Stockton 3B T.J. Schofield-Sam brought home the winning run with a sac fly in the top of the 10th at San Manuel Stadium as the Ports beat the Inland Empire 66ers 5-4 Thursday night. Sam had a pair of RBIs on the night and CF Junior Perez had two hits and an RBI to lead the offense.
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Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Brandon Lewis, Brandon Valenzuela, Caleb Scires, Carter Williams, Eddys Leonard, Euribiel Angeles, Ezequiel Tovar, Fresno Grizzlies, inland Empire 66ers, Jairo Pomares, John Swanda, Jose Guzman, Junior Perez, Kyle Harrison, Lake Elsinore Storm, Modesto Nuts, Oscar Tovar, Ramses Malave, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, T.J. Schofield-Sam, Visalia Rawhide
Five Modesto pitchers combined to shutout Lake Elsinore on four hits at The Diamond Wednesday night as the Nuts won 4-0 to even the series with the Storm. The Nuts managed their four runs on just five hits and a bullpen day string of relievers put up zeroes the whole way
RHP Robert Winslow started and threw two scoreless innings. RHP Elvis Alvarado followed Winslow with an inning of relief, then came righty Kelvin Nunez (3 IP), lefty Jorge Benitez (2 IP) and RHP Travis Kuhn (1 IP). They combined to allow four hits and 10 walks while striking out six.
1B Robert Perez plated a run in the first inning on a groundout. C Matt Sheffler doubled in a run in the fourth and Modesto added two in the 7th on an RBI double by CF Victor Labrada and a single by SS Noelvi Marte.
Modesto (24-20) is now six games behind first-place San Jose in the North division. Lake Elsinore (21-23) is 2.5 games back of Rancho Cucamonga in the South division.
WEATHERLY SHUTS DOWN RAWHIDE
LHP Sam Weatherly (W, 2-3) went five shutout innings on Wednesday night, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out nine as the Fresno Grizzlies beat the Rawhide 3-1 in Visalia.
SS Ezequiel Tovar doubled in a run and came around to score in a two-run fifth inning for the Grizzlies. RHP Robinson Hernandez pitched the final two innings for the save.
LHP Blake Walston (L, 2-2) went five innings for Visalia and allowed 3 runs (2 ER) on seven hits and two walks while striking out nine.
The Grizzlies (27-17) stayed three games back of San Jose in the North division while Visalia (12-32) is 11.5 games behind Rancho Cucamonga in the South division.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 6
SAN JOSE – 9
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STOCKTON – 8
INLAND EMPIRE – 9
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Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Blake Walston, Elvis Alvarado, Ezequiel Tovar, Jorge Benitez, Kelvin Nunez, Lake Elsinore Storm, Matt Sheffler, Modesto Nuts, Noelvi Marte, Robert Perez, Robert Winslow, Robinson Hernandez, Sam Weatherly, Travis Kuhn, Victor Labrada
The San Jose Giants won for the seventh time in 10 games on Thursday night, beating the Modesto Nuts by a score of 9-1. LF Armani Smith had four hits to lead a 13-hit attack while starting pitcher Carson Ragsdale threw five innings of one-hit ball as the Giants pulled into a second-place tie in the North division, one game back of the Nuts.
San Jose got to Modesto starter Adam Macko for six earned runs on seven hits, chasing the Mariners’ #15 prospect after 3 1/3 IP. C Ricardo Genoves got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first and the Giants scored in five of the first seven innings to get out on top 9-0. Genoves had three hits and #1 Giants prospect SS Marco Luciano had two hits and three RBIs.
Ragsdale kept Modesto quiet, allowing just one hit and two walks over 5 IP while striking out 10. The 2020 4th round draft pick threw 80 pitches, 50 for strikes.
San Jose (17-10) kept pace with the Fresno Grizzlies (17-10) to pull to 1 game behind Modesto (18-9) in the North division, winning two of the first three games in the head-to-head series with the Nuts.
