You can cue all the lame music quote cliches used to describe offensive outbursts for this one tonight! But lets stick to the overused personal favorite; the "Sultans of Swing"! But all puns aside, it was strictly business for the Indians tonight as they put on a real offensively shellacking. They collectively put together a season-high 21 hits as every hitter figured in on the barrage tonight with at least one hit.
Look no further, but guess who is back? Yeah, that Jose Tabata guy, that's who! He had a team-leading four hits tonight with four RBI to boost his average to .310. In Tabata's last five games, he's 10 for his last 19 plate apperances and in typical Jose Tabata fashion, with only one extra base hit. Recently acquired outfielder Christian Marrero made his first start and tabbed his first tatter as a member of the Indians while going 1-for-4. Coming off great night on Tuesday with two doubles and three RBI, Brandon Boggs continued that trend against the Yankees. He added his 22nd two-bagger of the season to contribute to his 3-for-5 performance. Yamaico Navarro and Anderson Hernandez also had three hit nights while Chase d'Arnaud, Matt Hague, and Jose Morales settled with two hits each.
On the bump, Indians starter Daniel Cabrera picked up his fifth victory with a near flawless outing. With the exception of a solo shot in the first inning to the three hole hitter, Eduardo Nunez, Cabrera was outstanding. He finished his night giving up that lone run and four hits in six frames while striking out five. With his very quick cup of coffee on the big league roster, recently demoted Daniel McCutchen was perfect through three innings of long relief and struck out four.
AA Altoona | Altoona 6 Trenton 9
Despite an improved offensive showing, Altoona was swept by Trenton due to a rare poor pitching performance by starter Brandon Cumpton. Cumpton allowed six runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter in just four innings of work. Cumpton only struck out one hitter. His ERA rose to 3.65 on the season. Reliever Mike Colla didn't stop the bleeding either, as he gave up three runs in two innings. Colla's ERA now stands at 1.93 as a reliever, and three of the eight runs he's allowed out of the bullpen came today. Recent trade pickup Kyle Kaminska pitched two shutout innings and fanned three. Kaminska came over from Miami in the deal for Gaby Sanchez. Meanwhile, the Curve offense was patient with wild top Yankee pitching prospect Dellin Betances, working four walks to go with six hits in five innings against the hurler, but Cumpton's hole was too deep to climb out of. Adalberto Santos again led the way, going 2-for-5 with a double. His average now stands at .390 in 118 at-bats. Oscar Tejeda went 2-for-4 with a double, and Drew Maggi slapped two hits out of the leadoff spot. Brock Holt raised his average to .322 with a hit in three at-bats and a walk, and Jeremy Farrell also double for the Curve in the losing effort.
A West Virginia | West Virginia 7 Hagerstown 9
With all eyes in the world of Minor League baseball fixated on their breakout seasons, Alen Hanson and Gregory Polanco continue to produce. The "toolsy" Dominican youngster Polanco keeps excelling in all facets of his game. From the missile in centerfield to get a runner at home yesterday, or his .327 average, to his 40 stolen bases. He picked up where he left off last night with a 2-for-4 night at the dish and his 25th two-bagger of the season in tonight . Then there is Alen Hanson, who has vaulted himself into some top 5 Pirates Prospects listings this season. He only chipped in for one hit tonight against the Suns, but still remained a factor; picking up stolen bases number 29 and 30. Young backstop Francisco Diaz followed up his hot end of July (.423 average) with two hits tonight. Francisco Aponte and Junior Sosa also added hits. Struggling outfielder Taylor Lewis still figured in on the offense with two stolen bases even though he's 4 for his last 38 (.105).
After five quality starts in the month of July with a 2.36 ERA in 26.1 innings thrown, Zack Von Rosenberg was starting to consistently live up to his hype. But tonight he went back to the struggling Von Rosenberg of old, getting shelled in only a mere two and two-thirds. He was the victim of a brutal five run third inning while collectively allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and walking two.
A Bradenton | Bradenton 0 Lakeland 7
The Marauders suffered a rough night all the way around the diamond while getting shut out by the Flying Tigers. The sputtering Bradenton offense claimed only six hits, and Kawika Emsley-Pai smacked a double for the team's only extra-base hit. Benji Gonzalez did reach base all three times up with a single and two walks to hike his average to .252. Alex Dickerson went 1-for-4, but Gift Ngoepe and Mel Rojas combined to go 0-for-8 at the top of the order. Starter Tyler Waldron was actually matching Lakeland zero for zero through the first five innings, but the wheels flew off in the sixth. After going five strong shutout innings, Waldron couldn't retire a batter in the sixth despite facing five of them, and the four runs he allowed in the frame threw the Marauders out of it. Waldron struck out five in the five innings while walking one and allowing seven hits. Jhonathan Ramos, recently demoted from the Altoona bullpen, gave up the next three runs in his two innings. And newly-signed Erik Turgeon pitched a shutout inning in his Bradenton debut with a strikeout.
A State College | State College 2 Hudson Valley 4
After winning six in a row, the Spikes have now lost four straight affairs after blowing a 2-1 lead in the eighth when wild reliever Clario Perez gave up three runs. Perez, a 19-year-old who walked 14 in 24.2 innings in the West Virginia bullpen before getting sent back down to State College, walked just one in this game but threw two wild pitches in the eighth that led to the go-ahead runs. Perez did pitch two shutout innings before blowing up in the eighth. Starter Jason Creasy had allowed only one run in 4.2 innings while allowing four hits, three walks and striking out four. Pat Ludwig put out the fire in the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth as well but the quiet Spikes offense couldn't come back. Like the Bradenton squad, State College only mustered six hits, with catcher Jacob Stallings hitting his 15th double of the season as the highlight. Chris Diaz had an RBI single, and Jodaneli Carvajal scored on a wild pitch for the team's only two runs. Tyler Gaffney, who won the New York-Penn league Player of the Week but didn't play in Monday or Wednesday's games, returned to the lineup and went 1-for-4. His average on the young season is .344