Tony Sanchez's suddenly scorching bat couldn't will the Indians to win their ninth consecutive game, as the pitching couldn't hold on to an early 2-0 advantage. Sanchez, who struggled immensely after his promotion from Altoona, homered in his third consecutive game even though he didn't hit one all season before Monday, including his time in Altoona. His 2-for-3 day (with a walk) raised his average to .215 and his OPS to .633. His normally top-notch plate discipline still has a ways to go (3:22 walk to strikeout ratio) but he might finally be adjusting to triple-A. Starling Marte went 1-for-4 with a walk and a steal, his 18th, to improve his hitting streak to 11 games. Recently demoted Jose Tabata went 2-for-5 and hit an RBI-single in the ninth inning to draw the game to 7-5. Matt Hague and Jeff Clement both doubled, and Anderson Hernandez tripled ahead of Tabata's single in the ninth. Veteran starter Daniel Cabrera couldn't slow down the Bats, giving up four runs on five hits and three walks in 5.1 innings. He fanned three batters.
AA Altoona | Altoona 4 Reading 2
Tim Alderson's solid start was wasted when Hunter Strickland blew a 2-0 lead in the top of the eighth, but an Oscar Tejeda leadoff double sparked a two-run bottom half of the inning to lead he Curve to victory. Alderson didn't allow a run in 5.2 innings and gave up only four hits but he also walked four. He quashed any potential damage by striking out six. After a strong start to the season, Alderson has faltered of late, but the 5.2 shutout innings lowered his ERA to 3.71. Victor Black pitched a hitless, scoreless ninth to earn his sixth save. Jarek Cunningham was the only member of the Curve to smack two hits, and he also drove in two runs. Ramon Cabrera doubled, and Robbie Grossman walked twice. The Curve took advantage of some wildness from top Phillies pitching prospect Trevor May, who walked four in five innings of work.
A West Virginia | Lakewood 11 West Virginia 4
With his partner in crime Gregory Polanco getting the night off, Alen Hanson had a huge game on the day Baseball America named him the No. 40 prospect in baseball on their midseason list. Hanson went 4-for-5 with his minor-league-system leading 15th home run of the season in a losing effort. Hanson's big day brought his average back up to .330 and his OPS to .990. He also stole his 22nd base, but committed two errors to raise his season total to an alarming 32. That could be the reason why the 19-year-old is being held back in low-A. Chris Lashmet also homered among his two hits for the Power, his second of the season. Eric Avila went 2-for-3. Although the Power offense pounded out 12 hits, Nick Kingham put his team in a hole early by giving up a four-spot in the top of the first. Kingham got through five innings, but not before giving up six runs, all earned, and nine hits. He walked two and struck out five. The poor performance ballooned Kingham's ERA to 5.86 and he's allowed 11 runs in his last two starts over 10 innings. Lashmet actually came on to pitch and retired the final batter in the ninth.
A Bradenton | Bradenton 6 Palm Beach 0
Colton Cain continued his renaissance with seven innings of shutout ball to earn his third win of the season. Cain only struck out two hitters and walked three, but he allowed only five hits and none went for extra bases. Cain's ERA on the season is down to 4.31. In his last four starts across 24 innings, Cain has given up only four runs with a WHIP slightly under 1 in that span. Alex Dickerson, Justin Howard, and Elevys Gonzalez all collected two hits for the Marauders. Dickerson and Dan Grovatt doubled and Gonzalez and Mel Rojas tripled. Dickerson drove in three runs, hiking his total on the season to 57.
A State College | State College 2 Tri-City 1
Joely Rodriguez pitched his best game of the young year for the Spikes, allowing no runs and one hit in five innings to pick up his first win of the season. Rodriguez only struck out one, but he also didn't walk anyone after walking eight in his first three starts (five of those in the first game of the season). Emmanuel de Leon gave up a run in two innings, and Jordan Cooper pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to close out the win. The Spikes only scratched out six hits but were able to put up the necessary two runs to eke past the ValleyCats (for some reason that's one word). State College scored a run in each of the first two innings. Barrett Barnes and Samuel Gonzalez recorded two hits apiece, and recent signee from Stanford Taylor Gaffney walked twice and was hit with a pitch in his first professional game. Gaffney was the Pirates' 24th round pick in June's draft.