Liover Peguero hasn’t had the best season in Indianapolis this year. He did have a monster game on Thursday night.
Peguero went 3-for-5, launching two home runs to bring his season total to 11, while adding his 23rd double of the season. The first homer from Peguero came in the second inning, a 106.9 MPH shot that traveled 386 feet. He added another homer in the fifth, hitting it 393 feet at 104.2 MPH. The second shot gave Indianapolis a 4-3 lead.
In the ninth inning, Peguero hit a 101 MPH double with Indianapolis trailing by two. He later stole home on the back-end of a double steal, for his 12th stolen base of the season.
On the season, Peguero is hitting .251/.315/.405. He’s improved on those numbers this month, fueled by Thursday’s game. Peguero is hitting .250/.338/.433 in the month of August. This is his best month since April, when he hit .295/.326/.449 to open the season.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS won 9-8, with help from the big game by Liover Peguero.
- RHP Bubba Chandler: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
- 2B Nick Gonzales: 1-for-4, HR, RBI
- LF-2B Nick Yorke: 3-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI
- 1B Jake Lamb: 2-for-5, 2B, RBI
- DH Edward Olivares: 1-for-4, SB
Bubba Chandler allowed three runs in the first inning, then settled down to throw four scoreless innings. His runs in the first came from a three run homer. He continued showing improved control, with just four walks in 18 innings so far in Triple-A. Nick Gonzales led off the game with a home run. He started the game and played second base, going seven and a half innings in his second rehab appearance. Nick Yorke hit two RBI doubles, and added an RBI single in the ninth to tie the score. Edward Olivares stole second base on the front end of the Peguero steal of home, and later scored in the Yorke single. Indianapolis won thanks to a walk-off double by Jake Lamb in the tenth inning.
The rehabbing relievers had a rough night. Ryan Borucki allowed a run in a single inning on a solo homer. Colin Holderman allowed one run on one hit in one inning. Carmen Mlodzinski allowed three runs on three hits, including a two-run homer, before being pulled after two outs.
STATCAST HEROES
Chandler threw 35 fastballs, sitting 95.7 MPH and touching 98. He had four whiffs and nine called strikes for a 37% called and swinging strike rate. His changeup was effective on 20 pitches, with six whiffs on 12 swings and four called strikes for a 50% CSW. The slider picked up two whiffs on seven swings, and his curveball had three whiffs on five swings. The homer from Gonzales was hit 107.3 MPH, traveling 431 feet. Yorke had a double at 106 MPH and his single was 103.2 MPH.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA lost 7-6 in 11 innings.
- RHP Emmanuel Chapman: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
- RHP J.C. Flowers: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
- CF Jase Bowen: 1-for-3, 2 BB, RBI
- LF Yoyner Fajardo: 1-for-5, 2 RBI
- 3B Jackson Glenn: 1-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI
Altoona got seven innings of two run ball from relievers Emmanuel Chapman and J.C. Flowers, who have been two of the best pitchers on the team as of late. Jase Bowen reached base safely three times, and hit an RBI single in the tenth inning to put Altoona up 5-4 at the time. Jackson Glenn hit a two RBI double in the seventh, and Yoyner Fajardo hit a two RBI single, giving Altoona a four run inning to put them on the board for the first time in the game.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO won 5-4
- RHP J.P. Massey: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 HR
- 2B-SS Termarr Johnson: 1-for-2, 2 BB
- SS Kalae Harrison: 1-for-3, RBI, SB
- C Geovanny Planchart: 1-for-3, BB, 2 RBI
- CF-2B Mitch Jebb: 1-for-4
J.P. Massey allowed a two run homer in the first inning, then settled down to pitch four scoreless innings, striking out eight on the day. Massey has struggled this year, but is starting to pitch well lately. He has allowed three runs in 13 innings across his last three starts, with 15 strikeouts and four walks. Termarr Johnson reached base safely three times. Geovanny Planchart hit a two RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score at 4-4.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON won 4-2
- LHP Connor Wietgrefe: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
- RHP Carlos Jimenez: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR
- RF Will Taylor: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, 3 RBI
- C Axiel Plaz: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, RBI
- 1B Ethan Lege: 2-for-4
Connor Wietgrefe, drafted in the seventh round this year, pitched two perfect innings in his third pro appearance. Wietgrefe has allowed one earned run in five innings, with six strikeouts and one walk. Carlos Jimenez pitched the next five innings, allowing two unearned runs, while striking out five and limiting his walks to three. Will Taylor, drafted in the fifth round, hit a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double in the second. Axiel Plaz gave Bradenton their fourth run of the game with his eighth double of the season.
STATCAST HEROES
Wietgrefe sat 92.9 MPH, touching 94.1 with his sinker. His slider had three called strikes on six pitches, sitting 82.8 MPH. He also threw a changeup and a four-seam fastball. Jimenez has one of the best changeups in the system, and got five whiffs on 13 swings, with four called strikes for a 32% CSW on 28 pitches. Plaz hit a 110.5 MPH single and a 104.2 MPH double. He also had a 97.6 MPh flyout.
FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:05 PM – RHP Thomas Harrington (1-1, 3.63)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:35 PM – LHP Dominic Perachi (0-2, 7.08)
- High-A: Greensboro, 6:30 PM – RHP Carlson Reed (0-0 0.71)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:30 PM – RHP Clevari Tejada (1-1, 5.54)