High-Ranked Infield Prospect Slugs for Sod Poodles

The Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league affiliates were swept by their opponents for an 0-4 record Wednesday night. Here are the results from each level:

Triple-A: Reno Aces 2, Sugar Land Space Cowboys 12

The Aces were blown out by the Astros' affiliate Space Cowboys, as their pitching staff suffered another poor performance. Starter Casey Kelly was blown up for six runs in the second inning, helped along by a Jordan Lawlar error.

Kelly would give up 10 (only six earned) on the night before exiting for recently-returned right-hander Yilber Díaz. Díaz gave up two solo home runs over two relief innings, but struck out three batters and did not issue a walk.

In a deep hole early, the Aces' offense didn't create much of a response. Jake McCarthy went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk, Jordan Lawlar hit an RBI double for Reno's lone, and Trey Mancini was 3-for-5 with an RBI double in the ninth.

Tristin English doubled and walked twice, but the Aces went a mere 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12.

Double-A: Amarillo Sod Poodles 2, San Antonio Missions 8

Despite a lopsided loss, infielder and No. 3 prospect LuJames Groover had a standout performance at the plate for the Sod Poodles. He went 2-for-4 on the night with a double and a home run and accounted for half of Amarillo's run production.

Groover's home run came in the first inning. The only other Sod Poodles run was a bookend solo shot in the ninth inning by Ivan Melendez. Gavin Conticello and Kristian Robinson collected base hits, both singles.

All three of Amarillo's pitchers surrendered at least one run. Starter Roman Angelo struck out eight batters in six innings, but gave up four earned runs on four hits and four walks.

High-A: Hillsboro Hops 2, Eugene Emeralds 7

The Hops managed eight base hits (and just one walk), but couldn't cash in for more than two runs on the night. No. 4 prospect Ryan Waldschmidt stayed hot, going 2-for-4 with a first-inning double and a run scored. He's back to his hitting ways, as his OPS is now .917 on the season.

Recently-promoted Slade Caldwell was 1-for-4 with a double of his own. The ball traveled all the way to the wall and nearly left the yard. Ben McLaughlin, Druw Jones and Angel Ortiz each had a base hit — all singles.

After McLaughlin plated Waldschmidt in the first, Hillsboro was held scoreless until the ninth inning, where an attempt at a late-game rally was thwarted by a game-ending double play after stringing together two singles and a walk. Three of the Hops' four pitchers used gave up at least two runs.

Low-A: Visalia Rawhide 3, Lake Elsinore Storm 4

Visalia's top-four hitters once again did most of the work offensively, but it was a relatively lackluster night for the D-backs' Low-A squad. Ruben Santana went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI, Yerald Nin doubled and walked, and Adrian Rodriguez tripled.

The Rawhide managed just five base hits and collected only one walk on the night. They were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position, with the sole hit being Nin's double in the sixth inning.

Visalia's pitching staff set them up with a 3-0 deficit in the first inning, and although the offense clawed its way back late, reliever Grayson Hitt surrendered the go-ahead and eventual winning run in the seventh inning.