Guardians Farm Report: Rocchio And Noel Power Akron To Comeback Win

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

Todd Paquette | Jul 3, 2022

In this story:

Cleveland Guardians

All seven Cleveland Guardians minor league teams were in action Saturday including a doubleheader for Lake County.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 10 Iowa 6 (10 Innings)

The Clippers and Cubs were all knotted up at 5-to-5 at the end of regulation. Columbus would plate five runs in the top of the 10th inning with the big blow coming off the bat of third baseman David Fry's 12th home run of the season a grand slam.

#Guardians 26yr old (1B/3B) prospect David Fry with a Grand Slam in the 10th inning tonight for Columbus gives them a 10-5 lead over Iowa! Third straight game the Clippers have hit a Grand Slam. For Fry it was HR number 12 on the year.@CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/AwoDGOsG49
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

Clippers catcher Bo Naylor reached base four more times on Saturday one night after reaching base five times on Friday.

Naylor over his last four games is hitting .563 with a .682 OBP reaching base 15 times during that span.

Naylor reached base four more times tonight for Columbus going (3-4 3R 2B BB SB) against Iowa.

Last 4 games:

9-16 7R 4(2B) 1HR 5RBI 6BB 1SB .563 AVG .682 OBP#ForTheLand https://t.co/Vg3JBDvRii
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

Starter Peyton Battenfield did allow nine hits but only gave up two earned runs over six innings while he struck out a season high seven batters in the game.

Columbus improves to 45-32 with the win.

Top Performers:

Bo Naylor 3-4 3R 2B BB SB
Will Brennan 1-4 2R BB 2SB
David Fry 1-5 R HR 4RBI
Mitchell Tolman 2-5 3RBI
Bobby Bradley 1-3 R 2RBI
Alex Call 1-3 2R BB
Peyton Battenfield 6.0(IP) 9H 3R 2ER 1BB 7SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Akron 12 Erie 9 (12 Innings)

Guardians 21-year-old shortstop prospect Brayan Rocchio played hero twice on Saturday.

With the RubberDucks down to their final out in the ninth inning Rocchio would come through with a clutch double scoring Jose Tena from second base to tie the game up at 6-to-6 and send the game into extra innings.

Rocchio is fired up!!!! #Guardians 21yr old switch hitting (SS) prospect Brayan Rocchio ties the game up at 6-to-6 with two outs in the ninth inning for Akron against Erie!@rocchio05 @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/a6FPiefxbr
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

The game would remain tied at six runs apiece until the 12th inning when that man Rocchio would break up the deadlock with his seventh home run of the season a two-run shot giving Akron an 8-to-6 lead.

#Guardians 21yr old switch hitting (SS) prospect Brayan Rocchio gives Akron a 8-6 lead with a 2-run HR in the top of the 12th inning tonight vs Erie! For Rocchio it is his 7th HR of the season and 3rd XBH of the game.@rocchio05 @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/U6oQa1hGWB
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

Just two batters later with a man on Jhonkensy Noel would blast his second home run of the game putting the Ducks up 10-to-6 over Erie.

This is getting ridiculous! #Guardians 20yr old INF/OF prospect Jhonkensy Noel just obliterated his 2nd HR of the game a 2-run shot in the 12th for Akron! Noel now has 5 HR's in 6 (AA) games & his 24 HR's on the year now lead all minor league baseball. @jhonkensy15 #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/DidtsImIVB
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

For Noel it was his second straight multi-homerun game giving him five long balls now over his first six games played since being promoted to Akron. Noel on the season has now hit 24 home runs which leads all minor league baseball.

Erie would make it close in the bottom of the 12th, but Akron was able to hold on and earn the win. The RubberDucks improve to 42-31 with the victory.

Top Performers:

Brayan Rocchio 3-6 R 2(2B) HR 3RBI
Jhonkensy Noel 2-5 2R 2HR 3RBI BB
Jose Tena 2-6 3R 2B 2RBI
George Valera 1-5 R RBI BB
Daniel Schneemann 2-6 R
Micah Pries 1-4 2BB
Eli Lingos 1.1(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 8 Lansing 0 (Game 1)

Lake County would shutout Lansing in game one of Saturday's doubleheader behind starting pitcher Rodney Boone who would go the distance throwing a complete game. Boone would just allow three hits over his seven innings of work striking out seven Lugnuts in the contest.

#Guardians 22yr old LHP prospect Rodney Boone threw a complete game seven inning shutout today in Game 1 of a doubleheader for Lake County against Lansing.

Line - 7.0(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 2BB 7SO (92 Pitches 62 Strikes)#ForTheLand
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

On offense Alexfri Planez would extend his hitting streak to 15 straight games on a pair of doubles and drive in two-runs for the Captains.

#Guardians 20yr old OF prospect Alexfri Planez extended his hitting streak to 15 straight games today for Lake County going (2-4 R 2(2B) 2RBI) in Game 1 of today's doubleheader vs Lansing.

During the streak:

21-65 11R 5(2B) 6HR 16RBI 1SB .323 AVG@ajplanez33 #ForTheLand
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 2, 2022

Korey Holland would hit the only homerun of the game his fourth home run of the season for Lake County.

