Link Report for Wednesday 7/5

[CheezWizHed]

Cody Ponce (4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) only went 4 2/3 innings while throwing 102 pitches and was the hard luck loser. He seemed to be concentrating on keeping the ball down tonight and that helped get a 7/1 ground out to fly out statistic.

 

I wonder if Ponce needs to look to Jimmy Nelson's success this year to take the next step. Jimmy was always used his sinker/slider combo for high groundball rates but that didn't translate over to the MLB very well.

 

Jimmy and Cody's MiLB results are pretty similar, Not to mention both are large 6'6" pitchers.

JN: 3.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 8.8 K/9IP, 3.8 BB/9IP

CP: 3.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 7.7 K/9IP, 1.8 BB/9IP

 

I know some of Nelson's MLB struggles came from lack of control, but its also quite striking the difference his approach is having on his K rate (9.7 vs 7.8 MLB career) and ERA (3.20 vs 4.15).

 

I realize that their pitching profiles don't match exactly (Nelson throws harder, but less control), but I wonder if pitching higher instead of lower would help Ponce as it helped Nelson.

[And That]

AZL Brewers 6, AZL White Sox 3

 

AZL Brewers Boxscore

 

Another day, another 15 hits, another win for the Baby Brewers. Those 15 hits brought their team total to a league-best 120 through 10 games. Their 4 walks give them 55 on the year, good enough for third best. And their 2 home runs tied them for a league leading 10 on the season.

 

The two home runs belonged to Keston Hiura (his 2nd), and Kyle Beam (his career 1st). Hiura's bat was otherwise quiet, though that homer did extend his career-opening hit streak to 8 games.

 

Jesus Lujano was the offensive star of the day, netting three hits, a walk, and two stolen bases. The 18 year old Venezuelan center fielder now has more career walks (37) than strikeouts (36) through 70 career games.

 

Nick Egnatuk, Julian Jarrard, and Julio Mendez all added two hits as well. Jarrard had a double.

 

As Jim mentioned above, Tyrone Taylor saw his first game action since June 28th, as he his apparently still recuperating from his hamstring injury suffered this spring. He was pulled after 3 PAs (1-2, BB).

 

Young Puerto Rican lefty Wilfred Salaman netted his seventh pickoff of the season in an otherwise so-so outing. He has a five game pickoff streak, which is the first such streak I can recall for any player.

 

AZL Brewers Game Log

 

Pickoff #7:

 

AZL White Sox Bottom of the 4th

Gavin Sheets singles on a line drive to left fielder Jesus Lujano.

With Michael Staudinger batting, Wilfred Salaman picks off Gavin Sheets at 1st on throw to Moises Perez.

Michael Staudinger flies out to left fielder Jesus Lujano.

Jose Colina grounds out, third baseman Nick Egnatuk to first baseman Moises Perez.