Ajax does it again, SI season begins

Update: Jesus Montero finished second behind Hagerstown’s Michael Burgess in the Sally League HR Derby. Montero hit 11 homers total.

Triple-A Scranton (4-3 loss to Norfolk)
Brett Gardner: 1 for 5, 2 K – 5 for his last 24
Justin Christian: 3 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B – 15 for his last 35 (.429)
Cody Ransom, Juan Miranda, Nick Green & Chris Stewart: all 1 for 4 – Miranda drove in a run & K’ed … Green hit a solo shot & K’ed thrice … Stewart doubled, scored a run & K’ed
Shelley Duncan: 0 for 0, 4 BB, 1 SB – picked off second … still hitless in his return to the minors, but at least he brings spark and energy … he’s put the ball in play just twice since going back down
Jason Lane: 0 for 4, 3 K
The Ghost of Kei Igawa: 7 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 9-9 GB/FB – 61 of 90 pitches were strikes (67.8%)
Scott Strickland: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K
Heath Phillips: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K – opponents are hitting .310 off him

Double-A Trenton (7-0 win over Harrisburg)
Ramiro Pena: 1 for 3, 1 2B, 2 RBI
Austin Jackson: 4 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 CS – that’s 4 straight games with a jack
Colin Curtis: 1 for 4, 1 K
Edwar Gonzalez & Cody Ehlers: both 0 for 4, 2 K – Ehlers scored a run
Jose Tabata: 0 for 3, 1 BB
PJ Pilittere & Chris Malec: both 2 for 4 – PJ scored 2 runs … Malec scored a run, doubled, drove in a run & K’ed
Reegie Corona: 1 for 2, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 BB
Al Aceves: 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 13-7 GB/FB – 75 baserunners allowed in 91 IP for the Mexican Gangster … holy crap homes
Zack Kroenke: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP

High-A Tampa
Game 1 (3-0 loss to Clearwater in 7 innings) this was the makeup of the June 4th rainout
Seth Fortenberry: 1 for 3, 2 K
Kevin Smith: 1 for 2, 1 K
Tim Battle: 2 for 2, 1 2B – 65 K in 48 games
rest of lineup: combined 0 for 16, 2 BB, 4 K – James Cooper threw the same runner out at the plate TWICE from RF
Zach McAllister: 6 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 7-5 GB/FB – meh
Jose Valdez: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K
Game 2 (5-3 loss to Clearwater in 7 innings)
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 4, 1 K
Mitch Hilligoss: 2 for 4, 1 R
CJ Henry: 1 for 3, 1 2B, 1 K – 2 hits since coming off the DL, both doubles
James Cooper: 0 for 3, 1 RBI
Frankie Cervelli: 2 or 3, 1 R, 1 K
Seth Fortenberry: 1 for 2, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K – 13 for his last 35 (.371)
Tim Battle: 1 for 3, 1 R, 2 K (of course)
Edgar Soto: 3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 6-0 GB/FB – should probably stick to the bullpen
Phil Bartlewski: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 5-3 GB/FB
Rob Semerano: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 E (fielding)

Low-A Charleston is off until Friday for the All-Star break. The North All-Stars buried their Southern counterparts 13-4. I can’t find any info on the homerun derby, but I’ll update this post to let know how Montero did when I find some. It’s a weird format, the first 2 rounds take place before the game, but the finals take place after the 2nd inning of the actual All-Star Game. Weird.
Justin Snyder: 1 for 2, 1 R, 1 K – took over at second in the 6th
Abe Almonte: 0 for 2, 1 K – took over center in the 6th
Jesus Montero: 0 for 2 – started behind the plate and batted 6th
Lance Pendleton: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K – pitched the 5th
Jason Stephens: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K – pitched the 6th … 6 of 7 pitches were strikes
Jon Ortiz: 0.1 IP, zeroes, 1 K – got the first out in the 8th

Short Season Staten Island (3-1 loss to Brooklyn) full lineup as per DotF Opening Day tradition
Ray Kruml: 1 for 3, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Addison Maruszack: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 1 SB – remember him from the Spring Training game against the University of South Florida?
Erik Lovett: 0 for 4, 3 K – nice first impression
Dan Brewer: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 2 K – sleeper
Taylor Grote: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 K – the best prospect on the team, and that’s kinda sad
David Adams: 0 for 2, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP – signed for $333,000 (slot money) as a 3rd round pick
Mike Lyon: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB
Mitch Abeita: 0 for 3, 1 K, 2 E (both fielding)
DJ Hollingsworth: 0 for 1, 1 K – pinch hit for Aleita in the 9th
Melky Mesa: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Casey Erickson: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 7-2 GB/FB – alas, wrong yet again with my “Nick Chigges will be the Opening Day starter” prediction … that’s two years in a row!
Andy Shive: 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 3-1 GB/FB
Jason Kiley: 2 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 3-2 GB/FB

Draftees in the College World Series
Stanford was off today, they’ll face Miami in an elimination game tomorrow night (7pm EST on ESPN2). Sandwich rounder Jeremy Bleich may come out of the bullpen if he doesn’t start the game on the three days rest.