This was just the Jeff Locke Show, and we were all intently watching it. Probably DVRing it too. Locke turned it perhaps his best performance of 2012, pitching 7.1 shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out 10. Locke threw 108 pitches, and he might have made it through eight innings unscathed if Kevin Russo didn't get the best of him with a double that culminated an 11-pitch at-bat and ended Locke's night. But Locke still emerged triumphant, lowering his ERA on the season to 2.66. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is now 113:38, and Locke's given up only seven earned runs in his last seven starts, and no runs in his last two over 14.1 innings. Doug Slaten and Tim Wood completed the shutout as the Indians ran their record to 70-44 on the season. There wasn't a lot of offense to go around, as the two teams combined for only seven hits, four from the winning Indianapolis squad. Jose Tabata stayed hot, reaching base three times with a single and two walks and raising his average in Triple-A to .314 in 102 at-bats. Chase d'Arnaud hit his 22nd double of the season, and Matt Hague and Jeff Clement drove in the only two Indians runs.
AA Altoona | Altoona 4 New Britain 5
It was another crushing loss for the Curve tonight at the hands of the awesomely named New Britain Rock Cats. Where is Old Britain (boooo, I know). Anyway, this heart shattering loss extended their losing streak to four games. But the story of the night was not a great offensive performance or masterful start, but a reliever failing! He is in fact human, people. Vic Black finally showed a chink in the 'ol armor tonight! He blew his second save of the season by giving up a crushing three-run walk off tater in the 9th to New Britain bopper Chris Colabello. But on a positive note, Kyle McPherson had a great start with his only flaw being a two-run blast in the fourth; his only two runs allowed in six frames. Oscar Tejada continues to swing a hot stick with his third double in as many days to complement a 2-for-4 night at the plate. In his last five games, Tejada is 7 for his last 17 at bats (.411). Backstop Ramon Cabrera also added his 13th and 14th two baggers of the season. As a collective offense, the Curve picked up five doubles and walked SEVEN times. Reigning Eastern League Player of the Week Adalberto Santos keeps being the Curve's version of the #HitCollector, adding two more tonight. In his past 10 games, Santos is a mind boggling 14-for-35 (.400). Sing it with me... the Rock Cats fell in to burning ring of fire, Santos went down, down, down, and the flames went higher!
A West Virginia | West Virginia 2 Delmarva Shorebirds 0
Same song, different tune. Nick Kingham continues to deal on the bump just like his previous three starts. What's new? He tacked on his fourth victory of the season by giving up no runs on four hits in six frames. Including tonight's outing, the big youngster from the Sin City has given up one earned run and 12 hits in 22 innings of work while fanning 21. This is the Kingham that opened up tons of eyes dominating in State College last season . He continues to fly under the radar as one of the top prospects in the Pirates system. Sit back and enjoy keeping tabs on a great young and live arm like Kingham. The recently shaky Ryan Hafner threw a scoreless 7th and has now given up only two hits and no runs in his last four innings of relief. This is coming after his abysmal July 22nd outing where he allowed seven runs in only two thirds of an inning. The Kilcrease duo Robert and Nathan put the nails in the coffin for the 8th and 9th, respectively. Nathan racked up his ninth save of the season.
Offensively the night was headlined by, you guessed it, Alen Hanson. Here is your shiny nickel and cookie for getting that right. Anyway, he had another multi-hit night, going a measly 2-for-4. That his umpteenth multi-hit game of the season! Taylor Lewis, Dan Gamache, Gregory Polanco, and Elias Diaz all had hits with Polanco's first inning RBI base hit being the eventual game winner.
A Bradenton | Bradenton 6 Palm Beach 7
It was a tough pill to swallow for the Marauders as their five run comeback attempt came up short as they were only able to scratch across three in the 9th. The giant righty Kenn Kasparek struggled right from the get-go as he was inserted into the Bradenton rotation following the departure of Colton Cain. The big Texan was touched up for two runs early in the 1st and a crooked three runs in the 3rd. He finished his night walking four and striking out two in four innings of work. Matt Benedict was shaky in relief once again, giving up two runs in three innings. Alex Dickerson had himself a night, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. He's now 14-for-39 in his last ten games. Carlos Mesa tagged his fourth bomb of the season with a two run shot early in the 2nd. The man from Nelson Mandela's hood, Gift Ngoepe, continues to struggle. He's now zero for his last 16 after his 0-for-4 performance at the dish tonight. It gets better, Gift, so no need to worry. You still have an awesome name to hang back on.
A State College | State College 1 Hudson Valley 0
Similar to their Triple-A older brothers, the Spikes won a pitchers' duel in which the two teams combined for one run on ten hits. State College eked out the win with a seventh-inning run when Derek Trent doubled and Jodaneli Carvajal singled and a throwing error led to Trent crossing the plate. Trent finished 2-for-3 and is hitting .500 in eight at-bats on the season after sitting out the first three-quarters of the season. Catcher Jacob Stallings also had two hits for the Spikes, hiking his average to .273, and Chris Diaz slapped his sixth double on the year. Leadoff man Tyler Gaffney reached base twice without getting a hit by walking once and a hit-by-pitch. Starter Joely Rodriguez finished with some odd numbers over his five innings of work. He only allowed three hits and didn't walk a batter, but didn't strike anyone out either. But he pitched well enough to keep runs off the board, and his ERA on the year is down to 2.72. Rodriguez has allowed seven runs combined in his last seven starts, and five of those were in one start on July 23. Rodriguez wasn't rewarded with the victory though thanks to the Spikes' offensive ineptitude, but Orlando Castro was the beneficiary of that by finishing three strong shutout innings of his own with one hit, one walk and four strikeouts. Kyle Haynes finished the game for his fifth save.