BPKC Hitter of the Day Emmanuel Rivers 4-6 2R, 2-2b, 3 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day Andres Sotillet 9 IP 7 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 10 K 7-6 GO-FO 113p/79k

The Royals signed a pair of international prospects in OF Jaswel De Los Santos and Japanese 16 year old pitcher Kaito Yuki.

Lexington Legends 5 Greensboro Grasshoppers 0

The Legends received one of their best pitching performance of the season on Saturday night as right-hander Andres Sotillet dominated the Greensboro lineup for a complete game shutout. Setting a new career high in strikeouts the Venezuelan born 21-year old put away 10 hitters via strikeout while allowing just seven hits on 113 pitches (79 strikes) during the outing. The offense was led by Sotillet’s batterymate, MJ Melendez as the catcher drove in four of the team’s five runs with a solo home run in the second, a two-run double in the second and a rbi groundout in the seventh.

MJ Melendez 2-4 HR, 2b, 4 RBI
Brewer Hicklen 2-3 2R, HR, RBI, BB, 2 SB
Cal Jones 2-3 R

Wilmington Blue Rocks 9 Lynchburg Hillcats 7 F/13

The Rocks welcomed Emmanuel Rivera back in the lineup with the third baseman helping lead the way to an extra-inning win. The third baseman connected on four hits including a pair of doubles while driving in three and scoring two himself. The two teams were tied after nine innings where they exchanged runs through 12 innings before D.J. Burt’s twelfth inning singled scored two and reliever Tyler Zuber closed out the inning to earn the save.

Gabe Cancel 1-5 3R, BB
Rudy Martin 1-5 3K
Jace Vines 6 IP 7 H 2 R 2 ER BB 3 K 7-3 GO-FO 84p/57k

Corpus Christi Hooks 4 NW Arkansas Naturals 0

Starter Scott Blewett got off to a slow start, giving up three consecutive hits to start the game including a two-run double. After recording one out Blewett walked the bases loaded before giving up a two-out single to put the Naturals down 4-0. From there Blewett would give up just one hit over his final four innings of work while the NW Arkansas offense mustered just six singles in a shutout loss.

Khalil Lee 1-4
Grant Gavin 2 IP 0 H 0 R 0 ER 2 BB 1 K 2-1 GO-FO 33p/17k
Scott Blewett 5 IP 5 H 4 R 4 ER 2 BB 4 K 5-2 GO-FO 82p/55k

Memphis Redbirds 3 Omaha Storm Chasers 2

The two teams exchanged multiple run innings but Memphis did a tad more in this win. Three consecutive hits to start the second inning off Jake Kalish led to three runs in that inning with Oscar Mercado’s double and a one-out single by Alex Mejia accounted for all three Memphis runs. The Chasers countered with a pair of runs in the fifth on a rbi single by Donnie Dewees and Billy Burns but had just one hit over the final four innings to drop the game.

Nicky Lopez 1-4
Donnie Dewees 1-3 RBI
Jake Kalish 7 IP 9 H 3 R 3 ER 0 BB 5 K 4-4 GO-FO 95p/71k

Burlington Royals 2 Greeneville Reds 1

The Royals got a late home run from Jackson Lueck to snap their losing streak after receiving some quality pitching. Starter Malcolm Van Buren who came in with seven runs allowed in two and two-thirds innings tossed five one-run innings. The hard-throwing right-hander struckout five hitters in that time while allowing five hits and one walk. The two teams exchanged runs in the fifth inning before Lueck’s eighth-inning home run gave Burlington the eventual lead and the win.

