The drama in Atlanta the last couple of days and the fact that I have to do other things now and then mean I haven’t updated on newsworthy stuff from the Braves minor league affiliates. So here’s a quick and limited update fro Friday and Saturday.
Hillcats
Friday the 13th was lucky for the Hillcats as they beat Myrtle Beach 8-1. Five players had multi-hit games and Arodys Vizcaino threw 7 shutout innings taking his record to 2-2 and dropping his ERA to 3.80. The young right hander who arrived in the Vasquez trade, has literally had an up and down year. Friday’s seven inning was his longest outing of the year and showed why he’s considered a future star.
At the plate shortstop Andrelton Simmons stayed hot (.327/.382/.398/.780, 13 RBI) and center fielder Tom Cunningham’s (.282/.366/.375/.741, 1 hr 10 RBI) two hits gave him five multi-hit games in the last nine. Right fielder Keenan Wiley (.321/.400/.381/.781, 9 RBI) was 1-4 and hitting .411 (14-34) in his last nine games.
Saturday wasn’t so good as they were shut out on 6-0 on six hits. The bright spot was that three of those hits came from Barrett Kleinknecht (.269/.300/.448/.748, 5hr, 17 RBI).
R-Braves
The Rome Braves weekend started badly and hasn’t improved. They lost to Savannah on Friday night 5-1 and again in Saturday 12-2. On Friday catcher James Gattis playing in only his third game hit his first professional home run. Matt Lipka (.231/.290/.231/.521, 4 RBI) was 2-4 but continues to struggle as the Braves look for a position that fits him.
Saturday’s game was within reach until the seventh inning when the bullpen allowed 4 runs. They gave up 3 more in the eighth and two more in the ninth. Edward Salcedo (.292/.370/.423/.793, 2 Hr, 14 RBI) was 0-8 over the two games.
M-Braves
Over in Jackson on Friday the M-Braves lost a high scoring contest 6-8 to the Generals. Not much to say about the pitching here but rising star shortstop Tyler Pastornicky (.313/.359/.455/.814, 3Hr, 18RBI)
went 2-5 with an RBI and third baseman Donell Linares (.320/.381/.470/.851, 3HR 19 RBI) just back from injury was 3-4 with an RBI. First baseman Ernesto Mejia (.303/.372/.508/.879, 6HR, 20 RBI) went 1-3 with a double, 2 walks and an RBI. Saturday was better however as they beat the Suns 2-0 behind Randall Delgado.
Linares led the way again going 3-3 (6 for his last 7) and drove in both M-Braves runs and Pastornicky was 1-4. Delgado (4-1, 2.38 ERA) went 6 strong walking 2 and scattering 5 hits.
G-Braves
Trouble below meant something completely different in Gwinnett Friday as Duane Below allowed only one run and one hit over seven innings for his fourth win in five starts for the Toledo Mud Hens as they edged the Gwinnett Braves, 2-1. The lone run was a homer by Brandon Hicks (.126/.182/.387/.569, 2 Hr, 4RBI) in the second that put the G-Braves in the lead. Todd Redmond pitched good enough to win on most days allowing only 2 runs on 6 hits through his 6 inning stint but the hitters had no idea against the Mudhens’ Below. Things didn’t improve on Saturday as the Mudhens pounded Gwinnett 13 –1, their only run coming on a 5th inning homer by DH Stefan Gartrell (.236/.289/.481/.771 6Hr, 13 RBI).
Somewhere Klinger is smiling . . .
I’ll update Sunday’s minor league games later tonight.