Road To Arlington: Rangers Minor League Report (5/8)

Bakersfield’s starting pitchers have been taking their lumps this year. To some extent, that was expected. The Cal Leauge is anything but friendly to pitchers and Bakersfield is especially brutal. Historic Sam Lynn Ballpark features the shortest center field an all of professional baseball at 354 feet and it’s only 328 feet down the lines. Nonetheless, that top prospects Michael Main, Tim Murphy and Blake Beavan would all possess ERAs north of seven after five weeks of play is disconcerting.

Rotation mates Mike Kirkman (2.89 ERA) and Kennil Gomez (3.43 ERA) seem to be finding a way around the challenges of the Cal League and the Bakersfield yard. The Blaze bullpen is full of guys putting up impressive numbers, such as Zach Phillips (1.29 ERA), Brennan Garr (1.86), Tanner Roark (2.40) and Evan Reed (2.45).

So we keep waiting to see one of Bakersfield’s big three to break out. And maybe one of them did last night, in a very big way.

Triple-A: Albuquerque 7 @ Oklahoma City 0

The Isotopes welcomed RHP Tommy Hunter back to the PCL by ringing up six runs, three of which were earned, on nine hits and a walk in five innings. Meanwhile, the RedHawks lineup was limited to a pair of singles and did not draw a base on balls.

Double-A: San Antonio 7 @ Frisco 2

RHP Omar Poveda (2.81 ERA) moved into third place in the Texas League ERA race with seven highly effective innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits and two walks though he fanned just one. Frisco went into the ninth with a 2-1 lead, but struggling RHP Pedro Strop, who was demoted from Oklahoma City last week, allowed five runs on four hits, a walk and a balk while recording just one out in the ninth.

1B Justin Smoak (.358 / .470 / .547) went 2-for-4 to extend a nine-game hitting streak and C Manny Pina’s 16-game hitting streak came to an end.

Advanced-A: @ Bakersfield 12, San Jose 3

The Rangers first selection in the 2007 draft, Irving’s RHP Blake Beavan (1-4; 5.73 ERA) handled all nine frames by himself to earn his first Cal League victory, limiting the Giants — who are hitting .294 / .362 / .449 as a team — to three runs, all unearned, on four hits and a walk while punching out five.

Beavan showed poise, working around five Blaze errors and picking off a runner leading off of second base in the first inning.

Meanwhile, the Blaze had their way with Giants starter LHP Craig Clark, who shutout Modesto for seven innings in his last start, getting to him for seven runs in just three innings. 1B Mitch Moreland (.340 / .410 / .613) went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk to extend a nine-game hitting streak. His 1.023 OPS is eighth best in the league. DH Mauro Gomez belted a three-run homer for his only hit in four trips and SS David Stoneburner launched a third-inning grand slam.

At some point, Cal Leaugers will stop trying to take the extra base against CF Engel Beltre so liberally. He racked up another assist, nailing a runner at second base.

Class-A: @ Lake County 14, Hickory 6

The Captains tuned up LHP Cliff Springston (2-2; 5.13 ERA) for eight runs on eight hits, two of which left the yard, and three walks in 3.1 innings.

RHP Fabio Castillo (0.00 ERA in 14 innings) kept Lake County off the board for 2.2 innings, fanning four, but they resumed their offensive assault against RHP Ryan Schlect (27.00 ERA) who allowed six runs on two his, three walks, a wild pitch and an HBP in two-thirds of an inning.

Two players best known for their defensive chops led the Crawdads offense. CF David Paisano (.275 / .313 / .319) went 2-for-5 with a double and scored twice from the top of the Hickory order and the quiet prospect, 2B Jacob Kaase (.316 / .353 / .570) belted a three-run homer and drew a base on balls in four trips.