Jackson Lueck 1-4 HR, 3K
Jose Marquez 2-3 2b
Malcolm Van Buren 5 IP 5 H 1 R 1 ER 1 BB 5 K 4-4 GO-FO 72p/46k

Idaho Falls Chukars 11 Orem Owlz 8

For the second night in a row, the Chukars broke out the big bats in Orem. A pair of two-run home runs by Reed Rohlman and Nick Hutchins helped lead the way as the combined nine hits, four walks with three Orem errors to help put up three runs in the second and six more in the fifth as they built a 9-1 lead. Second-round pick Jonathan Bowlan did plenty with that lead, tossing five innings with just one run allowed on two hits and two walks while striking out six on just 61 pitches. The Hutchins home run in the seventh pushed the advantage to 11-1. The relief corp of Nathan Webb and Christopher Marte struggled, giving up seven runs in two and two-thirds innings before Jaret Hellinger closed out the game.

Jonathan Bowlan 5 IP 2 H 1 R 1 ER 2 BB 6 K 6-3 GO-FO 61p/41k
Reed Rohlman 2-5 2R, HR, 2 RBI
Nick Hutchins 2-4 3R, 2b, HR, 2 RBI

Saturday Boxscores

Sunday Probables
Omaha – Glenn Sparkman 7-3 3.96 ERA 1.27 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Foster Griffin 3-10 6.00 ERA 1.58 WHIP
Wilmington – Ofreidy Gomez 2-7 4.06 ERA 1.55 WHIP
Lexington – Yefri Del Rosario 0-4 6.95 ERA 1.68 WHIP
Burlington – Austin Cox 0-1 0.00 ERA 0.90 WHIP
Idaho Falls – Jon Heasley 0-0 4.66 ERA 1.86 WHIP
Surprise – Adrian Alcantara 1-0 5.68 ERA 1.89 WHIP

HR Roll Call: Raul Mondesi (8), Angel Medina (1)

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Joe Dudek 2-3, R, 2b, RBI, BB

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Anthony Bender 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 3-3 GO-FO, 58p/40k

DSL Royals 3, DSL Braves 2

The DSL Royals walked off for another win in the 10th inning.

Each team exchanged solo runs in the third and fifth innings, with the Royals scoring on a wild pitch in the third and on a Felix Familia single in the fifth frame. The two teams were scoreless until the tenth when the teams were provided runners on second base. The Royals worked around the Braves runner in the tenth by earning a double play to get out of the inning scoreless. In their half of the tenth inning, a single pushed runner Reynin Reynoso to third base where he would score on Ismaldo Rodriguez’s walk-off single.

Boxscore Link

Felix Familia 2-5, RBI
Adrian Alcantara 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 6-0 GO-FO
Ismaldo Rodriguez 1-3, RBI, 2 BB

AZL Padres 7, AZL Royals 6

The AZL Royals fell behind early and came up just short late in a second consecutive loss.

Righty Malcolm Van Buren got back on the mound after Tommy John surgery, but lasted just three batters, walking a pair and giving up a hit before getting tagged for two runs in the inning and getting lifted. The Royals tied it up, but the Padres kept the pressure on, scoring two runs in the fourth and fifth innings before pushing their lead to 7-2 in the seventh.

The Padres gave some back in the Royals half of the seventh, allowing three runs in the inning, two of which came via a passed ball and a wild pitch. The Royals pulled within a run after an RBI single from Cristian Perez but could get no closer when Nick Pratto flew out to end the game.

Boxscore Link

Nick Pratto 1-5
Esteury Ruiz 1-4 R
Charlie Neuweiler 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 3-0 GO-FO

Burlington Royals 4, Bluefield Blue Jays 2

After winning their first game of the year by completing their suspended game, the Royals added to the win column in game two.

In this one, they received good pitching from three different pitchers with JC Cloney, Tyler Falwell and Kevin Lenik each working three innings, with Falwell allowing the only two runs among the threesome.

In the fourth, Julio Gonzalez created his own offense by walking and stealing a pair of bases before scoring on groundout. Two innings later, Gonzalez scored the second run in the inning, stealing third again to set up a sac fly off the bat of Sebastian Rivero. The Royals scored in the seventh on a passed ball to pad their lead and take home a win despite being outhit 10-6.

