Braxton Ashcraft made his return to the mound on Friday night.
The number six prospect in the system was activated off the injured list ahead of the game. He was out since July 6th, when he went three shutout innings, striking out three. Ashcraft only threw a single inning of work on Friday, allowing an unearned run on one hit.
The first batter of the game reached on catcher’s interference. After Ashcraft got a flyout for the first out of the game, he allowed a double which led to the runner scoring from first. Ashcraft recovered with a flyout to center and a strikeout to end the inning.
Ashcraft threw six fastballs, sitting 93.4 MPH and touching 94.9. He had one whiff each on his slider and changeup, throwing a total of two sliders and only the one changeup. In total, he threw 11 pitches, with ten strikes.
In five appearances at the Triple-A level, Ashcraft has an 0.47 ERA in 19.1 innings, with 14 strikeouts and four walks.
Indianapolis was suspended 5-5 in the tenth inning. Liover Peguero and Matt Gorski each picked up two hits. They also each stole a base, the 13th for Peguero and the 11th for Gorski. Nick Yorke hit his 20th double of the year. Jack Suwinski hit his fourth double of the year.
TRIPLE-A: INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
INDIANAPOLIS was suspended 5-5 in the tenth inning.
DOUBLE-A: ALTOONA CURVE
ALTOONA won 7-5 in ten innings.
- RF Matt Fraizer: 1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI
- RHP Po-Yu Chen: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
- CF Sammy Siani: 1-for-3, HR, BB, RBI
- SS Tsung-Che Cheng: 1-for-4, 2B
- LF Yoyner Fajardo: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, SB
Matt Fraizer hit a walk-off, three run homer in the tenth inning to give Altoona the win. It was his fourth homer of the year in Double-A. Earlier in the game, Sammy Siani put Altoona on the board with his fifth homer of the year, a solo shot in the second inning. Po-Yu Chen pitched five shutout innings, allowing a walk and two hits. Yoyner Fajardo had two hits, knocked in two runs, and stole his 16th base of the season.
HIGH-A: GREENSBORO GRASSHOPPERS
GREENSBORO lost 7-4 in ten innings.
- RHP Wilber Dotel: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
- 2B Duce Gourson: 2-for-5
- C Shawn Ross: 3-for-5, 3B, SB, 3 RBI
- RF P.J. Hilson: 2-for-5, 2B
- 1B Omar Alfonzo: 1-for-4, BB
Wilber Dotel had his best start in over a month, allowing one run in 4.2 innings. He only allowed one walk, after walking seven in 13.1 innings over his previous three starts. Duce Gourson had two hits from the leadoff spot. The 2024 ninth round pick is batting .267 with a .754 OPS since moving up to High-A. Shawn Ross hit his first triple of the season and stole his 11th base. His triple brought in the first two runs of the game. He also had an RBI single in the tenth runner.
SINGLE-A: BRADENTON MARAUDERS
BRADENTON lost 9-6
- LF Shalin Polanco: 1-for-4, HR, BB, RBI
- C Justin Miknis: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 4 RBI
- SS Yerry De Los Santos: 1-for-3, BB, SB
- DH Ethan Lege: 1-for-4, BB
- RHP Antwone Kelly: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Shalin Polanco hit his 11th homer of the season, giving Bradenton their first run in the fourth inning. They were down 5-1 at the time. Justin Miknis hit a bases loaded double in the sixth, giving the Marauders three runs to make the score 9-6. Miknis also had an RBI single in the fourth, leading to four RBIs on the day. Yerry De Los Santos stole his fifth base in Single-A
STATCAST HEROES
Polanco’s homer was hit at 104.1 MPH. The hardest hit of the game was a 106.8 MPH single from Ethan Lege. Antwone Kelly sat around 93 MPH with his fastballs, hitting 96.1 with each his sinker and four-seam. He had three whiffs on seven swings against his changeup, with two called strikes for a 36% CSW.
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:05 PM – RHP Luis Cessa (4-5, 4.58)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:00 PM – LHP Anthony Solometo (0-6, 6.17)
- High-A: Greensboro, 7:00 PM – RHP Derek Diamond (5-5, 4.83)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 4:30 PM – TBD
- Single-A: Bradenton, Game Two – TBD
