A 3-2 day for the affiliates with a split of a doubleheader at Low-A Lexington.
HR Roll Call: Mauricio Ramos (3), Chase Vallot (6), Travis Maezes (3), Amalani Fukofuka (3)
BP KC Hitter of the Day – Humberto Arteaga 3-4, 2-2b, 3R, 2 RBI, BB, SB
BP KC Pitcher of the Day – Miguel Almonte 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, HBP, 4-2 GO-FO, 87p/48k
Omaha Storm Chasers 7 Memphis Redbirds 1
A five run 6th inning blew open a 2-1 game for the Chasers, helping them keep pace in their division. Three errors in the inning led to five Omaha runs, with a bases loaded fielding error by right fielder David Washington on a ball struck by Jose Martinez being the biggest blow, allowing the bases to be cleared. Relievers David Huff and Brian Duensing cleaned up from there, pitching the final four innings scoreless to secure the win. Starter Miguel Almonte worked five innings, with eight strikeouts and three hits allowed in his time on the mound.
Jorge Bonifacio 1-4, R, 3b, BB, 2 RBI
Whit Merrifield 1-5, 2R, 2b
Travis Snider 1-2, R, 2BB, RBI – reached base in all 26 games played
Springfield Cardinals 6 NW Arkansas Naturals 1
The Naturals dropped their second game in a row to the Springfield Cardinals Friday when the offense couldn’t get runners in when they had a chance. The 1 for 6 performance with runners in scoring position gave starter Matt Strahm his second loss of the season. The lefty gave the Naturals a quality start despite giving up a season-high nine hits and three walks, working around a pair of doubles while also giving up a solo home run. The Naturals only run in the game came via a Mauricio Ramos home run, his third of the season. The Columbian third baseman continues to hit well at the Double-A level, clipping at .310 with 10 extra base hits in 31 games.
Mauricio Ramos 1-4, HR
Zane Evans 2-4, 2b
Matt Strahm 6 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 5-3 GO-FO, 96p/63k
Wilmington Blue Rocks 12 Salem Red Sox 4
One of the Carolina League’s top offenses faced off against one of it’s worst, so why wouldn’t the Rocks knock them around for a 12-4 victory. The Rocks got things going in the first inning with a pair of RBI singles from Brandon Downes and Elier Hernandez to jump out to a 2-0 lead. They kept the offense going after a 1-2-3 Red Sox first with a RBI double by Alfredo Escalera and a single from Corey Toups that pushed Escalera around as part of a three run second. The Rocks didn’t stop scoring there, putting up a pair of runs in the fourth and sixth, prior to another three run inning in the seventh. Middle infielder Toups extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 2 for 4 day that improved his OPS to .824 on the season. Pitcher Kyle Kubat earned the win in his first Carolina league appearance after getting promoted from Lexington. Red Sox big-name prospects Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi were limited to just a Moncada double in their seven at bats.
Corey Toups 2-4, 2b, 3R, 2 RBI, BB
Brandon Downes 2-5, 2 RBI
Jake Newberry 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K – 0 ER in 9 appearances this season
Game 1 Lexington Legends 4 Charleston RiverDogs 2
Game 2 Charleston RiverDogs 4 Lexington Legends 3 F/8
The Legends split a doubleheader with the Yankees affiliate thanks to a late Travis Maezes two-run home run in game one. The home run was Maezes third in just eight games played and improved the second baseman’s slugging percentage to .783 in those games. Maezes also singled in a run in the 4th to account for three of the Legends four runs. The home run gave Jacob Bodner the win after giving up the leading run in the top half of the inning.
The Legends dropped the second game despite a pair of home runs by Chase Vallot and Amalani Fukofuka as the team was unable to push across runs while going 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position. Righty Yunior Marte made his first start of the season, yielding three runs on three hits in five innings while striking out six. Yankees first baseman Chris Gittens provided the big blows with a two-run home run off Marte in the third and a solo shot in the eighth that gave the Dogs the eventual win.
Boxscore Link Gm 1
Boxscore Link Gm 2
Travis Meazes 2-2, HR, 3 RBI
Amalani Fukofuka 3-6, HR, 2R
Chase Vallot 1-5, HR, 2R,