Quintero drove in five and scored twice on Friday
While the big league club’s outcome was disappointing on Friday, there was plenty of positive minor league action to keep up with, including a pair of five-RBI performances on the day. Let’s dive into it.
(21-28) Gwinnett Stripers 3, (22-26) Louisville Bats 4
- Eddys Leonard, DH: 1-3, HR, RBI, R, BB
- Jarred Kelenic, CF: 1-5, 2B, 2 R
- Ian Anderson, SP: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
Gwinnett attempted to mount a late comeback on Friday, but ultimately came up short as they lost by one run.
The Stripers found themselves in an early deficit as Ian Anderson gave up four runs in his five innings of work, allowing the Bats to take a 4-0 lead.
Offensively, things finally got going for Gwinnett in the top of the fifth inning. Jarred Kelenic led off with a double before scoring on a two-out single off the bat of Cade Bunnell to make it a 4-1 game.
In the top of the seventh, Eddys Leonard snuck a ball over the left center field wall for his ninth homer of the year, cutting the Louisville lead to 4-2.
Things got really interesting in the top of the ninth as the Stripers managed to load the bases without registering a single hit. Eddy Alvarez drew a bases-loaded walk with two out to plate Kelenic, making it a 4-3 game. However, with the tying run just 90 feet away, Jose Devers popped out to the Louisville shortstop to end the game.
(21-21) Columbus Clingstones 6, (21-22) Montgomery Biscuits 4
- Geraldo Quintero, LF: 2-3, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, BB
- Drew Compton, 1B: 1-4, 2B, RBI, R
- JR Ritchie, SP: 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, BB, 5 K
It was an all-around good day for Columbus on Friday, as the bats showed up and JR Ritchie put up another great start for the Clingstones.
While it wasn’t quite a complete game shutout like the 21-year-old tossed on May 10, his 6.1 innings of work was still solid enough to give Columbus a fighting chance. Outside of a second inning hit by pitch, Ritchie cruised in this one, tossing 4.1 innings of hitless baseball before Montgomery tagged him for their first hit in the top of the fifth.
The Clingstones provided Ritchie with some early run support, scoring one run in each of their first two trips to the plate. David McCabe scored on a Drew Compton double in the bottom of the first to make it a 1-0 game and Geraldo Quintero tallied the first of his two homers on the night in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to 2-0.
The Biscuits ultimately tied the game in the top of the sixth, getting two earned runs off of Ritchie and briefly take the lead by scoring another run in the top of the eighth.
In the home half, however, Columbus erupted for four runs to take the lead and seal the win. The Clingstones loaded the bases thanks to a couple of walks and a single off the bat of Ethan Workinger before Quintero once again came through, launching a grand slam over the right field wall to give the Clingstones the 6-3 lead.
The bullpen would allow a run in the top of the ninth, but would ultimately hold on to cap off the victory.
(22-21) Rome Emperors 1, (23-20) Hub City Spartanburgers 4
- Mac Guscette, C: 1-4, 2B, RBI
- Jace Grady, DH: 1-2, BB
- Logan Samuels, SP: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, K
It was a bit of a lackluster day for Rome on Friday as they came away with the 4-1 loss.
Logan Samuels was solid, tossing four innings while allowing two earned runs and three walks on the night.
The offense, however, failed to show up as the Emperors were held to just one run on four hits on the night. The lone run came on a Mac Guscette double in the top of the seventh inning, scoring Bryson Horne to make it a 3-1 game.
Hub City tacked on another run on a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to make it a 4-1 game.
Despite Rome putting a runner in scoring position in the top of the ninth, they failed to bring him home and ultimately went down without scoring another run in this one.
(23-19) Augusta GreenJackets 13, (19-24) Charleston RiverDogs 11
- Douglas Glod, RF: 3-5, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R
- Josnaider Orellana, C: 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R
- Leiker Figueroa, 3B: 2-4, HR, RBI, R
- Owen Hackman, SP: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 6 K
Those in attendance of Augusta’s game on Friday night came away with multiple fireworks shows as both teams combined for 24 runs on 23 hits in what was an offensive explosion.
Despite the plethora of offense, GreenJackets starter Owen Hackman was actually quite solid on Friday. Across his six innings of work, Hackman allowed just three runs on seven hits while striking out six batters. However, the bullpen would falter and give up eight runs in just three innings of work.
Normally, that would be enough to sink a team, but Augusta’s offense — led by Douglas Glod’s 5 RBI — came through and outhit the opposition.
Things got started at the plate early for Augusta in this one. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the GreenJackets played six runs in the home half to take their first lead of this one. Owen Carey drove in the GreenJackets’ first run to tie the game at 1-1, and Glod drove in two more runs later in the frame. Josnaider Orellana proceeded to tally his first professional homer — a three-run shot — in the bottom of the first to extend the Augusta lead to 6-1.
Augusta added another run in the bottom of the third thanks to a solo shot from Glod to make it a 7-1 game.
Charleston would make things interesting late in this one, but the consistent scoring of the GreenJackets would keep them at bay.
Luis Sanchez scored Isaiah Drake on a single in the bottom of the fifth to make it an 8-2 game, and Glod once again came through — this time with a two-RBI single — in the bottom of the sixth to extend the Augusta lead to 10-3.
Leiker Figueroa tallied a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to make it 11-6, and Roiber Niazoa doubled home a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to break the 11-11 tie and give Augusta the 13-11 lead which would hold as the final in this barnburner.
(6-8) FCL Braves 4, (9-5) FCL Rays 11
- Diego Benitez, 3B: 2-3, HR, RBI, R
- Jose Perdomo, SS: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI
- Cam Caminiti, SP: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K
Cam Caminiti wasn’t at his sharpest in his start for the FCL squad on Friday, tossing 4.2 innings while giving up four earned runs. However, his command continues to be sharp as he issues just one walk while striking out four on the day.
Meanwhile at the plate, there weren’t too many standout performers in the Braves’ 11-4 loss. However, Diego Benitez went 2-4 with a solo homer and Jose Perdomo drove in two runners with a double on the day.