Diamondbacks Top Pitching Prospect Plagued By Command Issues

The Diamondbacks' minor league affiliates combined for a 3-1 record. Here is a recap of all of the action from Friday's games.

AAA: Reno Aces 2, Sacramento River Cats 3

Yilber Díaz had a very interesting statline. The right-hander allowed three runs in the second inning to put Reno behind 3-0. He walked the first three hitters to load the bases, then got an infield pop-up and a strikeout to get within one pitch of escaping the inning. Instead of a getting out of the inning unscathed, he served up a bases-clearing triple for all of Sacramento's runs with two outs.

Díaz ultimately finished with those three runs on that one hit, walked six, and struck out nine over five innings. He took the loss when Reno couldn't complete the comeback bid. Throwing strikes has been an issue for Díaz this season, with 26 walks in 29.2 innings between Triple-A and the major leagues.

Reno tallied solo runs in the third and fourth innings. Connor Kaiser got the Aces on the board with a solo home run in the third and Jordan Lawlar doubled and scored on an Ildemaro Vargas base hit in the fourth. Lawlar finished with two hits in four at-bats.

Reno only got one more at-bat with a runner in scoring position. That came later in the same inning when A.J. Vukovich struck out with Blaze Alexander at second as the potential tying run.

Left-handers Joe Mantiply and Kyle Backhus combined for three scoreless innings. Mantiply pitched around a single in two innings and Backhus escape a bases-loaded jam in the eighth.

AA: Amarillo Sod Poodles 6, Midland RockHounds 4

The Sod Poodles got another quality start from right-hander Jose Cabrera. Cabrera limited Midland to three runs on seven hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts through 6.2 innings. Two of the hits he surrendered were solo home runs.

Amarillo took the lead for good in the fifth inning. Trailing 2-1 entering the frame, Tommy Troy doubled home Kristian Robinson to tie it, then scored on a Gavin Conticello base hit to take the lead. Ivan Melendez then tacked onto the lead with a two-run home run that made it 5-2. It was Melendez's second long ball of the season.

Troy finished the game 3-for-4 with that double, two singles, and a walk. Conticello singled, walked twice, and scored two runs. Kristian Robinson was 3-for-5 at the plate with a stolen base.

The Amarillo bullpen was barely able to hold it together in the end. Gerardo Gutierrez got the final out of the seventh after allowing his inherited runner to score and load the bases. Alec Baker pitched a tidy eighth inning and Jhosmer Alvarez finished out the ninth despite allowing a run to score.

A+: Hillsboro Hops 7, Vancouver Canadians 4

The Hops led this game wire to wire, although they survived a fifth-inning scare. Every starter in the lineup collected at least one hit in the game.

Logan Clayton allowed three runs on five hits, one walk, and one strikeout over 4.1 innings. He left the game with the potential tying run in scoring position.

Hayden Durke was tasked with trying to preserve a 4-3 lead. Despite shaky control, he got the job done. He walked the first two hitters to load the bases with one out, then got a strikeout and lineout to escape the frame. He pitched around a one-out walk in the sixth for a scoreless inning and was credited with his second win of the season.

Following that close call in the fifth, the Hops scored four runs in the sixth to put this game out of reach. Cristofer Torin had four hits, including two doubles, in five at-bats. Ryan Waldschmidt collected a walk and a knock, doubling home a run in the first. Druw Jones went 3-for-5 with an RBI single in the sixth. Jansel Luis had two knocks, drove in two, and stole three bases.

Carlos Rey who is only second to Durke in strikeout rate (40%) allowed a run in 1.2 innings, striking out three and walking two. Philip Abner finished the game, retiring the final four hitters with three of them on strikes.

A: Visalia Rawhide 5, Fresno Grizzlies 3

All nine Visalia hitters reached base in this game, eight of them collecting at least one hit. Despite the sheer number of baserunners, it was a tight affair all the way.

Junior Sanchez allowed a run in the first inning, but was stubborn for the rest of his start. He held Fresno to just that one run over five innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Adonys Perez coughed up the lead in the sixth, then later allowed another run in the eighth on a solo home run after the Rawhide took the lead.

Visalia broke through in the sixth to retake the lead. The first two baserunners reached then Slade Caldwell advanced them both into scoring position with a sac bunt. A wild pitch gave the Rawhide the lead and Abdias De La Cruz tacked on with a two-run homer to right center to make it a 5-2 game. De La Cruz finished with two hits on the day.

Joangel Gonzalez pitched a scoreless ninth to record his fourth save of the season.