Diamonds in the Rough 6.21

A rough day for the Royals affiliates going just 1-5 with only a DSL win.  HR Roll Call John Whittleman (13) Kevin David (3) Patrick Leonard (2) 

Kevin David

Pine Tar Press Hitter of the Day Kevin David 3-4 HR 2 RBI

Teaford via Mindahaas.net

Pine Tar Press Co-Pitchers of the Day Everett Teaford 6 IP 2 H 0 R 1 BB 5 K

Daniel Hernandez 5 Ip 0 H 0 R 0 BB 5 K

Memphis Redbirds 6 Omaha Storm Chasers 4

Everett Teaford was solid in his 6 innings giving up just 2 hits and a walk in 6 innings while the lefty retired the final 13 hitters in a row.  Teaford would leave with the lead turning things over to Nate Adcock who would quickly have things turn south on him in the 7th inning.  The inning would start with an error on a wild throw from Wil Myers who was playing his first game at third base for Omaha.  Myers made a diving grab on a ground ball between short and third getting up quickly and airmailing throw into the stands.  Things would continue south for Adcock and the Chasers as the right-hander would give up back to back doubles to tie the game following a walk allowed and eventually giving up another single to give the Redbirds the lead.  The Chasers would tie the game in the 8th but a Redbirds rally without a hit loaded the bases in the 11th eventually scoring a pair of runs in the inning on Zach Cox single.  The Chasers would go down in order in the 11th losing their second game in three tries.

W: Cleto (2-1, 4.03) L: Coleman (0-2, 3.38)

Tulsa Drillers 5 NW Arkansas Naturals 4

The Drillers who lost three games in a row after leading early turned the tables on the Naturals in the series finale.  Naturals starter Justin Marks has cruised through 5 innings ran into problems in the 6th giving up back to back walks prior to allowing a 3 run home run to put himself behind 3-2.  The Drillers weren’t done with Marks quickening striking back with a single and another home run pushing the Naturals deficit to 5-2.  Rey Navarro would score a run in the 6th and drive one in with a double in the 8th inning as part of his perfect day at the plate but the Naturals would fall short 5-4 stranding him at third as the final three hitters of that inning would all strikeout, missing out on a chance to tie the game eventually costing them an opportunity to tie the game.

W: Cabrera (8-4, 2.94) L: Marks (3-4, 3.86)
S: Woods (13)

Carolina Mudcats 7 Wilmington Blue Rocks 3

The second half opener was a little different than the first half as the Blue Rocks had plenty of hits (12) and base runners but much like the first half of the season they just didn’t score enough runs to take home a victory.  The Rocks went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position while their 4 and 5 hitters Brett Eibner and Geulin Beltre went 0 for 8 with 6 K’s.  Starter Brooks Pounders gave up 4 runs on 9 hits and walk, five of the nine hits went for doubles while the Mudcats collected 18 hits total off the three different Rocks pitchers.  Newly called up shortstop Orlando Calixte went 2 for 4 in his first game of the year for Wilmington while catcher Kevin David went 3 for 4 with his third home run of the season.

W: Cooper (2-3, 4.19) L: Pounders (0-2, 5.25)

Pulaski Mariners 4 Burlington Royals 3

The Royals got an outstanding start from Daniel Hernandez to try to complete the three game sweep of the Mariners.  Hernandez gave the Royals 5 perfect innings striking out 5 Pulaski hitters and earning six groundouts and 3 fly outs.  The Royals put Hernandez in a good spot to win the game scoring two runs in the 1st on an RBI double from Humberto Arteaga and a run scoring triple by Chris Elder.  A Patrick Leonard home run in the sixth stretched the Royals lead to 3-0 but Parker Bangs entrance in the bottom half of the sixth would turn things negative for Burlington.  The right-hander from South Carolina has been a bit of a project since getting drafted in 2010 and he remains just that after hitting a pair of batters, a single and a home run that gave the Mariners a 4-3 lead.  The Royals would get the tying runner int scoring position in the 8th and get the tying runner on in the ninth but double play balls would stomp out both rallies to give them their first defeat of the season.

W: Garcia (1-0, 3.00) L: Bangs (0-1, 18.00)
S: Huijer (1)

Grand Junction Rockies 4 Idaho Falls Chukars 3

A 2 for 17 performance with runners in scoring position damaged the chances of Idaho Falls improving to 4-0.  The Chukars got a solid start from Ali Williams, a college reliever, getting 5 innings of 1 run ball from the power throwing Williams who struck out 7.  The Chukars were down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the 5th when Elier Hernandez tied up the game with a single to drive in Travis Lane who had tripled to lead off the inning.  Grand Junction scored a pair off reliever Alex Mills in the 6th on a two run double and then added another in the 8th to take a 4-1 lead.  Doubles and runs scored by Adalberto Mondesi and Elier Hernandez would shrink the lead to 4-3 but the rally would be cut short there.

W: Warner (1-0, 4.50) L: Mills (0-1, 6.00)
S: Meaux (1)

W: Melgar (2-0, 2.65) L: Almonte (0-1, 6.10)
S: Rosario (1)