Columbus Clippers 7, Indianapolis Indians 5 (F/7)

I think George Valera might be ready to be activated. The left-handed hitting slugger was perfect at the plate on Saturday, going 3-for-3 with a double and a walk to lead the Clippers offense.

Other standouts included Cooper Ingle, who went 2-for-3 with an impressive opposite field home run and Stuart Fairchild, who went 2-for-3. Nolan Jones went 1-for-2 with a walk and Petey Halpin went 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base.

Starting pitcher Ryan Webb was tagged for four runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings. He walked three and struck out four.

Tommy Mace provided some solid long relief, allowing one run on four hits in 2.2 innings to earn the win. The game was ended during the seventh inning with the Clippers leading by two runs due to poor weather.

Akron RubberDucks 5, Reading Fightin Phils 0

RubberDucks improve to 3-0

Akron’s pitching was the story of this game as the RubberDucks utilized five pitchers to shut out Reading.

Caden Favors led the way, tossing 4.0 shutout frames on just two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Magnus Ellerts followed Favors with 1.2 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with two strikeouts and two walks. Jack Jasiak retired the lone batter he faced while Hunter Stanley pitched 2.0 perfect innings with three strikeouts and Matt Jachec finished off the shutout with a scoreless ninth inning and a pair of whiffs.

On the offensive side of the equation, three different RubberDucks blasted home runs. Angel Genao went 2-for-4 with a three-run bomb.

Wuilfredo Antunez blasted off for his first home run of the year and Nick Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double.

Ralphy Velazquez also reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk while Juan Benjamin singled and stole a base.

Lake County Captains 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 3

Lake County’s offense awoke from its slumber on Saturday, racking up six extra base hits including three home runs.

Aaron Walton led the way, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in.

Esteban Gonzalez had the other multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a double while Bennett Thompson impressively homered and walked three times.

Jaison Chourio doubled and walked while Nolan Schubart doubled.

Top draft pick Jace LaViolette’s struggled are ongoing as he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He still is seeking his first hit of the young season and has struck out in seven of his first eight plate appearances.

Starting pitcher Braylon Doughty was spectacular, tossing 3.0 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, striking out two and walking zero.

Rafe Schlesinger followed Doughty with 4.0 scoreless innings of long relief, allowing four hits with one walk while striking out five batters.

Cam Walty and Donovan Zsak closed out the victory with 1.2 perfect innings with four strikeouts.

The long pitching black mark was Kendeglys Virguez struggled, allowing three runs in just 0.1 innings of relief.

Hill City Howlers 2, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 19

I’m trying to think of a good adjective to describe this game. Debacle, fiasco, catastrophe, apocalypse? I’m not sure any of them fit. This game was so bad that I’m not sure the word that fittingly describes it has been invented yet.

Prep pitching prospect Chase Mobley was the starting pitcher and he got absolutely annihilated for six runs in 0.1 innings. He only allowed one hit, but he walked three and hit two more.

Eudry Alcantara relieved Mobley and he didn’t fare any better, allowing two inherited runners to score and then giving up six runs of his own in just 0.1 innings. Alcantara was tagged for five hits, two of them home runs and he walked two.

Both Mobley and Alcantara are beginning the year with ERAs of 162.00. It can only get better from there (hopefully).

Offensively, no one had an extra base hit and no one reached base twice. If you watched this game, perhaps you can pray a Men in Black-esque memory wipe device gets invented soon.