D-backs Farm Rumblings: Keller, Duplantier and Lopez enjoy success
Jul 31, 2017, 4:27 PM
Here’s a quick weekly look at all the happenings in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ minor-league system…
Reno Aces (Triple-A Pacific Coast League)
Week: 4-3
Overall: 63-45 — 2nd place in Pacific Northern Division, 1.0 game behind Fresno
Murphy debuts: Catcher John Ryan Murphy, acquired in a trade with Minnesota, made his D-backs organizational debut Sunday. The 26-year-old went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk in the Aces’ 6-4 win over Memphis. Murphy has big-league experience, logging 141 games with the Yankees and Twins in four seasons from 2013 to 2016. This year at Triple-A Rochester, Murphy batted .222 (43-for-194) with four homers and 27 RBI. He’s a career .256/.321/.389 hitter in nearly 600 minor-league contests.
John Ryan Murphy's first Hit and RBI in an #Aces uniform.
Top 5 | Aces lead 4-2 over Memphis pic.twitter.com/QUyj9tzqif
— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 30, 2017
A rough start: Right-hander Ivan Pineyro had been stellar at Double-A Jackson this year, going 8-0 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 17 games (nine starts). His first foray at the Triple-A level this year didn’t go as well. The 25-year-old was touched up for 11 hits and 12 runs (10 earned) in a 14-8 loss to Memphis Saturday. Pineyro had pitched in Triple-A ball before, seeing action with New Orleans in the Miami organization in 2015 and 2016.
Uniforms, Pt. I: The Aces took the field in uniforms for Artown Night. Artown’s mission is to strengthen Reno’s art industry, enhance their civic identity and national image, thereby creating a climate for the cultural and economic rebirth of the region. Pretty cool.
Tonight's jerseys are 🔥🔥 #Artown #BattleBorn pic.twitter.com/kpnmCkuL0j
— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 29, 2017
Jackson Generals (Double-A Southern League)
Week: 3-3
Overall: 18-18 — 3rd place in North Division (2nd half), 9.0 games behind Chattanooga.
Keller outstanding: Brad Keller, a 22-year-old right-hander who is rated as Arizona’s 12th-best prospect by MLB.com, was lights-out in his last start. Keller threw six scoreless innings while allowing just three hits in a 5-1 win over Mobile last Wednesday. It was the fifth time he’s thrown five or more scoreless frames in a start this season. Not suprisingly, he’s 5-0 in those games.
Uniforms, Pt. II: The Generals paid tribute to Shark Week with these unique threads Sunday night.
The water? Not safe. These 🔥 #sharkweek jerseys we made 4 @jacksongenerals last nite? Deadly! @CHarris731 @B_Liebhaber @flowwbott1 pic.twitter.com/rbBECs58eG
— OT Sports Baseball (@OTS_Baseball) July 30, 2017
Visalia Rawhide (Single-A California League)
Week: 4-3
Overall: 19-18, tied for 1st place in North Division with Modesto (2nd half)
Combined strength: Jon Duplantier and Yoan Lopez turned in the best pitching performance of the week for Visalia. Thursday night, Duplantier threw seven scoreless innings while fanning nine while Lopez struck out six over two innings for the save in a 3-0 win over Lake Elsinore. Duplantier has won his last four starts, while Lopez has worked his way back from a strange two-year stretch in which he left his team twice. The Cuban native was also slowed by a strained rotator cuff earlier this season. In eight games with Visalia, Lopez has allowed just seven hits in 11 innings while striking out 17 and walking only three. His ERA is only 0.82 and opponents are batting just .179 against him.
#Dbacks No.2 prospect @dup_thereitis lowered his ERA to 1.98 with nine K's in seven scoreless IP for @VisaliaRawhide https://t.co/dbrKHXJ2Yb pic.twitter.com/rJosRX5Rou
— MiLB.com (@MiLB) July 28, 2017
Kane County Cougars (Single-A Midwest League)
Week: 2-4
Overall: 17-19 — 4th place in Western Division, 5.0 games behind Quad Cities (2nd half; Cougars won first half title)
Grier getting hot: Anfernee Grier, Arizona’s competitive balance selection a year ago out of Auburn, got hot over the weekend. The 21-year-old outfielder had seven hits in his last three games, including a 4-for-4, three-RBI performance in a win over Quad Cities Saturday. It was Grier’s second four-hit game of the year; the other cam on June 4, also against Quad Cities. He’s hitting .362 (21-for-58) against the River Bandits this season.
.@_agrier10 leads bats, Badamo wins first start with #YourCougars
RECAP: https://t.co/i6ht3q03fE pic.twitter.com/vQTXF2fUqg
— Kane County Cougars (@KCCougars) July 30, 2017
Hillsboro Hops (Short-Season Single-A Northwest League)
Week: 4-3
Overall: 4-3 — tied with Eugene for 1st place in South Division (2nd half; Hops won first-half title)
Here are our 7 All-Stars in Northwest League uniforms for the first time! Lookin' good fellas.#AllHoppedUp #HillsboroASG pic.twitter.com/XuH7i4ESiJ
— Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) July 31, 2017
Here’s something you don’t see every day: Hops outfielder Tramayne Holmes picked off first base? Not likely.
.@HillsboroHops' Tramayne Holmes juked his way to safety, and a decisive Plays of the Week victory. View results: https://t.co/sT44j6swUZ pic.twitter.com/JTfAb8Ygk3
— MiLB.com (@MiLB) July 27, 2017
Missoula Osprey (Rookie Pioneer League)
Week: 3-3
Overall: 0-1 (2nd half; Osprey won the 1st half title)
BOOM!!!! The biggest #BirdBomb drops and the O's are playoff bound!!!! Missoula wins the division!!!!! pic.twitter.com/I129j2K7gh
— Missoula Osprey (@ospreybaseball) July 30, 2017
Raking: Outfielder Eduardo Diaz had a nice week for the Osprey, batting .429 (9-for-21) with two homers and six RBI. Diaz has 29 RBI in only 30 games this season, good enough for fifth-most in the hitter-friendly Pioneer League. Juan Araujo also went deep twice on Saturday for the Osprey, who scored 48 runs in just six contests.
Getting raked: Yeah, about that hitter-friendly part? Missoula starting pitchers felt the brunt of it. In 21.1 innings, Osprey hurlers had an 11.81 ERA and allowed seven home runs.
Diamondbacks (Rookie Arizona League)
Week: 2-3
Overall: 1-0 — tied with Angels for 1st place in East Division (2nd half)
