Minor League Roundup - 5/12

Saturday was a day for the hitters in the minor leagues. Marlon Byrd smacked a grand slam, Casey Benjamin had a clutch home run, Taylor Teagarden was perfect, and Jose Vallejo logged four hits. Lone Star Dugout takes a look at all of the day's minor league action.

AAA: Oklahoma 7 – (@) Tucson 2
W – Chen (1-1)
HR – Byrd (4)

Left fielder Marlon Byrd (.367/.434/.563) was 3-for-5 with a grand slam off Tucson reliever Adam Bass. Byrd currently ranks third in the PCL in batting average.

Third baseman Desi Relaford and first baseman Nate Gold each singled twice.

Starter Bruce Chen allowed just four hits and one unearned run in five innings. The left-hander walked one while fanning four.

Scott Feldman got back on track with two scoreless frames. Feldman gave up two singles.

Southpaw A.J. Murray (3.86 ERA/.163 BAA) tossed a perfect eighth while Wes Littleton yielded two runs – one earned – on a hit and two walks in the ninth inning.

Player of the game: LF Marlon Byrd

AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG
5	2	3	0	1	4	0	2	.367

AA: Frisco 5 – Corpus Christi 4
W – Ingram (1-0)
HR – Benjamin (2)

Shortstop Casey Benjamin (2/4, BB) hit a clutch three-run homer to tie the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday night. The long ball was Benjamin’s second of the season.

Starting pitcher Luis Mendoza came off the DL to allow three runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. The native of Mexico walked two and struck out three.

Frank Catalanotto made a one-game rehab appearance, as he hit leadoff and was the team’s designated hitter. Cat was 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Right fielder Steve Murphy was 1-for-5 with a triple while second baseman German Duran went 2-for-3 with a base on balls.

Frisco closer Jesse Ingram fanned two in a scoreless tenth inning to get the win.

Player of the game: SS Casey Benjamin

AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG
4	1	2	0	1	3	1	0	.263

A+: Bakersfield 6 – Rancho Cucamonga 2
W – Walker (2-4)
SV – Knippschild (1)
HR – Teagarden (3)

Bakersfield DH Taylor Teagarden continued to show no signs of rust, as he was a perfect 2-for-2 with a double, a home run, three walks, and a stolen base on Saturday.

Teagarden, who raised his average to .357, has seen eight of his 15 hits this season go for extra base. He has also walked 19 times in 13 games.

Second baseman Micah Furtado (2/5, 3 RBI), first baseman Thomas Berkery (2/4, BB), and catcher Hunter Harrigan (2/2, BB, 2 RBI) each singled twice. Left fielder Johany Abreu was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.

Starter Andy Walker surrendered just two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk.

Former Kansas Jayhawk Ryan Knippschild got the save with 2 1/3 innings of perfect relief. Knippschild, who lowered his ERA to 2.31, struck out two.

Player of the game: DH Taylor Teagarden

AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG
2	1	2	1	1	1	3	0	.357

A: Clinton 12 – Cedar Rapids 6
W – Swanson (6-1)

After a couple of quiet games, second baseman Jose Vallejo (.293/.341/.374) picked up the pace again, as he was 4-for-5 with a triple, four runs batted in, and two stolen bases. The triple was Vallejo’s third of the year.

Third baseman John Whittleman doubled, walked, and hit a sac fly in four plate appearances.

Centerfielder Craig Gentry (2/4, BB), RF K.C. Herren (2/5), DH Jay Heafner (2/5), and SS Marcus Lemon (2/4, BB) had a pair of singles.

Catcher Kevin Gossage had three hits – including two doubles – in five at-bats.

Glenn Swanson (2.93 ERA/.229 BAA) had his toughest start of the year on Saturday. The left-hander yielded five runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Player of the game: 2B Jose Vallejo

AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	K	AVG
5	3	4	0	0	4	0	0	.293