Guardians Farm Report: Valera Helps Power Akron to Fifth Straight Win

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

Todd Paquette | May 21, 2022

In this story:

Cleveland Guardians

Almost a clean sweep on the farm last night as Akron, Lake County and Lynchburg all come away with wins.

Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Iowa 7 Columbus 3

Columbus dropped its third straight game to Iowa on Friday. The Clippers have been outscored 23-to-6 over the three losses.

Micthell Tolman was a bright spot on offense collecting three hits including his fifth home run of the season in the third inning. The 27-year-old infielder is currently second in the International League with a .336 AVG and third in OPS at 1.024 on the season.

Columbus Clippers INF Mitchell Tolman with a bomb for his 5th HR of the year!@MitchellTolman @CLBClippers #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/CItOyLD2C9
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 21, 2022

Columbus starter Konnor Pilkington allowed three runs but only one earned over four and two thirds innings while striking out four.

With the loss Columbus falls to 25-15 on the season. Left-hander Tanner Tully will try to stop the losing streak on Saturday as he draws the start.

Top Performers:

Mitchell Tolman 3-4 R 2B HR 2RBI
Alex Call 1-3 2BB
Will Benson 1-2 SB
Bryan Lavastida 0-2 R 2BB SB
Konnor Pilkington 4.2(IP) 6H 3R 1ER 0BB 4SO

Double-A Akron RubberDucks

Akron 4 Rumble Ponies 2

The RubberDucks are red hot winning their fifth straight game last night improving their record to 22-15. They currently lead the Eastern League Southwest division by one game over Richmond.

The RubberDucks big blow in the game came off the bat of George Valera in the third inning. Valera would put Akron on the board first with a three run home run off the Rumble Ponies starter Jose Butto. For Valera is was his fifth home run of the season and third home run over just his last two games.

#Guardians 21yr old OF prospect George Valera with a 3-run HR in the 3rd inning tonight for Akron! For Valera that's now 3 HR's and 8 RBI over his last 8 plate appearances!

🎥 @jdanilich @GV13__ @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/mH6UVtAbUD
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 20, 2022

Akron's starter Joey Cantillo was dealing last night allowing just one hit while striking out over four scoreless innings of work. Cantillo has not allowed a run over his last four outings for the Ducks. During that time he has 26 strikeouts to only two walks on just nine hits over 17.0 innings of work. For the season Cantillo now owns a sparkling 2.25 ERA over 28.0 innings of work.

#Guardians 22yr old LHP prospect Joey Cantillo w/ 4.0 scoreless innings striking out 8 for Akron. He has not allowed a run over his last 4 outings.

Tonight - 4.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 8SO

Last 4 - 17.0(IP) 9H 0R 0ER 2BB 26SO 0.00 ERA

Season - 28.0(IP) 18H 8R 7ER 13BB 45SO 2.25 ERA pic.twitter.com/JTRCuNWMo8
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 21, 2022

Akron reliever Nic Enright would come on in the eighth inning and get the final six outs of the game earning his seventh save on the season.

Top Performers:

George Valera 2-5 R HR 3RBI
Marcos Gonzalez 2-4 2B RBI
Jose Tena 2-5 R 2B
Will Brennan 2-5 2SB
Joey Cantillo 4.0(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 8SO
Nic Enright 2.0(IP) 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO (SV)

High-A Lake County Captains

Lake County 5 Cedar Rapids 1

Captains starter Gavin Williams held the Kernels in check over his four and two thirds innings of work allowing just one run on four base hits. Williams wasn't the sharpest he's been all season as he would give up three walks but did strikeout seven in the game. He now has 52 strikeouts on the season over his first seven starts covering 35.0 innings pitched. His ERA actually went up a tad to 1.54 on the year.

#Guardians 22yr old RHP prospect Gavin Williams racks up another 7 strikeouts tonight in his start for Lake County over 4.2 innings of work.

Line - 4.2(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 3BB 7SO

Season - 35.0(IP) 17H 6R 6ER 13BB 52SO 1.54 ERA@16gavinwilliams @LCCaptains #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/BMdaiMswvo
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 21, 2022

Lake County would get out to an early lead on a three run home run by Alexfri Planez on his first at bat returning from the injured list. For Planez it was his first home run of the season.

Captains first baseman Joe Naranjo would provide a solo home run in the fifth inning. It was Naranjo's third straight game with a home run and eighth big fly on the year. In total he would collect three hits on the night and is currently riding a five game hitting streak.

#Guardians 21yr old (1B) prospect Joe Naranjo with a solo HR in the 5th inning for Lake County. Naranjo has now homered in 3 straight games and has 8 on the season. @joenaranjo_ @LCCaptains #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/q5xSlkw3yw
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 21, 2022

With the win Lake County has taken three of the first four games of the series against Cedar Rapids improving their record to 17-19 on the year.

Top Performers:

Joe Naranjo 3-4 2R HR RBI
Alexfri Planez 1-3 R HR 3RBI
Petey Halpin 1-4 3B RBI
Jhonkensy Noel 1-4 R 2B
Gavin Williams 4.2(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 3BB 7SO
Randy Labaut 2.1(IP) 1H 0R 0ER 0BB 3SO (W)

Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats

Lynchburg 10 Salem 9

The Hillcats and Red Sox would trade blows all night but in the end Lynchburg would come out on top thanks to an RBI single by outfielder Skeiling Rodriguez in the top of the ninth inning making it a 10-to-9 game.

Lynchburg reliever Trey Benton who came on in the eighth inning would hold Salem scoreless in the ninth inning picking up the win.

The Hillcats have taken the first four games in the series against Salem improving their season record to 21-15. Lynchburg now leads the Carolina League North division by 1.5 games over the second place Carolina Mudcats.

#Guardians 20yr old OF prospect Isaiah Greene with a 2-run triple to put Lynchburg up 5-0 over Salem. It was Greene's farm leading 3rd triple on the season. @Isaiah24greene @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/Eb4sbAZhOu
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 20, 2022

Hillcats outfielder Isaiah Greene who has been swinging a hot bat of late would reach base three times in the game including a 2-run triple in the third inning that gave the team a 5-to-0 lead at the time. For Greene it was his third triple on the season. His three triples now lead the Cleveland Guardians farm system.