Diamonds in the Rough 9.5

1-1 in the playoffs on Wednesday with a win in Omaha.  Idaho Falls played their second to last regular season game winning in walkoff fashion.  HR Roll Call Wil Myers (38)

Pine Tar Press Hitter of the Day Wil Myers 2-2 HR, 2b, HBP, 2 BB, 2 R, 3 RBI

(Photo Minda Haas)

Pine Tar Press Pitcher of the Day Jake Odorizzi 7 IP 5 H 3 ER 2 BB 7 K

Playoffs

Omaha Storm Chasers 8 Albuquerque Isotopes 4
Omaha 1-0 

The Chasers playoff season got off to a good start Wednesday when their top two prospects paved the way to a win.  Wil Myers started the scoring in the bottom of the first when he hit his 38th home run of the season to the right of center, putting the Chasers up 3-0.  Starter Jake Odorizzi cruised through the first four innings allowing just a single in the fourth while tossing just 50 pitches and striking out six before giving up a solo home run in the 5th to Josh Bard.  The right-hander would have to fight through the 5th thru 7th innings, tossing 52 pitches in his final three innings while giving up that Bard home run and another two run shot by Jerry Sands.  A one out double and a walk in the 7th put him in a little danger but Jake was able to get Tony Gwynn Jr. and Dee Gordon to line out to left field to end the threat and his night in a position to win.  Jake worked 90-93 the entire night working both edges of the plate and moving his fastball up and down, he tossed a few slow 72 mph curveballs that looked to be his best breaking pitch while also working a low 80′s change.  With the score 5-3 Roman Colon gave up a solo home run to Josh Fields to cut the lead to a single run but the Chasers offense struck back in the bottom of the inning with some help from the Isotopes defense to put the game out of reach.  The Isotopes switched to a left-hander to spin Irving Falu and Anthony Seratelli to their weaker sides but the plan backfired when Mitch Maier drew a one out walk and was moved to 3rd on Seratelli’s double.  Albuquerque intentionally walked Myers, who reached in all five PA’s, to load the bases to try to get out of the jam and it appeared it the trick may have worked when Clint Robinson popped out to first base for the second out of the inning.  With two down and two strikes on Max Ramirez the Isotopes lefty uncorked a wild pitch that scored Mitch from third while pushing Seratelli and Myers into scoring position.  Following the wild pitch Max Ramirez would force the pitcher to field a ball and make a difficult throw but the ball would get away from first baseman Sands that scored Seratelli and Myers to push the Omaha lead 8-4.  Reliever Tommy Hottovy worked around a couple of base runners in the 9th to secure the win and a 1-0 lead in the series for the defending PCL champs.

W: Odorizzi (1-0, 3.86) L: Nieve (0-1, 13.50)

FIELDING
E: Sands 2 (2, fielding, missed catch), Herrera (1, throw).

Lynchburg Hillcats 8 Wilmington Blue Rocks 0

Lynchburg 1-0 

The Blue Rocks offense was shutdown by Lynchburg starter Gus Schlosser to fall behind in their series.  The Braves farmhand gave up just three singles and a walk in his eight strong innings, allowing just one Wilmington base runner to reach 2nd.  The Florida Southern right-hander who lead the Carolina league in victories and the top three in strikeouts and ERA among qualified starters put six more Wilmington hitters away on this night.  The Wilmington starter, Brooks Pounders couldn’t quite keep pace giving up two runs in six innings before turning things over to the pen.  That pen took a 2-0 deficit into an 8-0 loss most of which came via Nick Rogers who allowed four runs on five hits and a walk.

W: Schlosser (1-0, 0.00) L: Pounders (0-1, 3.00)

BASERUNNING
SB: Salcedo (1, 2nd base off Pounders/Graterol), Ahmed (1, 2nd base off Carl/Graterol).
CS: Milligan (1, 2nd base by Pounders/Graterol).

FIELDING
E: Graterol (1, throw), Fields, M (1, fielding).
DP: (Fields, M-Calixte-Fields, M).

Idaho Falls Chukars 5 Orem Owlz 4

The Chukars season won’t include the playoffs but that didn’t stop them from some excitement with a walkoff win Wednesday.  Down 4-3 the Chukars used a walk by Jared Schlehuber to push the tying run into scoring position, eventually tying the game on Jerico Blanco’s RBI single and scoring the winning run on an error by Orem catcher Anthony Bemboom when he could wrangle in the throw to the plate to attempt to stop Elier Hernandez from scoring the winning run.  Starter Zeb Sneed put together his best start in sometime giving the Chukars five inning of two run ball while striking out 7 against no walks.  Shortstop Adalberto Mondesi went 2 for 4 with his eleventh steal of the season.

W: Hall (2-1, 2.15) L: Boyd (2-1, 2.14)

FIELDING
E: Boyd (2, throw), Bemboom (4, missed catch).
Outfield assists: Clarke, C (Cuckovich at 2nd base).
DP: (Newcomb-Johnson, S-Hinkle).
Pickoffs: Newcomb (Cuckovich at 1st base).

BASERUNNING
SB: Mondesi (11, 2nd base off Newcomb/Bemboom).
PO: Cuckovich (1st base by Newcomb).

FIELDING
E: Cuckovich 2 (18, fielding, fielding), Smith, T (1, throw).
Outfield assists: Chapman (Clarke, C at 3rd base).
DP: (Chapman-Cuckovich).