Albuquerque Isotopes had a mixed series facing Sacremento River Cats. Noteworthy performances came from Jordan Beck, Elehuris Montero, and Drew Romo. The team won 3 out of 6 games. Facing Round Rock Express next. Hartford Yard Goats had a balanced series against Richmond Flying Squirrels, winning 3 games and looking forward to a series against the Somerset Patriots. Spokane Indians faced Tri-City Dust Devils, winning 3 out of 6 games, and will next play the Vancouver Canadians. The Fresno Grizzlies struggled against Rancho Cucamonga, winning 2 out of 6 games, and are set to face Modesto Nuts and Stockton Ports. The Colorado Rockies MiLB Week 19 Recap is here.
Colorado Rockies MiLB Week 19 Recap
Albuquerque Isotopes
Series Record: 4-2 | Season Record: 44-70
Notable Performers
Greg Jones: 29 PAs, .333/.357/.778 (1.135 OPS), 9 H, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 1 BB, 11 K, 3 SB
Elehuris Montero: 28 PAs, .423/.429/.808 (1.237 OPS), 11 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K
Jordan Beck: 28 PAs, .462/.500/.615 (1.115 OPS), 12 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Nolan Jones: 15 PAs, .417/.533/1.000 (1.533 OPS), 5 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Connor Kaiser: 19 PAs, .353/.421/.647 (1.068 OPS), 6 H, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Yanquiel Fernandez: 26 PAs, .240/.269/.240 (.509 OPS), 6 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 5 K
Drew Romo: 17 PAs, .375/.412/.625 (1.037 OPS), 6 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K
Hunter Stovall: 25 PAs, .375/.400/.458 (.858 OPS), 9 H, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 SB
Seth Halvorsen: 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 1 BB, 4 K
Peyton Battenfield: 5.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 1 BB, 3 K
Carson Palmquist: 5.0 IP, 5.40 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 3 BB, 3 K
Ty Blach: 4.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 0 BB, 2 K
Jeff Criswell: 3.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 0 BB, 3 K
Recap
Facing a tough opponent in the Sacramento River Cats, the Isotopes got the series off to a great start by winning an offensive slugfest 11-7. Jordan Beck led the way collecting 4 hits, while Drew Romo got 3 base knocks; almost raising his average to .300. Greg Jones, Elehuris Montero, and Sean Bouchard each hit a home run. Karl Kauffmann got the start but struggled, giving up 4 runs and 4 walks in 4 innings. Lefty Ty Blach got the win by tossing 2 scoreless. Riley Pint got his first save of the season tossing 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out 2.
Unfortunately, the ‘Topes lost the next game 8-4, giving up 16 hits. Jordan Beck and Elehuris Montero each collected two hits, with Beck and shortstop Connor Kaiser adding a home run. Lefty Josh Rogers got the start but struggled, giving up 4 runs and 9 hits in 4 innings. Jeff Criswell put together a solid outing in the bullpen, tossing 2 scoreless innings.
The squad was able to bounce back the next game, thanks to a 3-run walkoff bomb courtesy of Greg Jones. Jordan Beck continued to demolish River Cats pitching, collecting two hits. Grant Lavigne added two baseknocks as well. Peyton Battenfield put together a solid start, striking out 3 in 5.1 innings while giving up 2 runs. The bullpen didn’t give up a run the rest of the way, striking out 7 in 4.2 innings.
Despite giving up 11 runs, the Isotopes were able to win 12-11. The lineup collected 15 hits total, with Drew Romo and Hunter Stovall each having 3 hits. Elehuris Montero added his 10th bomb of the season. Lefty Carson Palmquist got his 2nd start with the Isotopes, tossing 5 innings of 3-run ball. The bullpen largely struggled throughout the game, but Jaden Hill put together a clutch scoreless inning to get the save.
The River Cats bounced back with a win in the next game, with the Isotopes losing 4-6. Nolan Jones went 2 for 4 while hitting a home run. Fellow outfielder Greg Jones added a home run of his own. Juan Hillman got the start and despite giving up 6 runs, only 1 was earned. Ty Blach and Seth Halvorsen combined to toss 4.2 scoreless innings in relief.