Boxscore Link

Sebastian Rivero 2-3, RBI
Cal Jones 2-5, R, SB
Julio Gonzalez 0-4, 2R, 3 SB, BB

Grand Junction Rockies 14, Idaho Falls Chukars 3

The Rockies pummeled the Chukars pitching staff, connecting on 18 hits and scoring 14 runs in a rout.

The Idaho Falls lineup connected on just six hits of their own, while the Rockies had six extra base hits as part of their 18-hit output. The two teams combined for nine errors in the ugly affair that took three and a half hours to complete.

Boxscore Link

Andres Sotillet 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, HR
Amalani Fukofuka 2-5, R
Darrell Miller 2-5, 2 RBI

Lexington Legends 6, Columbia Fireflies 5

The Legends gave up a lead in the ninth only to come back and walk it off in their half of the inning.

Starter Andre Davis made it just 2.2 innings after Columbia ran his pitch count up in the third, leaving with one run allowed and six strikeouts before giving way to Anthony Bender. The righthander gave the Legends four quality innings, striking out six with just an unearned run allowed while leaving with the lead.

A pair of walks and an RBI single by Joe Dudek prior to an error that scored another run in the fourth helped Lexington take a 2-1 lead. Catcher Meibrys Viloria quickly expanded the lead to 4-1 with a two-run double on a line drive to right field.

Things were going swimmingly with two outs in the ninth but an ejection and a long drawn out walk off the field may have ruined reliever Matt Wynne’s groove. After the ejection, the reliever gave up a single to bring up the leading run to the plate. That run was quickly converted with a three-run home run by Milton Ramos to give Columbia a brief lead.

It was brief because the Legends quickly came back in the home half, getting a Joe Dudek double prior to a run-scoring single by Gabe Cancel. After a sac bunt by Meibrys Viloria pushed Cancel into scoring position, outfielder Yeison Melo connected on a line drive to right that brought home Cancel to walk it off for the Legends.

Boxscore Link

Yeison Melo 2-4, RBI
Joe Dudek 2-3, R, 2b, RBI, BB
Meibrys Viloria 1-3, 2b, 2 RBI

Frederick Keys 5, Wilmington Blue Rocks 1

Starter Scott Blewett continued to get a few strikeouts, but the Orioles High-A affiliate connected plenty to limit him to just 4.2 innings.

The O’s big time hitting prospect Ryan Mountcastle homered in the first inning and doubled in the third ahead of another home run by the Keys. A pair of doubles in the fifth did Blewett in and gave the Frederick a 5-0 lead. All of these extra base hits were sandwiched around eight strikeouts for the big righty. That gives him 20 strikeouts in his last 16.2 innings.

The Wilmington offense was no-hit until two outs in the eighth when Cody Jones singled to break up the no-no. The shutout ended in the ninth when the Rocks scored a run on a double play.

Boxscore Link

Brandon Downes 1-3, 2b, BB, 1.105 OPS in 15 games
DJ Burt 1-3, BB
Scott Blewett 4.2 IP, 7H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 2 HR, 3-3 GO-FO, 101p/65k

Colorado Springs Sky Sox 14, Omaha Storm Chasers 6
Colorado Springs Sky Sox 10, Omaha Storm Chasers 2

The Chasers pitching staff continued their struggles in Colorado Springs, giving up 24 runs in just 12 innings of pitching in the doubleheader on Tuesday.

While the Sky Sox were bashing Christian Binford, Seth Manness and Jon Dziedzic for five home runs and 28 hits in the two games, the Chasers offense wasn’t doing near the damage. The Omaha offense connected on 15 hits and eight runs total, with Raul Mondesi connecting on the only home run in the two game sweep.

Boxscore Link G1
Boxscore Link G2

Raul Mondesi 2-6, HR, 2 RBI
Jorge Soler 1-3, BB
Ryan O’Hearn 2-7, R, 2 K