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Guardians Farm Report: Jones Homers Drives In Four In First Game Back With Columbus

Here is a recap of what happened with the Guardians minor league teams last night

Todd Paquette

In this story:

All seven Cleveland Guardians minor league teams were in action on Tuesday for the last time in 2022 with both the Arizona Rookie League and Dominican Summer Leagues seasons coming to an end.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 11 Buffalo 10 (10 Innings)

Columbus trailed Buffalo 10-to-6 heading to their final at bat in the top of the ninth inning. Already having pushed two runs across on an Oscar Mercado base hit and a bases loaded walk by Nolan Jones third baseman David Fry would come to the plate with two outs and deliver a clutch two-run double to tie the game up at 10 runs apiece.

The game would head into extra innings and with one out and a runner now on third shortstop Brayan Rocchio would come through with his third hit of the game driving in the eventual winning run putting the Clippers up 11-10 over the Bisons. 

Columbus reliever Justin Garza would stay on to pitch the bottom of the tenth inning working his second inning of relief and hold Buffalo scoreless earning the win. The comeback victory moves the Clippers record to an impressive 20 games above .500 at 68-48 on the year.

Guardians outfielder Nolan Jones played in his first game Tuesday since being optioned back down to Triple-A. Jones did not waste much time making an impact going deep hitting a three-run home run in just his second at bat of the game.

Jones would also draw a bases loaded walk in a crucial point in the 9th inning helping to extend the teams comeback rally. He finished the game going 1-for-4 with a run and four runs batted in. 

Top Performers:

  • Nolan Jones 1-4 R HR 4RBI BB 
  • David Fry 3-4 2R 2B 3RBI BB 
  • Will Brennan 2-5 R 2RBI BB 
  • Brayan Rocchio 3-6 R RBI 
  • Oscar Mercado 1-2 R RBI 
  • Justin Garza 2.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 2BB 1SO (W)

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Richmond 8 Akron 5 (10 Innings)

Akron would jump out to an early 1-to-0 lead over Richmond on a solo home run by catcher Bryan Lavastida in the top of the first inning. The home run by Lavastida was his fifth of the season with the RubberDucks and eighth overall on the year combined with his time at Columbus.

Up 2-to-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning RubberDucks shortstop Jose Tena would make it a 4-to-1 game with a two-run double his 22nd of the season.

The Flying Squirrels would tie the game up at four runs apiece scoring once in the sixth and twice in the seventh inning. The game would remain tied through regulation and head to extra innings.

Richmond would score four runs in the top of the 10th taking a commanding 8-to-4 lead over Akron. The RubberDucks would plate one run in their half of the inning on an RBI groundout by outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez but would fall short losing by a final of 8-to-5.

The loss drops the RubberDucks record to 65-50 on the season.

Top Performers:

  • Jose Tena 2-5 2B 3RBI 
  • Julian Escobedo 2-4 R 2B 
  • Bryan Lavastida 1-5 R HR RBI 
  • Ray Delgado 0-3 2R BB SB 
  • Thomas Ponticelli 5.0(IP) 2H 2R 2ER 4BB 4SO 
  • Cade Smith 2.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 6SO

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 7 Cedar Rapids 5

Captains starter Doug Nikhazy was lights out again on Tuesday holding the Kernels scoreless over the first six innings of the game on just three hits while striking out nine earning the win.

Nikhazy has picked the right time to get hot as Lake County is fighting to secure a playoff spot in the High-A Midwest League. Nikhazy over his last three starts has only allowed two runs on nine hits while striking out 26 batters in 18.2 innings posting a miniscule 0.97 ERA.

The Captains had four runs driven in by their eighth and ninth place hitters in the lineup including a two-run single by Zac Fascia in the sixth inning to give the team a 6-to-0 lead at the time.

Lake County would hold onto win by a final of 7-to-5 taking the series opener and improving to 65-48 on the year.

Top Performers:

  • Gabriel Rodriguez 2-3 2R RBI BB SB 
  • Mike Amiditis 1-3 R 2B 2RBI BB 
  • Connor Kokx 2-4 2R 2B 2SB 
  • Zac Fascia 2-3 2RBI BB 
  • Alexfri Planez 2-4 R 2B 
  • Doug Nikhazy 6.0(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 2BB 9SO (W)

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Delmarva 8 Lynchburg 7 (11 Innings)

The Hillcats trailed 5-to-4 down to their final strike with two outs in the ninth inning when outfielder Jose Burgos would come through with a game tying solo home run to tie the game up at 5-to-5 sending the game into extra innings.