The ‘Topes were able to close out the series with a win on Sunday, dominating the opposing pitching staff by scoring 17 runs and 19 hits. Elehuris Montero continued his torrid offensive stretch by hitting for 4 hits and 3 RBI’s. Greg Jones, Jordan Beck, and Hunter Stovall each had three hits. Starting pitcher Karl Kauffmann badly struggled giving up 10 runs in 3.2 innings. The bullpen came in the clutch, not giving up a run and only two hits the rest of the game.
Call-Up Power Rankings
- Dugan Darnell: 4.37 ERA | 1.54 WHIP | 35.0 IP | 42 K
- Drew Romo: .297 AVG | .828 OPS | 13 HR | 15 BB
- Jeff Criswell: 6.31 ERA | 1.76 WHIP | 55.2 IP | 78 K
Looking Ahead
This week the Isotopes will take on the Round Rock Express in Texas. The Express are the affiliate of the Texas Rangers and have a 55-57 record this season, good for 3rd place in the PCL East.
Hartford Yard Goats:
Series Record: 3-3 | Season Record: 61-45
Notable Performers
Braxton Fulford: 13 PAs, .273/.385/.818 (1.203 OPS), 3 H, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 4 RBI, 1 SB
Adael Amador: 24 PAs, .348/.375/.565 (.940 OPS), 8 H, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 K
Sterlin Thompson: 28 PAs, .400/.393/.520 (.913 OPS), 10 H, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 SB
Warming Bernabel: 28 PAs, .333/.429/.333 (.762 OPS), 8 H, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K
Juan Guerrero: 14 PAs, .538/.571/.538 (1.109 OPS), 7 H, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Chase Dollander: 6.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 1 BB, 6 K
Luis Peralta: 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 1 BB, 5 K
Sean Sulivan: 5.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP, 0 BB, 2 K
Connor Van Scoyoc: 4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4.2 IP, 3 BB, 1 K
Bradley Blalock: 6.2 IP, 6.75 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 1 BB, 8 K
Recap
The series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels got off to a bad start as the Goats lost 7-10. Adael Amador helped lead the team to 11 hits, collecting 4 hits himself. Braxton Fulford and Bladimir Restituyo each had two hits, with Fulford adding a homer in the 8th inning. Lefty Mason Albright badly struggled, giving up 9 runs in 2.2 innings. The bullpen held strong the rest of the way.
The Goats weren’t able to bounce back the next game, losing 2-5. Warming Bernabel and Ronaiker Palma each had two hits. Starter Bradley Blalock struggled a bit, giving up 5 runs in 6.2 innings, although he did strike out 8.
The Yard Goats were able to get back to the winning column on Friday. Sterlin Thompson led the way for the offense, collecting three hits and a home run. Braxton Fulford and Zach Kokoska each added a homer in the contest. Newcomer Juan Guerrero made a great impression, hitting for 3 hits and 2 RBI’s. Fellow newcomer Luis Peralta got the win, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings while striking out 3.
After a rainout on Thursday, the Goats played a doubleheader on Saturday. The first game went very well, as the squad won 15-1. Kyle Datres had a home run, 3 hits, and 4 RBI’s. Adael Amador added a home run and three RBI’s. Lefty Sean Sullivan put together a great start, tossing 5 scoreless innings and only 2 hits.
Unfortunately, the bats went quiet the second game of the doubleheader, with the team losing 1-2. Sterlin Thompson had two hits and an RBI. Chase Dollander put together an amazing start tossing 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, while striking out 6 batters.
The series closed out with a Yard Goats W, as the squad won 6-1. Sterlin Thompson, Ronaiker Palma, and Juan Guerrero each had two hits. Starter Connor Van Scoyoc tossed 4.2 innings, giving up only 1 run. Lefty Luis Peralta got the win, striking out 2 in 1.2 scoreless innings.
Call-Up Power Rankings:
1. Bradley Blalock: 6.17 ERA | 1.54 WHIP | 11.2 IP | 12 K
2. Braxton Fulford: .228 AVG | .730 OPS | 9 HR | 27 BB
3. Evan Shawver: 2.47 ERA | 1.21 WHIP | 43.2 IP | 41 K
Looking Ahead
This week the Yard Goats will square off against the Somerset Patriots. The Patriots are the affiliate of the New York Yankees and have a 53-54 record, good for 4th place in the EAS Northeast division.
