Tucson 5 @ Nashville 7
Left hander Billy Murphy made his second start of the season Friday against
the Nashville Sounds and was victimized by three errors, which led to two
unearned runs. Murphy lasted only four innings giving up seven hits and
walking four before giving way to Randy Choate, who started the fifth inning.
Murphy, who is coming back from a torn hamstring suffered the first week of
spring training, never found the arm slot, but pitched better than his numbers
would suggest. He took his second straight no decision.
The Diamondbacks got on the board in the top of the first thanks to Matt Kata. Hitting in the #2 spot in the order Kata doubled, stole third, and
then after Scott Hairston walked, Kata scored on a Conor Jackson sacrifice fly.
In the bottom half of the inning however Nashville struck back with three runs
on a double, two errors, and two walks.
In his third game since being sent back down to Tucson Matt Kata played his
third position, third base, and had a good day, going 2 for 5 with a double, a
run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Kata has hit safely in all three
games but did commit his first error of the year.
Despite the error left fielder Hairston had a solid day at the plate, going 2
for 3 with two walks and a RBI. Hairston is now 5 for his last 8 with four
RBI in his last two games.
Josh Kroeger was hitting seventh Friday, the result of a 1 for 27 slump, but
broke out of it with a 2 for 4 day that included a home run, his fourth of the
year and first since April 22nd. He drove in two runs, scored two, and
snatched his third stolen base of the season.
Carolina 12 @ Tennessee 5
The Diamondbacks have been looking for first baseman Jesus Cota to regain his
power stroke for nearly two years, and it looks as if their wishes may have been
granted. After blasting 16 home runs in just 272 at bats during his first
year of pro ball, Cota has never improved on that number, hitting just 13 last
year in 110 games split between Hi-A Lancaster and Double-A El Paso. Cota
came into the game with six round trippers in just 130 ABs and added two more
dingers Friday night to bring his total to eight for the season.
Cota was hitting behind third baseman Dan Uggla, and Uggla's patience paid
off. He walked three times on Friday, going 0 for 2 but collecting a run
scored and his 27th RBI.
After winning his last three starts and giving up just two earned runs in his
last 19 innings left handed starter Clint Goocher might have been due for a let
down, but no one expected an outing like this. Goocher was tagged for 12
hits and eight earned runs in just 3.2 innings, striking out one and walking one
along the way. It was by far Goocher's worst outing of the year, raising
his ERA from a sterling 2.72 to 4.28 in one night.
Right fielder Jon Zeringue went 1 for 4 with a double on the evening, but
struck out in the seventh, extending his streak of seven straight games with a
K.
Reliever Justin Wechsler made his first appearance in more than two weeks
Friday, and probably would have preferred waiting another day. Coming in
with two outs in the fourth Wechsler pitched only 1.1 innings, but walked two,
gave up four hits, and four earned runs.
Marland Williams was 2 for 5 on the day and swiped his 13th and 14th bases.
High Desert 7 @ Lancaster 5
Miguel Montero has had better days. Yes, the young catcher went 2 for 3
with a double and two RBI, extending his hitting streak to nine games, but he
also made two errors and was hit by a pitch.
Chris Kinsey on the other hand has got to be feeling a little confused.
Kinsey took his fifth loss of the season Friday after striking out eight and
giving up only two earned runs. A season high five JetHawk errors allowed
three unearned runs to cross the plate though. Kinsey dropped to 2-5 on
the season, and has factored in the decision in every game he had pitched in
this season.
Alex Frazier continued to make solid contact, going 2 for 4 and extending his
hitting streak to 11 games on the year. The left fielder raised his
average to .304 on the season and collected his 25th RBI of the year.
Second baseman Erik Schindewolf continued to show off an impressive eye for
the strike zone. Though he was 0-3 on the day Schindewolf drew two more
walks, raising his season total to 34, while striking out only 20 times on the
year, his on base percentage now stands at an incredible .601.
The JetHawks have now given up 35 unearned runs through 35 games.
Kane County 8 @ South Bend 7 (10 Innings)
Since being moved into South Bend's starting rotation 6'6" lefty Kellen Raab
had gone 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA in two starts. Apparently three is not Raab's
lucky number, as the lefty gave up seven runs (six earned) in five innings.
He did not factor in the decision.
Raab has walked one hitter in 18 innings since being moved into the rotation.
He has struck out 17.
Matt Elliot was the hard luck loser. After retiring two of the three
batters he faced in the ninth via the strikeout center fielder Brandon Simon
made a two base error that was followed by a single that would score the run.
On the season Elliot has given up four runs in 12 innings pitched, but only two
of those four are earned.
Catcher Wilkin Castillo was the DH for South Bend Friday, he went 3 for 6
with a double, only his fourth extra base hit in 83 at bats, and scored two
runs.
Carlos Gonzales can do no wrong. The right fielder was also 3 for 6
with a double, a run scored, and three RBI. He's driven in seven RBI in
his last four games and is hitting .367 at home on the season (.167 on the
road).
Though Simon did make a costly error he was 3 for 5 on the day, his second
three hit game of the season.