Guardians Baseball Insider

Image: TCP Photography/Courtesy Lake County Captains

Scoreboard

Triple-A – Toledo Mud Hens 8, Columbus Clippers 0
Double-A – Akron RubberDucks 3, Bowie Baysox 2 (10 innings)
High-A – Lake County Captains 3, West Michigan Whitecaps 0
Low-A – Fredericksburg Nationals 10, Lynchburg Hillcats 9

HIGHLIGHTS

Trenton Brooks (Columbus, 1B): 2-3, 1 BB – Brooks reached base three times, out of eight total for the Clippers. Trenton’s second multi-hit game in a row shows that his 1-for-14 mini-slump is clearly in the rear view mirror. Even with that slow stretch, Brooks has a still has a .968 OPS with eleven RBI in twelve games since being called up from Double-A Akron on June 8.

Brayan Rocchio (Lake County, SS): 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI – Rocchio rebounded from a hitless late Saturday/early Sunday with his second big offensive performance of the series (following Thursday;s three-hit, two-run effort). He has been markedly better in June (.309/.381/.582 slash line) than he was in May (.207/.250/.310).

George Valera (Lake County, CF): 2-4, 1 K, 1 CS – While not as impressive as his three-hit, two-run, three-RBI Friday, Valera’s second straight multi-hit game continued a June (.316/.435/.684) that, like Rocchio’s, has been much better than his May (.182/.296/.273).

BEST OF THE REST

Anthony Gose (Columbus, RP): 1 IP, 1 BB, 3 K – Gose has pitched a no-hit inning in each of his last three outings, albeit while walking five in those three frames.

Tyler Freeman (Akron, SS): 2-4, 1 2B – While not as impressive as his four-hit Saturday, Freeman’s multi-hit performance was the only one of Sunday’s pitchers’ duel.

Mike Rivera (Akron, C): 0-3, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SF – Despite going hitless on Sunday, the most important swing of yesterday’s game came off his bat as his tenth-inning sacrifice fly drove in 1B Josh Rolette for what would prove to be the game-winning run.

Jonathan Engelmann (Akron, DH): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB – Englemann’s third-inning solo shot was his first homer at the Double-A level.

Thomas Ponticelli (Akron, SP): ND, 7 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 Pickoff – Ponticeli, whose previous longest outing of the season only lasted five frames, dominated the Orioles prospects in an outing that was unfortunately not rewarded with individual victory.

Jake Miednik (Akron, RP): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 HBP – Miednik has not allowed a run in his last four innings (three games).

Nick Mikolajchak (Akron, RP): S (5), 1 IP, 1 BB – Mikolajchak’s fifth save of the season puts him into double digits for his career (saved five games in 2019 – two for AZL Blue, three for the Scrappers).

Quentin Holmes (Lake County, RF): 2-4, 2 K – Despite his recent 1-for-11 mini-slump (which he broke with this multi-hit outing), Homes is slashing a stellar .389/.450/.528 in twelve games this season (spent most of May on the 7-Day IL).

Mason Hickman (Lake County, SP): SW (3-2), 6 IP, 4 H, 9 K – Hickman dominated in the longest start of his rookie season of professional ball, setting a career high with nine strikeouts, improving his K:BB ratio to 42:11.

Kevin Kelly (Lake County, RP): H (2), 1 IP, perfect, 2 K – Kelly’s perfect seventh extended his scoreless streak to 3.1 innings in three games.

Nate Ocker (Lake County, RP): S (1) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K – Ocker completed a spectacular day for the Captains’ pitching staff to earn his first non-complex save. Fun Fact: Ocker is perfect in six save opportunities in his professional career (5-for-5 for the 2019 Arizona League Indians Blue).

Angel Martinez (Lynchburg, 2B): 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 CS – Martinez continued a stellar stateside debut season on Sunday with a two-run single to bring his RBI total to 20 in only 31 games (compared 27 in 56 DSL games two seasons ago). Fourteen extra-base hits 7 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR) and 17 walks bring his slash line to a solid .281/.379/.500.

Yainer Diaz (Lynchburg, 1B): 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 K – Diaz’s two-run double in the seventh brings his season RBI total to 24 in 34 games, all for the Hillcats.

Daritzon Feliz (Lynchburg, RP): 2 IP, 1 H, 4 K – Feliz is averaging nearly a strikeout and a half per inning (35 K in 24 IP).

Liam Jenkins (Lynchburg, RP): 2 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K – Jenkins is off to a good start to the full-season portion of his minor league career, hurling four shutout frames over his first two appearances for the Hillcats.