Spokane Indians
Series Record : 3-3 | Season Record: 66-40
Notable Performers (Series Stats)
Charlie Condon – 22 PA, .286/.318/.524 (0.842), 6 H, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 9 SO, 2 SB
Victor Juarez – L (3-6), 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Connor Staine – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Jack Mahoney – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
Mason Green – W (8-5), 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Bryson Hammer – W(1-0), 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Same Weatherly – SV (1), 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Series Recap
The Spokane Indians made their way to Gesa Stadium for another series against the Tri-City Dust Devils. Still, this series was anything but ordinary as plenty of new faces joined the Spokane roster, most notably the Rockies third overall pick in this year’s draft, Charlie Condon. Condon and his new squad didn’t have the best game in the series opener on Tuesday as the Indians were shut out for a 2-0 loss, but Spokane didn’t stay down for very long as they stifled Tri-City on Wednesday for a 7-0 win. With further additions, the Indians were still unable to find success as they dropped Thursday’s game 13-2 and narrowly lost on Friday, 7-6 in extras. Spokane was at risk of losing their first series since May going into Saturday, but managed to fight off the series loss with a 5-2 victory, and then evened up the series with a 2-1 win on Sunday.
The third overall pick from this year’s draft finally found his way to Spokane on Tuesday for the series opener against the Tri-City Dust Devils. While the expectations were high for Charlie Condon, his High-A debut wasn’t anything to write home about as the left-fielder went 0-4 with 3 K. Victor Juarez worked through six innings for the second straight game, silencing the Dust Devil offense for the majority of the night as the 21-year-old finished with 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, with 8 K added. Tri-City’s game-winning runs were caused by two errors from catcher Bryant Betancourt, catcher interference and a throwing error two batters later during the fifth inning. The Spokane offense and their highly-touted prospect weren’t able to get anything going, amassing just four total hits during the game, leading to a 2-0 loss.
Charlie Condon… bust? The internet sure does enjoy jumping to conclusions, and while many weren’t pleased with Condon’s performance in the first game of the series, Wednesday night saw the emergence of the same Charlie Condon that dominated all year with the Georgia Bulldogs. Condon singled in his first at-bat, doubled in his second, and homered in the seventh inning, a solo shot to push the lead to 4-0. Indians catcher Bryant Betancourt made up for his lackluster game on Tuesday night by going 3-5 with 3 RBI, as Condon went on to finish 4-5 with an RBI and a SB. But, the Indians weren’t able to shutout the Dust Devils because of their offense alone. Blake Adams pitched an absolute gem on Wednesday night. Securing his seventh win of the season. Adams went six innings, allowed just 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, issued 2 BB, and went into the double digits with strikeouts as he finished with 10 K. To secure the shutout, Felix Ramires put the dust in Dust Devils as he allowed 1 H and 1 BB but struck out three batters.
Nothing seemed to be going Spokane’s way on Thursday as the Dust Devils jumped out to an early lead thanks to a seven-run first inning that ended Michael Prosecky’s night early. After two high-quality starts after his promotion, Prosecky has struggled through his past two starts, allowing 11 H, 12 R, and 8 ER through 5.2 IP. But Prosecky wasn’t the only Indians player to struggle on Thursday. Braxton Hyde, who replaced Prosecky, last 3.1 innings but still allowed 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, while the Spokane offense combined for just five hits, Skyler Messinger accounting for two of those, one being a solo home run in the eighth inning, his first home run at the High-A level, surprising for someone who mashed 18 HR last season with Fresno. Messinger has been flying under the radar amongst an Indians roster that’s become more powerful over the past week, the University of Texas product is batting .286 through 35 AB with 8 RBI.
The Indians began to turn things around on Friday night, thanks in part to Connor Staine’s outstanding performance on the mound and the arrival of yet another pick from the 2024 draft. Since Connor Staine’s legendary outing on the Fourth of July, Staine hasn’t been able to replicate the absolute dominance he showed on that day, but Friday night was a reminder of exactly what the righty is capable of. Staine pitched a nearly perfect game and finished with a line of 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, and dealt 9 K. The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning where the Indians broke through with two runs before the Rockies’ third-round pick from this year’s draft, catcher Cole Messina, from the University of South Carolina, notched his second hit of the night and first professional RBI as he drove in Dyan Jorge. The Indians weren’t able to hold their four-run lead for long as the Dust Devils responded with a three-run home run off of Spokane pitcher Carlos Torres. The Dust Devils would tie the game in the ninth, and extra innings proved to be a war of attrition as both teams traded runs as the score reached 6-6 before Tri-City was able to score the game-winning run in the twelfth inning off of Luis Amoroso who battled through 2.1 extra innings.
