power numbers, I am most struck by his OBP as it seems a clear indication that pitchers are trying to work around McMahon more at a higher level (than last year), trying to force him to get himself out. Ryan seems to have adjusted to that approach, taking free bases when he is given them.
Second baseman Michael Benjamin is also having a promising start to 2014, getting the Tourists' only other RBI in this one when he hit a triple that scored Jordan Patterson. Raimel Tapia saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end as he went 0-for-4 and struck out three times. The next hitting streak likely starts Tuesday.
Johendi Jiminian continued his excellent stretch of pitching as well as the theme of the day: Rockies pitchers taking tough losses.
He only got trough 5.1 innings (he'd fit right in with the Rockies big league staff!), giving up three runs, though only two of them earned. In three games, Jiminian is 2-1 with a 1.10 ERA, striking out 6.61 hitter per nine innings, walking only 1.65, good for a 4.00 K/BB ratio.
Trent Blank (what a phenomenal name for a bullpen pitcher, almost as good as Quinton McCracken for a pinch-hitter) blanked West Virginia for the final 2.2 innings, surrendering only one hit.
David Dahl did not play in this one. His season line so far: .267/.313/.600.
Zach Jemiola takes the hill Tuesday night for the Tourists.