Farmers Only - Hunter Greene makes pro pitching debut

Friday, August 25th

Louisville 3, Toledo 1

“Green Day” Rookie Davis was damn near untouchable on Friday, firing 8 innings of scoreless, 4 hit ball, walking a lone Mud Hen against 6 Ks. That’s how you prep for a September call-up, I say. Jose “Joe Deertay” Duarte had 3 hits and all 3 ribbies, Zach “Scully” Vincej went 2 for 3 with a double and 2 runs scored, and Alex “TOOT” Blandino doubled and walked because Alex Blandino doubles and walks.

Jackson 1, Pensacola 0

The Farm got another stellar pitching performance in this one, with Jose “High Pez” Lopez firing 6 innings of scoreless, 5 hit ball with 7 Ks and a lone walk. Unfortunately, the offense, which was shut down by former University of Cincinnati pitcher Ryan Atkinson. “Prince of” Aristides Aquino had 1 of the team’s 2 hits (and walked twice), and that’s pretty much that.

Florida 2, Daytona 1

So, something was definitely in the pitching’s Gatorade cooler on Friday, as Daytona got a rock solid 6 innings of 1 ER ball from starter Juan “K” Martinez, who I’ve never heard of because this was first start since 2014. James Vasquez went 3 for 3 with a walk and the lone run scored to pace the offense, though admittedly there wasn’t a whole lot of pacing going on.

Dayton 10, Great Lakes 1

The Dragons also got some great pitching, but actually backed it with a sweet-swingin’ offense on Friday. Wennington Romero fanned 7 and allowed a lone run in his 5 IP, and the offense got dingers from both Hector Vargas and Bruce “Soulja Boy” Yari to help bust things open. Taylor Trammell chipped in with a 2 for 5 night that included a run scored.

Billings 18, Great Falls 11

So perhaps the Mustangs’ shipment of great pitching Gatorade didn’t make it past the Mississippi River on Friday. Still, the bats did some whoopin’. Jeter “Larry the Cable Guy” Downs went 2 for 2 with a walk, 2 runs scored, and a dinger, while Miles Gordon backed him with a 3 for 5 night that included a walk, a triple, and a dinger of his own. Montrell “Donyell” Marshall went all one-uppy on them by going 4 for 4 with a walk, a double, a dinger, and four freakin’ runs scored. That’ll do.

Saturday, August 26th

Toledo 9, Louisville 6

The Bats ended up on the stinky end of a not so nice 6-9 score on Saturday. Wendolyn “Steal My Sunshine” Bautista was called up to make a spot-start since Tyler Mahle had been called up to the big leagues, and he allowed 3 ER in 4 ground out innings. Alex Blandino doubled, walked twice, and scored twice, and I believe you’re now aware that’s just what he does. Both Zach Vincej and Darnell Sweeney clubbed homers, but it just wasn’t enough on the day.

Mississippi 5, Pensacola 0

It’s almost like when Nick “No. 2” Senzel doesn’t play, his team isn’t as good. While the stud sat again on Saturday due to being sick, reportedly, The ‘Hoos got shut out on just 6 hits. Blake Trahan had 2 of those - both singles, as all the team’s hits were on the night - but that couldn’t offset and off-night by starter Deck “Thompson’s Water Seal” McGuire (4 ER in 4.2 IP).

Great Lakes 5, Dayton 4

The Loons scored 2 runs in the Bottom of the 7th for a comeback win on Saturday. Dayton starter Scott “Austin” Moss pitched solidly, allowing 3 ER in 6 IP with 9 Ks against nary a walk, but Alex “Inter” Webb was tagged for those previously mentioned 2 ER and the loss. Taylor Sparks, who’s still toiling in the low minors, got his season average up over the .180 mark with a 3 for 4 night that featured a dinger. Is .180 even a “mark” anyway? Who knows.

Great Falls 5, Billings 4

The pitching was a might bit better for Billings on Saturday, but not quite good enough in the L. Starter Jacob Heatherly surrendered all 4 ER in his 3 IP, but despite 2 for 4 and 3 for 4 days from Jeter Downs and Stuart “The Eleventh Earl of” Fairchild, respectively, the Mustangs offense couldn’t claw their way back to a win.

Sunday, August 27th

Toledo 3, Louisville 0

The Bats’ bats were stifled on Sunday, as even Alex Blandino could only muster a lone single. Hernan Iribarren went 2 for 4 with a double as the only big bat on display for the day, which wasn’t enough to back a reasonably solid 7 innings of 3 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K ball tossed by General Jackson Stephens.

Mississippi 5, Pensacola 2

No Senzel, no winzel. Blake Trahan wrapped a solid weekend of hitting with a 3 for 3 day that included a double, but a complete bullpen meltdown was the story of this one. Both Robert “Backordered” Stock and Carlos Gonzalez hurled meatwads in their combined 2.1 innings of work, allowing all 5 of Mississippi’s runs in the game. That spoiled what might well have been the best start of the year by Keury “Numma Numma” Mella, unfortunately, as he’d fired 6 innings of 3 hit, 2 walk, 7 K scoreless ball.

Florida 5, Daytona 4 (F/7)

The Fire Frogs plated a pair in the Bottom of the 7th to walk off against Daytona in the first game of a would-be doubleheader after Saturday’s game was banged due to weather. It was rather unfortunate, the ending, since Jonathon “‘tHon” Crawford was still on the mound after starting and, to that point, having allowed just 2 ER in his 6.1 IP. Alas, he allowed 2 more, and that on top of an earlier unearned run was enough for the loss in an otherwise solid outing. Alfredo “Fred” Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with a double and a ribbie from the leadoff spot.

Unfortunately, the weather that was in charge of sacking Saturday’s game also sacked the would-be makeup game on Sunday. Those weatherpeople who suggested they could get two in on Sunday have also been sacked.

Dayton 2, Great Lakes 0

Tony “Bourdain” Santillan spun a damn gem on Sunday, tossing 6 scoreless, 3 H, BB, 5 K innings. Taylor Sparks doubled in the lone earned run by the Dragons on the day in what was otherwise quite the pitching duel with the Loons.

Billings 4, Helena 2

Talk about a buried lede! Hunter Greene made his long-awaited pitching debut for Billings on Sunday, firing a scoreless inning. He allowed a hit and struck out a batter on 15 pitches to get his feet wet, apparently sitting between 97-100 mph with his fastball in the process, according to FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen. Nice. With the bat, Jeter Downs pounded out 3 more hits, and Leandro “Barbosa” Santana dingered and drove in 3 on his 3 for 3 afternoon.