The Diamondbacks Minor League affiliates combined for a 1-2 record. Hillsboro was the only team to pick up the win and Amarillo was rained out, with the makeup date scheduled for September 1st. Notable pitching prospects that took the mound included Josh Green for Reno and Slade Cecconi for Hillsboro.
Top Pitching Performance: Hillsboro RHP Slade Cecconi – 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 7 K, W (2-2)
Top Hitting Performance: Reno 1B Seth Beer 2 for 2, HR (9), 2 HBP, BB, 3 RBI, R
AAA: Reno Aces 10, Las Vegas Aviators (OAK) 12 (F/10)
Reno had no resemblance of pitching in this game, but the nature of playing in up in the elevation also meant the game was never out of hand. Vegas would score 7 runs off Josh Green in 4 1⁄3 innings and overall scored in 6 straight innings that put Reno behind 10-3 at the 7th inning stretch. Reno hitters were undeterred and turned the game around with their own slugging output.
The 7th inning would see Ben DeLuzio drive in Jamie Ritchie with a double that cut the deficit to 10-4. Then Reno would put up a pair of 3 run innings in the 8th and 9th to tie. In the 8th, timely hitting was the theme. Seth Beer and Jamie Ritchie had RBI hits followed by a run-scoring groundout by Juniel Querecuto. The 9th saw Vargas single home Jake McCarthy, who doubled with 1 out. After a strikeout that put Reno down to their last out, Seth Beer crushed the first pitch he saw for a 2-run homer to right center to tie the game at 10-10.
Even though Reno was able to get themselves in the game, they still needed to execute in extra innings. That did not happen, as Miguel Aguilar was unable to get the 3rd out of the inning as Cody Thomas hit a back-breaking 2-run double. Thomas in general was a problem for Reno pitchers, who allowed him to tally up 4 extra base hits and 2 homers. Reno would not answer in the bottom of the 10th.
AA: Amarillo Sod Poodles vs. San Antonio Missions (SDP)
Postponed, makeup date scheduled for September 1st
High A: Hillsboro Hops 5, Tri-City Dust Devils (LAA) 2
Slade Cecconi wasn’t dominant, but effective as he allowed just 2 runs over 5 innings with a solid 7/1 K/BB ratio. He was able to settle in quickly thanks to Reno’s offense providing him a 2-0 lead before he had to take the mound. The Hops would load the bases with a trio of walks before a ground ball off the pitcher caromed away from the 2B that allowed 2 runs to score. While Cecconi was putting up zeros, the offense went quickly to work to push the lead. Reece Hampton would hit out a home run in the 4th that made it a 3-0 game.
Cecconi would run into trouble in the 5th. He was downright dominant through 4 innings, allowing just 2 hits and a 7/0 K/BB ratio, but then the 5th inning started off horribly. The first four hitters would record hits, scoring twice and threatening to take over the game. It was in this situation that the supplementary first round pick showed fortitude in this situation, dialing up a pair of ground balls including an inning-ending double play to escape the jam with the lead.
With the game getting tight again, Hillsboro would answer that 2 spot in the 6th thanks to more walks and a bases loaded single although this time it left the infield. Roman Ruiz’s 2-run single provided enough cushion for the bullpen to close it out.
Low A: Visalia Rawhide 3, Inland Empire 66ers (LAA) 7
The game started pretty nicely for Visalia, as they took a 1-0 lead with a pair of singles. Austin Pope would face the minimum through two, but Visalia was unable to build on their lead otherwise. Pope was unable to retire hitters, ultimately walking 4 hitters and surrendering 5 hits in the 3rd and 4th innings. That toxic combination resulted in 7 runs being charged to his name and unable to finish the 4th inning. Visalia’s offense would go in the deep freeze until the 9th inning, where they were able to get three straight hits that led to the team scoring twice in a game long decided before.