Both teams held each other scoreless in the 10th inning sending he game to the 11th where Lynchburg would plate two runs in the top of the inning on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Yordys Valdes and an RBI double by center fielder Jake Fox.

Fox who had homered earlier in the game finished the game just a triple short of the cycle going 3-for-6 with a pair of runs batted in. 

Unfortunately, for the Hillcats the Shorebirds would plate three runs in the bottom of the 11th off reliever Miguel Vinicio who stayed on for a second inning of work after holding Delmarva scoreless in the 10th. The 8-to-7 loss drops Lynchburg to 56-59 on the season.

Top Performers:

  • Jake Fox 3-6 R 2B HR 2RBI 
  • Jorge Burgos 3-5 R 2B HR 2RBI 
  • Will Bartlett 1-5 R HR 2RBI 
  • Richard Paz 1-2 2R 3BB 
  • Juan Zapata 5.0(IP) 3H 1R 1ER 1BB 3SO 
  • Zach Pettway 2.2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO

Arizona Rookie League Guardians

ACL Guardians 6 ACL Reds 1

The ACL Guardians defeated the ACL Reds in their final game of the season behind a stellar performance by 19-year-old starter Yorman Gomez. Gomez threw five scoreless innings allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out four in the game.

Gomez had a terrific first season the Arizona Complex League posting a 3.76 ERA with 44 strikeouts over 38.1 innings pitched. He along with fellow starters Alonzo Richardson and Wardquelin Vasquez really carried the team all season.

Guardians 19-year-old infield prospect Juan Benjamin reached base three times in the contest finishing 2-for-3 with a walk a run scored and an RBI. Benjamin finished his ACL season hitting .300 with an impressive .932 OPS.

The ACL Guardians finish the season at 28-24.

Top Performers:

  • Juan Benjamin 2-3 R RBI BB 
  • Fran Alduey 2-4 R RBI 
  • Maick Collado 1-5 R 2B 2RBI 
  • Esteban Gonzalez 1-3 R BB 
  • Jose Baez 1-4 R 2B 
  • Jose Gomez 5.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 4SO (W) 
  • Zach Jacobs 1.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 2SO

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Blue)

DSL Royals (Glass) 6 DSL Guardians (Blue) 3

The DSL Guardians (Blue) squad finish the season with a loss and a 31-29 overall record on the year.

18-year-old RHP prospect Evelio Hernandez continued to be a bright spot in his first professional season lowering his ERA to 2.16 on the year allowing just one run over five innings of work while striking out eight batters. Hernandez who was not a highly regarded prospect when he signed struck out an impressive 53 batters over 41.2 innings on the season.

On offense 17-year-old center fielder Jose Gomez drove in two runs finishing 1-4 with a walk. Gomez had a promising first pro-season finishing with a .287 average and a .943 OPS. 

Top Performers:

  • Jose Gomez 1-4 2RBI BB 
  • Yorfran John 3-5 2B 
  • Samuel Parra 2-4 R 
  • David Leon 2-4 R 
  • Nomar Velasquez 2-4 
  • Evelio Hernandez 5.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 2BB 8SO

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Red)

DSL Rangers (Blue) 7 DSL Guardians (Red) 2

The DSL Guardians (Red) fell to 17-42 on the season with a loss to the Rangers (Blue) squad.

Guardians top international sign 17-year-old switch hitting outfield prospect Jaison Chourio finished the year strong reaching base three times in the loss going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and stolen bases. He finished his first pro season hitting .280 with an .848 OPS.

Top Performers: 

  • Jaison Chourio 1-2 2R 2BB 2SB 
  • Richard Polanco 2-4 3B RBI 
  • Luis Aparicio 1-3 BB 
  • Christopher Espinola 1-4 
  • Emerson Purroy 1-4 
  • Dahan Batista 1.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 1BB 1SO

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Read More:

Jose Ramirez Makes History vs. San Diego

Guardians Avoiding The Dog Days Of August

Guardians Option Nolan Jones To Triple-A

Guardians Farm Report: Martinez Doubles Twice And Drives In Two In Double-A Debut For Akron

Steven Kwan Deserves To Be Talked About In The Rookie Of The Year Race

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Todd Paquette
TODD PAQUETTE

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