Going into Saturday, Spokane had not lost a series since they lost their series in May against the Hillsboro Hops. With their streak in jeopardy, Spokane turned to Jack Mahoney, who was making his second start in his new blue and red threads. Mahoney seemed much more settled on the mound this time around after a lengthy first inning saw the Dust Devils take an early lead. After that, Mahoney found his groove and finished with a line of 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, with 9 K to show for his efforts. Kyle Karros got the Indians back in the game during the third inning with one of his two RBI on the night. Mason Green helped Spokane navigate the rest of the game for Spokane and was at his finest, allowing no hits and just one walk while punching out five through the remaining 3.1 innings. Cole Carrigg’s eleventh home run of the season knotted the game at two apiece before Karros drove home Dyan Jorge, giving Spokane the lead. Jorge and Condon added RBI of their own in the ninth to silence any hopes of a Tri-City comeback. Dyan Jorge had a huge night, finishing 2-5, with 3 R, while Carrigg, Condon, and Karros, all had a stolen base.
The Indians set out to even the series on Sunday and received some help from Yujanyer Herrera, the 20-year-old righty who was making his second start in a Spokane uniform. Herrera had a masterful performance on the mound, allowing just one hit through his six innings of work. He allowed four walks but also dealt six strikeouts. The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when Skyler Messinger scored off of a throwing error by Tri-City first baseman Shane Matheny. Bryson Hammer took over for Herrera in the seventh inning and allowed the tying run to score, but still struck out three of the six batters he faced. The game remained tied until Jean Perez sent a solo shot out of the park for his second home run of the year in the eighth inning, while Sam Weatherly earned his first save with the Indians, working through two innings without allowing a hit and striking out three batters. Somehow, the Spokane Indians stole the win and knotted the series at three, all while earning just one single hit in Sunday’s game.
What’s Up Next Preview
The Spokane Indians are gearing up for the conclusion of their season but still have some work to do as they’ll return home to take on the Vancouver Canadians once again. With plenty of fresh faces from Fresno and this year’s draft, the Spokane roster sure is loaded and looking to capitalize on their depth.
Fresno Grizzlies
Series Record : 2-4| Season Record: 56-51
Notable Performers (Series Stats)
Felix Tena – 20 PA, .474/.474/.737 (1.211), 9 H, 1 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 4 SO, 0 SB
Robert Calaz – 27 PA, .318/.407/.545 (0.953), 7 H, 5 R, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 5 SO, 2 SB
Hunter Mann – W (1-0), 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Stu Flesland III – L (1-2), 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Alberto Pacheco – W (5-4), 11.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 14 K
Series Recap
The Fresno Grizzlies hopped on the bus down to Rancho Cucamonga for another series against the Quakes. This time, Fresno had some extra help as the team added pitcher Justin Loer and this year’s second-round draft pick out of the University of Texas, outfielder Jared Thomas. Even with the Grizzlies’ latest additions, Fresno dropped the series’ first game on Tuesday night by a score of 9-3 and narrowly lost on Wednesday night, 4-2. The Grizzlies stole a game on Thursday, winning 9-3, but dropped Friday’s game by a score of 5-3, before losing again on Saturday, 8-2. The Grizzlies ended the series on a high note with a 9-2 win.
Tuesday’s game was much closer than the box score indicates. The Grizzlies and the Quakes went back and forth through the first four innings as Tevin Tucker, Jason Hinchman, and Caleb Hobson all drove in runs for Fresno. Alberto Pacheco allowed just three hits and five walks, amounting to 2 total runs until the disastrous sixth inning found the Grizzlies and newcomer Fidel Ulloa who finished with a line of 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, with 1 K but also Jake Madden, who was unable to stop the bleeding as he allowed 2 H, 2 R, 2 Er, 2 BB, and added just 1 K through his 0.1 innings of work. The game was out of hand by then as Fresno only got one hit through the remaining three innings. Jared Thomas did finish 1-2 with a run and 2 BB, displaying some serious discipline at the plate for someone who was making their debut at Single-A.
