Farmers Only Weekend Harvest: Robert Stephenson on the Move

SOMEWHAT BREAKING NEWS: Top prospect RHP Robert Stephenson has been promoted to AA Pensacola.

• Louisville totaled three runs in going oh-fer the weekend. Friday was a 4-1 loss to Columbus, as the Bats couldn't muster much offense beyond Henry Rodriguez (3-5, 2B) and Nevin Ashley (2-3, 2B, BB). Greg Reynolds took just his third loss of the year, though he did toss a quality start. Saturday was a bit more laughable, as the Bats fell to the Clippers 8-1. Daniel Corcino actually pitched decently, despite 4 walks, allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings, striking out 4 as well. Unfortunately, the bullpen. Billy Hamilton scored the only run, going 2-4 with a steal, driven in by a Neftali Soto sac fly. They managed just 5 hits in the game, all coming from the 1-4 batters. Sunday saw the Bats lose their fourth in a row to the Clippers and fifth straight overall, this time 6-1. Henry Rodriguez continued his merciless spanking of August pitching, going 2-3 with a steal, but outside of Hank and The Hellflower, Trevor Bauer held the rest of the offense to just 1 hit. The Hades Blossom was 2-4 with two doubles, by the way. Yohan Pino got messed with, allowing 4 runs in 6 innings, and that was that. Up next: A much needed off day. They'll head to Pawtucket for a set with the PawSox after that.
  
  
• Pensacola lost two of three over the weekend. They started Friday right with a 5-2 win over the Suns, though. Mike "Lamb of God" Costanzo was 3-4 with a triple and a steal, and Tucker "Gravy" Barnhart was 2-4 with a two-bagger. Our Man had a quietly productive day, going 1-2 with a walk and a sac fly. Tim Crabbe tossed 5 innings of 2-run ball to snag the win. Saturday's game sounds like it was no fun for the Wahoos. They lost, 8-6, in 16 innings after leading 6-1 in the ninth. Drew Hayes and Loek Van Mil (but mostly Drew Hayes) combined to give up 5 runs and squander a beautiful start from Josh Smith, who pitched 6 scoreless, 4-hit innings, walking just 1 and striking out 5. Chris Manno gave up 2 solo wangdoodlers to take the loss. Yorman led the way offensively, going 3-8 (!) with a pair of doubles and 2 runs scored. Sunday's loss was much more pedestrian, with the 'Hoos falling 4-1. The only run was a solo schwartzkopf by the Knockwurst, which was his only hit of the night. Carlos Contreras struck out 7 in 5.1 innings, but walked 5, allowing 2 hits. Up next: Off day for the Wahoos too.
  
  
• Bakersfield took 2 of 3 over the weekend. Despite 3 errors on Friday by Juan Silverio, the Blaze eked out a win over the Giants, 7-6. Juan Duran homered for his third straight game, a two-run shot in the 4th, and Kyle Waldop extended his hitting streak to 13 games, though both of their hits were the only ones they had on the night (there's probably a less confusing way to put that...). The pitching was meh, but Michael Lorenzen earned his second save with 2 scoreless innings to close it out, walking 2 and striking out 2. Juan Silverio tried to atone for his cement hands during Saturday's 3-2 win, going 2-4 with a whizzbang, and Kyle Waldop continued his second-half resurgence by honking his 20th wanger during a 2-4 day, also stealing his 16th base. Dang. Robert Stephenson made his last start in Bakersfield a memorable one, allowing just one hit and one walk over 6 pristine innings, striking out 9. Sexy. The Blaze came out on the wrong side of an 11-inning, back-and-forth affair on Sunday, falling 3-2 to the Giants. Ben Klimesh took the loss, and he's been really bad since coming up from Dayton. There wasn't a lot of offense to speak of outside of Juan Perez, who was 1-2 with 2 walks and the only XBH, and Stevie "2 Singles" Selsky. Up next: Fabian Williamson (0-1, 10.29) hosts Visalia at 10:15.
  
  
• Dayton also took 2 of 3. Friday's 9-7 victory had some good and some bad. Phil Ervin was 2-4 with a homer and a double, even playing some CF, and Jesse Winker scored 2 runs. Nick Travieso struck out 6 compared to just 1 walk in his 6 innings, but did allow 4 runs on 5 hits. Giving up 2 homers will do that. He's giving up over a homer per 9, which needs to be a lot less. Saturday's 16-hit outburst was just enough to weather a ninth inning rally by the TinCaps, and the Dragons prevailed 7-6. Amir Garrett had a start to forget, giving up 4 runs in just 1.2 innings, during which he allowed 8 baserunners. Jackson Stephens bailed him out with a quality start in relief, lasting 6.2 innings while allowing just 1 run on 5 hits, with no walks and 5 K. The Mean Green Mejias-Brean Machine was on fire, going 4-5, while Phil Ervin and Sammy Diaz, Jr. almost matched him with 3-5 nights, and Jesse Winker and Tanner Rahier chipped in with 2 hits apiece. The Dragons couldn't quite manage the weekend sweep, falling on Sunday 4-3. Things were looking good until Werleen Taveras came on for the save, and the Dragons got walked off on. Tanner Rahier drove in all 3 runs on 2 hits, and Sammy Diaz tripled and singled to lead the offense. Drew Cisco got the outs when he needed to, giving up just 2 runs in 6 innings, despite allowing 9 hits. Up next: Sal Romano's Rent-a-Wreck (6-8, 4.65) faces Fort Wayne at 7:05.
  
  
• Billings took one of three while you all were partying this weekend. Friday's contest was not much of a contest at all, as the Mustangs were castrated, 10-1, by the Voyagers. The pitching was putrid, and outside of Jose Ortiz (1-3, walk), the hitting was pretty bad too. On Saturday, the Mustangs withstood a rally from the H-Brewers, winning 3-2. Luke Moran struck out 6 in 5 scoreless innings, and 2 doubles from Jon Matthews helped out the offense, as did Ty "Wooden Teeth" Washington, who reached base thrice. But Sunday was not a fun day for the Mustangs, as the Brewers exacted their revenge, 3-1. Carlos Sanchez was the only one with multiple hits (2-4) as the offense sputtered yet again, though Jon Matthews was 1-3 with 2 walks. Up next: Junior Morillo (0-1, 4.50) against Helena at 9:05.
  
  
• The AZL Reds lost three games despite not even playing on Friday. Saturday, the Indian cubs trounced our baby boys, 10-3. Aristides Aquino reached base safely all 5 times he stepped to the plate, and Chad "Feel-Good" Jones pitched a scoreless inning, but that was about it. They played a doubleheader on Sunday, but two less innings didn't stop the AZL Indians from scoring 10 runs again in the first game, which ended up with the same 10-3 score. Logan "Brendann-" Uxa and Alberti "QWERTY" Chavez each had 2 hits, and a Cory Thompson boy-meets-error led to 4 unearned runs somehow. Ibrahin Redan had no such excuse, however, allowing 5 very earned runs in his 1/3 inning of "work." The second game was at least competitive, with the AZL Reds tying it in the top of the ninth seventh, but Wagner Gomez wanted to go home, so he let the AZLdians walk off. "Alan" Aldi Guzman M*A*S*Hed his first tater as a pro, but that was about it for the offense. Up next: AZL Angels at 10.