Guardians Baseball Insider

Rain complicated the Lynchburg Hillcats previous week, scrambling pitching plans. They had a game suspended by rain, a second half of a double rained out and a full double-header rained out. That all came at either the best or worst possible time, depending on how you want to look at it. They faced the Delmarva Shorebirds, one of the best teams in Low-A and have already given the Hillcats problems this year. They ent 2-2 in the four games that got played with very little offense, but got a good pitching performance on Saturday and Sunday. The Hillcats got a little healthier this week, getting Micah Pries back from a hamstring injury but also lost Sergio Morillo to an injury, who turned in the best outing of the season for him before he got hurt. The offense has continued to struggle without Jhonkensey Noel and losing Xzavion Curry to a promotion has also taken a bit out of their rotation full of very young arms. Now they might get a softer series vs. Fredericksburg, who they tattooed badly to open the 2021 season.

Day by Day

6/10 L 2-8 vs. Delmarva (Game 1) – W: Denoyer (3-0); L: Labaut (2-1); S: Perkins (3) 

6/10 Game 2 rained out

6/11 Double-header vs Delmarva rained out

6/12 W 2-1 vs. Delmarva (Game 1) – W: Hart (2-1); L: McLarty (1-2)

6/12 L 6-3 vs. Delmarva (Game 2) – W: Martin (2-0); L: Jones (0-4); S: Feliz (2)

6/13 W 5-2 vs. Delmarva – W: Zapata (1-0); L: Watson (2-1); S: Wolf (1)

6/15 L 3-2 vs. Fredericksburg – W: Moore (1-0); L: Benton (0-1)

6/16 W 8-3 vs. Fredericksburg – W: Jenkins (1-0); L: Pena (1-1)

Player of the Week

INF Angel Martinez: 7-17, 3B, 2B, 2 RBI 

Martinez struggled a bit over the previous week but back to back multi hit nights has hopefully pushed the Hillcats leadoff man and the youngest player in the league back in the right direction.

Who’s Hot

SP Josh Wolf: 4IP, 2H, BB, 3K SV

Wolf picked up his first career save, piggybacking behind teammate Lenny Torres Jr. on Sunday thanks to all the rainouts this week. The right hander acquired in the Francsico Lindor and Carlos Carrasco trade to the Mets this past winter hasn’t allowed a run over his last eight innings pitched with six strikeouts. He’s improving after having some shaky outings the first two or three trips through the rotation.

OF Alexfri Planez: 5-13, 2B, HR, 5 RBI

Easily the best week for the struggling prospect oozing with tools and talent. He’s swung and missed a lot this year and hasn’t been great at drawing walks so a sign of starting to make more consistent contact would be a very welcome adjustment for Planez, the Hillcats and Cleveland. 

Who’s Not

SP Sergio Morrilo: 4.2IP, 5H, ER, 2BB, 3K – Injured

Morrilo isn’t not hot, and he’s not, not. I think? Either way, Morrillo turned in the best outing of his 2021 campaign (it lowered his ERA to 11.30) but then he winds up on the injured list. He can’t catch a break this year.

1B Will Barlett: 2-11 

Sure Barlett was one hit away from hitting .300 of the week but he’s struggled since his early hot start. Maybe with Fredricksburg on the docket he’ll pick things back up where he did against them in May.

Up next

6/17-6/20 AT Fredericksburg

6/22-6/27 AT Salem