ALEX KAMINSKY (22) and four other Mahoning Valley pitchers combined to one-hit the Staten Island Yankees on Wednesday. Kaminsky pitched the first 5 innings, giving up 1 hit and 1 BB while striking out 4. His season stats with the Scrappers now stand at a 1.95 ERA, 45 Ks, 16 BB, and a .210 BAA through 11 starts (55.1 innings). Although Kaminsky has impressed since making his debut with Mahoning Valley shortly after the Indians drafted him in June of this year, some numbers suggest that he’s improved. For instance, he’s walked only 3 total batters in his last 4 outings (20 IP) after he walked 13 in his previous 7 starts (35.1 IP). He hasn’t given up more than 2 runs in an outing since June 30th and has held is opponents under 2 runs in 7 of his 11 starts this season. The 22 year-old righty out of Wright State certainly earned his selection to the NY-Penn League All-Star squad.
Good news and bad news out of AA Akron. First, the bad. Rehabbing starter ANTHONY REYES (28) had another terrible outing. In 1 inning of work, he allowed 7 earned runs on 6 BB and 1 hit while striking out 1. After a solid rehab appearance on July 27, he’s had two ugly outings, allowing a combined 16 runs on 7 hits and 10 BB in 2.2 IP. His command appears to be nowhere to be found. Reyes is recovering from right elbow surgery and hadn’t pitched since August 1 because of back soreness… Okay, the good news. The guy who relieved Reyes, lefty MATT PACKER (22), looked good again, tossing 7 scoreless innings in which he allowed 3 hits, 3 BB, and struck out 4. This was his second appearance for Akron. In his first one, he gave up 1 earned run (2 total) on 6 hits and 1 BB while striking out 6 in 7 innings. Packer received the call directly from Lake County to Akron, bypassing high A Kinston. With Lake County, he posted an excellent stat line of a 1.60 ERA, 92 K, 14 BB, and a .218 BAA in 95.2 IP (24 appearances, 13 starts).
Lake County Captains outfielder DELVI CID (21) performed well again on Wednesday, going 2 for 4 with 2 2B, 2 RBI, a BB, 2 runs scored, and a stolen base. Although his season average is sitting only at .252, he had a rough April and May before turning things around in June (.289), doing well enough in July (.280), and raking so far in August (.333). He did have a recent 1 for 12 streak over the course of 3 games (Aug. 6 – Aug. 8), but he’s been looking good again in his last 3 games, going 5 for 13. He now has 58 stolen bases on the season, and has been caught 13 times. I’d still like to see him narrow that K to BB ratio, though (9 to 3 in his last 10 games).
AAA Columbus Rundown (L, 3-7): First baseman WES HODGES had a nice game, going 2 for 4 with a 2B (his 25th of the season). He’s 5 for his last 8 with 2 2B. Is he finally heating up?… Second baseman CORD PHELPS had another solid if unspectacular game, going 2 for 4. He has at least 1 base hit in 7 of his last 8 games and is hitting .331 on the season for Columbus (181 at-bats)… DREW SUTTON, whom the Indians claimed off of waivers from the Reds on August 6, went 2 for 3 on Wednesday with 2 RBI and a BB. In 13 at-bats so far for the Clippers, the 27 year-old middle infielder is 3 for 13. He batted .262 with 16 2B, a 3B, 3 HR, and 27 RBI in 263 for AAA Louisville earlier this season.
AA Akron Rundown (L, 6-7): On-base machine JORDAN HENRY continues to get the job done. He went 1 for 4 on Wednesday with a BB and a stolen base. He’s cooled off a bit as of late, but he’s still done an excellent job of turning his season around. Before the AA all-star break, he was batting only .228 with a .316 OBP (101 ABs); since then, he’s hitting .345 with a .439 OBP (84 ABs)… JASON KIPNIS went only 1 for 5, but he doubled and drove in a pair of runs. He has at least one base hit in 8 of his last 9 games and is batting .333 (12 for 36) during that span with 7 RBI… Outfielder JOHN DRENNEN had a stellar game, going 3 for 5 with a 2B and a run scored. The left-handed batter is hitting .295 on the season in 356 at-bats, but only .250 since the AA all-star break (80 ABs)… Recently acquired catcher JUAN APODACA continues to thrive with the Aeros; he went 1 for 3 with a 2-run HR and a BB. Since getting traded to the Indians organization, he’s batting .500 (5 for 10) with 5 BB (.667 OBP)… Shortstop CARLOS RIVERO went 2 for 4 with a 2-run HR. He’s batting only .228 on the season in AA (356 at-bats), and .211 in his last 10 games.
Class A Lake County Rundown (L, 6-10): Shortstop CASEY FAWLEY caught my eye again, as he went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored on Wednesday. He’s now 7 for his last 13 with 3 RBI. Over his last 10 games, he’s hitting .359 with 8 RBI despite having a stretch of 3 hitless games mixed in there… Third baseman ADAM ABRAHAM went 2 for 4 with a 2B, 2 RBI, and a BB. Before the all-star break, he was batting just .189 with 2 HR, 6 2B, and 11 RBI (8 BB, 33 K) in 143 at bats. In 166 ABs since the break, he’s hitting .319 with 12 2B, 8 HR, and 35 RBI (19 BB, 27). That’s tremendous improvement across the board… First baseman CHRIS KERSTEN went 1 for 4 with a solo jack against Fort Wayne. He’s now homered in consecutive games and has the frame (6’4″, 225 lbs.) to hit more… Left-handed relief pitcher FRANCISCO JIMENEZ made another dominant appearance, pitching 3 scoreless innings in which he gave up no hits, 1 walk, and struck out 3. He has a 4.11 ERA in 65.2 IP for the Captains this season, as well as 54 K, 19 BB, and a .266 BAA.
Short-season Mahoning Valley Rundown (W, 2-0): JONATHAN BURNETTE went 1 for 3 in Wednesday’s game, also drawing 2 walks. He’s looked good as of late, going 6 for his last 17… Right fielder KEVIN RUCKER went deep for the Scrappers, going 2 for 3 with a BB and 2 runs scored to go with his solo shot. He’s now 4 for his last 30… Left fielder BRIAN HEERE went 2 for 3 with a 2B, an RBI, and a BB. After a poor June (.091 BA in 22 at-bats), he had a better July (.218 in 87 ABs) before turning it up so far in August (.316 BA in 36 ABs)… Shortstop NICHOLAS BARTOLONE went 2 for 5, raising his average with the Scrappers to .316 (6 for 19) through 4 games with the Scrappers.
The Kinston Indians game was suspended due to weather and will be completed on Thursday, August 12.