AAA

Omaha 11, Iowa 5

Game Recap

Starter Trevor Clifton (0.2 IP, H, 4 R, 3 BB, 0 K | L, 1-1, 2.70 ERA) was chased due to pitch count without making it out of the 1st inning. Iowa would give five runs in the inning as Matt Carasiti could not stop the bleeding, and then Carasiti would allow two more runs in the 2nd. The Cubs did battle back a bit in the middle innings, but three runs in the 7th off James Norwood drove the nail in the coffin.

Top Performers

Phillip Evans: 2-5, HR (5), R, 2 RBI (.287)

Dixon Machado: 1-4, HR (6), 2 R, RBI (.275)

Victor Caratini: 3-5, 2B, RBI (.286)

Trent Giambrone: 2-5, R, SB (6) (.220)

Jacob Hannemann: 1-3, R, RBI, 2 BB (.333)

Robel Garcia: 2-5 (.333)

Rowan Wick: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, K (3.18)

Randy Rosario: 1.1 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 0 K (0.00)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Since 4/19 (23 games), Phillip Evans has drawn 26 walks against just 9 strikeouts, while hitting .324/.510/.608 (182 wRC+), with 4 doubles, a triple and 5 homers.

AA

Birmingham 6, Tennessee 1 (Game 1)

Birmingham 4, Tennessee 1 (Game 2)

Game Recap

Justin Steele rebounded from a rough outing the last time through the rotation to work a solid four innings in game one, but limited offensive support and a rocky relief outing by Michael Rucker (3 IP, 3 H, 4 R, BB, K, 8.14 ERA) doomed the Smokies.

The Smokies managed just four hits and one run in game two. The bullpen gave them a chance with three shutout innings after Brad Markey surrendered four runs over four innings, but the offense could never muster a comeback attempt.

Top Performers

Jared Young: 3-5, R, RBI, SF (.263)

Charcer Burks: 2-6, 2B, RBI (.216)

Vimael Machin: 2-6 (.306)

Roberto Caro: 2-5, BB, 2 CS (2, 3) (.248)

Gioskar Amaya: 1-3, 2B (.333)

Justin Steele: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K (L, 0-3, 9.20)

Jordan Minch: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (6.08)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Knee injuries have kept Gioskar Amaya out since 2016, but the former 2B and C has returned to Tennessee. Just and org player, and potentially a future coach when he hangs up the cleats, expect Amaya to spend the majority of his time at 1B when he is in the lineup. Amaya has a .274/.356/.388 line across 619 career games.

Advanced A

Myrtle Beach 11, Winston-Salem 1

Game Recap

In a rare offensive explosion, the Pelicans showed off both patience (8 walks) and power (home runs by Aramis Ademan and Kevonte Mitchell). Eight of the nine hitters reached base at least twice in what was possibly the team's best overall performance of the season, especially considering starter Erling Moreno and reliever Brian Glowicki combined to allow just one run on six hits and three walks while compiling a 15-4 GO-FO ratio.

Top Performers

Erling Moreno: 7 IP, 5 H, R, 3 BB, 2 K, 13-4 GO-FO (W, 3-4, 7.47)

Brian Glowicki: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (5.49)

Kevonte Mitchell: 2-5, HR (5), 2 R, 4 RBI (.198)

Aramis Ademan: 2-4, HR (3), 2 R, RBI, BB (.267)

Miguel Amaya: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, BB (.206)

Zach Davis: 1-4, 2 R, BB, SB (11) (.247)

Jhonny Bethencourt: 1-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB (.200)

Carlos Sepulveda: 1-3, R, BB (.244)

Tyler Payne: 1-4, BB (.310)

Grant Fennell: 0-3

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

Kevonte Mitchell (.198/.283/.358) has been on a tear during his 5-game hitting streak. Prior to this run he had seen his average plummet all the way down to .157 but now nearly has it back to the Mendoza Line thanks to going 7-for-his-last-16, including a double and a pair of homers. He also has a 10-game on-base streak going.

Aramis Ademan has a 9-game on-base streak (.310/.429/.483) of his own going.

He spent the majority of 2018 as the youngest hitter in the Carolina League, and he unsurprisingly struggled. He is still the 9th youngest regular in the CL this season (younger than Miguel Amaya). His 16.8 BB% currently ranks 5th, while his .189 ISO ranks 9th, and wRC+ ranks 8th — Michael Ernst (@mj_ernst) May 14, 2019

It has been a very hit-or-miss season for Erling Moreno in 2019. He has been bombed for 22 earned runs over 11 combined innings across 3 of his 7 games. In the other 4 outings, he has allowed just 4 earned runs on 13 hits and 10 walks over 20.1 innings (1.77 ERA). His issue has been an inability to miss bats (just 13 K in 31.1 total IP), making him completely dependent on his power sinker to produce ground balls. This of course leads to a lot of ground outs, but also leaves him susceptible to a ton of bad BABIP luck, especially since his control has also not been on point this season.

A

South Bend 3, Bowling Green 0

Game Recap

Brailyn Marquez and two relievers combined on a six-hit shutout. It was Marquez's longest and finest performance of the season, as he walked just one batter. The game winning-run came via a Jonathan Sierra solo home run in the 6th, his second of the season. Sierra (.240/.280/.352) extended his hitting to five games.

Top Performers

Brailyn Marquez: 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K (W, 1-0, 2.52)

Ryan Lawlor: 3 IP, H, 0 R, BB, K (1.83)

Ethan Roberts: IP, H, 0 R (S, 5, 2.35)

Andy Weber: 3-4, 2B (.250)

Jonathan Sierra: 1-4, HR (2), R, RBI (.240)

Christopher Morel: 1-4, 3B, R, RBI (.218)

Injuries, Updates, and Trends

The 1 walk allowed was a season-low for Brailyn Marquez, and he accomplished it over a season-high of 5 innings. His 6 strikeouts raised his season total to 36 across 25.0 innings. He has struck out 33.3% of the batters he has faced this season, up from the 25.9% rate he posted during his breakout 2018 season. The issue has been his walk rate has spiked to 15.7% from 7.0% last year. Hopefully, last night's performance gets him in a groove.

Ryan Lawlor now has a 7-inning scoreless streak. If you consider only earned runs, his streak extends to 12.2 innings (6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 14 K).

This was the second straight 3-for-4 performance by Andy Weber, raising his average from .214 to .250.