INLAND EMPIRE – 3
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 4
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VISALIA – 7
FRESNO – 10
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LAKE ELSINORE – 4
STOCKTON – 5
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Comments Off on GIANTS TOP NUTS, RACE TIGHTENS
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Adam Macko, Armani Smith, Carson Ragsdale, Marco Luciano, Modesto Nuts, Ricardo Genoves, San Jose Giants
After three weeks of play the Modesto Nuts have the best record in the Low-A West at 13-5. The Nuts went 4-2 last week at Inland Empire and hold a 2-game lead over the Fresno Grizzlies (11-7) in the North division. This week they’ll be hosting the Visalia Rawhide.
Modesto is at or near the top of the league in many offensive categories: AVG .263 (1st), OBP .351 (2nd), OPS .762 (2nd) Runs Scored 106 (2nd), Hits 165 (1st).
SS Noelvi Marte has been leading the charge, batting .347/.427/.569 with 4 HR and 17 runs scored. OF Cade Marlowe is slashing .317/.434/.633 with 4 HR and 14 walks. Both are tied for second in HRs and Marte leads the league with 25 base hits. Marlowe’s 14 BBs are third in the league.
The pitching staff has thrown two shutouts and has only allowed eight homers, both league bests. Opponents’ batting average is .222 (3rd), team ERA 3.06 (2nd) and they have struck out a league-best 243 batters.
RHP Taylor Dollard is tied for the league lead in strikeouts with 29 over 13 2/3 IP. RHP Adam Macko is right behind him with 27 Ks over 13 1/3 IP. RHP Connor Phillips has gone 2-1 with 9 hits allowed over 13 1/3 IP along with 22 Ks.
Coming in from the Modesto bullpen, RHP Luis Curvelo has gone 2-0 in five relief appearances with 4 hits allowed over 9 2/3 IP, walking 1 and striking out 15. RHP Leon Hunter is also 2-0 and has allowed five hits over 9IP with 4 BBs and 14 Ks. Neither has allowed an earned run.
The Nuts return home tonight after two weeks on the road where they went 9-3 at Rancho Cucamonga and Inland Empire. They will face the Visalia Rawhide who have a record of 4-14, but are coming off a split at home with Stockton and have won three of their last five.
Elsewhere this week:
LAKE ELSINORE at SAN JOSE
STOCKTON at RANCHO CUCAMONGA
FRESNO at INLAND EMPIRE
Comments Off on BACK AT IT TONIGHT
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Adam Macko, Cade Marlowe, Connor Phillips, Leon Hunter, Luis Curvelo, Modesto Nuts, Noelvi Marte, Taylor Dollard
The Modesto Nuts stayed hot Thursday night with a 10-7 win over Inland Empire to go to a league best 12-3. The eighth straight win along with Fresno’s loss to San Jose put the Nuts two games up in the North division.
Modesto’s 11-hit attack got going early with a solo homerun from SS Noelvi Marte (Mariners #7) in the top of the first inning. Inland Empire pushed across two runs in the bottom of the first, highlighted by Kyren Paris‘ RBI triple.
The top of Modesto’s order was back at it in the third with a two-RBI double by Marte to make it a 3-2 game. Paris (Angels #6) doubled in a run in the bottom of the third and scored the go-ahead run later in the inning. But that would be the last lead the 66ers would hold as Modesto scored twice in the fourth, twice in the fifth and three times in the seventh.
Leadoff hitter Victor Labrada went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a pair of doubles for Modesto. His counterpart with IE, CF Elijah Greene, went 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot with three runs scored.
STOCKTON – 4
VISALIA – 3
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SAN JOSE – 3
FRESNO – 2
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 6
LAKE ELSINORE – 7
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Comments Off on MODESTO WINS 8TH STRAIGHT
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Elijah Greene, Fresno Grizzlies, inland Empire 66ers, Kyren Paris, Lake Elsinore Storm, Modesto Nuts, Noelvi Marte, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, Victor Labrada, Visalia Rawhide
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes got a homer and four RBI from 2B Sam McWilliams and 16 Ks from five pitchers to beat the Modesto Nuts 6-2 on Monday night. After putting the Quakes up with a three-run homer in the third, McWilliams gave Rancho some room with an RBI single in the 7th for a 4-2 lead. The home team tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth for the final margin of 6-2.
