While the major league club was handling their business the minor league squads dropped three games in four tries Thursday.
HR Roll Call None
BP KC – Hitter of the Day Hunter Dozier, 2-4 2b, R, 2 RBI
BP KC – Pitcher of the Day Josh Staumont, 5.1 IP 3 H 1 ER 1 BB 9 K 54/82 P
Round Rock Express 3 Omaha Storm Chasers 2
Rangers pitcher Chi Chi Gonzalez got the best of the Chasers on this night, working six innings of one run ball with seven K’s before turning things over to the bullpen. The Chasers starter Brooks Pounders matched Gonzalez despite five walks allowed with one run pitching over five and two-thirds innings pitched with eight strikeouts of his own and just two hits allowed. It was the Omaha pen that got outdueled as lefty reliever David Huff gave up two runs in the 7th inning when James Jones hit an RBI triple and was brought in on Jurickson Profar’s double. The Chasers will look to close out their road trip with a winning record Friday as they finish the series against Round Rock. Miguel Almonte will take the mound.
Reymond Fuentes 0-4 2k
Brooks Pounders 5.1 IP 2 H 1 ER 5 BB 8 K ERA 1.50
Malcom Culver 1 IP 0 H 0 BB 3 K
NW Arkansas Naturals 5 Tulsa Drillers 2
Naturals pitchers pitchers navigated around seven Tulsa hits while getting some timely hits of their own to earn Christian Binford his first win of the season. The Royals once promising pitching prospect turned out his best effort of the young season working five innings while allowing two runs on four hits and no walks. The victory for Binford came thanks to a five-run 3rd inning when the Naturals piled up six consecutive hitters reaching base with a two run single from Hunter Dozier and double by Zane Evans that plated a pair. The win snapped a six game losing streak but didn’t snap a hitless streak for Raul Mondesi that has reached four games now.
Hunter Dozier 2-4 2b (4) 2 RBI, R
Orlando Calixte 1-3 2b (3) R, BB
Bubba Starling 1-3 R, BB, RBI, 2K
Game 1
Potomac Nationals 4 Wilmington Blue Rocks F/7
A late rally wasn’t enough to stave off another home defeat at the hands of the Potomac Nationals for the Blue Rocks in game one of their doubleheader. The Nationals used a big game from Drew Ward, who went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and a huge home run, in scoring four runs from the 4th through 7th innings. Most of the damage off starter Ashton Goudeau came via Ward as all three hits were registered off the Rocks starter. On offense, Wilmington piled up four singles and a Corey Toups double in the 6th to tie the game but a Nationals rally that started with a hit by pitch and wild pitch from Tim Hill did them in during the doublehead shortened affair.
Ryan O’Hearn 1-3 RBI
Corey Toups 1-3 R, 2b, 2 RBI
Austin Bailey 1-3 R
Game 2
Potomac Nationals 3 Wilmington Blue Rocks 0
The Nationals improved to 5-0 at Frawley field versus the hometown Rocks with the doubleheader sweep Thursday night. The offense wasted a career best pitching performance from Josh Staumont with a scoreless output versus Nationals starter Greg Ross and his bullpen compadre Mick VanVossen. For Staumont it was a career best five and one-third innings of pitching while allowing just three hits and one walk in his first start of the year. A sixth inning leadoff triple by Asvaldo Abreu would do Staumont and the Rocks in when he came in on an infield single two hitters later. The loss pushed Wilmington’s home record to a dismal 1-7 to start the season.
Ryan O’Hearn 1-3 2b
Elier Hernandez 1-3
Brandon Downes 1-3 – reached base in 12 consecutive games
My favorite part of these articles is the use of different images for each team each day. Minor league teams seem to have a lot of logos!
Thanks Brett. I wondered if anyone noticed I did that.