Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/15)

Luis Mendoza threw one inning in Arlington this year, way back on May 2. He entered in the 6th inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox with the Rangers ahead 9-1. After retiring the first two batters he faced, Mendoza allowed a single, a hit batter, a walk, and an AJ Pierzynski grand slam. The 36.00 ERA he left the game with stands today, as he was optioned to Oklahoma City four days after his outing and hasn’t been called back up. For his career, Mendoza owns a 7.73 ERA at the ML level. His numbers this season at triple-A have been solid but unspectacular, and at 25-years-old, he’s nearing an age where he might be starting to outgrow the term “prospect.”

But none of that mattered last night. Mendoza’s final line against the Salt Lake Bees: nine innings, six walks, zero runs, zero hits.

Triple-A: @Oklahoma City 5, Salt Lake 0

RHP Luis Mendoza (6-4; 4.04) struggled with his control, walking six and hitting a batter, but he managed a 9-inning no-hitter, needing 125 pitches to complete the job. It was Mendoza’s first no-hitter and second professional shutout, with his only other one coming as a Frisco RoughRider in 2007.

The first four hitters in the order came up big for Mendoza, providing Oklahoma City with seven of their eight hits and all five runs. SS Joaquin Arias (.278/.303/.362) and CF Greg Golson (.272/.311/.361) both when 1-4 with a single and a run scored.

1B Justin Smoak (.236/.341/.368) had his best game as a RedHawk, going 3-3 with a pair of doubles, walk, and an RBI. Smoak now has a 4-game hitting streak during which he’s 7-14 with four doubles, four walks and two strikeouts. Hitting cleanup behind Smoak was 3B Chris Davis (.328/.418/.560), who went 2-3 with two doubles and three RBI. He also walked once.

Double-A: @Tulsa 8, Frisco 4

In a game eerily reminiscent of the Rangers/Red Sox matchup both in score and meltdown, LHP Michael Kirkman (5-6; 4.69) managed a solid six-inning effort, surrendering five hits and three walks. All three runs Kirkman allowed came on two home runs in the 4th and 5th innings.

The bullpen pitched well in support of Kirkman, with RHP Pedro Strop (5-5; 4.47)  striking out the only two batters he faced and LHP Beau Jones (2-4; 5.32) giving three innings of hitless, one walk baseball. But when the Riders called upon RHP Thomas Diamond in the 12th, he only recorded two outs before loading the bases and allowing a walk off grand slam to Darin Holcomb. None of the runs were earned of a Chad Tracy error at first to begin the inning.

Offensively, Frisco managed 14 hits, but only two went for extra bases. CF Craig Gentry (.302/.377/.428) led the charge by going 3-6 with a walk and an RBI from the leadoff spot, but the 2 through 5 hitters behind him combined to strike out nine times between them, including 3B Johnny Whittleman (.231/.358/.378), who went 0-6 with 3 Ks.

Advanced-A: Bakersfield 14 @ Lancaster 5

RHP Tanner Roark (6-0; 3.32) got off to a horrible start, allowing five hits (including two doubles and a homer ), two walks, and five earned runs through the first two innings. But he quickly settled in, surrendering just two hits, a walk, and no runs through the next four innings to keep his record at Bakersfield unblemished.

The bats wasted little time in getting Roark a lead, scoring nine runs in the 3rd and 4th combined and putting up a four spot in the 6th. LF Jonathan Greene (.267/.343/.489) hit his 19th and 20th homers of the year. DH Mike Bianucci also homered and drove in four runs. He seems to finally be getting the hang of the Cal League and has used an eight game hitting streak to push his OPS above .800. Over his last six games, Bianucci is hitting .375 with five homers and 14 RBI.

Low-A: @Bowling Green 3, Hickory 1

Another strong pitching performance is just par for the course for the Crawdads, but this time it came from the unpredictable RHP Neil Ramirez (3-5; 4.82). Although supremely talented, the former sandwich pick has been erratic this year, but he allowed just one run on a hit and a walk in five innings. He also matched a season high with five punch outs. And in a game featuring former number one overall pick Tim Beckham, Ramirez may have impressed the most.

But the bats were very quiet for Hickory and couldn’t back Ramirez with any run support. DH Michael Hollander (.265/.326/.338) led the way with two hits and LF Cristian Santana (.194/.253/.389) drove in the Crawdad’s only run with a double in the second.

Short-Season: Salem-Keizer 4 @ Spokane 1

Spokane’s RHP Ben Henry (1-3; 6.75) only allowed two runs in four innings, but was pinned with his third loss of the season thanks to another offensive struggle.

The Indians’ offense managed eight hits and seven walks but only brought one run home 2B Daniel Lima’s single in the 4th. C Vin DiFazio was 1-2 with three walks.