It was just a 2-3 day by the affiliates despite four different starting pitchers giving their teams starts with zero earned runs allowed.
HR Roll Call Zane Evans (1,2), Ramon Torres (1)
BP KC Hitter of the Day – Zane Evans 2-4 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB
BP KC Pitcher of the Day – Christian Binford 8 IP 4 H 0 R 2 BB 7 K 9-5 GO-FO 97p/69k
Royals assigned Gerson Garabito to Single-A Lexington, a 2012 Latin signee for $50k Garabito works in the low 90’s while touching 95 with a feel for spinning a curveball.
Omaha Storm Chasers 3 Reno Aces 0
Christian Binford just keeps on rolling during the 2016 season. After a poor first two starts of the season, Binford has given his teams six consecutive starts with two runs allowed or less including Sunday’s outstanding start. During his eight innings on the hill, Christian pounded the zone, tossing 69 strikes among his 97 pitches while earning nine groundball outs and recording seven strikeouts. The start taking place in a hitters park like Reno at high altitude makes it even more impressive. The Chasers offense rewarded Binford with single runs in the 3rd, 5th and 9th with Jorge Bonifacio driving in two of those three runs. After home runs in the three previous games, the Aces navigated around Brett Eibner, walking the outfielder four times in his five plate appearances.
Brett Eibner 1-1 R, 4 BB
Jorge Bonifacio 2-3 2 BB, 2 RBI, SB (4)
Reymond Fuentes 2-5 R
Tulsa Drillers 6 NW Arkansas Naturals 4 F/11
It took 32 innings and a collision in right-center between a pair of Naturals outfielders but the Tulsa Drillers finally scored versus the NW Arkansas Naturals on Sunday. A collision between Carlos Garcia and Terrance Gore in the 9th inning allowed a flyball from Alex Guerrero to drop, the misplay created a 2nd and 3rd situation that the Naturals bullpen of Yender Caramo and Tim Hill struggled to stop. Three consecutive singles preceded an Orlando Calixte throwing error, allowing four runs to cross and send the game to extra innings following the Naturals 9th. The game remained tied until the 11th when a two-run home run from Cody Bellinger gave Tulsa the lead and eventual win. The runs allowed by the bullpen cost starter Alec Mills a win that he had put his team in good position to gain.
It was Mills’ first game back at Double-A since his appearance in Kansas City and the starter again struggled with his control, walking three in the game in just six innings of work. The five walks allowed for Mills in his last 6.2 innings between Sunday and that KC appearance is one short of his previous 42 innings of work. The righty was able to work around those three walks and a pair of hits allowed to toss shutout ball on 94 pitches. Mills battery mate Zane Evans staked the Naturals to a 3-0 lead with a solo home run in the 2nd and a two run dong in the 4th. It was over 300 plate appearances between home runs for Evans who last homered on June 28th of 2015 and the towering flyball that left the yard.
Ryan O’Hearn 2-4 3b, BB
Alec Mills 6 IP 2 H 0 R 3 BB 5 K 5-3 GO-FO 94p/59k
Ramon Torres 2-4 HR, SB (9) CS (4)
Game 1
Carolina Mudcats 5 Wilmington Blue Rocks 1
Lefty Foster Griffin fell victim to the Carolina Mudcats and his own defense during his Sunday start in Wilmington. Despite shaky control at times and a below average fastball Griffin was able to work four no hit innings to take a 1-0 lead into the 5th. Following a bunt single that broke up the no hitter, Griffin would get loose with a pair of wild pitches and a hit by pitch in the inning. All of that combined with Wander Franco’s two fielding errors and another single allowed Carolina to score four unearned runs. Being unable to get around trouble created by his defense has been a common theme for Griffin this season, giving up 15 unearned runs in nine starts. Another error in the 6th, Franco’s fourth of the game, lead to a 5-1 lead for Carolina and the eventual win in the doubleheader shortened game.
Alfredo Escalera 1-3 SB (3)
Foster Griffin 5 IP 2 H 4 R 0 ER 2 BB 6 K 6-3 GO-FO 91p/54k
Robert Pehl 1-2 2b, R
Game 2
Wilmington Blue Rocks 6 Carolina Mudcats 4
The Rocks answered a two run first inning by Carolina with five runs of their own in game 2, leading to a split of the doubleheader. New leadoff man Alfredo Escalera continued his tear while in that spot, starting the game with a double and a run score as part of his three hit game. Along with Escalera’s leadoff double, the Rocks walked twice in the inning and banged out three more hits, including Austin Bailey’s double that plated a pair. Following the five run inning, the Mudcats would pull within 5-4 at the end of their half of the 3rd inning but an Escalera single to drive in Bailey gave the Rocks an insurance run that relievers Luis Rico and Matt Alvarez would make stand up. It was Rico’s first appearance of the season, working two and one-third scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Alfredo Escalera 3-4 2b, R, RBI, SB (4)
Austin Bailey 3-3 2b, R, 2 RBI
Matt Alvarez 2 IP 0 H 0 R 1 BB 3 K
Greenville Drive 8 Lexington Legends 3
The Legends received Scott Blewett’s best start of the season, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough due to the bullpens inability to keep the Greenville bats quiet. Blewett worked five scoreless innings by navigating around four hits and three walks thanks in part to five strikeouts. The three walks from Blewett are evidence of his season long problem with the strike zone as the big righty continues to walk more than 5 per 9 in his 43.2 innings. Much like Saturday, it was the bottom of the Drive’s order doing the damage with Trent Kemp and J.T. Watkins driving in three runs apiece with much of the damage coming off reliever Nik Stephenson. The Drive scored eight runs from the 6th thru 8th inning turning a Lexington 2-0 lead into a 8-3 final.
Scott Blewett 5 IP 4 H 0 R 3 BB 5 K 4-4 GO-FO 84p/52k
Travis Maezes 1-3 R, 2b
Amalani Fukofuka 1-3 R, BB, CS (2)