The two most important results from the Indians' victory came from a player who won't be with the team tomorrow and another who might not be either. Alex Presley went 2-for-4 in his second game on his rehab assignment from the concussion he sustained right before the All-Star break and is expected to join the Pirates tomorrow. Also, Starling Marte was given the day off, with Presley, Jose Tabata (1-for-4) and Brandon Boggs (2-for-3, walk, 2 RBIs) manning the outfield. With the Pirates' outfield displaying a poor defensive showing this weekend in Milwaukee (except for Andrew McCutchen of course), the major league team would like to see Presley back in black and gold, and perhaps Marte for the first time as well. Chase d'Arnaud also doubled and drove in a key run for Indianapolis. Starter Rick VandenHurk won his ninth out of ten decisions, going six innings and allowing only two runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out three. Bryan Morris continued his shakiness of late, allowing a run in two innings, but Tim Wood picked up his 14th save.
AA Altoona | Akron 2 Altoona 1
Altoona scoring a run hides the real story of this game, as Akron hurler Giovanni Soto (no, not the Cubs catcher) pitched a complete-game no-hitter despite allowing a run. Soto walked three Curve batters and the only run he allowed was unearned. Altoona eked out its only run after Jarek Cunningham walked to lead off the top of the sixth, and Ramon Cabrera hit a deep fly ball that Cunningham tagged up on and reached third on a throwing error by the center fielder. Kelson Brown then grounded out to score Cunningham, and that was it for the Curve. Soto outshined Altoona starter Phil Irwin, who continued his recent streak of solid starts by pitching a complete game in his own right. Irwin lasted all eight innings and allowed only five hits and didn't walk a batter. But he did give up two runs, one of which was unearned due to a throwing error by Brown. Irwin fanned six in the defeat.
A West Virginia | Augusta 4 West Virginia 3
Ryan Hafner's control problems did him and the Power in again in a 4-3 loss. Hafner dropped to 0-7 with a 7.11 ERA on the season after giving up four runs in five innings. Hafner only gave up one hit, but walked an alarming seven hitters and striking out only one. Hafner walked only 20 hitters in 65.2 innings for State College last year, but with today's start his total in 2012 rose to 59 in 55.2 innings. He may need to be shelved for awhile to get mechanics straightened out. Zachary Fuesser finished the pitching by going three scoreless innings, but the Power couldn't come back. Gregory Polanco's torrid hitting kept up, as he went 2-for-4 with his 20th double and had three RBIs. Polanco's average is up to .318 after hitting .449 so far in July with a 1223 OPS for the month in 49 at bats. Dan Gamache also had two hits for the Power, while Alen Hanson went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .329.
A Bradenton | Bradenton 8 Clearwater 5 (11 innings)
The Marauders used a 4-run 11th inning and an outstanding start by Casey Sadler to propel past Clearwater. Bradenton accumulated 10 hits, all singles, and was aided by five Clearwater errors on the day. Sadler was the star of the show, even though he gave up three runs in seven innings. Sadler struck out 10 and only gave up six hits without walking anyone. Sadler's ERA on the season is 3.16 and he's quickly becoming a prospect to watch. Jason Townsend picked up the win despite blowing the save in the bottom of the eighth by allowing his only run in three innings. Dan Grovatt, Kirk Singer and Justin Howard all had two hits while Howard, Alex Dickerson and Gift Ngoepe drove in two runs apiece.
A State College | Brooklyn 3 State College 2
2012 supplemental first round pick Barrett Barnes staked his claim as the Spikes' best offensive threat with his team-leading third home run of the season but it wasn't enough to push the team to victory. Barnes went 2-for-4 and raised his average to .291. No other Spike had more than one hit but Jodaneli Carvajal and Jacob Stallings both doubled. Jason Creasy took the loss by allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings to drop to 0-2. He walked one and didn't strike out a batter.