Road To Arlington: Rangers Farm Report (8/17)

Triple-A: @Oklahoma City 7, Salt Lake 6

RHP Elizardo Ramirez (7-10; 4.86) struggled initially, allowing three runs on five hits in his first two innings of work. But he settled in and held the Bees scoreless over three more innings, giving up just three hits and a walk the rest of the way.

The RedHawks entered the bottom of the 8th trailing 6-1, but managed a six-run rally to give them the lead. LF Casey Benjamin (.233/.336/.343) had two-run bomb in the inning, one of his two hits on the night. 1B Justin Smoak (.245/.352/.371) stayed hot with two singles and a walk in five trips to the plate. Smoak, who led the 8th off with a ground out, came back up with the bases loaded and two out, singling home the tying and go-ahead runs for the last of his three RBI on the night. He’s now hit in six straight games.

3B Chris Davis (.326/.416/.546) also had a pair of singles. RHP Warner Madrigal (2-1; 1.79) earned his 17th save, allowing only a two-out single in the ninth.  C Max Ramirez (.236/.311/.329) was hitless but walked twice in his first game game back after rehabbing in the Arizona League.

Double-A: Frisco 7 @ NW Arkansas 4

RHP Omar Poveda (9-5; 4.57)  got roughed up, issuing three walks and ten hits in six innings of work. But he limited the damage, holding the Naturals to four runs and earning his ninth win of the season. RHP Brennan Garr (2-3; 4.50) and RHP Pedro Strop (5-5; 4.38) combined the throw three scoreless innings of relief, with Strop earning his fourth save of the season.

1B Chad Tracy and 3B Adam Fox provided a lot of offense from the three and four spots in the lineup. Tracy (.273/.325/.478) was 2-4 with a walk and a homer, while Fox (.290/.348/.524) was 3-4 with a walk and a homer. 3B Renny Osuna drove in a pair of runs with two singles in five plate appearances.

The RoughRiders also got plenty of production from the catcher position, as C Manny Pina (.259/.313/.393) was a perfect 2-2 with a pair of doubles and an RBI before being replaced by C Chris Gradoville (.224/.260/.238) in the fourth inning, who finished the game off with two singles and a walk in three trips.

Advanced-A: Bakersfield 2 @ Lancaster 8

In a game that Bakersfield actually led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, RHP Kennil Gomez (5-10; 6.01) was masterful through seven innings, allowing just a single run on four hits and a walk. But he imploded when he headed out for the eighth. After retiring the first batter he faced, Gomez wouldn’t record another out, allowing a single, walk, single, walk, and single before getting yanked with the bases loaded and a 3-2 deficit.

RHP Adalberto Flores (6-2; 3.62) didn’t fare much better, allowing all three inherited runners to score on a double and a single before giving up a pair of runs of his own.

There were few stand out performances offensively, with the Blaze’s two RBI coming from 1B Ian Gac (.231/.288/.438) and 2B Matt Lawson (.286/.338/.411), who each had a lone hit. 3B Jonathan Greene (.271/.345/.490) was 2-4 with a double.

Low-A: Hickory 8 @ Bowling Green 4

RHP Joe Wieland (4-4; 4.95) was excellent, finishing with a line of five hits, a walk, two runs, and six strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched. Wieland entered the bottom of the sixth having not given up a run, but he allowed a ground-rule double and a single before being replaced by an ineffective RHP Mark Hamburger. Hamburger allowed Wieland’s runner to score from first and ended up with two earned runs on three hits and two walks in just 1.1 innings.

CF Cody Podraza (.256/.333/.314) went 4-5 with a double from the leadoff spot, but was only brought around to score once. DH Cristian Santana (.203/.262/.402) raised his average above the Mendoza line with his second straight multi-hit game. 3B Matt West (.238/.343/.340) and RF Eric Fry (.247/.335/.379) each had three hits and three RBI.

Short-season: OFF

Rookie: AZL Rangers 1 @ AZL Athletics 0

In what was an extremely quick (2 hours and 5 minutes) and boring (no extra base hits and 21 combined strikeouts) game, the only run came in the top of the 1st inning, and was an unearned run at that. After SS Edwin Garcia (.277/.318/.380) reached on an error, 1B Michael Ortiz (.308/.380/.404) drove him in two batters later on one of his three singles. Only three other Rangers managed hits — all singles — and they struck out 11 times as a team.

The good news was the excellent pitching performance, led off by RHP Eziquel Rijo (3-6; 5.32) who had his best outing of the year. Rijo allowed a lone single and two walks in five shutout innings. Rangers ’09 2nd round pick Robbie Erlin made an impressive debut in relief. After allowing a single to the first batter he faced, the 18-year-old struck out the side swinging.