HR Roll Call: Erick Mejia 2 (2, 3), Anderson Miller (3), Emmanuel Rivera (3), Nick Pratto (6), Dennicher Carrasco (4)
BPKC Hitter of the Day: Erick Mejia 4-5 2R, 2b, 2 HR, 4 RBI
BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Garrett Davila 7 IP 4 H 1 R 1 ER 1 BB 5 K 10-6 GO-FO 96p/57k
Recent Transactions Lexington – Activated IF Ricky Aracena, Dennicher Carrasco from DL. Optioned to Idaho Falls IF Julio Gonzalez, activated from Arizona LHP Robert Garcia.
Wilmington – LHP Josh Mitchell, Oli Nunez promoted from Lexington, RHP Jared Ruxer and OF Brandon Downes promoted to NW Arkansas
NW Arkansas P Jacob Bodner retired, received RHP Andres Machado from Omaha
Omaha RHP Glenn Sparkman promoted from NW Arkansas
Lexington Legends 7 Greenville Drive 3
The Legends starter Garrett Davila did his job on Sunday, working seven innings of one-run ball. The lefty who had struggled with his control last year at the same level walked just one hitter in the game while tossing 57 strikes on 96 pitches and keeping the ball low in the zone to also earn 10 groundouts. With the game tied 1-1 after six, the Legends broke things open with a two-run triple by Jeison Guzman in the seventh to take a 3-1 lead before putting it away in the eighth. In that eighth frame, Nick Pratto opened the inning with his sixth home run of the season before Dennicher Carrasco’s fourth pushed the advantage to 7-1. The Drive scored a couple in the ninth off Tyler Zuber but it was already over after Lexington’s power display.
Seuly Matias: 0-1 R, 2BB, HBP
Nick Pratto: 1-4 HR
Sebastian Rivero: 2-4 R
Carolina Mudcats 6 Wilmington Blue Rocks 3
The Rocks offense struggled for the second game in a row against the Brewers High-A squad, getting just a three-run home run by Emmanuel Rivera for the offense in their second consecutive loss. The loss was also the fifth in their last six games for Wilmington with starter Cristian Castillo surrendering five runs in six innings on eight hits, five of which were of the extra base variety. Outfielder Kort Peterson continued his hot hitting with two hits, improving his average to .327 on the season with a .908 OPS on the season.
Khalil Lee: 0-3 R, BB
Emmanuel Rivera: 1-4 HR, 3 RBI
Kort Peterson: 2-3 R, SB, HBP
NW Arkansas Naturals 11 Tulsa Drillers 8
The Naturals hot hitting offense was back at it again on Sunday, jumping on Tulsa starter Devin Smeltzer in his four innings of work. Again it was the top four hitters in the lineup doing much of the damage for the Naturals with Erick Mejia leading the charge with a multi-home run game, the second of his career. The bottom third of the order chipped in with six hits including Anderson Miller’s second home run of the season. Starter Emilio Ogando couldn’t escape the fifth frame to earn the win, allowing five runs before yielding to Walker Sheller who allowed a run for the first time at Double-A on a two-out single in the sixth. The NW Arkansas 10-1 lead was eventually slashed to 11-7 on Franco Terrero’s seventh home run allowed in 14 appearances, Tulsa’s fifth against him. Reliever Jake Newberry gave up a run in the ninth before getting a strikeout to end the threat.
Donnie Dewees: 2-5 2R, 2b
Nicky Lopez: 1-5 R, 2b, RBI
Elier Hernandez: 2-4 R, 2b, RBI, SB (4)
Omaha Storm Chasers 4 New Orleans Baby Cakes 2
The Chasers received a quality start from Glenn Sparkman in his first appearance with Omaha on Sunday in New Orleans. After working through Double-A with just one walk allowed in seven starts Sparkman walked a pair in this one but also limited the Baby Cakes offense to just four hits, allowing only a sixth inning run on a pair of two-out hits. The struggling Chasers offense did enough for Sparkman to earn that first Triple-A win, manufacturing a pair of runs in the fifth with a sac fly and bunt single that scored another. A fielding error in the ninth on a ball hit by Cam Gallagher led to another run before a double play scored the Chasers fourth in the game. Reliever Josh Staumont walked the bases loaded in the ninth but Eric Stout helped him out of the jam by getting the final two outs of the inning with just a run allowed to secure the save for the Chasers.
Cam Gallagher: 2-4 R, RBI, 1-3 CS-Att
Josh Staumont: 0.2 IP 0 H 1 R 1 ER 3 BB 1 K 0-1 GO-FO 28p/11k
Ryan O’Hearn: 1-3 2R, BB
Monday Probables
Omaha – Trevor Oaks 2-3 3.67 ERA 1.40 WHIP
NW Arkansas – TBD
Lexington – Dan Tillo 1-1 3.72 ERA 1.13 WHIP