AAA: Scheduled Off-Day

After a wild week and a memorable final day in Las Vegas, Sacramento got an off-day.  They’re taking a flight out to the plains to face the Oklahoma City Dodgers for the next week.  After that, they’ll come home for the home opener on May 20th against Reno.

AA: Richmond 4, Harrisburg 1

Top Lines

1B Frankie Tostado: 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B (3)
CF Heliot Ramos: 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B (4), 1 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB (3)
C Andres Angulo: 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B (2), 1 SO
2B Kyle Mottice: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB (2)

SP Sean Hjelle: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR
RP Luis Amaya: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
RP Frank Rubio: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
RP Norwith Gudino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO

Sean Hjelle had a problem with giving up hits, particularly home runs, in his first start.  He gave up another home run, but was looking very dominant in his second start.  Hjelle’s curveball was working, and he was continuing to rack up strikeouts.  But with less hits and walks given, the home run was just a single run, and Hjelle had possibly his best start in Double-A.

Other Notes:

  • Heliot Ramos didn’t have an eyebrow-raising day, but he picked up a double, a walk, and a stolen base to help pad his totals.  He also had an amazing play out in center that we get to watch as a highlight.
  • Frankie Tostado picked up a pair of doubles.  Tostado’s batting average has stayed relatively steady since Opening Day, but he’s been picking up the extra-base hits in the last few games.  He still is homerless on the season, but with three doubles and a triple, he’s slugging .538.
  • After giving up a pair of runs in each of the his first two games, Luis Amaya bounced back by striking out two of the three batters that he faced.

High-A: Scheduled Day Off

This isn’t a regular day off for the Eugene Emeralds, but they had to take the past two days off thanks to their roommates, the University of Oregon, needing to use PK Park.  Although they were officially the home team in their Monday doubleheader played at Hillsboro, they will get their actual home opener on Thursday against the Hops.

This shared relationship is, of course, why MLB has told the Emeralds they need to move out of PK Park in the next five years.  So, get ready for the long-term stadium search and drama here in Oregon!

Low-A: Stockton 7, San Jose 4

Top Lines

CF Luis Matos: 2-5, 1 R, 2 2B (2), 1 SO
SS Marco Luciano: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR (1), 1 SO
2B Jimmy Glowenke: 1-4, 1 R, ,1 RBI, 1 2B (2), 1 SO
DH Alexander Canario: 1-4, 1 SO, 1 SB (2)

SP Carson Ragsdale: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2 HR, 1 HBP
RP Kanoa Pagan: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR
RP Ivan Armstrong: 4.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO, 1 HBP, 1 Balk

Unfortunately, this game was defined by an unexpectedly rough pitching performance to start the game.  Starter Carson Ragsdale struggled from the start, hitting the first batter he faced.  After a strikeout, he ave up back-to-back homers to make the game 3-1.  He struck out one of the next three batters, but walked the other two, and that got him removed.  Though the pitcher who relieved him, Kanoa Pagan, got out of the inning, he gave up four runs the next inning around a pair of walks, a double and a home run.

However, Ivan Armstrong came in and settled things down.  He struck out half the batters he faced over nearly five innings of relief work.  The only batter he let get on base was by a hit-by-pitch.

Other Notes:

  • The flipped top of the batting order continues to pay off.  Luis Matos, who hit his first home run and a double yesterday in his first game at the leadoff spot, added two more doubles to his total.  Matos is now batting .300 with a .533 slugging percentage with the doubles.
  • Behind him, Marco Luciano got just one hit, but it was his first home run of the season.  Luciano is having a tough start to the season, batting just 5-for-30 (.167), and has a double and a home run