LHP Jacob Canteleberry (1-0) was strong over 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win. Cantleberry didn’t allow a hit and walked one while striking out five.
Modesto got a good start out of RHP Josias De Los Santos (0-1) who went five innings and allowed two earned runs on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The Nuts had a rough night on defense with four errors.
INLAND EMPIRE – 12
LAKE ELSINORE – 7
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FRESNO – 9
VISALIA – 2
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SAN JOSE – 5
STOCKTON – 1
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Comments Off on QUAKES TOP NUTS IN HOME OPENER
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Jacob Cantleberry, Josias De Los Santos, Modesto Nuts, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Sam McWilliams
The Lake Elsinore Storm stayed perfect in Low-A West play with a dramatic 9-8 win in extra innings in Visalia Friday night while the league also saw its first postponement for covid-related reasons.
The game between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Inland Empire 66ers was postponed shortly before the scheduled first pitch with the 66ers ultimately posting this message on it’s official Twitter account:
Tonight’s scheduled game between the Inland Empire 66ers and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes at San Manuel Stadium has been postponed to allow for continued testing and contract tracing involving members of the 66ers organization. MLB and the 66ers will provide further updates as they become available.
No info on tonight’s scheduled game is available at this time.
LAKE ELSINORE – 9
VISALIA – 8
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The Lake Elsinore Storm became the league’s only 4-0 team by winning another back-and-forth battle with the Visalia Rawhide. Friday night’s win saw CF Robert Hassell III knock in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th with a leadoff triple, driving in the installed runner from second base. Euribiel Angeles brought Hassell III home moments later with a sac fly to provide the winning margin as the Rawhide struck for one run in the bottom of the 10th, but no more.
RHP Jose Geraldo (1-0) went the final 2 2/3 innings for Lake Elsinore, giving up the lead in the bottom of the eighth, but pitching well to close it out and get his first win of the season.
The Rawhide got five strong innings from RHP Brandon Pfaadt who allowed just one hit, a Brandon Valenzuela homerun, while striking out seven with no walks. Pfaadt threw 66 pitches, 49 strikes. 3B A.J. Vukovich (2) and DH Ronny Simon (2) both homered for Visalia.
STOCKTON – 1
MODESTO – 2
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Four Modesto pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts and 1B Robert Perez drove home the eventual winning run with a two-out single in the eighth inning as Modesto won it’s third straight game, 2-1 over Stockton. RHP Taylor Dollard made his professional debut and went four shutout innings allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out 10. Dollard struck out eight straight Ports batters in one stretch.
Leon Hunter (1-0) went an inning and a third for the win while Garret Acton (0-1) took the loss for Stockton. Nolan Hoffman pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his second save.
Stockton’s Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with a double while walking twice. Soderstrom is the Oakland A’s top prospect per MLB Pipeline.
FRESNO – 4
SAN JOSE – 9
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The Giants got four first-inning runs and raced out to a 7-0 lead after four innings while LHP Nick Swiney dazzled in his pro debut as San Jose notched its first win of the season. Luis Matos and Harrison Freed had three hits apiece and Armani Smith had a triple and four RBI for the Giants.
Swiney threw four shutout innings, allowing a hit and two walks while striking out six. RHP Justin Crump (1-0) went 1 1/3 scoreless in relief to earn his first win. Crump didn’t allow a hit and struck out four batters while issuing two walks.
The Grizzlies got a pair of singles from leadoff man Isaac Collins while Bladimir Restituyo drove in two runs.
Comments Off on STORM GO TO 4-0, QUAKES vs. 66ERS POSTPONED
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged A.J. Vukovich, Armani Smith, Bladimir Restituyo, Brandon Pfaadt, Brandon Valenzuela, Euribiel Angeles, Fresno Grizzlies, Garret Action, Harrison Freed, Isaac Collins, Jose Geraldo, Justin Crump, Lake Elsinore, Leon Hunter, Luis Matos, Modesto Nuts, Nick Swiney, Nolan Hoffman, Robert Hassell III, Robert Perez, Ronny Simon, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, Taylor Dollard, Tyler Soderstrom, Visalia Rahwide
The Lake Elsinore Storm had another big offensive night in Visalia on Wednesday as they slugged their way to an 11-5 win over the Rawhide. The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes kept pace in the South division and the Rancho Fresno Grizzlies also moved to 2-0 to take over the top spot in the North.