The Quakes came out swinging on Wednesday night, rattling Bryan Perez for all four of his earned runs in the first inning of the evening. Perez was able to settle down, and while he would pick up his sixth loss of the season, the 20-year-old right-hander allowed just three more hits until he was taken out of the game in the seventh, ending his night with 5 K. Braylen Wimmer continued his struggles, adding on three more strikeouts to complement the four he had on Tuesday night, making him 0-9 with 7 K through the first two games of the series. Andy Perez drove in the Grizzlies’ first run in the first inning, but they wouldn’t have a response until Jared Thomas drove in their second run of the game with his first home run in Single-A, a monster shot to right center field. Justin Loer also made his debut for the Grizzlies and showcased some serious talent, working through one complete inning while allowing no hits, two walks, and adding two strikeouts.
The Grizzlies were still looking for their first win of the series on Thursday and finally found success with a 9-3 win. Darius Perry kicked things off for the Grizzlies in the second inning with a bases-clearing double, followed by Luis Mendez and Jared Thomas who both drove in runs in the fourth and fifth innings. On the mound for the Grizzlies, Ismael Luciano locked things down for Fresno, allowing four hits and one run through four innings of work, while Hunter Mann eventually picked up his first win of the season after allowing no hits and striking out three through two innings. Felix Tena added another run for the Grizzlies lte in the game, and Braylen Wimmer ended his drought in the ninth inning with a two-run blast to right center field.
With one win under their belt, Fresno was looking to add another on Friday. Stu Flesland III made his second start of the season and was going strong through three innings where he allowed just 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, and handed out 5 K, before making a quick exit which quickly led to the Quakes scoring four runs. The Grizzlies had more hits than the Quakes by the end of the night, but Rancho Cucamonga took advantage of their scoring chances where Fresno did not, leaving five men on base and grounding into a double play on three separate occasions. Jared Thomas continued to impress as he drove in another run and would finish his night 2-3 at the plate with an RBI and yet another BB. The Grizzlies comeback came too late, as two runs thanks to a Robert Calaz triple and a Luis Mendez RBI fell short in the ninth inning.
Saturday proved to be more of the same growing pains that the Grizzlies have been prone to in the back half of the season. New additions Bryan Mena and Justin Loer both struggled against Rancho Cucamonga: Mena allowed 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, and 3 BB, with just 2 K through four innings, while Loer’s second outing in a Fresno uniform wasn’t pretty as the lefty out of LSU surrendered 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, and 1 BB and wasn’t able to escape the inning. Before the game got out of hand, Tevin Tucker cut the Quakes’ lead down to one with his third home run of the season, and Braylen Wimmer brought home Jason Hinchman in the fifth inning to make the score 4-2 in favor of the Quakes. After making good on those opportunities, the Grizzlies had just three baserunners for the remaining four innings.
The Grizzlies took the field on Sunday hoping to get one more win before returning home and did just that thanks to a big night from Alberto Pacheco on the mound, and the emergence of Robert Calaz at the plate. Fresno and Rancho Cucamonga each traded runs early on, and by the end of the third inning, Felix Tena had driven in his third run of the series to make the score 3-1. Alberto Pacheco was making his second start of the series and managed to shut down the Quakes with more control than he had on Tuesday night, finishing with a stellar line of 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, and 7 K, earning him his fifth victory of the season. From there, Robert Calaz stole the show as he crushed his first home run at the Single-A level, a two-run blast to open up the game, and added two more runs in the seventh inning on a sac fly. Luis Mendez capped off the nearly perfect game for the Grizzlies with a two-run home run of his own in the ninth inning. Fresno may not have won the series, but they showed perseverance and earned two wins, thanks to some of the newest Grizzlies.
What’s Up Next Preview
The Grizzlies will head back home for a two-week homestand, taking on the Modesto Nuts first, before the Stockton Ports come to Chukchansi Park once again. Fresno’s record has slipped after a tough month of July and are now just two games above .500.
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