Top Performers:

Korey Holland 2-3 2R HR RBI
Alexfri Planez 2-4 R 2(2B) 2RBI
Petey Halpin 1-3 2R 2B RBI
Joe Naranjo 1-2 R RBI 2BB
Johnathan Rodriguez 1-4 2RBI
Rodney Boone 7.0(IP) 3H 0R 0ER 2BB 7SO (W)

Lansing 4 Lake County 2 (Game 2)

The Lugnuts would take game two splitting the doubleheader dropping the Captains record to 39-34 on the season.

Johnathan Rodriguez would extend his hitting streak to 10 straight games for Lake County on his ninth double of the season. Over the 10 games Rodriguez is hitting .359 with eight extra base hits including four home runs.

#Guardians 22yr old OF prospect Johnathan Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games on Saturday for Lake County.

During the streak:

14-39 7R 4(2B) 4HR 7RBI 3BB .359 AVG 1.188 OPS@jjrodz55 #ForTheLand
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

Captains starter Doug Nikhazy would take the loss allowing four runs over five and a third innings of work.

Top Performers:

Petey Halpin 2-3 RBI BB
Johnathan Rodriguez 1-3 R 2B BB
Quentin Holmes 1-3 RBI
Milan Tolentino 1-4 R
Angel Martinez 2-4
Doug Nikhazy 5.1(IP) 5H 4R 4ER 1BB 5SO
Zach Hart 1.2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 0SO

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Salem 9 Lynchburg 3

The Hillcats dropped their third straight game to the Red Sox on Saturday as Salem's offense would once again take it to Lynchburg.

Lynchburg's Yordys Valdes would drive in all three runs for the Hillcats on the day including an inside-the-park two-run home run in the eighth inning. For Valdes it was his second homerun on the season.

#Guardians 20yr old switch hitting INF prospect Yordys Valdes with an inside-the-park 2-run HR for Lynchburg in the 8th inning tonight! For Valdes it was his 2nd HR on the season & he has driven in all 3 runs for the Hillcats in the game. @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/RjcIF6FRRu
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

The loss drops Lynchburg to 38-36 on the year.

Top Performers:

Yordys Valdes 2-4 R HR 3RBI
Joe Donovan 1-3 R
Will Bartlett 1-4 2B
Jake Fox 0-3 R BB SB
Dayan Frias 1-3
Luis Durango 1-3
Hugo Villalobos 2.1(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 1BB 3SO

Arizona Complex League Guardians

ACL Guardians 3 ACL Reds 2

ACL Guardians starter Ryan Webb would strikeout five over three and a third innings of work allowing just one earned run. Webb continues to build up arm strength out in Arizona coming back from TJ surgery.

#Guardians 23yr old LHP prospect Ryan Webb with his 2nd straight strong start today in the Arizona Complex League as he continues his comeback from TJ surgery.

Line - 3.1(IP) 5H 2R 1ER 1BB 5SO

Last two - 6.1(IP) 6H 2R 1ER 2BB 7SO 1.43 ERA@RWebb55 #ForTheLand
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 3, 2022

On offense the ACL Guardians would score three runs on just two hits in the game off Reds pitchers. One of those hits would come off the bat of Jose Devers on an RBI double in the fifth inning. Devers with the hit extends his hitting streak to five straight games.

The win moves the ACL Guardians to 12-8 on the year.

Top Performers:

Jose Devers 1-3 R 2B RBI
Simon Rodriguez 1-3 R SB
Ryan Webb 3.1(IP) 5H 2R 1ER 1BB 5SO
Darlin Noboa 1.2(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 4SO
Victor Soteldo 1.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (SV)

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Blue)

DSL White Sox 7 DSL Guardians (Blue) 0

The DSL Guardians (Blue) squad falls to 11-11 on the season after Saturday's shutout loss to the DSL White Sox.

DSL Guardians starting pitcher Frederic Garcia would pitch well striking out a season high seven batters over five innings allowing just two runs.

On offense left fielder Reyden Hidalgo would collect three hits in his four at bats to lead the team.

Top Performers:

Reyden Hidalgo 3-4
Jesus Montilla 1-3 BB
David Leon 1-4 3B
Nomar Velasquez 1-4
Carlos Gutierrez 1-4
Freddy Garcia 5.0(IP) 3H 2R 2ER 0BB 7SO

Dominican Summer League Guardians (Red)

DSL A's 8 DSL Guardians (Red) 2

Outfielder Christopher Espinola would hit his third homerun of the season going 3-for-4 in the contest but the solo homerun would account for only one of the just two runs the DSL Guardians (Red) team could muster in the game.

#Guardians 18yr old OF prospect Christopher Espinola went (3-4 R HR RBI SB) today in the Dominican Summer League vs the A's. For Espinola it was his 3rd HR in just 14 games on the season.

18-60 12R 1(2B) 3(3B) 3HR 13RBI 3BB 3SB .300 AVG .895 OPS#ForTheLand
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 2, 2022

With the loss the DSL Guardians (Red) team falls to 7-15 on the year.