SCOREBOARD:
LAKE ELSINORE – 11
VISALIA – 5
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FRESNO – 10
SAN JOSE – 4
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STOCKTON – 8
MODESTO – 3
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RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 12
INLAND EMPIRE – 6
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Comments Off on STORM, QUAKES, GRIZZLIES MOVE TO 2-0
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Fresno Grizzlies, inland Empire 66ers, Lake Elsinore Storm, Low-A West, Modesto Nuts, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, Visalia Rahwide
The Fresno Grizzlies splashed down in the Low-A West with a 5-3 road win over the San Jose Giants as minor league baseball returned for the first time since 2019. Lefty Breiling Eusebio went five innings for the win while Ezequiel Tovar rapped three hits including two doubles.
SCOREBOARD
FRESNO – 5
SAN JOSE – 3
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LAKE ELSINORE – 8
VISALIA – 7
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Storm go ahead to stay in the top of the 8th on a two-run homer by Matthew Acosta
MODESTO – 3
STOCKTON – 0
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Five Nuts pitchers combine for the shutout and Matt Sheffler blasts a two-run homer
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – 3
INLAND EMPIRE – 1, Bottom 9
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Five Quakes pitchers hold the 66ers to one run on four hits
Comments Off on GRIZZLIES OPEN LOW-A WEST PLAY WITH A WIN
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Breiling Eusebio, Ezequiel Tovar, Fresno Grizzlies, inland Empire 66ers, Lake Elsinore Storm, Matt Sheffler, Matthew Acosta, Modesto Nuts, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, Visalia Rahwide
Graphic: MiLB.com
Tuesday is the day, an Opening Day like no other. What was called the California League will shake off a one-year hiatus and get back to business as the Low-A West following MLB’s takeover/shakeup of MiLB. It’s still an eight-team league but things are quite different.
The Lancaster Jethawks are no more, victims of MLBs decision to trim 40 teams and drop down to 120 total. In their place are the Fresno Grizzlies, now a Colorado Rockies affiliate, who had been in AAA since the team’s inception in 1998.
And the Grizzlies aren’t alone in dropping levels as the league as a whole has been moved from the old Hi-A to the new Low-A West.
There are some new experimental rules in play for the 2021 season, with Low-A West being the testing ground for limiting the number of times a pitcher can step off the rubber or try a pickoff to two per plate appearance. That’s right, two. I’m curious to see how this plays out. There will also be a timer for limiting time between pitches, innings and pitching changes.
These are all things we’ll have to get used to and we certainly will. The ballpark experience is going to be a little different at the start with teams limiting the number of fans and other pandemic-conscious precautions in place.
But professional baseball is back in the ballparks and in the communities, just a few days from now, and the fans are ready. The Visalia Rawhide held a season ticket pickup event this past Monday and drew a large crowd of enthusiastic fans. The rest of the league’s cities undoubtedly have this same energy as the season approaches and teams prepare to take the field for the first time since 2019.
Speaking of the Rawhide, they appear to have the title of Reigning California League Champions for eternity.
So, here we are. No more trips to The Hangar in Lancaster but the Grizzlies will join the fray and, while they will have several rivals close to home, the Low-A West folks will have a chance to get a taste of some of their genius marketing events.
The rosters are being released and on Tuesday it’s go time. I’m in Visalia for their first series against Lake Elsinore, not all six games but I’ll hit a few. Then the following week the Rawhide are in Fresno so I’ll be on board for some of that series. Then I’ll be looking to head out into the great wide-open of the Low-A West. I’ll wear a mask, I’ll wear a space suit, I’ll sit on top of the light tower, whatever the rules are, I’ll be in a minor league ballpark this week. It’s time.
Comments Off on OPENING DAY 2021
Posted in CAL LEAGUE NEWS
Tagged Fresno Grizzlies, inland Empire 66ers, Lake Elsinore Storm, Modesto Nuts, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, San Jose Giants, Stockton Ports, Visalia Rawhide
