Guardians Farm Report: Dion Lowers ERA To 1.22 With Six Scorless Innings for Lynchburg

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

Todd Paquette | Jun 5, 2022

In this story:

Cleveland Guardians

All four Cleveland Guardians affiliates were in action on Saturday down on the farm with Columbus and Lynchburg taking home victories.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Columbus 5 Toledo 4

Trailing 4-to-2 in the bottom of the ninth Clippers Alex Call would single to lead off the inning. After a Bobby Bradley strikeout Bryan Lavastida would then double putting runners on second and third with just one out for the red-hot David Fry.

Fry would send everyone home on an opposite field 3-run walk-off home run giving Columbus a 5-to-4 win! For Fry it was his third home run in his last three games and 10th of the season. Over just his last three games he's driven in 11 runs giving him 34 RBI's on the year.

#Guardians 26yr old INF prospect David Fry walks it off for Columbus hitting his 10th HR of the season! The 3-run HR gave the Cippers a 5-4 victory. Fry has 3 HR's and 11 RBI's over his last three games.

Last 3: 5-13 4R 1(2B) 3HR 11RBI 1BB .385 AVG@CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/JmhEaHFhk3
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 5, 2022

Clippers starter Peyton Battenfield was cruising along holding Toledo scoreless over the first four innings of the game before giving up two solo home runs one each in the fifth and sixth innings. Battenfield would go five and two thirds innings striking out six will allowing just the two runs on four hits.

With the comeback victory the Clippers improve to 32-21 on the season.

Top Performers:

David Fry 1-4 2R HR 3RBI
Trenton Brooks 1-3 2B RBI
Brayan Lavastida 1-3 R 2B
Alex Call 1-3 R
Peyton Battenfield 5.2(IP) 4H 2R 2ER 2BB 6SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Richmond 6 Akron 0

Akron and Richmond were locked in a pitcher's duel with the Flying Squirrels leading just 1-to-0 heading into the eighth inning. The wheels would then fall off for the RubberDucks as they would relinquish five runs in the top of the eighth on a couple of walks and three extra base hits.

Richmond would then hold Akron scoreless over their final two times up to complete the nine-inning shutout. The RubberDucks would collect just four hits in the game with two coming off the bat of George Valera including his ninth double on the year.

RubberDucks right-handed pitcher Tanner Burns was activated off the injured list prior to the game after missing a month with a shoulder strain. Burns would look good throwing two scoreless frames to open the game striking out two batters. His shoulder didn't seem to hamper him at all as he was topping out at 95 mph on the night.

#Guardians 23yr old RHP Tanner Burns looked good in his return to the mound tonight after missing a month due to a right shoulder strain. Burns fastball was up to 95 mph on the evening.

Line - 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (23 Pitches 15 Strikes)@TannerBurns_7 #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/BETpGyRrmx
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 5, 2022

Xzavion Curry would relieve Burns coming on in the third inning for the Ducks. Curry was dealing holding Richmond to just one run over five innings while striking out eight batters.

#Guardians 23yr old RHP prospect Xzavion Curry struckout 8 tonight allowing two earned runs over five innings of work for Akron. Curry now has 60 strikeouts over 49.2 innings on the year.

Line - 5.0(IP) 5H 3R 2ER 1BB 8SO (97 Pitches 68 Strikes)

@xzavioncurry1 #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/4YV0sohe9A
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 5, 2022

Coming out for his sixth inning of work he would seem to hit a wall allowing a triple and a single on back-to-back hits in before being removed with nobody out in the eighth. Both Runners would come around to score as Curry would end up being charged with three runs in his outing but only two being earned.

With the loss Akron falls out of first place in their division with their record now sitting at 28-22 on the year.

Top Performers:

George Valera 2-4 2B
Jose Tena 1-4
Chris Roller 1-3
Tanner Burns 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
Xzavion Curry 5.0(IP) 5H 3R 2ER 1BB 8SO

High-A Lake County Captains

West Michigan 2 Lake County 1

The Captains would score first in the bottom of the first inning on a mammoth blast coming off the bat of Jhonkensy Noel. The solo home run was Noel's Guardians farm leading 13th of the season. He has now homered in three straight games for Lake County.

My goodness Jhonkensy stays red hot! 🔥🔥🔥#Guardians 20yr INF/OF prospect Jhonkensy Noel just homered again in his 1st AB tonight for Lake County! Noel has now homered in 3 straight games and now has 13 HR's on the season.

🎥 @tNichols80 @jhonkensy15 @LCCaptains #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/6f6CBu1SqA
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 4, 2022

West Michigan would put single tallies on the board in both the third and fourth innings off Captains starter Doug Nikhazy who would only allow three hits in his start but walk six Whitecap batters.

Lake County's bullpen duo of Nathan Ocker and Cade Smith didn't allow a hit over the final four innings of the game striking out five while walking none.

The Whitecaps however would hold the Captains scoreless shutting them out over the final eight innings after the Noel home run in the first. With the loss Lake County falls to 25-24 on the year.

Top Performers:

Jhonkensy Noel 2-4 R HR RBI
Mike Amditis 2-4
Alexfri Planez 1-4 2B
Doug Nikhazy 5.0(IP) 3H 2R 2ER 6BB 2SO
Nate Ocker 3.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO
Cade Smith 1.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Hillcats 8 Mudcats 2

Despite Lynchburg scoring eight runs in the game the storyline on the evening was that of starter Will Dion who would not allow a run for his third consecutive start.

Dion would hold the strong Mudcat offense scoreless over six innings allowing just four hits and a walk while striking out four. He would lower his Carolina League leading ERA to a ridiculous 1.22 on the season.

Over his last three starts Dion has thrown 16.0 straight scoreless innings while striking out 20 batters allowing just 5 hits!

#Guardians 22yr old LHP prospect Will Dion w/ his 3rd straight start without allowing a run tonight for Lynchburg! Dion now leads the Carolina League w/ a 1.22 ERA.

Line - 6.0(IP) 4H 0R 0ER 1BB 4SO

Last 3 - 16.0(IP) 5H 0R 0ER 4BB 20SO 0.00 ERA@WDion22 @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/RwwzJ0NepM
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 5, 2022

The Hillcats offense would jump on top off the Mudcats in the first inning on a Jorge Burgos solo home run and not look back scoring seven more runs in the game. Lynchburg's eight runs in the game came on just seven hits but they would add 10 walks which has been a theme all season with their patient approach at the plate.

#Guardians 20yr old OF prospect Jorge Burgos puts Lynchburg on the board with a solo HR in the 1st inning vs Carolina! For Burgos it was his 3rd HR of the season. @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/QbpepA4uF9
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) June 4, 2022

The Hillcats remain in first place in their division with the in improving to 27-21 on the season. They are 24-13 since starting the year winning just three of their first 11 games.